Last week, a couple of friends and readers reached out to see how I’m doing. How I’m really doing. It’s funny because each person who reached out to me is a mom of 2+ kids and I love that they wanted to know how I’m really doing.
My answer was the same to each of them. My kids are doing so incredibly well and I am beyond grateful! Kinnick is growing like a weed and turned 12 weeks on Saturday. Magnolia has done a wonderful job of transitioning to her new preschool and is maturing so much! We are just so proud of her! She is soaking up all she’s learning and we just love listening to her recite all she is learning. They both have their moments, obviously, and are adjusting well to their new routines, but overall, they’re doing really well!
Neal and I on the other hand, goodness, we’re burnt out. We’re definitely making the day to day work, but we’re just so tired. Just tonight, Neal said it’s like living in a whirlwind. I think what makes it all tough is that we just don’t have time to decompress or to relax by ourselves. From the moment we wake up until the moment we go to bed, we’re both taking care of someone or working on something. If we’re not taking care of a kid, we’re cleaning up from the current day and preparing for the next day.
It was so comforting to hear from each mom I spoke to last week that they totally get it. Neal and I know we’ll find a groove and that things will get more comfortable in time, but we’re just not there yet. I can tell you, our house is incredibly messing, I forgot to wear deodorant multiple days last week, I’ve cancelled OrangeTheory twice in the past 2 weeks, I am working far more hours a week than I planned to, and my to do list only seems to grow in length.
What I’m having to learn is that I just can’t get everything done, that the house is just a different level of messy each day. I’m learning to fill my cup with the little joys and milestones and to enjoy this season of our life. I am learning that a messy house is a happy house and that there is just no sense in wasting the little energy I do have on stress and/or worry. Instead, I sit among piles of laundry, with a never ending to do list, and just smile at this crazy, wonderful, and tiring life we’re living. I keep thinking I’ll regain control “next week”, but here we are, 12 weeks after having Kinnick, and things are crazier than ever.
As I look towards October, my goal is to enjoy this time of year, to make the most of the crisp and sunny days, and to do what I can. The other night Neal said to me, “I hope that you’re able to reach a place where at the end of each day you’re able to appreciate everything you’ve accomplished that day, rather than focusing on everything you have yet to accomplish.” Those words hit me like a ton of brinks because he’s right. I’m always go, go, go, go and it’s time for me to appreciate all I’ve done and to just be still.
His words reminded me of a scripture, one that I am going to meditate on in the days and months to come. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:34
Life lately has been a wild ride, but I am so grateful for the life I have been given and the little ones I’ve been blessed to care for. Life is good!
