Momming in May
I haven't blogged in a long time. I started this with the best of intentions. I knew I'd be busy and figured, I'd just type a little something, even if it wasn't much to keep up the practice. But what I didn't bargain for was that while taking classes I'd be writing a little something for about 20 hours a week, and instead of blogging feeling like a creative outlet, sometimes sitting in front of the screen any more started to feel more like a chore.
BUT, I am on a break from school (to take care of other big and busy stuff) until August. And as I come up for air I'm starting to find a little time for reading novels, processing thoughts that are not about canonization and Old Testament book authorship. And I'm starting to really miss blogging.
I've been thinking how ironic it is that Mother's Day falls in May. Because May is maybe one of the most loaded months for mothers. May is what we train for all year long. May is when all the things happen at the same time. If you thought December was busy, you should ask a mother to open up her planner and show you her May. May is when we Pinterest-attack teacher appreciation week. There's end of the year everything concerts, awards and parties. May the Fourth, Free Comic Book Day, Cinco de Mayo. Prom. Graduation and graduation parties. All the best field trips. All the things.
And baseball. God bless baseball. With it's playoff brackets full off mystery and intrigue.
I think one of the most important skills of a mother is knowing when it's appropriate to go into emergency mode and navigate that place with grace, creativity and flexibility. And then also when to go out of emergency mode.
Right now, in the midst of playoffs, most of the laundry I'm getting done has a piece of someones uniform in it. We're eating a few too many french fries. At 4:00 in the afternoon because it's that or eating dinner at 8 p.m. And my kids' bedtime is promptly at "I have no idea." And I feel 0% guilty about it. In fact, I'm proud of my kids for learning the important skill of "just roll with it."
But also, it's important that we know when emergency mode is over. When we get too comfortable with emergency mode, life gets harried and frazzled. We settle for just the minimum in life and skip over some really important things.
I remember times when I failed to turn off emergency mode. During times of crisis, when Moses was going through cancer treatment or our downstairs was torn up in a remodel, a lot of screen time and junk food was understandable. But without giving that lifestyle an expiration date, we learned to just survive and not thrive.
So, I'm embracing emergency mode for the next one to two weeks. There's stuff. Lots of important stuff that's important for my kids to experience. Team work. Responsibility. Family gatherings. Band concerts. Celebrations. Community. END GAMES.
But then I will remember this time to press reset. Dan and I will count weight watcher points again. We'll follow a routine and get homework into the right folders and assignment notebooks signed. The routines that we follow at other times that make May the exception not the rule. And allow us to sit back for the next few days and just enjoy the ride, the spring breeze while we watch the sunset over the ballfield, the time with family and friends. And the french fries and ice cream.
BUT, I am on a break from school (to take care of other big and busy stuff) until August. And as I come up for air I'm starting to find a little time for reading novels, processing thoughts that are not about canonization and Old Testament book authorship. And I'm starting to really miss blogging.
I've been thinking how ironic it is that Mother's Day falls in May. Because May is maybe one of the most loaded months for mothers. May is what we train for all year long. May is when all the things happen at the same time. If you thought December was busy, you should ask a mother to open up her planner and show you her May. May is when we Pinterest-attack teacher appreciation week. There's end of the year everything concerts, awards and parties. May the Fourth, Free Comic Book Day, Cinco de Mayo. Prom. Graduation and graduation parties. All the best field trips. All the things.
And baseball. God bless baseball. With it's playoff brackets full off mystery and intrigue.
I think one of the most important skills of a mother is knowing when it's appropriate to go into emergency mode and navigate that place with grace, creativity and flexibility. And then also when to go out of emergency mode.
Right now, in the midst of playoffs, most of the laundry I'm getting done has a piece of someones uniform in it. We're eating a few too many french fries. At 4:00 in the afternoon because it's that or eating dinner at 8 p.m. And my kids' bedtime is promptly at "I have no idea." And I feel 0% guilty about it. In fact, I'm proud of my kids for learning the important skill of "just roll with it."
But also, it's important that we know when emergency mode is over. When we get too comfortable with emergency mode, life gets harried and frazzled. We settle for just the minimum in life and skip over some really important things.
I remember times when I failed to turn off emergency mode. During times of crisis, when Moses was going through cancer treatment or our downstairs was torn up in a remodel, a lot of screen time and junk food was understandable. But without giving that lifestyle an expiration date, we learned to just survive and not thrive.
So, I'm embracing emergency mode for the next one to two weeks. There's stuff. Lots of important stuff that's important for my kids to experience. Team work. Responsibility. Family gatherings. Band concerts. Celebrations. Community. END GAMES.
But then I will remember this time to press reset. Dan and I will count weight watcher points again. We'll follow a routine and get homework into the right folders and assignment notebooks signed. The routines that we follow at other times that make May the exception not the rule. And allow us to sit back for the next few days and just enjoy the ride, the spring breeze while we watch the sunset over the ballfield, the time with family and friends. And the french fries and ice cream.
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