There are some days I feel like I wear so many hats that my neck hurts from the weight. I’m pulled in a variety of directions, racing to catch up, remembering what I forgot, following up, making a list on a new list because I can’t find the last couple lists I started, and undoubtedly the phone rings at the most inopportune times. It seems that suddenly dinnertime arrives and I realize I haven’t even thought about what we’ll eat.

Ever had those days … or weeks?

Well, I’ve been in that mode for nearly two weeks now. Granted, it’s situational and so I know it won’t last, but I look forward to the less chaotic days up ahead.

How do we keep our wits about us when we experience these seasons, regardless of how brief they may be? Sometimes it requires we do the opposite. Stop to …

1. Laugh. It’s a sure way to get your mind off the demands and lighten the load. Look for the humor in situations or read your favorite comics. Just don’t forget to laugh.
2. Breath. Heavy sighing, diaphragmatic breathing, whatever you want to call it — do lots of it. When we’re stressed, our breathing becomes shallow. So remember to breath. (It comes with a few health benefits too.)
3. Relax. Whether it comes from 60-second mental vacations during the day or a 30-minute mindless TV show before you go to bed, just make sure to relax and give your brain a break.

Not sure about you, but it’s time for an exotic tropical island vacation. I’ll be back in a few minutes …

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day

is the rest we take between two deep breaths.  ~Etty Hillesum

Well I’ve passed a milestone as a parent and survived. Which milestone? Giving our daughter her first driving lesson.

As I sat in the back seat and watched her adjust the seat up higher and forward, I couldn’t believe fifteen years passed so quickly. She put her hand out for the keys and my husband hesitated and chuckled. Clearly a moment he knew would come sooner than he’d be ready. Now was that time. Surreal.

I took a few short videos of the lesson. We’ve already re-watched them a few times and laughed at the comical parts.

I’ve always said parenting is a journey. Well, we’re hanging on for the ride — it just looks a bit different now.

I looked out my window this week, saw buds on the trees, and got excited. Spring is coming! There is nothing like spring flowers, green leaves and grass to get someone excited. It’s a breath of fresh air–bright and cheerful.

There was just one problem, we’re ahead of schedule in my daughter’s Biology class for the year and an experiment this week called for a leaf collection and identification. Hmmm. The leaf buds are still too tiny to collect. Plan B. Thankfully the internet had a wealth of information–it became a virtual collection and identification experiment instead.

Improvise. Substitute. Adjustments. It’s all a part of every day life, isn’t it?

Some situations are easy to adapt to, others … not so much. At times I can go with the flow and other times tweaks make me resemble a newbie trying to learn how to drive a stick-shift for the first time. Start. Stop. Jerk. Lunge forward and jolt back against the seat. Not real productive until you get the hang of it.

The important thing though is we don’t give up or we don’t allow the sudden need to switch gears to throw us off course or shut us down in defeat. We’re resilient, right? Of course we are … we’re parents!

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.

~Robert C. Gallagher

This week on our Spring break, I’ve thought about a specific day years ago when my daughter taught me the importance of slowing down. It was a beautiful summer day and I was busy with a task.

“Come outside Mommy,” my elementary-aged daughter said, “I  made something special for you.”

I walked into the backyard and there was a make-shift bungalow attached to our large tree.

“You have to lie down here,” she said motioning to the beach towel placed in front of the tree.

I lay down, looked around, and complimented her on the creative shelter. I started to get up to leave so I could continue my task indoors.

“You can’t leave yet. I’m not done,” she said.

I lay back down and she began to fan me with a broken tree branch. “Isn’t this relaxing, Mommy?”

As I smiled, it hit me how anxious I was to rush off to a task rather than savor these precious moments. I stopped and just took it all in. She had no agenda other than provide me a place where I could rest, relax, and just be.

Away from my mom-duty distractions, I looked up at the tree reaching towards the sky and saw the beauty of God’s creation. Fascinated, I looked closely at the aging bark and was amazed by how the tree formed around the boards secured above. I thought about all the many memories created around this tree, the many children who climbed and swung on it, and the joy and laughter surrounding nature’s jungle gym. I almost missed this.

“My turn,” my daughter said interrupting my lingering thoughts. I got up, thanked her, and gave her a big hug letting her know what a special gift that was to me.  She smiled.

I’ve forgotten the unimportant mom-task I disregarded, but I’ll never forget the scenes and lesson learned that day. I’m glad I didn’t miss it!

Rest is not idleness,

and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day,

listening to the murmur of the water,

or watching the clouds float across the sky,

is by no means a waste of time.  ~J. Lubbock

Spring break is finally here! It’s a time when so many embark on wonderful vacations to disconnect from a nearly finished school year.

We, on the other hand, are stay-home-spring-break-disconnectors. My daughter and I sat down to discuss what we wanted to do this week on our break. The verdict? No schedule. No plan. No thinking. Sure we have a few activities we’d like to do somewhere along the way, but mainly we’re just going with the unplan theme.

During our homeschool year, we keep a specific schedule and routine. My daughter and I are both schedule people so we tend to live by a plan during each school day. But there are times needed to let go of the calendar, to-do lists, and schedule …  and just be. For us, this week will be one of those times.

Life clips along so quickly. Without even trying, constant stressors bombard us. The reality is, we all need time to decompress and let go of the worries and concerns of the day. So go ahead … unplan, let go, decompress, and don’t feel guilty–we’re just filling up our tanks.

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing,

of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear,

and not bothering.” – Pooh’s Little Instruction Book