Am I the only one that struggles daily with balance in life? I’m pretty sure this started with kids…Katie, to be exact…almost 11 years ago now. How do I keep the house clean, but still make meals for the family? How do I “cherish” my time home with her, but still manage the laundry/homeschooling/cooking, etc.? Pretty sure I’ve tried every book out there…every planner…every “routine” (for cooking, for cleaning, for sleeping…for, well, you name it!) And, when I’ve asked those veteran moms that I look up to, I’m pretty sure the answer has always been something to the effect of “remember what’s most important now…it’s a season…we’ve all been there, but it’ll get better…”
Now, I have almost 11 years under my belt (that’s crazy, scary, and even a little depressing!)…three kids instead of one…and, somehow, here I am asking myself basically those same questions! Why can’t I keep my house organized & clean from being the health department’s worst nightmare?! How can I enjoy my much too quickly fleeting time with my kids, when I also need to keep all of the clothes washed, groceries bought (and prepared), school work/activities taken care of, etc.? And how in this world do moms find the time or energy to spend time doing something for themselves?? Sadly, I feel so overwhelmed many days that I would rather just go to sleep and pretend to ignore the ever growing to-do list than to attempt it. It’s literally the 1 step forward 10 steps back feeling.
Now, don’t get me wrong…I’ve figured out how to survive over the years…and some days are way better than others. I’ve learned to let a lot (if not all) of my perfectionism go out the window…my expectations are for sure lower than they were when I first became a mom…I’ve learned that it’s okay to do the simple short-cuts (sometimes sandwiches or cereal nights are ok!)…I’ve learned that if I rotate well enough (one day to focus on groceries….one day to tackle all of the laundry…one day to quickly “hit” all of the house with a basic cleaning…one day to just be out, playing with the kids), then I can at least keep up appearances of having it together. And that’s with the consistent help/understanding of my husband! (I cannot imagine how single moms feel…) But inside, it still feels as if I am juggling a thousand balls and waiting for not one, but all of them, to come crashing down all around me. No matter the small “survivor” victories I obtain, I find myself still longing for the balance that I just can’t seem to completely find.
So, I’m asking again…what am I missing?! How do you “veteran moms” do it? And how to you do it an maintain the joy of being a keeper of the home while trying to balance all of the “balls” life so often throws your way?
