Too Busy?

It’s no secret that we are all busy. I don’t care if you are the stay at home parent of an only child or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company with quadruplets at home. You are busy.

Here’s my current situation. I am a stay home mommy, full time student, and wife. During this last week I had 4 finals to study for, a 5 page paper to write, and a very important interview to prepare for. I felt like I had a million things to accomplish! And it all had to be accomplished while being super mom and Susie Home-Maker.

 

There were 10 loads of laundry to be folded (This is NOT an exaggeration). My sinks were overflowing with pots and pans. My youngest has refused to leave her diaper on, which results in the occasional pile of poop that I will find around the house. Oh, and we thought getting a puppy would be the perfect addition to our craziness!

 

While sitting in my recliner, trying with everything I had in me to get my material read and get notes studied, I found myself getting after the girls over and over (and over and over and over and over) again. My day was filled with tension and resentment. And to top it all off, it was an uncharacteristically GORGEOUS day for the beginning of December. We are talking 60 degrees! You know what that does to kids!!

 

In a final attempt to capture some attention from mommy, my youngest climbed on my lap and straddled me, looking me square in the eyes. As I began to scold her and let her know all that mommy had to do, she leaned forward and hugged me. She laid her beautiful blond head on my chest and just stayed there.

 

It hit me. HARD. What was I doing?! These sweet and innocent little girls just wanted to play with mommy. They just wanted to share their infinite supply of joy and energy with their struggling mother. I wasn’t getting anything accomplished anyway.

 

I put it all away. The books. The notes. The computer. The interview application.

 

I gathered up our jackets and boots, and we headed out to the backyard. It was a muddy mess, but the sun felt like a rush of sanity washing over my heart and mind. The girls ran and laughed and played. The dogs explored and romped around in the mud. It was glorious.

 

In all of my haste, I forgot that they are babies. I forgot that they needed me. I forgot that I don’t have to get it all done NOW. I forgot that we must take advantage of today’s beauty, because it will fade with setting sun.

 

What I learned that day was to SLOW DOWN. Enjoy these sweet moments. I don’t get after my girls for crawling up on my lap anymore. I simply hug them back. As long as they want to. I take breaks. I focus on the big picture.

 

No matter how busy you are today or what you have planned for tomorrow, don’t forget to laugh and love. Children are masters of reminding us what is important; sometimes we just need to shut up and listen to them. No matter what this day, week, month, or year has in store for you, don’t forget to slow down and enjoy what is right in front of you.