Time Off

To say that time flies by is so redundant, it's an excuse we over-use to explain away why we haven't done something or why we haven't been in touch with someone. There is truth in the statement, time really does go by quickly and each 24 hour day comes to a close before we've gotten to everything and everyone on the to-do list. However, time hasn't changed over the years...1 hour is still 60 minutes, 1 day is still comprised of 24 hours. What has changed is how much we take on to fill our 24 hours with. We over-book, over-extend, over-commit. Life has taken on such a fast pace, technology has increased how quickly we can get things done and how we correspond with others, we have unwittingly adapted by taking on more than we realistically should. 

That said, although I could easily fill this post with all the reasons why the past two months since my last post have flown by, I will refrain. I will instead say this...life has been busy and full, and because I've been focused on living each day fully and getting things done, I have taken time off from my blog. Have I over-booked, over-extended, over-committed? Absolutely. This is my nature though, and while I am fully capable of knowing when I need to say 'no', I still far too often find myself saying 'yes'. It's difficult for me not to offer my assistance and skills, especially when it's something I excel at! PTA Treasurer? Sure, bookkeeping and accounting are what I do, why not offer that help to my child's school? Preschool Cropping Coordinator? Sure, I'm a scrapbooker, I can coordinate helping parents put together keepsake scrapbooks for the preschoolers. Play piano for the Youth Choir at Mass? Sure, I've been doing that off and on since I was 10, I can handle playing once a month...at two Masses...in my hometown parish, even though I live half an hour away now. 

The thing is, I enjoy being able to lend my knowledge and skills to others. Volunteering is quickly becoming a lost art, and there is a huge need for it in so many places...schools, churches, kids sports. I'm thankful that my husband is interested in sports and coaching, and I know that when that time comes (if you've seen my son throw a football or shoot a basketball, kick a soccer ball or hit the baseball, then you'll realize that it's inevitable that we will be partaking in kids sports!!), he will take on those volunteer roles and I will easily be able to say 'no' to that!! 

Along with the balancing and juggling act that is my daily life, it has been a very full two months of summer ending, school starting, settling in to new routines. First Grade began without a hitch, although six weeks later we are dealing with some major struggles with our anxious, stubborn girl, so we're working through some things and advocating for her in the classroom. Preschool has been a great experience thus far, with the only rough "don't leave me here" morning being the one where I was dropping him off instead of daddy!! Little guy is very excited about a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch this week, which Dad will accompany him on. With the warm days winding down and the chill of Fall coming, Doug is starting to line up his indoor projects that will keep him busy for the next few months. A kitchen overhaul and a master bathroom shower replacement, on a tight budget, are on the agenda, so he has his work cut out for him!

We continue to be thankful for each day spent together as a family, grateful for the blessings of nearby family and friends, and hopeful that we'll get through our struggles with the grace of God. When the weeks go by without a post on my blog, it's not so much because time is flying by as it is because I am taking time off. Time off from technology, time off from dwelling on issues and drama, time off from being online. Time off from the cyber-world to spend in the real-world!