Wow, did it get cool outside!! Just 4 days ago, it was 90, with overnights in the 60's. Today, is a whole other story - 43 at 10 am, with a high only getting to 55 for the day and into the 20's tonight. I'm actually cold for the first time in about 3 years. It's pretty wild. I am actually happy that it has cooled off. It feels like Fall now. Which leads to my favorite holidays. There is still a lot to do outside to prepare our farm for Winter, but a few days of cold; it's the universal push to get the lead out of our butts and get stuff done.
So, after 3 months of lots of running and events, I began on my household lists yesterday. There have been a lot of things I let go the past few of years. Unfortunately, when I get overwhelmed...I tend to let a lot of the things that matter to me, just drift by. I focus on the "have-to items," and the smaller details get brushed to the side. It's been a whole lot of rushing from one thing to the next, just trying to get by, and everything became a chore. I mean everything. I took a short journey on the pity train, and turned off emotions that made me, well...me! It's a strange realization to see it, in hindsight. I'm attempting to push myself forward with those details, that matter to me, and stop making excises. I am exhausted and I let myself go pretty far down...but I am working to fix that too. I've gotten myself into a pretty deep rut, so I have a lot more work to do.
Those lists, are my saving grace. I think I have become notorious in all my lists. The to-do, to make, to get finished, to get accomplished, to work on, and so on. Sometimes, it's the simple details that make a lot of difference for me. Yesterday, while I was cleaning, it was knowing I was eliminating the darn cob webs. Those crazy things pop up overnight! It was watering plants, polishing my table, washing bedding, getting dishes done and counters cleaned. It was the simple act of lighting a candle again. It's the actual sight of seeing items on those lists being crossed off. It's having a cup of hot tea and hearing nothing but silence. It was my husband and daughter picking the apples and watermelon before the frost and watching them cut up the watermelon to freeze and eat - together. It was having a decent supper again, as a small family, at our dining room table. I think I had forgotten about many of the simple tasks, compounded, helped me to see progress.
Last week, my daughter and I made a trip to our local Dollar General. It's not something we do often, but my husband is working a lot of hours...and I don't want to add more to his growing lists. Anyway, we were walking through the store and the Christmas stuff was there in the middle. For several years, she has been not real excited for Christmas overall...at least until Christmas Day. This year, she wanted to look at everything. I try not to get overly excited for much, because I would celebrate everything if it wasn't such a chore for everyone else in my family. Anyway, it truly made me happy to see her excited. She actually picked out a little mailbox tin and some hot cocoa mugs for us, that were Christmas themed. It made my day! Then, we had our annual gun show that we set up at to sell raffle tickets for our veteran hunt. This year, there was a booth across from us, that had none other than a local Santa Claus! One of the absolute best Santa helpers I have ever known. She was over the moon excited, and has made plans for us to visit a local business in December, where he will the Santa helper. She is so excited this year! She has even been talking about decorations we need to add, and where we need to put things. This is an excitement I haven't seen from her since before her Grandma passed away.
So, this has brought me back to my lists. I have been working on remodeling projects for several years now. Her room is one of them. I just can't seem to get them all completed. One of the biggest projects I want to get finished is her room, before we start decorating for Christmas. She wants to decorate her room, and I am going to do everything I can to make sure she can...with it finished! I have walls and windows to get washed, shelving to build for the extra room turned pantry, and a whole lot of clutter to either find a home or be disposed of. I want to be able to stop chasing my tail, and finally be able to sit back and enjoy the simple things again...without seeing a bunch of chaos. I can make that happen. So, in the words of a great friend and relative(actually family) - "pick a spot, and start there." I'm a little stubborn sometimes, sorry!
So, I know it's not life changing for anyone else, but I plan to share my triumphs...and maybe a few set backs...but I am on a mission. I love to celebrate, I love my children, and the next 2 months are my favorite time of year. I am going to actually enjoy them this year...
No comments:
Post a Comment