Filling Up My Cup

By the time Friday came last week, I was spent.  Completely and utterly spent.  It had been a hard week, and I can’t even put my finger on why.  There was no one catastrophic event.  It was just a pile-up of lots of little life moments that just snowballed, and by the end of the week, I was done.  It was a hard Mom week, and an even harder single Mom week.  I was ready for the weekend.

Coincidentally, I had planned a full girls’ day for Saturday some weeks ago, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.  Someone, somewhere knew that a little “me” time was in order and thank goodness the planets aligned to make it possible.  A mani/pedi appointment, retail shopping (with nary a dime spent, believe it or not!), dinner and a chick flick.  Laughter and utter silliness.  Feasting.  Fun.

Total and utter rejuvenation.

The days are full.  The weekends, even fuller.  They’re always crammed with a ridiculous amount of things to do.  Whether it’s errands, productive things around the house that need to get done, fun stuff, or a combination of all three, there’s never enough time.  I try and keep every other weekend low key so we (both me AND the kids) can have time to recharge.  Boost our batteries back up.  Scheduled downtime.  We all need it.  Quite frankly, it’s makes me a better Mom, and I want the kids to be just as happy being still (both mind and body) as they are being busy.  The best of all worlds, you know?

As much as my responsibility cup overfloweth, I know how important it is to take care of me too.  By doing so, I am more present than ever for my kids.  More patient.  More responsive.  Just plain better.  Whether it’s a one hour class at the gym, planned girl time with friends, or even 15 minutes of quiet reading when the kids are fast asleep, things like that need to make it on the regular calendar just as much as homework time, dentist appointments and oil changes. Whether you’re a Mom or not, replenishment from the inside out is important to be a better you.

Today’s replenishment went to Nick, and took the form of a stop at the grocery store for saltines, soup and ginger ale for my oldest little who had a terrible stomachache.  He totally needed TLC, and it must’ve worked miracles, because in no less than thirty minutes, we went from tears to “can I go outside and play on the trampoline?”  Seriously.  BOYS!  No matter the age, they are just confounding sometimes, aren’t they?

What did YOU take time to do for yourself today?

Project 365
October 25, 2010, Photo #187, 188, 189 and 190

I love where we live.  We have lived in this neighborhood for nearly nine years now and it would take a lot to get me to leave.  So much so that when The Ex and I bought our second house in this neighborhood, it was only up the street from our old house, and when the kids and I moved in the Summer of ’09, it was back to the old house we moved from (confusing I know, but consider it one giant neighborhood circle in a three year span).  One of my most favorite things in this neighborhood is this little piece of magic that I see every day.  Kris knows exactly the spot I mean.  I love seeing it when I leave in the morning for work, and when I round the corner on my way home, it’s like one giant exhale.  Heaven.  It doesn’t even matter what season it is … whether it’s the glorious brush strokes of Fall colors, the icy pond Winter brings or even when the lake’s waters are furious in the midst of a terrible rainstorm, it’s just this little piece of magic.  Talk about replenishment.