I love my husband! The other day, I was talking to him (okay, fine...I was venting to him) about how far behind I was on my to-do list and how many household chores had piled up! I continued to explain that I felt like I am always behind lately, even though I'm trying so hard to get caught up. After patiently listening to me for a while, he stopped me and said that this is just how life is going to be if I want to have time to take our little boy to the park, or go shopping with my mom, or plan a play date with my sister or a friend. And most importantly, that it's okay to make these things a priority!
I'm so glad that I have him to constantly remind me of what is most important, and that sometimes it's okay to let things slide just a little bit. Obviously, we can't let everything slide or ignore all of those to-do list items and chores. My family needs clean clothes to wear, bills need to be paid, meals need to be planned, and groceries need to be purchased. But what my husband always seems to remember (and I seem to struggle to remember) is that these moments with our little boy, with each other, with our family, and with our friends are also so important. In fact, they're the most important!
As stay-at-home moms, we all wear a lot of "hats." Whether we have one child or five, work from home or focus solely on raising our children and managing our homes, we are all juggling a lot of responsibilities. I love the idea of having a perfectly clean house, an empty to-do list, and completing a million Pinterest projects. But this level of perfection just isn't possible. And sometimes I have to step away from my to-do list and just enjoy my life as a mommy. And as a wife. And as a daughter. And as a sister. And as a friend. I sometimes think that I should cut all of the extras out of my life. But in reality, those so-called "extras" are what make my life happy. What makes my life worth living.
So I'm trying to work toward finding balance and filling my time and my life with the things that matter most and that will bring the most happiness. And I've come to the realization that life isn't about being happy after I find that balance. It's about being happy and enjoying the little moments while I continue to work toward my various personal goals and continue to work toward finding balance. And it's also about filling my time with the things that really matter to me!
So if your house isn't perfectly clean, if dinner isn't on the table the moment your husband walks in the door, or if your little one has watched cartoons longer than the recommended time, remind yourself that it's okay! Because sometimes, letting all of those little things slide to stop and play with your child, or to take a minute to do something you love, is what you need and what they need to be happy!
