Balance

 (Me and Baby Dalton and our green nails)

How do you ever figure out how to balance everything in life?

As soon as I think I'm getting the hang of it, something else comes at me.

My favorite way to keep balance, is to get things done.

If I do it, and cross it off of my forever long "to-do" list, then I feel like I'm a little bit more balanced.

Lately I've been feeling out of balance.

My "to-do list" is HUGE and full of big projects that will weigh on my mind until they are done.

We need to finish the TV cabinet that Nate started in January.

We need to re-paint.

I need to plant my garden.

I always need to clean...

the list could go on and on.

A few years ago, I had a job.

I worked at a treatment center for teenage girls and I loved it.

I worked there until Bridger was born.

But I was feeling totally out of balance.

It was the kind of job that required you to devote your life to it.

I enjoyed devoting my life to it until Saxon was born.

Suddenly, I had something much for important than my job.

I had a child.

When Saxon was born, my heart felt like it was being pulled in so many different directions.  I wanted to work, but I wanted to do it well.  But how could I do it well if I cried for my baby the whole time I was gone?

By the time I was pregnant with Bridger, I knew the time had come.

I quit one week before Bridger was born, and I knew right away that it was the right decision.  We would have to figure out how to survive on one income because I needed to be home to raise my babies.

When I quit my job, I felt my balance return.

Now that I have 3 kids, the balance is a little harder to achieve.  We have school, and sports, and church.  This summer we have soccer camp, t-ball, swimming, summer reading at the library, and a trip to California.

I also have an etsy shop, a blog, and a facebook page (that I can't figure out quite what to do with).  My etsy shop eats up a TON of my time, but it also helped me save up for my van.  When I get a lot of orders I get stressed about getting them done right away and off of my to-do list.  When I don't get a lot of orders I get stressed (what if my shop is slowing down?)  A few days ago, I sat down to paint and turned on a movie for my kids.  When the movie ended, I let them turn on another because I wasn't done.  When Dalton woke up from his nap, I realized that I had been working for hours while my kids watched TV.

That doesn't feel balanced to me.

I think I need to either let some things go, or get a little more organized with my life.

Both maybe.

Especially because there are always things waiting in the wings to join my list.

(working out...a family history project that I want to start...a new book I want to read...an old favorite that I want to re-read...and how can I ever stay on top of DWTS?)

I even bought an essential oil called "Balance" to try out :)  I'll let you know how it works...  

I have a friend who says "I chose not to stress about that."

That's how she stays balanced.

And, I'll be honest, sometimes I get a little baby-hungry.

What would that do to my already precarious balance? LOL

Maybe I'll have to give up cleaning.

Ok not really...I couldn't handle it.

Do you have any secrets to keeping balanced?