Wednesday, April 2, 2014

This is the Best I Can Do At the Moment

Yesterday was the day...

The day I told myself, "This is the best I can do at the moment".  

For the first time, I did not feel the least bit guilty about that statement.  It was just one of those days.  By 11:30am, I felt like the life was drained from my body and I just couldn't give any more. 

I am proud to say I handed my kids the iPad, laptop, DS and any other electronic devise I could think of.  

Yep, you read that last statement correctly.  I made sure all devices had power cords and extension cords...wouldn't want those little suckers to run out of battery.  I sat my rear on the couch and caught up on TV shows AND I DID NOT FEEL ONE OUNCE OF GUILT!  Okay, every now and then a little bit of guilt would creep into my head but I pushed it out.  I needed that time and my kids needed to be entertained without me.

I have said before that I am constantly trying to keep up with this insane idea of perfection that only I have placed on myself.  It is such a struggle and downfall of mine.  My cousin, Jessica (a fellow mommy and perfectionist), suggested I read two books.  She has a great blog about motherhood, life, and her walk with Christ (The Almost Perfectionist).  We are always sharing book ideas and opinions with one another.  Her latest suggestion is "No More Perfect Moms" by Jill Savage.  The author has also written "No More Perfect Kids".  I decided this was definitely a book I needed to purchase.  I chose to go with No More Perfect Moms and then follow it with the kid version.  

WOW!  THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!  It is pretty short and a very easy read.  I felt like every page was taken from my mind and heart.  I underlined and highlighted the majority of the book.  She hits on every subject from kids, to marriage, your home, friends, etc.  She refers to the "Perfection Infection" throughout the book.  This is what she calls our behavior as moms to set these unrealistic expectations for ourselves.  Then she teaches and reminds us how to remove pride and use humility, take off fear and put on courage, confidence instead of insecurity, and grace instead of judgement.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when she polled her Facebook friends about the current condition of their kitchen counters.  These days with Pinterest, Facebook, and all other forms of social media it is so easy for us to feel like every other mother has a perfect home but us.  The responses were hysterical!  Let me just say, I didn't feel so bad about the current condition of my counter after reading that page in the book. :)

Another great point was that in human relationships, grace is allowing others to be human.  As I read the book, I realized I am not allowing myself to be human.  I could go on and on with favorite parts of the book but really you should just read it yourself.  It is well worth your time.  It is also so funny and easy to relate to.  I found myself looking forward to each time I got to sit down and read the next chapter.

Now, let me tell you how our morning went yesterday that made me sit on my rear and pass out electronics.  

I had to rush everyone in the morning (enough said right there) so that I could leave the house in order to register my daughter for Pre-K next year.  Yes, you do have to get there before the school opens to get in line...it is intense and serious business!  I had exactly 30 minutes to get back home before my husband had to leave with our youngest son (to take him to school all the way across town).  The moment I got there I realized it was not going to be quick.  The school was taking one parent at a time! There was also a father already in the door slowing everything down with a million questions.  I began calling my husband trying to figure out our plan for the "kid swap".  I think I called three different times and we finally decided our son was just going to have to be a few minutes late to school (it just couldn't be helped).  When I finally got done and broke every speed limit posted on the way home, I was met by a crazy household.  Apparently, our new puppy had a rather stinky "accident" in the living room.  My daughter ran through the "accident" and then up on the couch, smearing the "accident" on the cushions (thank goodness for leather sofas).  Then my youngest son (who is in that gross boy phase of loving anything that smells or makes an awful sound) thought it would be a genius idea to smell the "accident".  The end result to that was him gagging and throwing up.  After that the morning continued to go downhill.

Until 11:30am, when I sat on the couch, passed out electronics, chargers, and extension cords (to my oldest and youngest), grabbed the remote and said. "This is the best I can do at the moment."

"Kids, make sure you sit close to an outlet and don't unplug those devices!"  I didn't actually say the last part but it was part of my prayer... :)

Currently on my counter, I have two camera lenses, my daughter's Bible, a journal, a bag of clothes from my mother, two seashells from our trip to Washington, multiple pens, a bill from the vets office, and my calendar/to do list.  

I told you mine, now you tell me yours! :)




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