Hubby's Gone

For a week that is.

Most people would be upset about that but I'm not at all :) You see, with him working at home and us being a homeschooling family I don't get those chunks of undisturbed time most people do daily to get their everyday chores done. I often use him as an excuse to stop whatever I'm doing and have a little chit chat. It's truly a blessing I never take for granted. But it can also be an excuse to not do what needs doing! So I figure I'll look at this week as an opportunity to get things in order here (still nesting like crazy!) and have them nice and together for when he gets back :) There's so much I want to focus on, like the superficial housework kinda stuff, but also some heart and soul work. I've been paying such extra special attention to my mind and my body this pregnancy and am aware of the areas in which I would love to see growth and change. To be quite honest, I often times feel like the real me is tucked away quietly somewhere waiting for the chance, or freedom, to come out. The truth is, it is me who holds back, not anything or anyone else. For whatever reasons, some obvious, some not so much, I am not allowing myself the liberty to embrace every part of what makes me *me*. Sometimes I think it can be as simple as the every day monotony of life causing me to function on automatic and I forget to be present and conscious in every moment. There is a cure for this :) It's like the old saying "take time to smell the roses". I need to take the time to be more proactive and less reactive in situations. I need to slow down and simply be, just for simplicity's sake. I need to be more intentional about what parts of myself I want elevated and enhanced and what parts need to be discarded like something no longer useful or valuable. I just need to sloooow down! :)

That is something that will take practice. I was trained very well to do everything in a New York minute. I rush to shower, clean, cook, everything! I have plenty of reasons and even encouragement to continue in that path. There are hungry mouths around me at every given moment, there is always a baby or toddler needing my attention RIGHT NOW! lol There is even the pressure I feel from within to be super efficient and fast at every thing I do. Still... there's that quiet *me* in the background... waiting to emerge and embrace the silence and simplicity of life, where even the mundane tasks are performed with a rich appreciation for the blessings that they truly are.

Everyone seems to think I need company or rescuing from being left alone here this week. It's quite the opposite really :) I'd like to rest in the peace and quiet so that I can just breathe! I don't want to have to worry about answering the door or entertaining anyone and losing this opportunity to catch up with *me*.

Here are my plans for the week:

Tackle one room a day and get it organized and cleaned up.
Play with my children as much as possible.
For relaxing *me* time, I plan to continue in my daily yoga practice, cuddle up with my new book "Painless Childbirth" and drink it all up slowly.
Then I'll have ALL of my children set up a sleeping spot in my room and we'll go to bed together, EARLY!

Sounds awesome to me :)