Balance

balance |ˈbaləns|nounan even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady

Every so often I find myself trying to find just the right balance. Balancing my husband, the kids and their activities, family duties, time for myself, friends and volunteer work.  Lately my balance has been tested.  I know what is important, what needs to/must get done and I am finding that as I try to walk straight on the balance beam of life, I am beginning to lean.  Time for myself is dwindling as is time for my friends.  And I know all of the "things" that have been filling my schedule will eventually ease up.   

I am finding that I need to remind myself to enjoy the moments, the little ones, like the giggles of the kids playing together, the excitement in my daughter's expression as she heads out of the house for fast pitch softball tryouts, embracing new relationships when I feel like I don't belong, being open minded in meeting with a group of people I may not agree with, finally getting "on the same page" with someone, and a rainy afternoon with tea in hand even though I am busy working.  

Finding the balance ~ even when life is busy can be hard and it can be daunting.  But if we choose to  take one day at a time and find the small ordinary miracles of each day it makes it easier to stay on the beam. 

And if you do fall off, as we all do from time to time.  Shake it off and climb back on.

Snow Day

In the 13 years my husband and I have lived in this state, there have only been 3 snow days.  And that number includes yesterdays.  I skipped my 5am workout so Hubby could get on his way to work earlier than normal, before traffic became completely insane.  His typical 20 minute drive took 35 mins.  Not too bad considering if he would have left at his typical time, he would have been in the car for at least 1 hour.  Anyway, Hubby left at about 5:50.  The phone rang at 6.  "This is *****, superintendent with ***** district # ****.  Classes have been cancelled today............"  I instantly knew the kids would be super excited.  When I heard Sassy turn the shower on at 6:40 I bolted to her bathroom and yelled through the door "NO SCHOOL"  The squeal and "happy dance" she broke into made my day :)

Well, snow day means snow so while the Sassy and Action played with neighborhood friends, Smiley and I got to work.  We piled on the snow gear:

and got busy shoveling

(fine, she shoveled, I took pictures ~ ha)

Lifting with her knees ~ good girl!

After shoveling the front entry, a strip from the entry down the driveway and half of the front sidewalk, we figured "Daddy" could just use the snow blower when he got home from work, and decided it was time to play, be goofy....

and make snow angels

What a perfectly lazy, smile filled snow day!