Best Laid Plans

It is finally happening.  I finally feel as if I have a handle on the things going on in my home and in my life and in my career.  Shhh... don't talk about it too loudly or it is bound to all fall to pieces again!  Last week I wrote about the craziness that consumed June and how terrible I felt about the way everything was going.  I vowed to make July better.  And guess what?  It is working!  This week I have felt an inner peace and happiness I have not felt in quite some time.  And friends, it is amazing. 

I must admit, when I first quit my full-time office job I had a very false picture of how things would go.  I did not expect everything to be calm and clean and perfect all the time, but I envisioned happy mornings spent playing with my kids and quiet afternoons where they napped and I took care of household chores, followed by happy family dinners in the evening, then more family time spent playing games or playing outside or going on outings.  How very fairy-tale-ish.  I don't think I need to tell you that it did not go like that at all.  Not even one day.

But this week... oh, this week the tides are turning.  I have been to the gym and plan on going back this afternoon.  I have taken the kids to the pool and will be taking them again tonight.  We are going to the zoo tomorrow.  I have run some errands.  I have cleaned the house (well... the top half!).  I have had ample time to do my work while Joseph slept and the big kids enjoyed some "quiet time" of their own playing downstairs.  Today, for the very first time, I have actually completed all of my work for the day - it's already done!  That means I can spend this evening editing my pictures for this week's You Capture post.  (Finally!) 

All of this has left me feeling satisfied and happy and somewhat giddy, like I want to skip around my house for the rest of the day.  I look ahead in my planner and it is nearly empty.  Unheard of!  (I confess, I wrote a couple somewhat-meaningless tasks in there earlier in the week because the look of an empty weekly agenda was so foreign to me I didn't know how to deal with it.)

Yes indeed, my plan is finally falling into place.  Don't get me wrong - I still have quite a bit of catching up to do in all areas.  But I feel like I finally have a chance to actually do it and to start my Home Project To-Do list again.  Maybe one day soon I can even cross one off that list!

No, it is still not perfect and yesterday there were several near-meltdowns, from mom and kids alike.  But we got through it.  And we will continue to get through it.

Just this morning Ella told me "You are the best mom ever.  You always have been and you always will be."  If that's not enough motivation I don't know what is.