Do you ever have those moments when you feel so overwhelmed you feel paralyzed? I had one of those this evening. I get them every once in a while. I know they will pass and somehow I will get through things but in the moment I just feel totally unable to even begin all the work in front of me.
Tonight, with the baby finally taking a nap, I looked around my dirty house while thoughts of the thousand things I need to do were nagging at my mind and in my overwhelmed state of mind I laid down and fell asleep. It was only a 20 minute nap. The children needed mom for this or that so my nap could not last long. But when I woke the kitchen was clean. Bless my husband!
This is one of those parts of motherhood you never fully understand until you live it. It is the part where you haven't slept for a stretch lasting longer than 3 hours in months and the stress of house, a high maintenance baby who requires near constant holding, school, lessons, birthday parties, bills, menu planning, teeth brushing, doctor appointments, thank you note writing, child obedience training, finding lost things, etc... all come crashing around in your consciousness and completely take you down. That was me ... tonight.
At least I have been there often enough to know it won't last and somehow the lessons will be taught, the house will get clean, the birthday party will "come to pass," food will get eaten, teeth will get brushed, and somehow some day sleep will one day last longer than 3 hours and the baby will be happy to sit and play with a toy on his own ... someday.
Our "summer" is over as the kids head back to school tomorrow. I will miss their help. I will miss them. But the return of routine will be welcome to me.
And NOW that I have spent my "alone time" minutes here with you I think I will go head to bed for my 2 hour stint of sleep. :)
