Optimism

Nearly everyday on FB, I post my goings on as they happen, or my list of accomplishments at the end of the day. This is my little daily motivational speech to myself. It is very important to me that I am able to point out the many things that I *did* accomplish, so that I don't look around at the house at the end of the day and mope about the things that I didn't accomplish. Optimism doesn't come naturally in my family (most of them embrace the Eeyore or Grinch attitude to its fullest and are damn proud of it)-- it's pretty easy to get wrapped up in it myself if I don't watch it carefully. If I fell into that frame of mind right now in my current situation, it would be disastrous.

I worked outside this weekend, about 18 hours in total. I was mostly raking up leaves--but one of the trees in the front is a Sweet Gum tree that drops these terrible spiky balls about 1" in diameter. If you don't rake them up, the mower picks them up and flings them out in all directions. After mowing the front yard last week, my legs were covered in bruises from these little bastards. So I raked and raked and raked some more, until my front yard was void of them. In the process I managed to rake up the leaves from last fall, which the children and I then bagged up. They are great helpers, but easily distracted ("Oh, WORMS!").

I picked up downed branches and chopped them up with my hatchet yesterday. I weeded garden beds and pruned bushes. I dug out three bushes and replaced them with prettier ones. Last night, I burned a huge pile of crap I had cut up. Over the course of two days, I mowed the whole yard--which, if you have seen it, is huge.

Meanwhile, I was actively engaged with the kids the entire time (with the exception of the mowing when they practiced soccer in the other yard). We played bubbles, drew with our chalk, rode tricycles, dug for worms, rolled around in the grass, took pictures, roasted some marshmallows and even read a few stories. There was bath time and bedtime routines to stick to as well.

I don't have anyone here to pat me on my back and tell me good job. I also don't have any help, except what little the children can give me. So I do it all myself, and I do it happily all by myself because it is a thousand times better than the life I was living before.

Yes, there are three different stacks of library books on the living room floor. There are also about a dozen markers and a few color books out there too. I believe there is a half-done puzzle off to the side. There are string cheese and Hershey Kisses wrappers hanging out too. I found a somewhat sticky lollipop stick in my underwear drawer (that one had Paige written ALL over it). My bathroom needs wiped down and ALL the floors need swept. There are 2 sinks worth of dishes to be washed. There are worksheets brought home from school on just about every single flat surface in the house.

Quite frankly, it looks like the Iceland volcano went off in my house. BUT THAT'S OK WITH ME--because I worked my tail off this weekend and I had a great time with my kids. Most of all, my kids noticed that I work hard, even when things get hard. Kate saying "Mom, you sure are a tough girl!" made me cry once I had a chance to sit down next to the fire after I got them in bed. It was just a sweet little Mother's Day gift a couple of weeks early. I guess tough girls cry.

It's also going to be OK with me that I let that stuff stay where it is until tomorrow (well, except for the lollipop-in-the-underwear part--already took care of that one). I have pics to go through and edit, some to upload here and to Snapfish, I want to finish the skirts I started on Friday since they just need elastic and I'm going to sketch out the next portion of the painting I am working on right now. This is my Sunday night recharge--where I spend time on my art, my sewing or my writing while listening to music a little too loudly. :-) This allows me to have a happy beginning to my week, no matter what new challenges it has waiting in the wings for me.

Also, optimism requires smiling--a lot!!! Shakespeare wrote: "The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief." - Othello.

:-D <=== Yea, like that!!!