Do Nothing

It's been nearly a month since my last post and boy has it flown by. I'm not sure where the last 3-4 weeks have gone, but I know they were busy. Not simply with deadlines, meetings, and projects, but with emotional hurdles as well. Those take up time too, unfortunately.

We did get a night away from the kids last weekend and we visited my sister-in-law and brother-in-law at the coast. The time went all too quickly, especially since we did...well...nothing. I never "do nothing". I can't in my own home. There's always something that has to be done. Something that I feel I should be doing. But it was my sister-in-law's house and there were no children to take care of, no housework or projects that followed me there. I sat still for more than 15 minutes. I drank coffee and chatted and laughed. I played Mario Kart with my husband and sister-in-law. I watched a movie and didn't have to pause any scary/inappropriate parts because a certain five year old was caught sneaking out of bed. I strolled along the beach. I slept in. I went out to lunch. It was peaceful. I was doing nothing and it was fantastic.

It doesn't quite count as "doing nothing", but I made the decision to take the next two terms off from school. I've been going non-stop for the last year and I was beginning to get burnt out. My kids were beginning to lament my workload and I feel like they need my attention for a little while. And once I saw the looks of excitement and joy on their faces when I told them I was taking a break, I knew it was the right decision.

So as of today, I am done with the current term and will be homework-free for the next six months. It feels like an awfully long time, but I am welcoming the break. I will play with my kids. I will read for fun. I will get some long-neglected household projects done - and include the kids in them (they've actually been asking to help with projects!). It's a temporary simplification, but sometimes even just a short break can make a world of difference.