Thursday, March 28, 2013

(Spring) Breaking Expectations

This week hasn't looked like the Spring Break I would have dreamed up for myself. First of all, the first few days didn't feel much like spring! And my ideal Spring Break would somehow include accomplishing several household goals, doing fun things with my girls, and lots of rest and downtime, which is really asking a lot of just one week!

I knew going into this week that we would still have ballet classes, that we would need to go out of town for a day to buy new pointe shoes, and that we needed to do some spring clothes shopping. So, instead of trying to fit all my plans into a week that was already filling up, I chose to downsize my expectations. Instead of accomplishing big things in my home, I would just keep up with the regular cleaning and maybe make a trip to the recycling center and the Salvation Army. Instead of planning big projects with my girls, I planned to take them to a movie and dye eggs. Instead of reading for hours on end, I decided to just enjoy reading when I got the chance. 

And rather than having a frustrating week, where I was either exhausted from trying to fit too many things into our week or feeling guilty from not doing everything I felt like I needed to do, I have had a good week. My girls and I have not been stressed. And we have accomplished things! We helped friends move. We saw Oz, the Great and Powerful. We have hosted three sleep-overs. We have provided three of the girls with most of their spring and summer wardrobes. We have purchased new pointe shoes. We have gone to ballet practices. And I have even read books.

The key wasn't in what I did or how I scheduled. The key was in developing realistic expectations. What I did for my Spring Break, I need to remember in the rest of my life. It's so easy to read blogs and look and Pinterest and feel like I can do more than I really can. And then become frustrated when it doesn't happen. But when I take a realistic look at my life and my current commitments, I can choose to plan for things that will fit and not stress me or our family. God did not create any of us to do everything. And He knows we can't. And He wants me to admit it, as well, and choose to live in a way that complements who He made me to be. Using those standards, I think Spring Break has been a great week!