How do we do it? I am feeling so completely overwhelmed lately. My kids are winding up the school year. Yesterday I had to make German Fruit Stollen (it's like German Irish Soda bread) for my son's class for "Ancestor Day". Well I mixed and mixed and kneaded the dough and added the fruit, put it in a bowl to rise and cleaned up the kitchen. During this time his school nurse called to tell me he doesn't feel well and I had to come get him. Ok, get the son, go to drugstore, come back and finish cleaning up the kitchen. What do I see? The packet of YEAST that I forgot to add! Had to dump out the whole thing and start over. Shoulders are so sore. Picked daughter up from school, took her to dance, picked her up from dance, made dinner. Today have to go to candystore and get these German candies for son's class. Tomorrow have to go to son's ancestor day. Tomorrow night, daughter has dance, son has baseball game. Saturday, daughter has party, son and husband going to bball game. Every weekend in the entire month of June daughter has graduation parties. I'm so happy for her as she really struggled these last two years with her grades and she just wants to celebrate. I am exhausted and in pain. I'm so sick of feeling like s**t. My knees hurt. My shoulders ache. I'm tired. I told daughter that I could get her to her party Saturday but she has to get a ride home since dad will not be here. She actually got a sleepover invite so she doesn't need to get picked up till sunday when I have eto spend 4 hours sitting in the High school auditorium while she has her dress rehearsal for her dance recital. She's an amazing dancer - ballet and lyrical dance. I hate raining on her parade. She has a party in June on a Friday night at some NIGHTCLUB! that is on the highway about 25 minutes away. It ends at 11pm! It's a graduation party - husband is going to be away on a golfing weekend in Europe that weekeknd so I once again said "I"ll get you there but we have to find you a ride home'. I feel like such a loser. I feel like I'm wishing my kids lives away by wanting each day, week, month or activity to hurry up and be over. Overwhelmed. Today I"m taking it easy. I have to get these German candies (marzipan) and go to party store for a serving tray and then I'm having a nice lunch out with a friend. Sorry I'm ranting and feeling sorry for myself. Gonna go cry now.Oh honey, you're having it tough - it does all get a bit overwhelming with these darned wonderful marvellous kids of ours. I found it overwhelming myself when my kids were needing that kind of support. But unlike you, I was not ill at the time, and had plenty of energy for it.
Even so, it was always a "balancing act" - especially when they were heading off to their different things at different times. Then when they get their own transport and start doing their own thing, the worry cycle steps in. Can't win!
But how we love them!!
I have the greatest admiration for you doing these things right now, and really hope that you have a good day, and a lovely lunch out with your friend. And you know you're allowed to let it all hang out here - that's what we're here for.
Good luck to your daughter for her dance recital.
Life in general is overwhelming at times and then let's throw ra into the mix!! UGH!!!
The end of the school year is always a busy busy time of the year. Once all those graduation parties are done with things should calm a little and you won't have so much running to do.
Good luck to your daughter at her recital!!
I do understand and Im sorry your feelin down right now.. Its a daily struggle to me on the depression... This is all new to me and I have 3 children... My oldests are in PeeWee so I have that commin up in about 2 weeks and I dont really know at this point how im gonna be able to deal... but I guess i will just take it when it comes... Im so sorry u r upset right now...maybe a nice quite lunch is what you need!Honey, you are plain and simply exhausted. I groaned just reading your post. I second everything Jeanne said, I was running around like a chicken without a head when my kids were younger but, I didn't have ra then. Somehow, you've got to find a way to pamper yourself. Since your husband got to go on a golfing weekend maybe you can take a weekend for yourself too.
Anyway, have a nice lunch, and try not to worry too much about the parties. I know, easier said than done. We NEVER stop worrying.
Oh Honey your post brought tears to my eyes. I agree that life itself is overwhelming and then when you throw RA into the mix....it's NO party!! Personally, I admire you and think you are doing great. Perhaps even pushing yourself a little too much sweetie. I really wanted to comment on this part:
I feel like such a loser. I feel like I'm wishing my kids lives away by wanting each day, week, month or activity to hurry up and be over.
Honey....I don't see anywhere in your post where you are wishing your kids lives away. Everyone gets overwhelmed and thinks to themselves "When is this going to end so I can relax" or "Mercy, I need a vacation". What I got from reading your post is how involved you are in your kids lives and how very proud you are of them and their accomplishments. You sound like Super Mom to me.
I'm glad you are going to take it easy today and relax. Sometimes that's exactly what we need to do. Have a nice time with your friend and get some laughs in.
Peace & Love....Neasy
Oh Honey, how I understand what you're going through. You get pulled in so many different directions you feel like Stretch Armstrong! And it's because you're such a good caring Mom that this is happening. You're twisting yourself inside out to make everyone happy and you are totally exhausted.
Now you need to step back and reevalute things. Kinda act like an Efficiency Expert coming in to examine your schedule and how you can simplify it or tweak it to make it easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
Work with other mothers and share rides - no sense in everyone driving-it's better for your schedules, its better for your gas budget, and its better for the environment. Maybe folks just need someone to step forward and put together a plan.
Prioritize what tasks are important and what are not. Remember that "Spoon Theory"? Choose your spoons wisely. Do you really have to stay through the entire dress rehearsal on Sunday? I'm sure you will be going to see the performance so beg off of the dress rehearsal. Use that time for yourself. If the drive is too far for you to go home, then go to a bookstore with a coffee shop, and just sit and read and sip coffee and as the song says "JUST BREATHE".
Sometimes we get caught up on the treadmill and we're so busy trying to keep up that we don't see a way to get off. But there's always a way to steal away bits of time to replenish our soul - and our bodies. And you're going to have to get comfortable with the idea that you aren't Super Woman. You're just like everyone else - doing the best you can with what you've got.
(((Honey))) I agree that you are a wonderful mother and most definitely not a loser. I understand about you feel like you are wishing your kids' lives away. I feel the same way at times. I cherish days when there is nothing scheduled, and am one of those moms who dreads the end of summer. I encourage my boys to have friends stay the weekend here with us so I know where they are and nobody needs to be out driving late at night. I have this thing about not being able to go to bed until they are home safely tucked into bed. This means we usually have a couple of extra mouths to feed every weekend, but it is a great trade-off. Physically, it got easier when our oldest started driving.
I have a senior graduating in two weeks and we have 12 family members flying/driving up to celebrate. Everyone is arriving Wed. Thurs. we are having family portraits done and celebrating hubby's sister and father's b-day. Fri is graduation. Saturday, we are holding an all-night party for son and his friends and their families. Sunday is Father's day. The following week, the boys' friend flying in to stay with us and younger son is getting his wisdom teeth out.
It's ok to feel overwhelmed. You are a great mom who is involved in your children activities. You know everyone said enjoy them because it goes fast and I was like "yeah, yeah, yeah, hurry up" But it's true! I cannot believe how quickly they have grown.
Hi Honey, May I suggest that you practice saying, 'sorry you guys, but no', or just 'no way', you aren't being grumpy but you have to take care of yourself. they jsut don't know how hard it is to keep up 'the carpooling', the taking and droping off, the getting it all together for every one else, But you need to Practice.....here. Trust me they will find another WAY.sarahWell, the icing on the cake was that my son's ear infection was hurting him so bad this morning he was shaking. Cancelled lunch with my friend and worked on his Ancestor Day project instead. The silver ling - sort of - is that due to his earache, he won't be at his baseball game tonight and I can rest. My delicious lunch out was replaced by a Lean Cuisine but with a very cute lunchdate, my 10 year old. Awww, I hope his ear feels better soon. The upside to our kids being sick is they let us baby them no matter their age.Oh sweetie!!!Good for you on having the cleaning lady come. Make sure you take lots of pictures!!
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