One Step Forward...Two Steps Back

I was thinking today on how easy it is for me to feel overwhelmed with everything! I can go weeks feeling like I have things under control, but than one variable will change and I spend several weeks feeling behind and a bit chaotic. I wonder if this is normal for other women?

Last week, I think I was doing pretty good. Work was going fine. The girls were happy. I was feeling motivated to put in more effort on my relationships. Then some of those variables changed....

I kind of knew going away for the weekend was a bad idea logistically. But I frequently sacrifice such activities to maintain my sanity and although it helps my stress levels in some ways, it also adds to more isolation and makes our lives more about work than fun. The other variable was Sofia, who came down with the flu on Thursday. I think the third variable was not driving to Big bear because that resulted in a big change in when we had to leave necessitating a scramble to pack to be ready 4 hours earlier which also led to me forgetting many things on my list for the weekend. Also, I had no control over our return time and we came home hours after I had anticipated.

Anyway, that leads me to this week where I am exhausted and feeling so behind in everything. I have piles of laundry not just from the weekend, but also from a sick barely potty-trained child. (How does she manage to pee only on our bed on the bedspread, down comforter, blanket, and sheets? Thank God it did not make it to the mattress. Now I also have to find time to make it to a laundromat because the stupid comforter is huge and won't fit in the washer!

Well, there are more minor annoyances but I am trying to remember i can only do what I can do and if I do a little each day, it will eventually catch up. I think exhaustion adds another layer of stress on top (sleeping in a cabin with 6 kids does not allow for much sleep). Having Sofia still be fighting the flu and feeling so cranky and pitiful does not help, especially with my parents out of town and no back-up day-care. I also can not help thinking ahead to Wednesday when my husband leaves to New York on a business trip for several days.

Okay, enough of the whining and contemplation and back to work!