Rolling with the Punches
This is not what I had originally planned to write for this month’s column. I was contemplating a post on summer fashion or maybe a Part 2 to last month’s “To Blog or Not to Blog”. But life happened, as it often does, and instead today I am going to talk about staying flexible. Don’t panic, this is not a fitness post. Believe me, for a former yoga instructor I am embarrassed at my downward facing dog right now. It resembles more of a downward facing armadillo.
No today I am speaking metaphorically… rolling with the punches, if you will. My husband recently told me that I did not react to the unexpected very well. My mom concurred. After my initial sulking, I realized that they were right. I do not handle changes in my schedule very well, and if they are last-minute? Well, forget it.
[sws_pullquote_left]Somewhere along the way I went off the rails. [/sws_pullquote_left]
When did this happen? When did I become such a rigid person? I think that for some of us, new parenthood is very scary. I suddenly felt like I had no control over anything in my life. So when I established a schedule with my son and finally had a routine, I stuck to it. Nothing was going to deviate from that routine. NOTHING. And it is comforting to the small ones – I am a firm believer that kids like structure and routine. They like to know what is coming. But somewhere along the way I went off the rails.
My reaction to the unexpected became overblown. And when you are a parent, sometimes you have to fly by the seat of your pants. Sporting games are rescheduled, school events pop up, and sometimes you find yourself searching through the shoes section at Old Navy ten minutes before closing because your son forgot to tell you that tomorrow is pajama and slipper day. We have to roll with the punches. Life is full of changes and we never know what tomorrow will bring. I can coordinate and schedule until the cows come home, but ultimately God is the one with the plan that counts.
A big change for me is that I recently returned to work. My youngest will be starting kindergarten in the fall so it was time. I took a position with the Redstone Rocket newspaper at Redstone Arsenal and it has been an adjustment for the whole family, but such a blessing. Having the opportunity to share the stories of the people that work to make our country safer and stronger is an honor.
Now that I am a working gal again, our whole routine has changed. Maybe dinner is not ready on time and that load of laundry sat in the dryer overnight, but that is okay. I am a firm believer in that we moms need to give ourselves a break. And sometimes that means setting the schedule aside and just taking a moment to breathe.
Unfortunately, as part of my new embracing of change, I have to say goodbye to Not Before My Coffee. With a husband who travels with his work, a new job, the looming summer school vacation, and two kids who never met an activity that they did not like, my carefully structured life is not so regimented anymore.
I do want to take this opportunity to thank the lovely editors here at RCM. I have learned so much in the last two years. And thank YOU. It is my firm belief that our readers are the best out there. Believe me, there are some crazy yahoos on the internet. This bunch is top-notch. Thank you for reading.
And if you see me wandering around the Arsenal looking as if I am lost, I probably am. Please take pity and stop to give me directions.
Advertisement
Boy, can I relate. Its funny though, I’m more flexible with changes in the days plans when the kids throw them at me – those I can account for at some level (the children’s museum may be 20 minutes, instead of the 1 1/2 I allotted :), if they get itchy and want to walk the downtown area and then wet their pants and start throwing up before a planned lunch at Sam and Greg’s) But, if my wife, or another adult, gets some funny plan like they want to get home early or have us over for dinner on a whim — I’m a wreck.
Good luck with your new venture.
Thank you, Andy!
One of my challenges is rescheduled baseball games. Even if I have nothing going on that afternoon, they still make my eye twitch. Maybe I was planning to mop the floor or trim my rosebushes that day! Now my yard will be overgrown and we will be living in kitchen filth. Sometimes I have to unclench. 😀
Excellent and insightful article! I, too, perfer a rigid schedule (on weekdays); however, I am learning that flexbility in life is essential. I’ll miss reading your Not Before My Coffee articles, but I will continue reading your blog and I look forward to reading your Redstone Rocket articles. God is faithful and He will continue to bless you & your family as you embrace being a career mom!
Thank you, Nancy! You have been one of my biggest cheerleaders and I thank God for our friendship. XOXO
Wife making me comment to win some disney ice tickets :/ . Nice blog though. ..
We always love hearing from rocket city dads! Even if it’s just because their wives told them they had to 🙂
I too need to learn to be more flexible. Excellent article!
I appreciate your comment so much! There are good aspects to being not-so-flexible, like when everything in the house is put away neatly. It never happens, but when it does once in a blue moon, all is right in the world. 😉
I don’t know how you do it! That is so amazing that you have decided to go back to work! I feel like I am so in my groove that having to be somewhere BEFORE MY COFFEE seems like too much of a stretch 🙂 Hats off to you, for being brave and giving yourself a break at the same time.
Thank you so much Wendy! You don’t know how much I needed to read that. With all of the end of the year functions happening right now, life is bananas. In fact, we are supposed to be getting ready for the ballpark right now and I am sitting at the computer! 😀
Great article! So true!
Thank you for reading! 😀