Prerequisite information: Two weeks ago there was a “Soccer Shoot Out” sponsored by the Elks Club in town out at our soccer complex after our regular soccer games. (Yes, I think it was held on my bad hair day.) Whoever wins first place gets to go to the State Soccer Shoot out in Hastings (about an hour away). On October 4.
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All this week, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed. Too many apples, too many dishes, too many soccer games, too many field trips, too many other events coming up that I have to get ready for. Oh yes and there’s also that homeschooling thing we do where Mommy opens books and teaches the kids stuff out of them.
I LOVE everything I’m doing and every apple and every event I’m preparing for. I’m just a bit overwhelmed at the moment. It’ll all be better soon. There won’t always be apple trees exploding all over my kitchen.
On Wednesday, all of the things I needed to do were really piling up…and I was feeling the irony of how I had posted about Doing the Funky Kitchen when all over my countertops were apples, and dirty dishes, and a stinkin’ pile of mail. So then besides being overwhelmed…I had guilt, because I was writing about one something and not doing it myself.
And then I looked at the garden and saw that I really should go out and pick tomatoes because it looked like quite a few more were ready to be picked and made into sauce.
Not only was I overwhelmed with the tasks of the day, but I started looking ahead toward the end of the week. We had a field trip to the pumpkin patch Friday, Matt was going to be out of town Saturday for college soccer, Sunday we’re all going out of town and I have all kinds of things to do to get ready for that… At one point in the day, I thought to myself, “I am SO glad none of the boys qualified for the State Soccer Shoot Out on Saturday”.
It was precisely 6:17 pm on Wednesday evening when I was trying to wade through the dishes on my countertops and throw something edible on the table before leaving for Bible class that there was a knock on the door.
I recognized the Elks man before I even made it to the door. He was holding a brand new soccer ball and a plaque and a letter. And I told myself, “Now, don’t cry. This is a good thing. Be happy.”
So I smiled and stepped over a bunch of marbles and greeted the man at the door. And he apologizes for the late notice…but “Congratulations, Asa has won first place and qualifies to go to Hastings for the State Soccer Shoot Out on Saturday.” I kept smiling and being a proud Mama until the guy left.
Then I went out to the garden where Matt, bless his very sweet heart, was picking tomatoes for me. And I started to cry and tell him how proud I was of Asa for winning the soccer shoot out, but now I have to go to Hastings on Saturday (sniff) and I don’t have time to go to Hastings on Saturday (sob) and I have so much to do and now I’ll need to make tomato sauce…
Matt just kept kindly picking tomatoes for me and smiling encouragingly and letting me verbally feel sorry for myself and cry for a while. Because he knew that’s all I needed and that after a good night’s sleep I’d be okay.
And I was. Okay. Just fine in fact. It’s amazing what a good nights sleep will do for all of your apple and tomato (etc.) anxiety.
So today I’m in Hastings watching Asa compete in the Soccer Shoot Out. But now I truly am excited and THAT truly is why there are tears in my eyes today. Oh my word, I’m so proud of that kid. He’s so awesome. What a great day to spend with my son.
Ever get so overwhelmed with everything you have to do, that all you can do is…cry? (Oh, I could cry just thinking about it.)
:)
I am totally with you on this one!!! We put so much pressure on ourselves to get everything done that it can easily overwhelm. A good cry and a good night sleep are usually the best cures for those feelings.
I am going through a bit of this right now as we just found out we are expecting #2…. How am I going to be able to keep up with a toddler and a newborn?!?!?!?!
That is what my entire blog is about – finding my way out of overwhelming situations…i.e. my house. One day I will have a home – but it takes baby steps! I’m workin’ on it! (I’m learning late – but I’m learning!)
Do I understand? I could have written that post. Everything is wonderful but overwhelming. Too much of a good thing, so to speak. Oh boy, do I understand!!! Congratulations to Asa!!! We’re a soccer family too!!!
I’m totally feeling you on this one. Seems like I could get so much more accomplished if Life would just slow down. I hope your son does well today and that you find peace in the midst of all the chaos.
Oh, Laura, I think we all hear you, sister! I am the same way… get overwhelmed, bawl my eyes out, go to sleep, happy as a lark the next morning. Good hubby for letting you vent. :o) Congratulations to Asa!
I TOTALLY understand! Hope Asa does good!!
Go Asa Go!!(As I do a little cheer!)
I don’t know if you can say or not, but was the soccer thing in Hastings MN? I live in China and MN is our home base. Just wondering. Congrats on Asa being able to go!!
Oh wow! Congratulations to Asa! He must have been so excited.
I really do know how you felt – I’ve had similar things happen to me … when one of my children have been honoured in some way and I was so stressed that I KNEW I should feel excited rather than actually FEELING it.
(Although I must admit that my stress levels have never been elevated by apples or tomatoes, but from more everyday things like sick children, too many nappies and lack of sleep.)
Laura,
We’ve all been there! I just had one of those last week, as a matter of fact it was a week long! My daughter had 5 softball games in one week, not to mention the fact that she also had a vocal music concert that she had to leave a ballgame, dress in the car (without showering first..ugh) and be there by 7:15, we didn’t get home until 9:30pm and had to stop at Sonic for dinner…OH and my inlaws were here!! I truly wanted to cry but I didn’t want my mother in law to think I couldn’t handle it…Sooooo I cried in the shower. Sometimes it’s crazy and sometimes you just have to cry, it’s not always about being sad…sometimes it’s a cleansing!!
Bless your heart Laura! I know just what you have been through. I have apples, tomatoes, peppers, pears, and numerous other produce piled up at my house, homeschooling, a house that gets neglected during canning season……..yes, somedays you just have to cry and get a good nights sleep! And my dh was picking more tomatoes for me today also! Now that I have the ones in the house turned into sauce, there are now 10 milk crates of tomatoes waiting for me on my deck! I keep telling myself things will be better when harvest season is over. : )