Time to Recharge!

Saturday was my "day off"!  In fact I had Friday evening off too.  I have found that it is essential to have a day off every few months, since I am "on" all the rest of the time.  I do get small breaks during the week, but I NEED some extended time away from school, away from my children (I love them more when I can do this), and away from my house!  My husband is very sold on this.  I don't know if I could do this without his "buy in".  He insists that I take a serious day off regularly (in fact I get kind of offened when he suggests it, because he is so sold on this idea!).  I go shopping, I go out to lunch.  A few times I've taken a single friend out to lunch.  One time I bought a coffee table.  This last Friday evening I went to hear an "education day" speaker.  I heard Jack Christensen speak.  He's well known in the world of LDS speakers, and now he is the mission president for Rochester.  His talk was awesome.  And wouldn't you know it, as part of his talk he talked about how women with young children need time to get away so they can think, so they can meditate, so they can recharge.  Yup!  He's right!

It was funny, after the talk was over Liz Sutton (a friend from church) came up to me and said that she loved seeing the smile I had on my face the whole time I was listening to the talk.  It's true!  I had a stupid grin on my face the whole time.  During church I rarely get to listen to the speakers because I'm trying to corral my children.  During Sunday School I teach a lesson, and during Relief Society I am nursing my baby.  So, having the chance to just sit and listen to a speaker was bliss...I was in heaven.

I have mentioned to my friends that I was taking a day off, and they were in awe!  "Wow, your husband gives you a day off!"  Well, yes, and yours should too!!!  All young mothers, and all homeschooling mothers need days off.  Burnout is all too common for homeschooling mothers.

So, Saturday I went to Panera's for lunch and then I went to a craft activity all afternoon.  I did crafts.  It felt weird, I was in a hurry the whole time I was doing crafts.  It was like I couldn't relax.  I had to hurry and get the crafts done so that I could do something else.  That was silly because I had nothing else to do.

I came home for dinner and then I took my friend, Elnora, to see Inception.  It was a very nice day, and it made it so much easier to come back to my messy house and loud children...that I love!