We have been through a lot of changes the past few weeks/months in our house, starting with the move and new baby and most recently with quitting my job and our everlasting home renovations, and I am craving a routine and a simpler lifestyle and an ease to our days that we don't currently (and probably won't ever) have. I'm waiting for a time that may not ever come, but while I try to figure out how to reconfigure my personal definition of "normal" at least it's reassuring that I'm not alone. Blogger Shawni from 71 Toes describes the feeling well (even though her daily challenges are different from mine):
"I have a newfound respect for normalcy. For those days when my children come home from school and I can cut up some strawberries for them and look into their sparkly eyes as they tell me about their day. For those times I can sit and watch the dances they make up without having my mind split in forty-nine different directions to try to put out fires for things that are waiting to be done. For time to cook balanced meals for them. For the chance to call a friend or reach out to those who may need an extra hand. I don't like being the one in the darkness grasping to hold on by the tips of my fingernails."
Yes, I'm yearning for cut up strawberries and sparkly eyes, too. Someday. Someday soon it will happen. And then not too far from then, I'll be wishing I had the chaos back I'm sure. Years from now I'll look back from the stillness of an empty house and wish that my problems were toddler tantrums and sticky fingers and stepping on legos. Grass, why must you always look so green???
