It's been about 2 months since I've sat down to write...not that I've run out of things to say, but that life is happening so quickly that I'm having trouble keeping up. Let's see...quick recap...school is in full swing, and after a very bumpy and stressful start, we are moving along smoothly now and my classroom is operating the way I like it!
In mid-September, we took a multi-family vacation to Disney with some of our (including Elijah's!) dear friends. We had an amazing time, and it was a much needed respite after such a rough start to the school year. I enjoyed having the closeness of good friends to share priceless memories with, and hope that we can one day do it again.
After coming off of vacation, we moved into a season of busy laboring, and have been working without much rest since then. I can't believe Thanksgiving will be here in just a few short weeks...so much to do. In all of this busyness, I've really isolated myself, quite by accident, and have to make time to invest in relationships, not just spend my time doing "stuff." Where most people have to make themselves take a break from Facebook and Twitter, I have to make myself look at it! I find out through my very connected husband what's going on with friends and family. I really have to challenge myself to be "out there" more and know about the lives of the people we care about. It really isn't at all that I don't care, it's mostly that I get too busy with stuff and wear myself out before I get to the people in my life that aren't in third grade, or aren't 2 1/2 years old. Sadly all my relationships have suffered, but the very sad part is that I don't think anyone noticed anything different.
I recently told Patrick that, though I'm in a very busy and tiring season, I am believing that God has given me the grace to persevere through, and I want to make myself available for whatever is needed, or for whomever has need. Though most of the time I tear around in a hot mess, I still know that God has more for my life than constantly doing "stuff." I really have to challenge myself in this, because I LOVE doing the "stuff." I'm a task person. I love lists - especially checking things off that I've done! I live by my calendar, and I have an alert for every meeting. But, I realize that people don't belong on a list, and sometimes the stuff has to be laid aside to do the things that last. More of the things on my calendar need to be about investing in the people that God has graciously put in my life...and I'm getting there - a little at a time.
I'll try to be more digitally connected, but for right now, I have to make some relationships that count, and stand confident in the knowledge that what I'm doing does really matter. After all, isn't that what we all want...to know that we did something that will last long after we are gone? I know my students will benefit from my knowledge, whether they remember me or not, and my son is shaped greatly by the investment I make daily in him, but the thing I need to invest in is those who walk beside me - those unrelated to me but would miss my presence and uniqueness if I weren't there. I can never be too busy to invest in those relationships.
