Quilting Bee #45

Good morning all! Yes..it is Monday..I know..I need another Sunday thank you very much. So I headed off to our favorite donut shop here in town and bought several dozen donuts. There are chocolate on chocolate, maple plain, glazed, Bavarian cream, apple bear claws, and almond bear claws, powdered and sprinkled green for March. Jelly with lemon and blueberry and Long Johns with maple and chocolate! Of course that delicious Kona coffee and several kinds of hot tea. I have also set out a delicious array of cut fruit for you melons and berries. There is as always yogurt and homemade granola if you would rather. I have racked a cozy quilt today. So glad you could join me today, please pull up a chair!

As many of you know I spend a great deal of my week watching other people's kiddos. Some days I have more and the house is a full of noisy, joyous chaos. On other days only a couple and it is well, still loud LOL! I have taught in one way or another for about 25 years now. Add in hours of artwork, my wonderful family, shopping, cleaning, accounting for three businesses..you get the idea. So by Thursday my head is thinking about the weekend..all that I am going to get done etc. etc. etc.. So if you are like me Monday morning is often a reflection of what didn't get done over the weekend. I tend to overbook myself.

This Saturday I woke up feeling very blue. Not just blue.. but burned out blue. Generally a good walk in the fresh air will shake it. Or sometimes just that first cup of coffee. I am generally a happy person. So when I have a day...it kinda takes me by surprise. All I wanted to do was sit and do nothing. Not clean, not talk (really odd for me), not do artwork. I just wanted to sit and watch movies, sports or loose myself in a good book. I wanted to crawl into bed and snuggle up with a cup of coffee and be left alone. I fought it all morning trying to explain away my dragginess. Finally after my second cup of coffee and no change..I crawled back into bed..unheard of.. and turned on the TV. I sat there for a while before folks started peaking in and asking if I was ok...yup...doing nothing. That got some strange looks.

It was right then that it hit me. As I lay there under all the blankets watching the Olympics with the cat curled up next to me. I was relaxed, I was perking up, I was SMILING! You know in that ...ahhhhhhh sort of way...just sinking right into the pillows with your hands behind your head. Mmmmmm yes! I had given myself permission to just be. I was being present in that moment..I was listening to my body...yup that is what I needed.

I did not stay in bed all day...only for about an hour or so. But I did stay in my PJ's..and a bandanna. I watched movies all afternoon with a passion and just relaxed. I do so love "Forbidden Kingdom". I went to bed very early and woke up Sunday morning like a new woman! I was relaxed, I had energy I got alot of cleaning and artwork done...I woke this morning feeling like it was a good weekend all around.

So what is your point Sarah, you ask? Just a gentle reminder to take care of you. As the new month starts and we are heading for Spring and all of the activities it promises. As the new year rolls on and we get caught up in all of the things to do...are you listening to your body? Are you taking some time for you every week? As a Mom, wife, sister, friend, teacher, artist, photographer, teachers helper, caretaker, house cleaner, shopper, nurse...well you get it..I'm like you...do you stop each week and find time for you? Cause I don't know about you..but in the day to day hustle and bustle..I forget to carve out some time for me each week...each day. To meditate, pray, walk, read, watch a movie, or just plain do nothing at all for a whole day now and again. Maybe if I had remembered to do a bit each day..just for me..I would not have needed a whole day and night to recover! Because seriously I am a much better Mom, wife, teacher, artists, friend, helper etc. etc. when I am not burned out! Are you taking care of you?

So please share with us today what you do for you each day or week..to take care of your own needs. Or maybe you need to..tell us what you would like to do for you each day or week!! I do so love it when you come and join me here!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!

I think I will have some of the watermelon..the delicious mouthwatering smell is calling me. I think I may need a good strong cup of coffee too!! What can I get for you? Hugs and Namaste, Sarah