Stressing Less

 I've had a lot on my plate lately. A bit overwhelmed would sound small in comparison to how I actually feel right now. I have about 6 or 7 running to do lists floating around the house, in my purse and car. I don't even want to look at them as they just make me want to go back to bed and sleep! I'm typically not a busy person by nature so this has really thrown me for a loop.

We started our remodel project back in January. My hubby was motivated (finally) to get some things done so I went with it. I really wanted the house remodeled but not necessarily now. With my daughter graduating high school in three short weeks I didn't think I would have the extra time to devote to house remodel.

In all honesty I really didn't but we plugged along and was able to get the kitchen 90% done (just need to paint the cabinets, replace hardware and install our new light fixtures) Eventually we will be getting new countertops but that's not in our budget this year.

Our dining room is completely done.. YEH! Our living room/homeschool room. (they are adjoining rooms) are about 90% done as well. The crown moulding needs to be sealed and the new light fixture in the homeschool room needs to be installed and then it's all done. ( We do need to replace two doors- one bedroom and one closet) but that will have to wait until our budget can handle that since we have 6 doors total to replace when the time comes.

Now that the remodel, at least for me, is at a great stopping point, I've now just started focusing on my daughter's graduation. I've put so much time and energy into this party and I'm getting really discouraged with the RSVP's. My husband was really worried about a lot of people coming since the place I rented only holds 75 people. So with that I limited my guest list to only 28 invitations. Well right now I have only 16 people out of the 115 people I invited attending or have RSVP'd. I still have 17 invites out that I haven't heard back from and I have a May 3rd deadline so I can start planning food. I know I'm stressing over the small stuff but it's hard to budget this event when you don't know how many people are attending. I guess I'm feeling like not many will show and all this work planning, organizing, buying decorations etc will be for nothing. I know that's something I need to get over and try to remember the reason for the festivities and that's for my daughter to have fun. I guess I'm over thinking everything and trying to hard.. I need to relax and just enjoy this time.

I guess I'm too much of a perfectionist and I just need to take a step back and relax. I know that's easier said than done but I do need to remember that my word for 2013 is BALANCE.. I need to keep that in mind.

I also put a little too much on my plate with making 100+ announcements from scratch. I have 10 completely done so far and hope to get them all completed by graduation week. They are all cut out, just need to assemble them all. I also took on a task of making a school scrapbook for my daughter to give as a gift. I still have to look for a few photos in my storage so I can get it all put together. To top it off I saw a wonderful book at Sam's Club today and of course, I purchased it. Now I'm filling it all in so this too can be a gift for me daughter. It's a fill in the questions about her life from my pregnancy into her adulthood.

Normally this time of year I have all the school planning almost completed so I can take the entire summer break off, but again with the grad party, the only thing I got accomplished with that is making my son's lesson planner from scratch (all done), getting copies made and all the curriculum is purchased. I still need to get the lesson planner caught up, organize copies into the weekly folders I've made last year and get the weekly schedule done. I will now have to put that on hold until the end of the month.

One day at a time.. I just have to take the 6-7 lists and break them into manageable chunks and then I can just look at that and not worry so much about ALL of it at once.. I can do this. This season of my life is short.. I just need to go along for the ride and enjoy it! I know it will all work out in the end!!!