Admittedly, I’m a little anxious about starting back to school tomorrow….. not because I don’t love my co-workers or enjoy what I do. I worked on my planner today, and my calendar is already full. I haven’t even penciled in baseball games yet 😬. It’s a combination of reasons, I guess.

Over Christmas holidays (two weeks), I kept a clean house, cooked, and my husband and I even painted our room. Oh, yeah! I forgot that I also cleaned out my car. I know that with the start of school, this sense of organization goes out the window. Oh well. A person can dream.

Let’s get down to the real reason. It’s second semester, my senior’s last semester in high school EVER. Our youngest looks up the stairs every day and calls out his big brother’s name. What do I do when Clark is gone off to college and Aaron keeps calling his name? Our daughter, Becca (ninth grade), and Clark are buddies. They really are. Who does she play video games with and talk to sometimes late at night?

I know that I shouldn’t be anxious about my students, my schedule, graduation . All of these things are GOOD. I’m going to take a deep breath and take one day at a time…. no matter what the planner says. Here we go.♥️

Yep. I see y’all. I’m talking to the Pollyanna princesses on Facebook who have cleaned, cleaned out, and cleaned up. I’m proud of y’all and you just keep on doing your thing and doing you.

I have on yesterday’s stretch pants and sweatshirt. I washed my hair Tuesday. Monday? I’m mad at myself because I accidentally deleted my first draft of this blasted entry and I had funnier stuff to say. For two weeks, I have done what I’m NOT going to refer to as procrastination. What? Yes, I know where my teacher bag is. I found it today. It’s next to scrapbook photos I’ve been meaning to organize… for three years. See?

It’s hard sometimes. It just is. I get on overload. There have been several studies that suggest multitasking is a bad thing because one doesn’t really complete a task….or complete it well. Do you ever get a burst of inspiration and just go for it? I decided at 8:40freaking5 tonight to clean toilets. Probably because I felt “less than” after reading Facebook.😂

Here is a piece that all us “anxious” (i.e.) overachieving ladies need to read.https://herviewfromhome.com/my-anxiety-makes-me-feel-like-i-fail-over-and-over-again/

Goodnight and rest well knowing you are doing your best.

2 Timothy 1:7

In the immortal words of Britney Spears, “Oops, I did it again.” Yes, folks. I was wild and crazy. I threw caution to the wind. Tried to relive my younger days. Was irresponsible, thoughtless, and carefree.

I stayed up past midnight on New Year’s Eve. The horror.

A recent article on Facebook stated that people over forty should only work three days a week. Wrong study. People over forty have no right staying up past eight-thirty. My teenagers don’t need all the curfews. Grandma Moses over here does. I woke up this morning and honestly thought I had skated in a roller derby or had the flu. It HURT.

Now, in case you have visions of bars, alcohol, and wild partying, let me clue you in. Most of my readers (at this point, God bless them) are people I know. So, to you, Facebook friends (and Mom… yes, I see you!), some of the things I say when I write will seem redundant. However, this blog is “out there” (no dumb blonde jokes), and I must divulge personal details accordingly.

The curly-headed baby in the picture is mine. I also have a two teenagers in high school, one of which is getting ready to graduate. Do the math. I’m not a spring chicken. We were graciously invited to a couple’s home for New Year’s and my mother-in-law kept little one. The company was good, and we go on a “date” twice a year (Walmart is considered a date), so we made it count and stayed out past “our bedtime”. As far as the Britney Spears reference, the other time I stayed up past midnight was Christmas Eve when Santa needed my help. Wink wink.

On occasion, little one gets sick. Bless it. I absolutely would get the moon for any of my children, but lack of sleep isn’t my forte (that college degree is kicking it!). I posted back in September when he was sick how this affects me. In no way is it his fault. In my dad’s wise words, “It is what it is.” So here is some of what happens (to people over forty) when babies don’t sleep.

Katie’s Top Ten:Losing Sleep and Sick Babies (not as funny as Dave Letterman’s top ten and written by a middle-aged mother)

#10. The Devil has a name and it is hand, foot, and mouth disease (picture the flu meets chicken pox).

#9. My baby is louder than your baby….na na nee na na (sticking out my tongue).

#8. Having a sick child will test your marriage. We’re holding at a D-.

#7. Ain’t no amount of Advil or Tylenol that can solve this problem.

#6. After several days, 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 am are basically the same.

#5. Aircraft carrier headphones sometimes help to muffle baby’s cries. Sometimes.

#4. I won’t sleep through the night until little one is married and has a doctorate degree. The lady next door better not wake me unless she wants to see the back side of my cane.

#3. Babies hear tiptoeing…. you know, like dogs hear dog whistles.

#2. The average mother loses five brain cells a day. Sleep-deprived mothers just lose their minds.

And the number one fact about losing sleep and sick babies…..

I can’t remember. I’m going to bed. It’s past my bedtime.

Y’all. I’m so excited I’m about to have a panic attack or laugh… or something. I’m accustomed to writing on Facebook and such, so this is new territory for me. I guess we can all just pretend I’m writing on Facebook. K?

I won’t go into fine detail about myself considering that my mom might be the only person who reads this (because she loves me). People tell me I’m funny (on Facebook). Interestingly, I’m a fairly quiet and reserved person. I tend to be funnier the harder the day has been. Erma Bombeck (one of my heroes) said that there is a fine line between humor and pain. I like to add that humor makes pain more bearable.

This, my first blog post, is actually not an attempt at humor (I’m sure I’m saving up lots for later). I just wanted to end the year by starting this blog (I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions). My title is “Perspective” because I like the two pictures I included. Just kidding. Actually, these pictures are an interesting juxtaposition. Let’s break it down. The first is of a simple but sophisticated mantel decorated with fresh greenery. So clean. What you can’t see is the bedroom to the left. It BLEW up. I’m talking couldn’t see the floor type of blown up… also, my husband was in that bedroom sick with a stomach virus. No presents were wrapped, and laundry was in piles everywhere.

Let’s look at the second picture. Look closely and you can see my older son’s legs because he’s lying on the couch FLATTENING my nice pillows and cushions. To the right (out of view) is my kitchen that at that point should probably have been condemned due to crusty dishes in the sink.

What’s the point? Perspective. It looks good to others on the outside, but we all struggle with our own messes. No one is perfect, no matter how it looks.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton