Betty Peanuts: Oakdale

Two weeks before school started I was already feeling burnt out. Jed was working over time with his business partner gone for the month. I always realize how much I rely on him when he is not available. Also, our family is blessed with AMAZING friends, but like most things in life too much of anything can throw everything out of whack. I think once again I had forgotten to draw boundaries around our family and our time. Play dates, park day, birthday parties, etc. had filled our summer days with fun, fun, fun. Then there were all of the things that I was determined to teach the kids in these school free months...how to cook new things, tie our shoes, memorize our phone number and a few scriptures, read a zillion books, sort and fold the laundry...and on and on and on. Unfortunately, after these jam packed days I still had my own work, church and home responsibilities which filled my nights. Basically, I was tired...really tired. I felt my body shutting down. I told Jed, "Next Summer I am going to go to my parent's for two weeks...they can take care of the kids and I will just get my stuff done and recharge!" To this Jed responded, "Why don't you go tomorrow?" Hmmmm...this got me thinking....the next morning my Mom called out of the blue to check in and that sealed the deal. 24 hours later the van was packed and the kids and I were in Oakdale. It was exactly what I needed. My Aunt and Uncle were there from Southern CA, my sweet high school and college friends said EXACTLY what I needed to hear as I visited with them and our little girls became friends, the speaker in church spoke directly to me with her words of wisdom regarding the power that prayer can have in our lives, I sewed, canned, made gifts for friends, got things done for work and church, paid bills, blogged, ate my mom's food, watched movies and swam with my babies...it was EXACTLY what I needed. We ignored dishes and messes and my mom and dad made memories with my kids...building things, sewing, playing wii, eating doughnuts and playing with my old toys. I wished that Jed could have been there too and had his "cup filled". The one thing he did gain by being supportive...he got his happy wife back. Win/Win situation.