A change will do you good...

It was a wonderful four days away from my "normal" world, it was just as busy and crazy but in a completely different way.

When I arrived home last night, my world immediately fell back into it's "normal" routine. Sort of.

Three of my reasons to smile!

This morning, I am curled up in my big overstuffed chair, the sun is coming up behind me through my stained glass.  I have a big cup of "my" coffee and my laptop.  My boys are basking in the sun and I have already put more of the things away from my son's temporary move home. It's Monday and I get to slowly start my LONG week.

As I was pouring my coffee this morning, I realized that in a lot of ways my life has a routine to it.  It's a pleasant one, it flows and it meets my needs.  We will make some adjustments to our "normal", so that it fits the young man's world a bit better.  In the end it will simply be an enhanced version of what is normal for us.

Taking a break between pictures!

I picture an old time cog wheel or the internal workings of a clock, that is how life seems.  The day to day is routine and "normal" it defines us at a basic level.  At the same time, we sometimes need those breaks with "normal" to make "normal" better.

I had been feeling in a rut, I had no desire to fix the house, finish putting in the garden (although I am glad since it's been so cold), to tackle many things on my to do list.  I felt like I was on a hiatus from life, going through the motions, letting it carry me along and not making any effort to occasionally swim against the tide.

My son being home, no matter how long or short it will be, forces me to shake off those sluggy feelings and actually tackle things.  When your kids move out it is easy to simply exist, hubby and I didn't feel the need to do things we had been putting off.  Now I am motivated.  Several things left the house this morning, more will leave over the course of the week.  Closets will be cleaned and corners that were ignored will be dusted.

Two of my boys... big guy was in the middle of the bed

I am glad that he chose to come home, this will always be his home, while he sorts out the next steps in his life.

He is already motivating me to get back in the habit of being healthier. I don't agree with his "diet" and it won't work for hubby and I, but his drive to work out and eat better will be something hubby and I both will benefit from.  We have been lazy for almost a year, we need to get focused again.  It will help that my son is so focused!

The wheels are turning again, it feels like the cogs have been reinforced, the damaged ones repaired and that there is a season to move forward.  It feels like my purpose is renewed, like my goals are clearer to see.

How can I not want to make her smile?

Maybe it was the hours I spent walking around Chicago, simply absorbing the city, sights and sounds.  I didn't listen to music, had no television on, I simply soaked up the city.  Maybe it was the excitement of Graduation. Or the time with my kiddo's.  Maybe it was nothing so profound, it might just have been the simple time away from it all.  It might just have been the change in my routine has brought me back to solid focus on where I am going and what I want to do.

I don't know why I feel stronger and more refreshed.  I just know I do.  Well... time to put that focus and energy to good use... before I need a goat to trim the yard.