Refilling The Well

As the mother of two with a third on the way (yes I'm six months pregnant) I often find myself overwhelmed or trying to do too much. This week I'm currently at the beach with a beloved elderly aunt who has been ill a lot this past year. What amazes me about her is her inability to just let be. She is always working on fixing up or readjusting her world. Even while here at her beach house she's having the house powerwashed and driveway dug up (due to root damage), refinished, and resealed. I, on the other hand, have hit a point in my life where I'm happy just reading a good book and watching my kids play. As one who once always had to be filling every moment I'm glad to say I'm no longer that way. I miss my old overcompetant self but I don't miss the exhaustion and illness that came along with it. Ironically I can no longer keep up with my 70+ year old aunt but I'm not sure I want to. Maybe that's what refilling the well is all about. Learning to let go of the need to do and learning to just be content with yourself as you are.

Lavender

photo: freefoto.com

This week we used the last of my daughter's baby (no tears) shampoo.  You know the yellow one that everyone gets a dozen bottles of when they have a baby.  Well I used the last of the 2 1/2 year old gift.  So off to the store I went and stared at the different types, finally settling on the lavender one.  Now I know that lavender is supposed to help one sleep but I've never been particularly in love with the scent.  Maybe it is too mellow for my taste.  Tonight I washed her hair in it for the first time and, yes, she promptly took a nap (much to my dismay at the time as we are strict nap boycotters in this house).  After she woke up she was very cuddly with us and her brother, father, and myself all spent considerable time smelling her hair.  It is a beautiful, intoxicating smell that caused us all to come back for second and third sniffs.  Later, as I read her Winnie the Pooh in bed she laid her head on my chest and I just absorbed the delicious scent of her.  As she fell asleep cuddled there all I could think was this is why I do this, this is why I'm here as a "stay-at-home mom".  I'll never have the time again to lay in bed with my vivacious two year old at one a.m. smelling her hair and loving the very essence of her.  

Maybe that is what embracing today means.  That I need to slow down and smell the lavender.

Sent from my iPhone