Lately we have been going non-stop – graduations, birthday parties, weddings, holidays, baby showers, and the list goes on and on… Ryan and I both come from large families and with both families living in the area, there is always something going on. I am a pretty simple person. It doesn’t take a lot to please me. I am laid back for the most part and Ryan is extremely laid back. We enjoy peaceful weekends more than busy ones. We function better if we are able to spend quality time with one another rather than going constantly. When we are busiest is when I start to notice a change in our relationship. Not a bad change necessarily, but a change. We lose sight of our relationship and spending quality time with our son because we are so worried about everything we have to do that day – packing Hampton’s things, figuring out what to wear, what to do with our dog while we are away. We get so caught up in the hustle and bustle that we forget to take care of us and it can start to show.

We have busy weekends over the next couple of weeks. I am starting to feel like we are never going to have time to just stop and relax. It is tough. I don’t mind being busy and, in fact, I usually prefer it, but when your weekends have been full for the last 2 months straight with no end in sight, it begins to wear on you a bit. Honestly, we are just going to have to start saying no to things and that will have to be okay. I have a hard time saying no because a lot of the time, I would be saying no to something that I really want to do. Plus, sometimes our families aren’t crazy about us not being able to go to something, but it will just have to be okay from now on. I’m learning more and more that you can’t please everyone and the more you try, the more miserable you’re going to be.

There is nothing wrong with living a slower, simpler life. There is nothing wrong with spending a quiet weekend at home and turning down your family for a pool day or ball game or whatever may be going on so that you can spend time with your husband and children. There is nothing wrong with saying no when you are feeling overwhelmed or have other plans. If others aren’t okay with that, that is something they will have to deal with. I know that I don’t get my feelings hurt when someone tells me no. I don’t understand why some people do. I guess I’m just not wired that way. The fact is though, most people don’t do well with hearing the word no.

Bottom line, after God, your husband and children come first. Everyone else comes after that. That’s the way God designed it. We are going to get back to a simple life after these next couple of weeks roll by. I am really excited for the one on one time I will get to spend with my family.

Do you have a problem saying no? Do you ever feel overwhelmed with life’s obligations?

photo credit: Marcio Cabral de Moura via photopin cc