Family Life a Haven From Frantic Spring

I AM MAXED or stressed in almost every aspect of my life! Deadlines are arriving and staring me down only to be followed with another deadline. My workload is heavy and my volunteerism commitments are expanding and demanding more attention. My partner’s workload is just as heavy as mine which only adds to the intensity of our lives. Our weekend activities are robust and provide no reprieve although they do provide some good family time.  Our family vacation is just two weeks away and I know it will come soon because I have lists of things to do every day between now and then.

A weekend stroll to manage some stress

Added to the mix of controlled madness we have had two visits by good friends. We made time in the schedule of our lives because these are friendships with longevity that have remained strong throughout the different stages of our lives. No matter how busy and spent I am prioritizing friendships is a close second to prioritizing my family. The brief moments together also provided perspective, escape and a short reprieve from our lists and Must-Dos.

A visiting friend lends a hand with the bedtime routine

Our family routine is what is keeping me grounded in these frantic days before we have the gift of 2 ½ weeks of time together. Our boys thrive and often demand adherence to a routine.  Yes we are flexible and make changes, additions, and exceptions to the routine but maintain a framework that they are accustomed to. Our youngest son, now almost 9-months, seems to be the most sensitive to the routine and he is still painfully teething.

The push to make the most out of good weather has thankfully excused itself with the return of Southeast moisture. I always prefer sunshine but this change in weather has made me less frantic to accomplish a list of things to do outside.

If it's raining in Juneau, get wet inside!

It is now humorous and ironic that in my first years of fatherhood I felt like the family demand and schedule were a hindrance and now it is my haven. A normal night at home with dog walk, dinner, some play time, and bathing is providing a necessary buffer between my alarm demanding attention and the wheels of the day rolling the moments my feet touch the floor. And always in the forefront of my brain is the thought to whether or not our sons are getting the attention that they need and deserve.  If they are not in this brief period of heightened demands I know they will on our time OUT as a family. 

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can!