J is for Juggling

Juggling is something that most people have to do from time to time. I used to be a great juggler. Ten to fifteen years ago it was my specialty. Nick’s job gave him little time off. He was out of the house and gone before the kids and I were even up. My juggling balls included, kids up and ready, lunches packed, kids delivered to different schools before I taught all day, home to cook (I actually did things like that back then), cleaning (some), delivered kids to practices, attended games, then homework, baths and tucking little people into beds. In my spare time I took my parents to doctor’s appointments, kept track of their seventeen different medicines, took them on vacations and to visit family members, paid their bills, made sure they were eating properly… get the over all picture?

And you know what – I enjoyed it. When I write it all down like that it seems overwhelming, but I honestly don’t remember feeling that way. I miss it all just a tiny bit. I got to hear the school news as I carted the kids around, who liked whom, who failed the test, who got the best part in the school play. I listened to things that were really only important to them – but I listened. Because of that I get to hear the big things now. I still get to hear the things that are important to them. I love the way my kids turned out!

I honor all of you who are in the midst of your busiest juggling time of life. Take the time to be proud of yourselves – juggling isn’t easy even if the juggler makes it look so. And please take the time to enjoy it too. I’m past the heavy juggling, I have only a very few light balls to keep in the air. Sometimes I miss the challenge.