#staycation2014

I hit the ground running after I graduated from college; in fact, I was running IN college, as well. From my sophomore year on, I worked in some capacity the entire time I was at Texas Tech, save for the final semester when I did my student teaching at Mackenzie Junior High School. I played piano in  the lobby of the Grenada Hotel four days a week. I worked at Pizza Inn (for a week). I played in various bands on the weekends; I had a steady gig at the Lubbock Holiday Inn for Sunday brunch. During summers, I worked at my dad's office as a secretary or temped for Kelly Services in Dallas.

I like to keep busy.

I had a few months of down time before I started teaching at Escuela Abraham Lincoln in La Romana, Dominican Republic; but once I started working there, I continued teaching up until after the birth of my first child in 1990.

Then I retired from teaching, but I always kept busy; I taught piano students, I sold Pampered Chef, I did part-time worship leading, I ran a Mother's Day Out program...it was always something. I substitute-taught. I was a full-time, stay-at-home mom - but I always had something going on the side.

Like I said, I like to keep busy.

I find it utterly fascinating, and somewhat ironic, that the greatest joy of my existence, these days, is being not busy.

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I am on staycation this week; I planned ahead to take the week following Easter off in order to rest, recuperate and do some work preparing for a summer wedding reception at our home. The first night, I stayed up until 2AM - just because I could - and slept til 10. I rested most of Monday. Today, I did laundry and cleaned and moved furniture and folded and put away winter clothes and kept moving, with the exception of a 10-minute nap and an indulgence of Ellen late in the afternoon.

And Dr. Phil, if I'm honest, which I ought to be.

(Interesting side note: the best work I did when I was struggling to recover from the implosion of my marriage, my move to Virginia and my dad's stroke was prompted by Dr. Phil and his book Self Matters. I still highly recommend it; he carefully guides the reader through some significant work to make sense of habits and behavioral patterns that give a great path for growth. This was the right book at the right time; it changed my life. If you're stuck, you ought to check it out.)

Anyway, I like to keep busy.

But boy, do I like to be free of time constraints and appointments and responsibilities. My boys are on a mission trip in New York City this week; without the constant desire to care for them, I find myself in the wonderful position of being absolutely selfish. I fully embraced that position today.

Of course, my selfishness included folding my kids' (and husband's) clothing and making beds and cleaning our house and cooking food...but it was on my timeline. And in that freedom, I am so wonderfully content.

At least for today.

I like to keep busy.

On tap for tomorrow, Wednesday of #staycation2014: Lunch with one of my favorite people in the universe, coffee with a new friend, piano lessons for two beautiful girls and landscape planning. It should be a good day. I'll keep busy.