Running Away

I feel like running away sometimes. Can anyone relate? It is all just too much... everything in my world seems to be shifting and out of control. While I don't consider myself to be a control freak, I crave routine. I love routine. I am routine. Which causes it's own issues. But that's not where I'm going here.

I am blessed to have a very hardworking husband. And I am thankful for his job. And I mean it. His job has taken him to California almost weekly since about August. And this week I just had enough. He comes home Friday night exhausted, we try and cram all kinds of family stuff and church stuff and home responsibilities into one 48-hour period, and then he's gone again.
Can I get a witness? This is hard stuff.

So this week when he got home I told him I wanted to run away. Even with the responsibilities of children at home, I was teetering on the edge of packing up and bolting. 

I'm glad to say that while the urge did not pass on its own, I was able to help it along. Not matter your home situation, if you feel like running away, these are the things that helped me keep moving forward instead of skipping out:

• Routine. This is very important to me and on my own with the children, homeschooling and all of out other responsibilities, I have to find a way to manage it all. So I figured out a routine that includes time to and for myself.
• Take care of you. Of course I love my girls. But after pouring out to them all day, I'm tired. I've been much firmer on my boundaries without daddy around. They go to bed at a certain time and stay there. I am up front with them that mommy needs time alone. For me, this also includes exercise, so I build that into my daily/weekly schedule.
• Bookshelf your time. As an introvert, I require more alone time than many people. So I have structured my days to include time alone at the beginning and the end of each day. Knowing I will have that time helps me get through the rough patches.
• Plan a getaway. While I'm not able to run away right now, planning our next family time away helps me mentally. And in the meantime when my husband is home, I find ways to be out on my own for a few hours.

I know the particulars of our lives may look different, but we all get stuck and we all need time away. Running away when we feel like it probably is not the best answer, but getting the mental space we need sure helps.

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