chapter 32 : simplifying chaos

tonight while playing one of my recent addictions, astropop, on the 360, my pre-carpal tunnel once again engulfed my wrists. then there was the Oprah episode on compulsive hoarding and the thought even crossed my mind today about how i don't ever want a larger home than we have now (like 1263 sq. ft.) because then that means that i have to decorate it and fill it with stuff. right now that sounds overwhelming and stressful.

i mean i can't even keep up with the jones' or the trumps' or the gates' now!

i've definitely not got the "balanced" part down yet. i can't pay for everything i want for my home, my girls, my wardrobe, my bazillion-barely touched hobbies and also pacify my husbands desires for toys too (he's really not bad at all). i can't buy presents for everyone, make special gifts for all of my friends and also make my home beautiful. plus then how do i also stay up on emergency preparedness, all the classes i want to take with the girls and drive a nice car too? oh and there's that little part about serving and giving of my time and talents to bless the lives of others. it's all pretty overwhelming.
basically even though i want to be that girl that looks like she has it all, i'm realizing more and more that it's all just stuff and i need to try harder to live within my means. my girls need that. my husband needs that.

i need to stop overindulging my life and start simplifying my soul. i need to realize that my life is full and fulfilling on its own without temporal things. i need to remember the difference between true needs and wants. (remind me of this post next time you see my full cart at Target!)

today's thankful thought : today i am so grateful for my extremely sweet, let's me sleep in late in the morning, gets up with our oldest daughter each day, husband's excitement in life. whether it's the new paintball gun he's redoing, his love for his job or the latest 12 games coming out this holiday season, his display of enthusiasm for life is so wonderful and invigorating. not only does he make me smile (which is usually not shown outwardly...i'm an emotion showing dork), but he loves our girls and is so amazed at the precious characteristics about them. he often comments on how blessed we are to have them. i love you honey and "that's what she said!" ;)