Moments for Me

Tammy at My Life has started a new weekly challenge called Moments for Me. The premise is that we, as wives and mothers, need to take some time to nurture ourselves. To focus on our needs and desires and work on our own happiness. It's so easy to get lost in the maelstrom that is caring for small children and tending to our family's needs and forget about the dreams and desires that we carried long before we carried our children.

I willingly and whole-heartedly threw myself into motherhood when Sam was born. Being a mom was a lifelong dream and I embraced it with everything I had. Three years later Zoë joined our family and I again immersed myself in the joy of mothering. She was a much needier, clingier baby so even when the old needs and desires started to resurface, I had to push them aside for the sake of my girl.

But now I'm ready and able to start refocusing on ME a bit more. It'll be a challenge to change my way of thinking, to start being a bit selfish again, but I think the benefits will be great. If some time to myself makes me a more happy, relaxed wife and mom then I owe it to myself AND my family to steal those moments. And that's not meant sarcastically. I grew up with the example of a mom who dedicated every waking minute to her family and it only made her UNhappy and probably resentful. Alot of what she did was out of necessity, but she also chose to deprive herself of even small things that could have brought her great happiness. I just don't think living the life of a martyr benefits anybody. I want to be a good example for my kids, showing them that I value myself and care enough about them to want to be the best wife & mom I can be. And that there's alot more to me than just those roles.

It wasn't a big deal, but on Saturday I stole some moments to just sit and soak up the sun. That alone improved my mood and energy level. The kids were playing on the deck with me and listening to them chattering happily combined with the warmth of the sun on my skin was absolute heaven.