Giving up the cape

That's right, I am officially giving up the cape.  I no longer want to be super Mom!  I just want to be good enough.  Super Mom works for awhile and then all the sudden you realize that you are just super tired.  People ask me all the time how I do it with four kids, homeschooling, etc etc.  I just smile and say I don't know how I do it.  So here is the truth: I don't do it: At least not alone.  Ryan is home most evenings to help me, we have a great network of family and friends to help us, and our kids are huge helps.  Plus, no one sees me at home yelling for the kids to clean up, or stop arguing, or to just be quiet and give me a minute.  No one sees me exhausted falling asleep every night at 8:00 before Ryan has even put the kids to bed.  So for now I am going to stop trying to do so much.  I am going to let things go and focus on only the things I feel are important.  I am in the process of restructuring my life so I can spend more time on the things that I want to do and less time on the things I think I "should" do.  Do you know how many times I say "well I should do........"  Tons!  And I bet if you listen to yourself for a day you will hear that same phrase.  Instead of doing things I think I should, I am going to do the things I need to do and the things I want to do.  The things I should do are going to be thoroughly thought through and then done or discarded (without the guilt I usually feel!).  My other goal in giving up the cape is to stop trying to mother the world.  The world can take care of themselves!  I am here to take care of my children, support my husband, and be there for our family/friends.  I am not here to solve every one's problems, listen to every one's complaints, or give everyone I know advice.  I do not need to ride to the rescue every time someone calls me, nor do I need to go overboard in helping others.  I have to learn how to help in a manner that doesn't cause me to be too exhausted for my own little family.  Lastly, I have to learn to accept help.  This is a very tough thing for me to do!  I love to be in control, and manage life so it doesn't get out of control.  I have a hard time asking for help from anyone, and I have an even harder time asking for time by myself.  This must stop and I must have help or I won't be able to give my best everyday.  Someone told me recently that I am like a battery that is dead at the end of the day, I get just enough recharge in the night to get up and drain it again.  Some days I feel like my battery is drained before I even get out of bed.  So here is to learning how to recharge my battery, take care of the things that matter the most to me, and enjoying this crazy life!