Balance

Today, I laid on Erika's bed, wrapped in a fleecy soft Disney Princess blanket, reading "Oh, The Places You'll Go" to my favorite three-year-old. And the words on the pages wrapped up the blog post I've been writing in my mind this week.

"So be sure when you step, 

Step with care and great tact. 

And remember that life's 

A Great Balancing Act." 

The past few years have taught me to balance, and to balance well. I juggle jobs, school work, a boyfriend, a brother, and the countless hobbies I've held. But this summer has brought a new balancing act, one that I've been holding together well. (In my opinion, that is.)

Sometimes things get out of balance, like last week's obsession with asparagus or the fact that I've had nothing but blueberries for dinner the past few days... but for the most part, I don't have to struggle to stay up right and in the middle. (The amount I've listened to Death Cab might be a little off center this week.. a bit unbalanced, perhaps.)

This week, balance meant:

Swimming pools.
Elementary school gyms.

ArtsFest.

Painting.

Family time.

Shopping.

Seeing Kasey. Twice.

Working at the Blue Heron.

Ending babysitting for the summer.

Driving. More than I'd like to.

Planning something big.

Checking the mail, a lot.

Three trips to Walmart.

Taking and processing photos.

French braiding my hair, everyday.

A lot of crackle nail polish.

Ordering Senior Portrait prints.

Mini-golfing.

Seeing my best friend.

Going on picnics.

Hanging out with the Allens.

Watching Aiden graduate Kindergarden.

Visiting Philly and the Beach, in a two day span.

And getting plenty of sleep between.

But next week, balance will mean something completely different. Balance will be days at the studio, no time with my girls, planning for meetings and High School graduations. The thing about life's balancing act is that it's always changing. Sometimes the balance is harder to keep. Sometimes, I don't mind being knocked off course while other days, like today, even a messy room, is too far of a deviation from the middle ground.

I'm working hard to add "relaxing" and "time alone" to the equation. I've always been fine with living life busy-as-can-be, filled to the brim with others, work and fun. In fact, the thought of doing nothing is enough to stress me out - apparently, that's unhealthy. Who knew? So between the donation letters, road trips and long shifts, I'm squeezing in sewing, reading and Law and Order: SVU. And maybe that has me feeling a little off balance but how's the book end?

"Kid, you'll move mountains."