Survive the Summer

This holiday, patriotism and family are on the top of the list for us here in the US. For moms, this also means that summer is officially here. Hyper happy kids are everywhere, and mom is looking for ideas on how to survive. That's why I am taking a look back today and have a special gift for busy moms!

 In high school on career day, we all dressed up to look the part of our dream job. My boyfriend painted his face for camouflage and wore fatigues because he wanted to be a Marine. He got sent home to change. (That's another story) I, however, wore an apron, hot rollers in my hair, house slippers, and an ace bandage on my wrist! At sixteen, all I wanted to do was be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen. I even did a research paper on "homemaking" as a career!

Little did I know that God wouldn't bless me with even one child until almost 20 years later! Imagine my horror, then, as a  well-traveled, multilingual, and smart lady in her mid-thirties upon discovery of  the challenges of motherhood. I often lay awake crying after a long day caring for my son. Despite the exhaustion, I frequently couldn't sleep because the clutter and chaos loomed large in my mind. I was too ashamed to tell anyone, because I am so blessed in so many ways, and it would seem like complaining!

Disappointment over being unable to give birth naturally and having trouble nursing affected my mental state, but the discouragement over the clutter and chaos was the biggest. My marriage was being affected. On one of those crying times, I had an epiphany: my marriage would be ruined if I didn't figure out a way to conquer the chaos. Naptime became learning time for me, and I soon discovered a passion for organizing. More importantly, I discovered how priceless family management skills can be, and became committed to sharing what I've learned with other busy moms. People began saying, "You're so organized!" to me. Things are more tidy in our home now, but it goes beyond having everything visually "perfect." Yep, I STILL have a (relatively) messy garage. You see, when it comes to being organized AS A BUSY MOM, there are three kinds of stuff:

-Cute stuff you use to organize, well, your stuff,

-The stuff that piles up that you need to organize,

-And the REAL stuff that bugs us, which is that we really want to 

 S.top

 T.he

 U.nnecessary

 F.rustration and 

 F.uss!

With summer here and the kids home, are you bracing for some "unnecessary frustration and fuss?" If so, I would like to invite you to join our current group coaching series on a single-session guest pass, and give you some summer survival tools usually reserved for my private clients. We'll be meeting virtually by phone May 29th at 8PM CST to discuss Managing Relationships with Family and Friends as we study through The Busy Mom's Guide to a Happy Organized Home by Kathy Peel. To claim a guest pass, go to www.establishedways.com and click "Contact Us." Include your name, frequently checked email, telephone, and a message requesting access. Then click the button that says, "I am Ready to Get Organized and Established, and I will contact you with the details!