A Time to Celebrate!

Today is a day that I have looked forward to for 7.5 years. I knew that long ago that I would make it to today, I just never knew how on some days. I chose to stay home with my kids when they were young, along with working part time for a few years.

This morning my two boys hopped on the bus and went off to school. I was home, alone, by 8:10am! I love my children dearly but I am not the mom with tissue in hand, tears in her eyes as she waves goodbye to them on their first day of school. I feel some emotion around nostalgia and how far they have come, sure. However, I am more the mom who plans this day months in advance and how I will spend each precious moment while my children are safe and having fun at school.

So, after knowing this day would come, what did I do? Well, I had a fabulous workout, took care of some e-mails and then enjoyed lunch with a friend and last of all, had coffee with another friend. The two values I felt most challenged to meet while being at home with my kids all those years was the freedom to go places without them and the time to really connect with those I enjoy. Now that my boys are getting ready for bed I feel very full and delighted with how I celebrated my day. We also had a family celebration at dinner so they could share their experience of today.

This is end of one chapter in my life and I am asking myself the following questions today.
1) What is it I am most wanting to celebrate?
2) What have I learned that I will take forward from here?

The answers....
1) I celebrate that I made it! Being a stay at home mom was one of the hardest things I ever did and overall, I did a great job. My kids and I spent quality time together going to activities and playing with toys and crafts. I love who they are today and I think that is because they were with me in the early years. I am also celebrating that I have an education and career underway and get to go full time on that now rather than starting from the beginning today.

2) I learned that I need to be more compassionate with myself. There is such a fallacy out there that when women have children they will, of course, be totally fulfilled in every moment of raising them. Not true. I love my boys more than words, and I love them even more when I have made time for myself to be filled up. I ask for help and receive support more. I learned I need to ask for what I need in my marriage and negotiate ways to thrive, not just strive. I learned that sobbing and feeling sorry for myself may feel good, but it will not get me what I want. Even sympathy from myself and others does not serve to create a healthy change. I learned that I can forgive myself for the times I felt inadequate as a mother. The truth is, my children already have.

Today may not be the end or beginning of a chapter for you, and yet the same questions still apply. What are you celebrating about your recent accomplishments? What did you learn that serves you moving forward?

I would love to hear your answers!
Be fantastic.......