In a recent post I discussed how I find autumn to be a time of reflection. Over the last few days I’ve been asking myself “what was I thinking?” The past several weeks have been very busy and I’ve had no time to ponder life beyond the next item on my to-do list.
This has been a year of challenges starting with the Great Flood in February culminating in the new freelance writing gig with its steep learning curve and constant deadlines. In addition I’ve been helping a friend with her craft shows (Megan creates stunning jewelry pieces of silver and natural stones) as well as working a few of my own to bring in some extra dollars. I’m also teaching art classes, which I love, and helping my daughter with homework. Seventh grade math is killing me.
Our kitchen is still unpainted, the entryway closet is a shell with no storage capacity, and the dining room holds the boxes of all of the dishes and other things I can’t put away due to lack of said closet and a missing kitchen island. We are hosting Thanksgiving soon, with several of my family members staying with us so the clock is ticking, ticking, ticking. We are soon reaching the point where we will need to finish these projects or plan to have everyone eat dinner on TV trays.
Fortunately my family loves me and the most important thing is that we are all together rather than whether the trim is painted in the study or the dishes all match. We will have a wonderful time, talking, playing, laughing, and generally enjoying each others company.
Normally I am fairly calm and focused but now I am a juggler, struggling to keep all of the balls in the air. A few have gone splat, others have been dropped into the “completed” bin, 
but most are tossed from hand to hand, into the air and back, on their journey from the top of the to-do list, to the middle, then bottom, and back to the top again. I can’t complete a task without seeing ten more behind it and the weight gets heavy.
Just when I am ready to throw my hands in the air as a sign of surrender, my daughter comes home with a hysterical story of middle school life or my husband unexpectedly takes care of some of my chores and my burden is eased just a bit. Still, the projects line up and there is always something else that needs to be done.
Christmas is coming on the heels of Thanksgiving, and the house will be ready or it won’t. We might eat Thanksgiving dinner in the kitchen and maybe the Christmas tree will 
be set up smack in the middle of the study, yet it will all be good. Life is sometimes messy and disorganized but that doesn’t stop me from celebrating it.
This fall is not one of reflection but work and projects and chores, but that’s okay. I have family coming to visit, holidays to celebrate, and a husband and daughter I love. Who needs nostalgia when you have that?
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Writing Wranglers and Warriors 
Great post Erin. I think we sometimes forget how busy fall becomes with two big holidays looming, so many of us feel overwhelmed or stressed out. But you said it all. No matter how bad things seem to be, love surrounds you, your work will get done in due time, and the get-togethers will happen whether or not your house is finished. Actually you might get some new Thanksgiving and Christmas stories out of all the chaos! Just breath – you know family comes first because you mentioned it throughout the piece. You’ve got your head in the right place and a lot of us could take some tips from you. Happy Holidays!
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Thanks, Linda. I’m still not sure how everything will work out but whatever happens it will be good. I’m a bit stressed of course and no matter what I do, somehow something else comes up and I don’t get things done that I want to do. Ah well. 🙂
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This will be your nostalgia. Im praying for you and your pverload. Youve had a lot to deal with this year, and I care abput you. You have the tight attitude. My kids don’t remember that the doshes wete dirty and tje laundry was piled up, as we danced on thecoffee table, but the remember the dance. Cher’ley
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Thanks, Cher’ley. And you are very wise about this being my nostalgia. Thanks for the perspective my dear friend.
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Sorry about all the typos. I wrote the post in the dark with no glasses. Hope you could figure out that the kids and I danced on the Coffee table, as the dishes and the laundry waited.
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“Remember the year we went to Erin’s, and we had to carve the turkey on the coffee table in the living room, and we couldn’t get into the dining room because of all the boxes, and some of the adults ended up sitting on the stairs with their plates on their laps, and we put the children on the front porch and told the oldest he was responsible for seeing that the younger ones behaved, but little Freddie slipped away and . . .”
Well, it probably wont be quite that interesting, but this could be the best Thanksgiving ever. Enjoy!
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Thanks, Kathy. It will be interesting and fun. Maybe we’ll go crazy and have another picnic on the porch roof!
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I hope chaos isn’t contagious. Just kidding. I think you have it all under control. 🙂
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Thanks, Mike. 😉
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Life is a conundrum, isn’t it? Still we have friends and family and that is what it is all about. Have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy. Doris
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Exactly. Thanks, Doris
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Good luck with all the balls you’re juggling, Erin! I like the bit about some going splat, some in the completed bin, etc. All that’s okay! You will have a wonderful holiday, no matter if there are boxes and TV trays. I hope you find some time to relax in there. 🙂
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Thanks Steph – and I miss you.
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Good luck finishing your kitchen before the holidays, and have an enjoyable time with your family.
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Thanks, Abbie, I will. 🙂 Hope your holidays are wonderful as well.
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It has been that kind of year for many of us. I agree we should all just enjoy the holidays with family and friends. All those projects will be there in January. Even a holiday that isn’t perfect is great with family and friends.
One Thanksgiving we had 15 people for dinner. Hubby and his Mom were helping in the kitchen. Both of them commented that I had put to much pepper on the turkey. In the chaos I couldn’t find the pepper and hadn’t used any. As it turned out the turkey was bad and we had spaghetti for Thanksgiving dinner. But we were all together so it didn’t matter.
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Erin- Flexibilty and ‘going with the flow’ is the best way to avoid having a nervous breakdown. I’m so glad to hear you say that you will alll have a great time regardless. That’s what’s really important. My house is a total mess these days with my family of six – ie 4 adults, a 3 year old toddler and nearly 8 month old baby using the space 24 hours a day. My relatively tidy home when it was just my husband and I is gone for a bit till ‘the new house’ for my daughter and family is built- but I’m not getting fussed about it. I love having them around and get over the ‘I’m too busy’ part. Enjoy your coming weeks!
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“Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape” — it’s the mantra I used at a job I had several years back because I had to juggle a lot. I still do (and I think many of us do). May you have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas, no many how many eggs you have to juggle, Erin! Thanks for the reminder we “jugglers” are not alone!
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