Noise

The past couple months has brought me on a slow, gradual step back from my norm. I started with simply getting into a better routine for myself in the morning. Instead of waiting for Ayda to wake me up (usually that was still by 7AM), I started getting up at 6:15 when my alarm went off. It allowed me time with God doing reading and praying through The Common Prayer book and scripture, take a shower without kids destroying the upstairs, and think. Now a month or so into this and I don't really need my alarm clock anymore. I wake up by 6:20 most mornings. And with this praying and thinking I have come to realize the noise in my life. Yes...I have two small kids...there is noise. But their noise is a welcomed noise that I was missing out on. I started with getting rid of the XBOX which is what we watch most of our tv on. When we moved to NC it just wasn't in the budget to get cable. So we subscribed to Netflix and Hulu. I fully expected to have full cable within 6 months! That would be a top priority in our budgeting. Well we have been here 9 months and it is the least of my worries. I think Kevin would agree...except with football season here he's a little antsy! Just kidding...he's on the same page! The kids can watch PBS, which is a station I actually trust. No nonsense commercials or shows. And now I have cancelled Netflix. Haven't gotten rid of Hulu yet but that might be soon. 

So I felt I was doing just fine by drastically decreasing TV in the house. I actually threatened Ayda with getting rid of the entire TV because she kept asking to watch it all the time. I think she was relieved when she came down one morning and all that was missing was the XBOX!!! We now have set times she can watch some television and she's ok with that! 

Then came political noise. Yes I know it is election year. I know it can get brutal...and it'll only get worse the closer to November that we get. But as Kevin said to me one night...I don't have to read the negative, I don't have to be part of it. And I am not just saying I only want to read what people say who agree with me. I like to be challenged, I like to be educated. So my Facebook took a hit. I sat down during nap time and started clearing out the negative. Can I tell you how refreshing it is to get on there now and see my friend's bragging about what their baby or child did today, how great their job is, how excited they are about a new endeavor? I don't want to live in some bubble, but I also don't need Facebook to frustrate me and get me down. If I want to know about politics and what candidate stands for what, I have plenty of other sources to turn to. I also deleted FB from my phone so my ability to get on there is limited to basically when the girls are asleep.

As I have decreased the noise in my life that is really unimportant noise I have seen change within myself. I feel less burdened. Less busy. My days are still full but they are full of what is truly important to me. My girls. My husband. Chats on the phone with close friends. A long chat with my brother about political stuff...I am not running from it...trust me! :)

I want my girls to see me give them my undivided attention. Not have my phone in my hand checking something all the time. I want to sit down with them and just play. How this time is flying with them. Ayda will soon be 4, Hadley is talking. Kevin puts in long hours at work and I cherish the time we have to just share goals, dreams, our day.

It's been such a needed and welcomed change of pace. I love it. I spent over an hour today just sitting on the floor with them doing various projects and activities. We had such a great time. Ironically, I did pick up my phone to grab this cute pic of them working together on a Science thing we have!

They are growing up...too fast in my opinion. I don't want to miss anything. Statuses can wait, tweets can wait!