Re-Entering the Not So Real World

It’s August 1st, and I’m pretty excited about it. I’ll be honest, this year, for my annual July hiatus (aka Digital Sabbatical), I took this thing pretty darn seriously. Usually I spend my hiatus frantically trying to complete a list of goals that I set for myself prior to my break (read 5 books, learn Latin, whatever) so I can come back here on August 1st and be all amazing to you guys.

This year, I pretty much threw that plan out the window.

It’s been a weird year thus far, in ways I’m not quite ready to share yet and in ways I already have shared here. There have been some big changes in my life, and while they have been overwhelmingly positive, change is freaking hard. It’s not only hard for the person who is changing, but for everyone around them as well. When one person changes, there is a ripple effect that rolls throughout their family and friends, and all of that can be exhausting. For the first six months of 2013 I felt a bit like a hamster stuck in it’s wheel, just running and running, but never really going anywhere.

So this year when I decided to participate in my annual hiatus (which I skipped last year, I might add), I made the active choice to slow the heck down. To really take a hiatus. I don’t think I’d even touched my desktop computer until yesterday, when I figured I should probably check my email (For the 1,000+ that I missed in July…sorry about that! I’m sure I’ll catch up soon and you’ll be getting a reply. Or maybe you should just resend…). I really and truly stopped working, which is against every fiber of my natural being, but you know what? After the first week or so, it started to feel so very good. Here is what I accomplished this July:

– I read zero books cover to cover, but I did read at least one People Magazine dedicated to the Royal Baby.
– I ran a mile every day…except for those couple of days when I didn’t.
– I watched the first two seasons of Sherlock and many episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
– I rewatched a lot of shows I love, like the Mindy Project and Parks and Rec.
– I went on a couple of dates with my husband.
– I went to a county fair and rode two rides with my daughter that made her scream with joy and made me want to throw up.
– I took a few pictures. But mostly, I didn’t.
– I posted on Instagram.
– I ate ice cream. I also ate ice cream cake.
– I spent many days at the pool with the kids.
– I worked for my husband’s business, organizing quarterly meetings and other boring corporate stuff like that.
– I finally finished Lucy’s room remodel. Photos coming soon!
– I listened to records on my “new to me” record player.
– I took an obscene amount of naps. I NEVER nap. So this July I figured I should make up for lost time.
– I went to bed early.
– I woke up early…Tate and his bedtime routine are still killing me slowly.
– I spent a lot of time with family.
– I was the mediator for several friendly and not so friendly disagreements between siblings.
– I learned to meditate and actually did it. (I know, I can’t believe it either! Begone, hamster wheel brain!)

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, but the main point is, I actually took a hiatus. I took a break. It was the best idea I’ve ever had.

Tomorrow we are heading out of town for one last summer road trip (look out Tennessee, here we come!) and then we have a few more days of freedom before school starts. I can’t believe summer is almost over. It makes me want to cry. This has been the best summer of my life so far, and it’s bittersweet to watch it come to a close.