The Published Book--and Thanks for Help Balancing

I feel very grateful to have friends through this blog.  The advice you gave me (in the comments on the previous post) have stayed with me over the past few days.  You've helped me to slow down and get my balance.

When I say I'm feeling "unbalanced," that usually means that I have planned so much into my life that I don't have time to sleep well, exercise, clean, laugh, and relax.  But sometimes things come so fast that I don't feel like I have any other option.

But I DO have options.

We all do.

Over the past few days, this is what I changed:

• I didn't go out to visit my mom on her birthday.  I know it sounds sad, but she wasn't having a bit party or anything, and instead I decided to go out on a separate day when I have time to take her out for frozen yogurt.  She was totally fine with that, and it gave me a whole evening to clean the house with my kids and get our lives together.
• I delegated more to my husband and kids.  They're happy to help if I give them lists.  I just need to make time to make those lists.
• I did Jillian Michael's "Ripped in 30" (love that DVD) and made time to go running or do some sort of good exercise each day.  That helps.
• I took some really long naps.
• I listened to beautiful music and thoughtfully studied my scriptures--taking all the time I needed.
• I showered early in the mornings and actually got "ready."
• I gave myself a week off from teaching my children their piano lessons.  (No complaints from them!)
• And I made progress on a bunch of tasks that had been sitting on my lists.

Oh, it feels so much better.

So thank you.

And because I have been working like crazy to get our book ready, I just have to make the "formal" announcement on here that our book is now available in two formats:

Click here to see it on CreateSpace.

Click here to see the eBook option on Power of Moms (and to read excerpts, find out about Learning Circles, and see our $10 Bloom Game offer for those who buy the book.)

This has been a long, hard process (I won't lie!), but now that I've done it, I think everyone should write a book.  It just feels really, really good to record the ideas that matter most to you in such a permanent way (that will hopefully be of help to others).  So let me know when you write yours, okay?

And now I'm going to take a blogging break for a few days. 

Our church has a special conference every six months where we are able to listen to beautiful, inspired messages that help us to "chart our course" and think about what God wants for our lives.  I love it.

Eric and I always have our best discussions during this weekend.  We're always brought back to center (because everyone gets a little off).  I'm going to think about balance, and how to spend my time doing what I, specifically, am meant to do.  I'm going to think about ways I can be a better mother and wife and daughter and friend, and I'm going to be thinking a lot about Power of Moms and what I need to do there.

My email inbox fills up too fast.  My heart wants to do too much.  My days aren't long enough to let me choose to do everything.  (Isn't this your situation, as well?)

But we each have a purpose that God wants us to fill, and once we figure that out and hold to it, everything will work out.

Much love,
April