Oh, give me a break

Fourteen years ago I was pregnant with Jackson and realized that I didn't want to go back to teaching after he was born. I would have loved to have just stayed home, but we couldn't quite afford that, so I nannied for a while, sold cookies at farmers markets, and worked at our church for a year and a half.

Then Leah came along and Dan got a perfectly-timed promotion at work, including a raise that allowed me to stay home full time. It was an amazing blessing, and I know we're incredibly lucky to have been able to swing that. I loved my time at home, and eventually Leah and I sent Jack off to kindergarten and started a new version of our routine.

Then Will joined our brood, and Leah and I spent a year at home with this new baby before then sending HER to kindergarten. And for the last five years, it's just been Will and me passing our days with playdates, BSF, snuggles, and eventually homeschooling last year.

But in two weeks, it's the first day of school. For all. Of. Them. Eek! It's THE weirdest feeling to even think about having no one here during the day. I've spent the last decade at home full time with at least one of them.

People have asked, "What are you going to do when all three kids are in school?" And I haven't had a great answer, except to say, "A whole lot of nothing!" A few years ago, as I saw this year approaching, I joked that I would like to take a year off just to take naps. :) And while I can't quite swing a whole year, I am intentionally taking a break from as much as I can for at least two months.

It's a sabbatical of sorts. And while I'm sure I'll take a few naps, I'm hoping to embrace rest in some more specific ways, so I'll be intentionally taking a break from several things:

• BSF. This is the first fall in seven years that I'm not starting a new study with this group. I began attending with three-year-old Leah, brought Will from the time he was in my belly, and I was a children's leader for three years in there. I have loved it, but knowing that I'll eventually be working at some point this year, I couldn't commit to the whole study. (And also, the Maple Grove group has been getting larger and larger and there are consistently waiting lists. So it's someone else's turn now). :)
• Tuesday Night Dinner. This one is so hard, and it's something that I love SO much. We're about to celebrate three years with these beautiful people. But the truth is, cooking for and hosting 10ish extra people every week is a lot of work. ;) And knowing that it's temporary makes it easier to press pause for a bit. 
• Volunteering. Although I am anxious to be able to help out in my kids' classrooms after this couple of months, since I haven't really had a chance to do that consistently with smaller kids at home. I'm also stepping back from some areas of serving at church, especially coming off a year and a half senior pastor search team process that has thoroughly kicked my butt. 
• Social Media. This one just makes sense in the theme of taking a break. I love social media for a lot of things--I love keeping up with people, and I love following accounts that teach me things and make me think and make me laugh. But I'm also getting really tired of the noise. There's so much garbage right along with the good stuff, so I've got to let it all go for a while. (One thing I won't be taking a break from is my #AYearOfSmittenKitchen, but I won't be posting them on IG every week--if you care enough, you'll have to come here). :) I'll peace out sometime after the first day of school because I love seeing everyone's first day pics (and posting my own!)

I think resting is really important, especially in a culture and climate that is so focused on working and doing and going going going. Eventually I'll have to work and do and go again, but for now I'm looking forward to this couple of months and excited to unplug and lay low for a while. :)