Formerly Known As... Me

This week for the first in over seven years I dug out my sewing basket and my sewing machine and actually made something. It wasn't a big project but for me it was a reminder of my former life. I used to sew quite a bit, including a brown Little House on the Prairie-type dress and a hideous all-in-one pant/dress thing in the early 90s... ugh.

For the last seven years I have either been:

• pregnant (i.e. nesting) and working
• a new mom and working
• a new mom and setting up a new home and life in another world (i.e. the deep south)
• a stay-at-home mom and a wannabe writer, journaling instructor (i.e. taking courses, writing, and designing my own workshops)
• a working mother - of two - and setting up a new home and life in another world (i.e. the blue-collar town we went to only if we had to while growing up)
• a working mom and an aspiring freelancer and self-employer...

i.e. no time (or energy or even motivation) for anything other than my roles of that moment.

And then there's today. I'm a stay-at-home mom and a gosh-durnit-making-it-on-my-owner (with enormous thanks to my husband's paycheck, of course). Today I have a few journal workshops under my belt and many more scheduled for the fall. I have two (precious) days a week when Tator is in daycare, and once all those calendar listings, facebook notices, and posters were out there announcing my intentions to the world I actually found myself with nothing to do.

NOTHING?!

OK, not even nearly nothing - I am still a housewife and mother - but nothing pressing, nothing that couldn't wait. No office to report to, no press release to write, no theater program to layout. I could do something completely and utterly... FUN (i.e. without purpose).

So I made a pretty fabric cover for my beloved planner/journal. It's very rough with stray threads here and there, but I'm happy with it. You see, I have been on this quest for a long time - to find the perfect combination of planner and journal that is neither too bulky or too small. It must be full of pockets, refillable, and tell me where, what, and when I must go and must do. And if I find myself sitting in a car or a coffee shop it must have plenty of room in which to write. Such a thing does not exist, and believe me, I have searched!

Now, hallelujah! With the help of DIYplanner.com (where to my joy and relief I discovered others as addicted to time management as me), a Rollabind punch (via eBay), and my rusty sewing skills I have found my solution.

But I digress.

The point is, I am finally where I have wanted to be in life. I am home. I am looking after my children. I am fulfilling my dreams of being a freelance "something." I now have the energy to do the other creative things I love to do.

That is... until Little Lady comes back from camp. She's been staying with my parents for the last two weeks and although I miss her for her, I have not missed for one iddy-biddy moment the constant bickering and fighting that happens between my offspring. In one hour I will be picking her up and from then until she goes back to school my creative yearnings may have to put back on hold.

But that part of me has been revived from its slumber. My sewing machine has been unearthed and sits on the table ready for action. I have an idea for a simple summer shirt I'd like to make. It's in my head and for me that's usually all it takes. It may be winter by the time I get around to it but that's OK.

Maybe I could also get it into my head to finish the baby albums too... before they graduate from college.