Keeping Expectations Low

The first step is always admitting you have a problem, right?  Right.

Maybe that is the reason I have been feeling much more balanced and calm.  First, I had to admit I had a problem.  My problem was that I wanted a picture perfect Christmas.  The problem with that is that THERE IS NO PICTURE PERFECT CHRISTMAS.  So, after I wrote all about my failure I was free to move on with less expectations.  When you have four smallish children less expectations are always good.

I did not have high expectations when we took the kids to Cabela's on Saturday.  I did not think we would be able to get Grace to sit on Santa's lap without her screaming her little head off so it was a pleasant surprise when she fought back her tears.  And after Santa gave her a candy cane she actually sat on his lap and smiled!  Kind of.

So there is a dead deer in the picture.  So what, right?  The photographer at the store got a picture of all four kids looking at the camera and smiling and she even edited the dead deer out.  Lovely.

I also did not have high expectations that my children would be able to contain their excitement in the store and not smash into everyone and grab everything while running from place to place.  And when we pulled into the jam packed parking lot my expectations sunk even lower.  The place was overflowing with people, but I was very pleasantly surprised with how well they behaved.

I didn't even think about being able to finish the Christmas shopping, but while the kids and I played in the tents Todd was able to complete the shopping for the kids.  Woot woot!

I was pretty exhausted after the trip, the shopping, and a stop at a fun restaurant, so I had very low expectations for my very first concert performance in over 11 years.  The symphony choir I perform with was joining with the symphony orchastra for "The Messiah".   A beautiful piece of music, but very long, and very difficult.  Also, not my favorite type of music.  I'm more of a broadway or jazz kind of a girl.  And, I had to wear head to toe black.  Todd told me I looked kind of Amish.  I did.  But at least my hair looked good. 

The concert went very well.  It felt so good to be up on stage again.  I didn't have any solos or do anything memorable, but it felt great to be a part of something like that again.

It was a nice weekend, overall.  The weather was warm enough on Sunday for the kids to play outside all day and for a nice long run for me.  After a relaxing shower I got to watch the Packers trounce the Raiders and go to 13-0.  Yowsa!  Todd and I celebrated the win with some Pud Thai after the kids went to bed.  Fabulous way to end a lovely weekend.

Maybe the key to a wonderful holiday isn't finding balance, maybe the key is keeping my expectations extremely low.  ;)