Overloaded...

You know how sometimes you read other peoples blogs or Facebook status updates and you feel a bit inadequate? Pretty pictures of coastal cottages, family togetherness, or even, errr, nature walks? Which are cool and lovely and maybe even worth Pinning, but you think to yourself "well, crap, my day wasn't like that at all!"

That's because sometimes, we only put up the good stuff. The warm and fuzzy stuff. The stuff worth sharing.

But, you know, that's not the full story. The other stuff is that sometimes you over load yourself. You say "yes" to too many things (even though they are fun and you want to do them). You work a bit too much. Your "to do" list gets a bit too long. You experience a bit of stress and heartache. You let things slide a bit too much. You get sick. You don't spend enough "good" time with your kids.

And then, one day, it will be one tiny thing that sets you off. Not a big, important thing. Maybe just an oblivious husband asking "what's for tea?" like he does Every. Single. Day.

And instead of answering "slow-roasted pork belly with apple and hasselback potatoes" like you usually do, this time you answer "I don't know what's for *tea because I woke up at 6am, spent the day with 120 school kids, drove about a billion kilometres, only just got home nearly 12 hours later and no-one has folded the socks and undies like I asked them to! So NO! I DO NOT * KNOW WHAT'S FOR TEA!!!"*

Um. Yep.

This is probably followed by some self-indulgent, but well-deserved tears and it is at this point that you know that you have overloaded yourself.

And that maybe it's time to say "no thanks, maybe later" to some invitations. Maybe it's time to hermit yourself away for a little bit. Maybe it's time to take a deep breath, have a cup of tea (instead of wine) and look after yourself a bit better. And maybe take a panadol or three (because we have progressed on from a Bex and a good lie down).

It's all about balance in the end. And sure, sometimes us mum's overload ourselves with more than we can cope with. Sometimes we just need a little vent or cry or a helping hand**. Sometimes we just to set those scales a little more in favour of ourselves instead of others.

So maybe this post will provide some balance to all my lovely feel-good posts. Because while of course those things happened (and I try really hard to see the good in our life), there are moments (hours, sometimes days) where things aren't all sunshine and roses. Moments when life just gets a bit too hard and you want the world to stop so you can get off and have a rest. Or a sav blanc.

Now that's some stuff worth sharing!

*I may or may not have used other, less family-friendly language there 
**I should put in the disclaimer that if you find yourself doing this multiple times a day (and at times, I have) that you are probably due to go to your GP and have a chat and make sure depression is not raising it's ugly, blue head