Learning to walk a little slower

I am not one to walk anywhere slowly.  In fact, when choosing shoes to wear to the shops, I have been known to choose simply based on the speed in which I need to get from one place to another.  I have recently been planning our boys' combined 4th and 2nd birthday party.  This year, unlike the others, we are not doing it at a kid's venue but rather at a park.  This means we are doing all the food, the cake, the decor etc etc.  It has been fun but in amongst all the other admin of moving it has also been very busy.  A few weeks ago I read a blog by a well known homeschool mom.  She started off with this quote by Ann Voskamp:

"Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing.... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away."

I literally stopped right in my tracks.  I looked back on my day that day and recalled wondering why I was in such a rush.  What was I rushing to do and get done? Party stuff, yes, but then what.  There and then I made my first resolution: to slow down and enjoy the planning.  To let the boys help with the fun stuff like decorating cakes and cupcakes and making party packs (even if it took longer and wasn't 'perfect').  This same mom wrote about her experience many years before of her daughter's 5th birthday party.  She told of how she was so busy cooking, cleaning and preparing that she lost sight of what it was all really about and what was truly important.  This was just what I needed to hear at exactly the right time.  My A type, somewhat perfectionist, personality wanted everything perfect for the boys on their special day.  But if I am honest, I wanted things perfect for me.  To Tristan and Connor, a party with some treats, balloons and friends is all they needed to have a fun time.  And so after reading this whole blog, I made my second resolution for the day.  I was going to my best to do things well but I would not lose sight of what was important about this day - celebrating our boys!  I think, for the most part, I did a pretty good job!  And just as well I made this conscious decision beforehand because despite Sean and I praying, and despite it being the hottest, sunniest week ever, on the day of the party it rained! Poured! But, all our special people came, the kids had a blast, the day was such a relief in its coolness and Tristan and Connor had the time of their lives.  THAT is what it was all about and that is what truly mattered.