Have you ever had this feeling that all it took was one thing to move you from comfortably busy to feeling like your plate is overflowing? Today I had that feeling!

We’ve been busy in the last week and a half exploring an educational option for my dd15 for next year that we just learned about (will share about it next week if she’s accepted).  I got her application in on Monday, which was good to have out of the way so I could enjoy a somewhat relaxed week that was comfortably scheduled, I thought.  Baseball season has just started for my boys, which means that every Sunday afternoon, as well as Tuesday and Thursday nights they’re out – along with the rest of the family, who like to be there to watch and cheer them on.

Last night coming home from baseball I ran over a curb when I turned a corner and punctured my tire, so my planned relaxed morning (just cook, clean, and work with the kids on their educational stuff) today then became busy with getting the tire taken care of.  Which was really much easier than it would have been if not for the amazing Chaveirim volunteer organization we have here.  I really should write a post on them – it’s a wonderful group.

Then I took dd13 and ds11 shoe shopping, and when I got home canned 6 quarts of berries that didn’t seal yesterday (I’m experimenting with new lids and missed a detail on instructions for using them – will share about that also if these all seal properly!).  Then on to my kitchen, which absent my attention all day, was piled up with lots of dirty dishes and pots and mess needing to be taken care of.

Anyway, I had two hours to get it all done and eat dinner before I needed to leave the house to give a speech at my Toastmasters club, but 45 minutes before I was due to leave, I got a call from the synagogue representative that I left a message with this morning (in between getting the tire repaired and shoe shopping :).  I had inquired about sponsoring the shalosh seudos (traditional third meal late Saturday afternoon) next Shabbos (Sabbath) in honor of the tenth anniversary of a bus accident involving my ds16.  She told me that the rabbi will be away next week, and the following week is tentatively reserved – which left me the choice of doing it this week, or doing it three weeks after the actual anniversary.

Hmm, I thought.  I have to give a speech in one hour that I haven’t yet prepared.  I have a trip scheduled to the NASA visitor center tomorrow in the early afternoon (Thursday) that is over an hour away which will take most of the afternoon, and as soon as I come home, ds11 needs to be taken to his baseball game (along with everyone else, which requires putting together a quickie dinner for them to take with them).  And while they’re all at baseball, I have a phone conference with the head of the homeschool umbrella program we’re registered with scheduled.  I have press releases and articles that need to be written for the Torah Home Education Conference.   So I would need to plan for, shop, and cook for this event of 80 – 120 people (to be held about 7 pm Saturday) all on Friday – and all of the cooking would have to be done at the synagogue, so I can’t do a little here and there when it’s quiet around here.

Oh – did I mention that I also have a family of 9 coming for Shabbos (Saturday) lunch, and that it would be prudent not to have everyone getting home from the shalosh seudos after 9 pm Saturday night, since together with dh, I’m leaving 5:30 am Sunday morning on a bus to New York City for a full day of interviews and evaluations for my dd15 (returning 5 am Monday morning)?    And of course I still have my house to clean and food to cook for Shabbos?  Would you think it would be a good idea to agree to do this at the last minute this week, in addition to all that I have going on already?

No, right?  That’s the reasonable and balanced thing to do. But on the other hand, we never made an official seuda (meal) to show our appreciation for the miracle that our son walked away from an accident that should have killed him.  Last year I wanted to do it but the anniversary date was the same time as my due date (and I obviously didn’t know I’d end up being three weeks overdue! :)).  Last year I said, “Next year we’ll make the seudas hodaah (meal of gratitude) to mark the tenth anniversary”.  And it was really important to me that this not be pushed off for three more weeks, just because I’m kind of busy right now.  It’s been pushed off for ten years, and if we’re going to do it, it’s going to be done on time.

So surely you understood why I told the woman I would call her back because I needed to think about it, and then fifteen minutes later was rushing to get the announcement into the synagogue newsletter before the deadline.  Yes, I decided to do it.  Then I went out and gave my speech with ten minutes to compose my thoughts.  It was fine.

I came home and made out a list of foods that we’ll need to make for the shalosh seudos (there’s a basic fee to sponsor it that only includes rolls, crackers, and tuna salad) – my kids really want me to buy soda.  I agreed to bake cookies and cake so it wouldn’t be too healthy, but buying and serving soda is really pushing my comfort zone.  😆  Seriously, I don’t know if I can bring myself to put it in my shopping cart.  All in attendance will just have to suffer, I suppose.  🙂

My dear friend called tonight to let me know that there will be meteor shower tonight between 1 – 3 am, and it can be seen if you drive somewhere dark (we have too many street lights around).  In case you’re wondering – I do know what my limits are, and I’m going to sleep instead.  Despite the busyness the extra commitment of making the communal meal at the last minute entails, I feel it’s a really good decision and feel balanced and sane about it all.  Now I just have to tell my husband. 😆

Avivah