I have Seven Bikes in my Garage

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My garage full of ‘stuff’.

I have seven bikes in my garage (four adult, three kid).  And two tricycles.  And a ride-on toy.  And two running strollers.  And a double stroller.  And an umbrella stroller.  And a wagon.  There is no room for a car (we’re driveway-parkers) because we have too much ‘stuff’.  Yet I am not someone who places a high value on ‘stuff’.  We have a car that’s rusty, couches that are well-worn, and I don’t care if I’m wearing Name Brands or Joe Fresh.  But somehow I have fallen into the trap of excess.

I’m trying to word this properly, because I don’t want to come off as self-righteous and complain about having this First-World problem.  Don’t get me wrong, I feel very fortunate to have all of these possessions.  But I’m trying to wrap my head around the difference between the amount of ‘stuff’ I need versus the amount of ‘stuff’ I want versus the amount of ‘stuff’ I have.

We (I am referring to the ‘Royal We’, which sometimes includes me and sometimes doesn’t) live in a society of excess, a society of materialism, and a society of ‘stuff’.  We put in extra hours at work to pay for ‘stuff’ we can’t afford, and we don’t have time to enjoy the ‘stuff’ with the people that we love.  Isn’t that ironic?  Aren’t our priorities skewed?  Out of all the blessings in my life, the thing that I value most is time with my family.  Priority one.

So I am going to uncomplicate my life a bit by getting rid of some ‘stuff’.  I think I’ll start with the garage.

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For those struggling to find a work/life balance, check out this song (click on the link and listen to the words as you read along!):

“Don’t Miss Your Life”
By Phil Vassar

On a plane to the West Coast, laptop on my tray
Papers spread across my seat, a big deadline to make
An older man sitting next to me said, “Sorry to intrude,
Thirty years ago my busy friend, I was you.
I made a ton of money and I climbed up the ladder,
Yeah, I was superman, not what does it matter.
I missed the first steps my daughter took
The time my son played Captain Hook in ‘Peter Pan’
I was in New York, said ‘Sorry son, Dad has to work’
I missed the father daughter dance
The first home run, no second chance
To be there when he crossed the plate
The moment’s gone now it’s too late
Fame and fortune come with a heavy price
Son, don’t miss your life.
“Funny you should say that, I was sitting at the gate
My daughter called, she made straight A’s and they’re off to celebrate.
Scrolling through the pictures of my little family
My daughter with her mom and friends, not a single one with me.
They know I love ’em, I know they know I care
The truth is half the time, I’m not even there.
I missed our fourth and fifth anniversary
Our girl was early by a week
Her sister had to hold her hand
I was in L.A., she said “I understand”
I missed her first day of school
Then what kind of crazy fool
Lets such precious moments pass
We all know time goes way too fast
Hold on tight ‘cause it don’t happen twice
Don’t miss your life.
When I get off this plane, I’ll buy a turn-around ticket
Saturday’s her eighth birthday and I’m not gonna miss it.
There’ll be balloons and birthday cake
And I’ll clean up the mess they make
My mom and dad are drivin’ in
I haven’t seen ’em in God knows when
My wife will probably say to me
“I thought you were supposed to be in Portland
For a few more days”, I’ll take her in my arms and say
“I heard some words that hit me hard last night,
A man said: ‘Don’t miss your life’.”

Having Babies and Having Fitness Too!

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Getting set to return to work next week has got me thinking about balance.  How am I going to balance work with family time?  Or family time with household responsibilities?  Or household responsibilities with social commitments?  Or social commitments with sleep?  Or sleep with fitness?  The answer is I will.  I have to.

The obvious variable to cut out of the above equation to buy myself some more time is fitness.  But that’s not an option.  Because it is fitness that fuels me and allows me to be more productive in all other areas of my life- in work, family time, household responsibilities, social commitments, and sleep.

That’s where Crossfit Altitude, aka “My Gym”, comes into play.  I was talking with my friend Jen, who owns My Gym, and she asked me what contribution Crossfit has made to my life during my maternity leave.  Here’s my answer Jen:

  • It prepared my body to have a healthy baby.  I went into this pregnancy last year being fitter than I’d ever been and I maintained my fitness via modified Crossfit workouts throughout my entire pregnancy.  When my body said use lighter weights, I used lighter weights.  When my body said slow down, I slowed down.  When my body said drink water, I drank water.  And when my body said rest, I rested.
  • It supported me through labour and delivery.  I was strong on March 2nd when my daughter decided to make her appearance.  My labour lasted only three hours and was unmedicated; it was my fitness that assisted my body’s ability to cope.
  • It helped me recover from her birth.  I was back at My Gym four weeks after she was born, and I was feeling healthy, strong, and empowered.
  • It allowed me to set an example for my kids.  My kids are learning that their bodies need movement to be healthy.
  • It gave me a sense of community.  I saw my friends.  I laughed.  I smiled.  I had fun.

Fitness is non-negotiable.  Being fit makes me a better me.  And a better mom.  And a better wife.  And next week, a better chiropractor.

Pre-pregnancy fitness shoot.

Drew and I did a backyard workout on my due date; 52 belly-to-ground burpees at 40 weeks pregnant.

What I Learned on My Maternity Leave

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I am going back to work on Monday August 20th, and with this date quickly approaching, I have started to reflect on all that’s happened in the last six months.  I had originally planned on taking three or four months off following the birth of my daughter; being self-employed has some practical and financial limitations for maternity leaves.  As that deadline came and went, however, I just didn’t feel ‘ready’ to go back.  She still had more to teach me.  This is what I learned:

  • I learned that no matter how uncomfortable and anxious I was to meet her, she wasn’t ready until six days after her official due date.  She taught me patience.
  • I learned that I was able to fall in love with her deeply and immediately, as I did with her brother when he was born three years ago.  She taught me unconditional love.
  • I learned that I don’t need to second-guess my maternal instincts and intuition.  She taught me confidence.
  • I learned that seeing my children laugh together gives me a feeling of complete happiness.  She taught me joy.
  • I learned that I’m the first one she looks to for comfort, acceptance, and approval.  She taught me loyalty.
  • I learned that if I do not succeed at a new skill, I need to keep trying.  She taught me perseverance.
  • I learned that many of her needs can be met with a simple cuddle.  She taught me compassion.
  • I learned that seeing my son meet his baby sister for the first time was easily the most astounding moment of my life.  She taught me about miracles.

So as I return to work, I will keep these lessons in mind.  And I will continue to learn.