Wednesday, November 26, 2008

the power of IKEA

Since becoming a single mom, it's been so easy to sit back and think about all of the things that I can not do. Those thoughts can easily lead to a vicious cycle of feeling helpless.
All of the house projects that have come to a halt, all of the fix-it jobs that I'm clueless about, all of those power tools that I can't even name... much less know how to use!

I never knew that a simple trip to IKEA would inspire me to take charge of what I can do. Not that I bought anything, or got any ideas from the store... but after our trip I got to thinking about the little things that I could do around the house.
The kids and I talked about how they would like to share a room, with bunkbeds. We discussed different decorating ideas.
Then my mind wandered into creating a welcoming guest room in our house, painting my bedroom, painting my existing picture frames, and finally getting that color on my living room wall.
I am regaining confidence that there ARE house projects that I can do. Simple things that can change our environment and give us a fresh start.

I'm excited about returning home and tackling some of these things during our Christmas break.
I know that painting and re-organizing is a small step in the grand scheme of things but I feel like it's a big step in re-claiming a tiny bit of my life.
I can either dwell on what I can't do , or try some new things on my own.

Of course I know that I'm not superwoman... so if you're a big strong guy who can move furniture...you can be expecting a call from me soon :-)

1 comment:

Adrienne said...

IKEA is an amazing place! Sometimes very confusing and disorienting, but AWESOME!!! So far 4 things in our apartment are from IKEA, and I plan to go back sometime soon! :)

But yes, I get your point. I find that I rely a LOT on Nay to do things. So when he is gone, I often forget that I myself can do it too. My Mom did the same and ever since my Dad has passed, she is ALWAYS telling us that we need to do things ourselves to keep our mind on the knowing. I guess that makes sense. I don't know, but yes, I understand. And good for you for having a game plan!!!

PLUS-My 2 boys share a room too with bunks. Some days are better than others, but I will tell you now, make sure the boys know how to help each other clean their room. It will save a LOT of headaches if they understand that. :)