Tis the Season

So this morning I woke up and came downstairs and flipped our wall calendar over to December and instantly had a minor panic attack realizing that I haven't even "updated" the wall calendar for this month and already it is overflowing with stuff and here it is December 1st and I already feel stressed out, overextended and overbooked.

There's a reason that the highest number of relapses occur in the MS community in December.

This is not to say that I dislike the holidays. I like the holidays very much. I like decorating my house, I like singing Christmas carols, I like attending parties and seeing family and friends. The problem is the MonSter does not share my same affection for socializing and I have learned (often the hard way) to pace myself much MUCH more than I would like to.

In other words, I have had to become better at saying, "No." Which is just about one of the hardest things in the world for me to do! I want to attend all the holiday concerts, recitals, shows, go to all the cocktail parties and spend time with everyone I care about. I feel very blessed to have received 5 (yes FIVE) new evites this week to parties/events throughout the month but when I consult my calendar each event would mean either double-booking myself that day or else giving up the ONLY afternoon/evening I had marked off for the purpose of resting on that particular weekend.

I know people love the holidays and it's a fun reason to throw parties, entertain, plan fun events. And I wish I could attend everything and not end up paying a very high price for it. I also wish we didn't have to cram everything into a 25 day timeframe! I mean, c'mon people - I know your houses are decorated and you want to show them off and you love eggnog and gingerbread - but why can't we make up our own rules here? Cause when I keep flipping my calendar - January, February, March - I got nothing! Not a darn thing. By mid-January I will be bored out of my mind, dying to get dressed up all cute and go to a party.

Valentine's Day?

President's Day?

Arbor Day?

Anyone...anyone? (Bueller...?)

Sadly, I know it's everyone's God-given right to throw a wonderful Christmas party complete with decorated tree, carols, eggnog and far too much rich, delicious food. It's just sad that a party-loving gal like me has to say no to so many fabulous invitations, that's all.

Tis the season...to pace myself as best I can!

XOXO