Happy Chaos

Do you remember Soleil Moon Frye? Think back to the 1980’s and a little show called Punky Brewster. Well, one late night this past week, after the kids were in bed and Chris was snoring away next to me, I was on the laptop deleting all those emails from all the stores that are having their sales, looking over my own Christmas list, and checking off who is done and who I still need to get.  The TV was on and the late night news was doing a segment about a once child star that is now all grown, married, a mom with two kids and trying to figure out this whole motherhood thing like the rest of us. Punky Brewster is all grown up and is a mom!  She has a blog and just came out with a new book called Happy Chaos. I love this title…Happy Chaos! What a great phrase! The dictionary says the meaning of chaos is a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order. There are many times that I feel I am in the mist of total chaos in our house. What mom hasn’t experienced that feeling of being in the middle of disorganization and confusion? But during this news segment, Soleil Moon Frye was saying there is a difference between chaos and happy chaos. I don’t think it matters what stage of motherhood you are in: babies and diapers and sleepless nights, toddlers with little hands that get into everything, or kids with schedules that take over your own schedule…we need to ask ourselves the question; when we get overwhelmed and there is so much that has to get done and there is so much that we want to get done, are we in the mist of chaos or is it Happy Chaos?

So I am not going to just try to get through another Christmas season. I am going to enjoy the Christmas shopping, and wrapping of presents, the volunteering at school and the party planning, making a few crafts with the kids and possibly get a few cookies baked and when I feel overwhelmed, I’m just going to remind myself that it is all Happy Chaos…and I wouldn’t want it any other way.