This Week: Necessary Exhaustion, A Day Trip North, and Donations

I have lived this week in a different state of tired. The kind of tired where my sinuses always hurt even though I'm not sick. The kind where the day ahead feels overwhelming to think about. The kind where I'm angry even when there's nothing worth the anger. I know why I'm sustaining this pace, I'm excited about what I'm doing and feel an urgency about getting it done. And after skipping one early morning this week, and taking a nap on a different day, I have a sense of hope.

Last Sunday we drove to Hingham, WI after church to visit Michael's grandma's house one last time. It is being sold to a young, local family later this month. For Michael, it was special to have some time to reference a lifetime of memories there. I was happy to put my bare feet in the grass, enjoy the shade of the pines, and race the boys in a run down the yard.

I currently have boxes of toys in my room waiting to be donated. I want to take them in soon so that they don't slowly get unpacked and reintegrated, but since this is my biggest haul yet I also want to give it a little time in case anything very sentimental is recalled. Still, decluttering is a muscle that needs to be exercised. It hurts at first and even feels impossible, but afterwards you see that you're okay. That you *can* live without the donated items and are better for it.