Before I had kids, I was always on the go. I was very much a busybody; I always had to be doing something, planning something, or waiting for the next event to happen. I didn’t have “free time” because whenever I did, I would fill it constantly. I didn’t know how to sit down and relax. I would run errands, go for drives, stop by and visit friends unannounced, go on random shopping trips, and so on. Basically the opposite of a homebody.
Between college and teaching, I was a nanny for several years for two different families, who I loved so very much. As a “certified Mary Poppins,” as I fondly called myself back then, it was my job to run errands, spend other people’s money and take care of other people’s children during the day, which just played into my busybody habits. I was a professional errand runner, personal Uber for some little munchkins, and I honestly loved my job. Even when I first met my husband, he was much more of a “lazy Sunday” kind of guy – he was the homebody. And I turned him into a “get up and go Sunday” type of guy. We still joke about this today!
Fast forward to my life as it is today, and it looks NOTHING like any of the scenarios mentioned above. We had our two babies 10 months and a day apart from one another, which I also realize is not in the realm of “normal.” However, being a mom has completely shifted my mentality on what I can and can’t do. Or rather, what I want to do and don’t want to do with two toddlers in tow. I have learned that getting two kids dressed, fed, ready and out the door is like running a marathon, so you better believe that if we are going somewhere, it is most definitely worth the trip. I have learned that while I still love running errands and being out of the house, I can also enjoy a quiet moment at home alone when the babies are napping. Or I have found joy in just getting on the floor and playing with the kids. I don’t have the urge to fill every single moment of my time with activities, events, and running around town. And I am learning to be totally okay with being a homebody.
While I still have the occasional twinge to run around at times, my life is much different now and does not allow (or maybe I just don’t want it to) or require me to be a busybody to be content. My definition of a busybody looks much different now, and more often than not, you can find me chasing my toddlers around the kitchen or hiding inside of our tee-pee with Elmo and Cookie Monster. Not to say I still don’t love a random, leisurely stroll through Target…but you get the idea.
