I’ve concluded that contentment is when your reality meets your expectation, and happiness when it exceeds them.
I’ve had a lot of questions this summer, now that Ben is at work across town instead of in class two minutes away.
“Is it hard to have Ben working again?”
“Is it hard to handle this crazy schedule?” (it’s not all crazy, and it isn’t all work, but he’s been putting in 15 hour days recently and it seems whenever he gets home at a reasonable hour, I’m up in New Hampshire for a family thing)
And you know, it isn’t. Maybe it’s because summers in Boston are glorious. Maybe it’s because both my sisters came home. Maybe it’s because Adelaide is sleeping better. But I think it’s probably because, for the first time in nine months, there are clear expectations.
I know what support to expect from Ben. I know when to anticipate him being home (and when not to anticipate him being home). A Wednesday with Ben gone seems SO much better when I’ve planned on him being gone rather than when he happens to be stuck late studying on campus.
The last year of school was SO fun. I hardly mean to complain about any of it becauseI want to cry just thinking about this experience coming to an end next year. But one of my struggles was the volatility of it. I could never plan on Ben being home for dinner on a Monday. We’d get him all afternoon one day and he’d be prepping cases ’till 11 pm the next. I’d plan on help with dinner + bedtime only to remember an event he’d put on a calendar I hadn’t checked. After all of that, this summer seems like it’s own kind of routine. Or maybe it is just easier to parent when it is light all day long (and not only till 3:30 pm like Boston all winter).
It seems like the key to happiness is just constantly lowering my expectations. Which sounds horrible – so I’m not sticking with that. But I’m pleasantly surprised with how wonderfully well it is working this summer.
Love,
A slightly tanned, pleased, and content Elisabeth
outfit details:
jeans: AG Farrah (full review here – my favorite staple – read why)
top: my sister’s closet, Loft, maybe? here is a similar olive top I found
shoes: the white perforated slip ons are darling for summer
necklace: Baublebar, c/o
I love your white flats! They’re super cute!