How to LIVE through a PCS

🎶It's the most stressful time of the year! 🎶 It is also wonderful, and scary, and sad and exciting.  But it is stressful...it's PCS time!  (Permanent Change of Station) PCS is a military term but it seems the State Department uses it too.  In layman's terms, it's moving time. And it's crazy.  It is going to get crazier before it gets calmer... to be honest it this summer home leave is anything like last summer's "R&R" it won't calm down until we arrive at our next post!  I will be writing more about the details of the actual PCS, but today I am going to share some tips on how to deal with the stress of this season.

I am actually chuckling at myself as I write this blog! I mean seriously, what do I know about managing stress while moving?  I literally had an anxiety attack in bed last night!  I kid you not.   The reasons are for another blog, BUT, the solution is for this blog!  I have got to manage my stress during this season. 

If mothering has taught me one thing, it's that I am the heart of this family. Believe me, I am not bragging on my worth, I am not saying this family wouldn't thrive without my contributions, but what I am saying is that my mood, my actions, my frame of mind sets the tone for this family.  So... mama's gotta have her stuff together! Not just for my sanity, but for the well-being of my family. 

Rewind to last night.  My kids are sitting around on pinterest and Etsy dreaming of their room at the next post.  This is what I want!  I want my kids excited about the upcoming changes, but there have been several stressors in the past few weeks and I allowed it to set me in a terrible frame of mind which ended with me snapping at everyone  - on a Sunday night - great way to start a new week. 
And just earlier as I was laying George down to nap, I caught my reflection in the mirror.  He was "snuggling" me and looking up at me with the sweetest eyes, and I was so distant... already thinking about how I was going to use the precious hour of his nap time. 

I realized that life was going to pass me by. Let's break this down: In the life of anyone in the Foreign Service, Military or any other profession that allows you to move around often, you are either getting ready to move, just having moved, learning your way around your new home/country etc, or bidding on your next post.  I DO NOT want to live looking to the next thing.  I can't do that.  By the time we settle at our new post it will be October. It's March. Do the math. I could potentially lose 1/2 of a year just "surviving"

What am I going to do about it?

Here are some ideas -

I am in no way an expert - just a mom and a wife trying to use my little tiny piece of the web to help others that have chosen this gypsy life.

1. Prayer
I put this as number one because for me, it's essential.  I am a Christian.  I need the connection with the Prince of Peace if I am going to have any type of peace in my life.  I find the best time for me is early morning.  I get the kids off to school and take some time to do a devotional and have a prayer time.  It keeps me connected and helps with my day.  I also try to add a few things I am thankful for.  It helps me to keep perspective in such a hectic time. 

2. Yoga/Exercise
After my little bout with my anxiety last night I woke up unable to turn my neck to the left and as I am sitting here typing this, my right leg is throbbing.  I am carrying so much tension in my neck and back it is crazy.  You better believe tomorrow I will be at my neighborhood yoga class, and then possibly scheduling a massage in the afternoon. 

3. GET ORGANIZED
I am not organized by nature - but I love lists.  I love journaling.  I love my new journal I bought here and I have turned it into a Bullet journal.  This is a great link to some super cute ways to bullet journal.  Mine is nowhere near that cute. BUT it is my survival.  Without my lists, I would feel frazzled and I am sure something would fall through the cracks.

4. Communicate
This can be taken so many different ways.  It may mean communicating with family about how you feel or it may mean asking for help.  For me it means VERY open lines of communication between me and Erik. We have coffee in the morning and decide who is tackling what task that moves us toward our PCS.  After we have a daily game plan, we both feel better about being sure we are making the most of our time and resources. 

5. Escape
Taking a trip would be amazing - but if you're like me - packing for a family of five adds to my stress, it doesn't take it away! And don't even think about leaving without kids.  Planning their activities in your absence, planning their meals, babysitters -um.NO.  However, I love to read! I look forward to that very last hour of every night when the house is quiet and I can get lost in a book!  Before we moved to Sri Lanka, it was an evening walk.  Erik and I would walk and talk and just escape the crazy for a short while.  Maybe it's binge watching netflix or checking out instastories... what ever it is, escape - at least once - every day. 


I will keep you up to date on how well I end up doing with all of these - but one thing is for sure - I will figure out some way to truly live through these crazy adventures and not merely survive!