Patience, Patience, where are you?

I like to think of myself as a very patient person. I can wait and wait and wait. I can sit and do meaningless tasks, without complaint. I can listen to a child as the same question or say the same word over, and over, and over again. All my life I have felt like patience is one of my good qualities.

This week, I seem to have lost it. I am not sure where it went. I am not freaking out or pulling my hair out, but I feel like my patience is really being tested this past week. It is the little things, like my Husband asking the same question five times, but five different ways. Or little "J" wanting to play with Lego and put it away, twenty times a day. Even "A" has been testing me, following me around the house while I looked for graph paper the other day, instead of staying put.

Yesterday, when I felt like I was getting impatient I packed up "J" and the two furry family members and headed out for a brisk walk in the freezing wind chill. That seemed to do the trick. I was good for the rest of the day. Could that be it? Could it be the weather attributing to my impatience? With the bad weather comes less walking and more going places inside, perhaps I really need that brisk walk for my sanity? Wow, just writing about it brought revelation. I think I will try to do the same again today and see if it helps. It gets too dangerous to walk two giant dogs while pushing a stroller when the really bad weather kicks in, but until then there are always hats, mitts, blankets and warm coats :)

If anyone has any suggestions on how to not let your patience be tried, please be sure to share your info, it will be very welcome!