Here come the holidays! Warm and comforting, family and visitors, shopping and cooking, hectic and tiring. Yes, it's a bit of everything.

We have some family arriving this week, staying for several days. I'm looking forward to the visit and also feeling my stress level rise a bit too. I need to get the spare room ready, fresh sheets on the beds and towels set out. I need to meal plan and grocery shop. Do a little cleaning. When they arrive, it'll mean staying up a little later, getting up a little earlier, and of course entertaining our guests during the day.

We all know that doing just a little bit more can have a huge impact when MS is involved. I'll recruit family, and guests too, to pitch in. Fortunately another family member is hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year so my contribution will be minimal.

There's no getting around it though. The next week will be tiring. I'm not in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year but there are other meals to cook and guests to tend to. One thing I've learned for myself is that sometimes it's worth it! I don't want to live my life avoiding the best things in life because they make me tired or bring on pain or other symptoms. One of the most difficult things to do is to forecast how I'll feel if I take on an activity. Sometimes I can walk two miles and feel great. Other times just taking a shower is exhausting.

I'm not going to stupidly act like a whirling dervish and try to do everything. That's exhausting even without MS. But I am going to enjoy my visitors, enjoy being a hostess and enjoy these holidays. When my body says slow down, I'll take a break. I vow to ask for help - even when I don't think I need it. Hey, it's more fun when everyone pitches in (regardless of what my teenagers would say to that).

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a "good energy" week for me. I'm also promising myself to RELAX and not worry if things aren't perfect.

Have a good Thanksgiving everyone. Take care of yourselves. And enjoy!