As usual I have a to do list a page long plus a long playdate scheduled for my daughter. I have a tendency to make my lists way longer than I could actually complete in one day because I alot ten to twenty minutes for chores that will take an hour. There is always something to get done or something needing cleaned.
Last night I listed some of the things I needed to get done today to my husband. I was talking about which things have to be juggled with an awake toddler, like vacuuming, and which things are best done when she is asleep. He asked for another thing to be done and we discussed how that would best fit in on the sleeping child list.
As I fell asleep I had a dream that seemed a little ridiculous at first. I was planning and hosting a baby's first birthday party. It wasn't my own child but was clearly someone important to me because I was going all out. Then I learned it would be a dual child party with the original baby's cousin also turning one. The signs needed redone and color scheme needed tweaked to fit the second family.
Then I got a call. In the call my husband's beloved uncle (not a real one) had passed away. His family was so torn up and needing someone to make the arrangements for a memorial. I took it on, even attempting to make a scrapbook within the two day window I had.
The memorial rolled around just hours before the double birthday party was to take place. As I was putting the final touches on the scrapbook, while the family watched a photo video of their uncle, another family member came to me and asked if I would help plan him and his fiancé's wedding. It seems that with the passing of the uncle they decided love was too important to wait and they wanted to say their vows within the week. Of course I said yes. How do you say no to love?
Obviously this is a far cry from my actual list that includes things like cleaning the toys my toddler played with right before getting sick last weekend and watering the grass seed. But sometimes we need to extreme and ridiculously outrageous insight to understand a more common issue.
Which parts stood out to me? The death of the beloved uncle reflected the knowledge that my beloved dog is dying before my eyes. I have been watching as she has gone downhill for months and I know the time with her is very limited. Yet I have designated very little time to just be with her, cuddle her, and cherish our last days or weeks.
The part about the marriage and love being so important reflected how much I love to just spend time with my husband. We will be celebrating our anniversary this weekend but spending time just hanging out with him could definitely appear on the to do list more often. And even taking time with my daughter, just the two of us, outside of playdates and lunch dates and running errands. Perhaps so far as saying, forget the to do list, let's just play cars and read books together in this moment because she is growing fast. What is more important than enjoying this time together?
I'm grateful for my lists that help me stay on top of things. I'm grateful for the pride a feel in checking things off. Yet I'm equally grateful to see how blowing off the list or adding more heart-based things to the list would be so beneficial. I'm grateful for the dream last night that seemed both outrageous and also like something I really would attempt if asked. I'm grateful for my big heart and generosity. I'm grateful for the reminder on what is important and that my family trumps the chores. And I'm grateful to strive to find a balance.
What is on your to do list? Do you schedule time for your loved ones? Do you schedule more than can actually get done?
May today remind us to find balance. May we add the things that fill our hearts with joy and love to the list and prioritize accordingly. Have a beautiful day!
Last night I listed some of the things I needed to get done today to my husband. I was talking about which things have to be juggled with an awake toddler, like vacuuming, and which things are best done when she is asleep. He asked for another thing to be done and we discussed how that would best fit in on the sleeping child list.
As I fell asleep I had a dream that seemed a little ridiculous at first. I was planning and hosting a baby's first birthday party. It wasn't my own child but was clearly someone important to me because I was going all out. Then I learned it would be a dual child party with the original baby's cousin also turning one. The signs needed redone and color scheme needed tweaked to fit the second family.
Then I got a call. In the call my husband's beloved uncle (not a real one) had passed away. His family was so torn up and needing someone to make the arrangements for a memorial. I took it on, even attempting to make a scrapbook within the two day window I had.
The memorial rolled around just hours before the double birthday party was to take place. As I was putting the final touches on the scrapbook, while the family watched a photo video of their uncle, another family member came to me and asked if I would help plan him and his fiancé's wedding. It seems that with the passing of the uncle they decided love was too important to wait and they wanted to say their vows within the week. Of course I said yes. How do you say no to love?
Obviously this is a far cry from my actual list that includes things like cleaning the toys my toddler played with right before getting sick last weekend and watering the grass seed. But sometimes we need to extreme and ridiculously outrageous insight to understand a more common issue.
Which parts stood out to me? The death of the beloved uncle reflected the knowledge that my beloved dog is dying before my eyes. I have been watching as she has gone downhill for months and I know the time with her is very limited. Yet I have designated very little time to just be with her, cuddle her, and cherish our last days or weeks.
The part about the marriage and love being so important reflected how much I love to just spend time with my husband. We will be celebrating our anniversary this weekend but spending time just hanging out with him could definitely appear on the to do list more often. And even taking time with my daughter, just the two of us, outside of playdates and lunch dates and running errands. Perhaps so far as saying, forget the to do list, let's just play cars and read books together in this moment because she is growing fast. What is more important than enjoying this time together?
I'm grateful for my lists that help me stay on top of things. I'm grateful for the pride a feel in checking things off. Yet I'm equally grateful to see how blowing off the list or adding more heart-based things to the list would be so beneficial. I'm grateful for the dream last night that seemed both outrageous and also like something I really would attempt if asked. I'm grateful for my big heart and generosity. I'm grateful for the reminder on what is important and that my family trumps the chores. And I'm grateful to strive to find a balance.
What is on your to do list? Do you schedule time for your loved ones? Do you schedule more than can actually get done?
May today remind us to find balance. May we add the things that fill our hearts with joy and love to the list and prioritize accordingly. Have a beautiful day!
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