Today I Will Be Free

This will be the last blog post that I write wearing glasses!! I am joining some of my blog pals in Fill in the Blank Friday!  The topic is books!!  

1.  My favorite book growing up was     "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein  I was passionate about his books.  I would check them out from the library and rack up major late fees!!  .

2.  The funniest book I've ever read was     a series by Janet Evanovich- The Stephanie Plum Series.  They are hilarious!!

3.  The one book that has truly changed my life is      The Bible and The Book of Mormon.  Both full of truth and guidance .

4.  If you're looking for a real "tear jerker" you should probably read     "The Mark of the Lion" series by Francine Rivers.  Crying during a book is a rarity for me and this one did me in.  I was so sad when I finished reading these books    .

5.  If I could meet any author living or dead I would want to meet    Jane Austen. I have read and re read her for as long as I can remember. She have been apart of my life for such a long time.  Longer than any other author .

6.  The next book on my "to read" list is     Catching Fire (I know. I know,) Then the Mortal Instuments Series  .

7.  If I was snowed into  remote cabin in the woods and could only choose three books to bring with me I'd bring      My special edition Jane Austen (it has 5 novels,,,but its technically one book), Eclipse (from the Twight Series), Where the Sidewalk Ends   .

Its not funny any more.

Yeah.  I am not really know for my ability to "have it together".  I actually am know for my gift of lateness, forgetfulness and classic procrastination.

I have decided that I am far to old for this.

It is time that I stop joking about it and be embarrassed about it...because I should be!
I mean, REALLY??  I had to bring my printer and laptop to and event because I KNEW that I would forget to print something.  That is just sad. I actually plan on screwing things up!

Well, those days are over! I hope...

I have come up with a system (sorta).

I calling it "Take 5"!

Sometimes I wake up dreading my day.  I think of all the things that I need to do.  Then I get a little sad because there are things that I want to do and I know I won't have time.  This makes me resent the things that I have to do.  See the vicious cycle forming....

There had to be a way to fix this.

I realized that I just need to me more organized.  That I needed to make lists and prioritize those lists and then manage my time.  Sounds simple enough...right?

I have started making lists.  We have this board from IKEA that is awesome!!

Its called a notice board. WE LOVE IT!  This is where I make my lists, where we write the things that we run out of, the weekly menu (basically its a list of everything that I can cook so that we are staring blankly at the fridge wondering what to eat) and... You get the idea right? Good.  The lists also ensure that important things don't get forgotten.  I am also getting in the habit of making sure that important dates make in to the calendar on my phone!

Now that I have my list of things to do I make time for them.  This is where the "Take 5" comes in!! 

 In the morning I do 5 things.  This is general "Pick - Up" things. Start a load of clothes, unload the dishwasher, wipe down the bathroom counter...that sorta thing.  I have been getting up a little earlier everyday to sort of train myself and timing myself during the "get ready" process.  I won't time myself forever. I am doing it now so that I can be more aware of how much time each thing takes me.  Like I know that I can to my make up in 5 minutes...but if I don't watch the time could take me 10.  I have NO concept of time.  I can easily waste 15 minutes on absolutely nothing. I am hoping that by being more aware of the time that I will get in to a routine and I will be able to get ready in the same amount of time everyday!

During lunch I do 5 more things.  These things are more "do while watching TV" type things. I am home for lunch so I usually watch something from the DVR so during that time I can fold clothes or something mindless.   Of these 5 things I do 2 things that I want to do.  Not a chore...something I enjoy. Editing photos, reading or writing, blogging...this keeps lunch enjoyable but I still get something done.

In the evening, I do 2 "have tos" and 3 "want tos"!  This is the best!  Since I did some little things earlier in the day the house doesn't need much and I get to relax with Will and enjoy my evening!! This also leaves the weekends free from the restraints that household chores put on us!

Just to give you an idea of how things are going...

I started Saturday with the board full of things to do.

It is now Thursday and my list is gone and the house is very clean and organized...for the most part. I got up at 5:30 this morning and STAYED up after Will left (in the past if I get up I just go back to sleep).  It really wasn't that big of a deal.  I got to do a lot and it was kinda relaxing! The best part is I don't feel over worked...I feel accomplished.  I even had time to work on me.  I exercised and BLOGGED!  I even got to leave some comment love! 

I am sure that there is someone out there that will read this and think...really?  She needs to do all this to stay organized and she doesn't even have kids??  Yes.  Yes I do.  I hope that some of this will just become habit. That I won't have to be so strict on myself. 

Maybe someone will read this and think...no way!  Me too!!

Sorry this was a bit lengthy.  I do usually do long posts.  If you are still here...thank you!

Remember that time...

Remember that time I was so super excited to have my eye surgery and be rid of the glasses and contacts that I have been wearing for more than 20 years (that is basically my ENTIRE life, by the way)???


Remember that time I had my sister (Dear Sweet Amanda...I LOVE YOU) come all the way from Texas on Easter weekend to be with me for the previously mentioned surgery?


Remember that time the secretary at the surgeons office called while we were actually in route to the office to cancel said surgery??


Remember that time I had a melt down over all of this??


Well as it turns out... Will had to have an emergency appendectomy (isn't it always and emergency??) and he was on deployment in Philadelphia.  There is no way that I could have driven 8 hours to get him right after having surgery.  So...Bright side- Amanda and I had a fabulous sister weekend. I made it to Will while he was still very heavily medicated (which made the 8 hour solo drive TOTALLY worth it). Eye surgery is set for this FRIDAY!!!  Wish me luck...and if you could wish for perfectly functioning equipment that would be greatly appreciated!

Letting go...

of stress.

of worry.

of insecurities.

of doubt.

of fear.

of all the things that I can’t control.

of things that hurt me.

Holding tight…

to faith.

to my loved ones.

to the things that bring me joy.

to things that I can change.

to the knowledge that I have.

to things that give me strength.

I know…

that I am flawed.

that some of those flaws are ok.

that if I work hard I change the ones that are not ok.

that my Redeemer lives.

that I am a daughter of God.

This is what I learned from my soul searching. I have been struggling a little and now I know why. I needed to refocus, re-organize and prioritize.

So, I'm working on it.