To-Do

I'm a pen-and-paper person, a list person. Grocery lists, wish lists, books-to-read lists, gift lists, notes to write lists, baby-names-I-like lists...and TO-DO lists. The satisfaction I get out of crossing something off my to-do list is hard to understand unless you, too, are a list-maker! I confess that there have been times I've accomplished something that was NOT on my list, added it to my list after it was done, and promptly crossed it off! Kind of sad, I know.

My to-do lists have experienced quite the makeover over the past two years. I had to laugh when I came across a to-do list I had saved in Eleanor's babybook - it was from the day I went into labor. Here's what it looked like:

Swim laps
Store
Budget
Mail Bills
Vacuum upstairs and down
Laundry
Change Sheets
Call Donna
Polish table
Wipe up all bathrooms
Walgreens
Walk dog
Brush dog/brush his teeth
Dinner prep
Dust
Wash sliding glass door
Call Julann


Was I SUPERWOMAN or just INSANE?? I actually crossed off everything on that list other than "Call Julann" and "Walgreens"! And then I went in to the hospital at 8 p.m. to HAVE A BABY.

Things have changed. (By the way, I have not brushed Luther's teeth since that day.)

Here is an example of a recent to-do list:

Laundry
Dinner prep
Call Amy
Play at Park

At the end of the day, I had been able to cross off TWO of those things!

Todd was gone this past week at Shepherd's Conference. The first two days he was away I was sick, and my to-do list, had it been written down, would have said this:

SURVIVE

And praise God, it would have gotten crossed off!

So, gone are the days of to-do lists that are the size of a small novel. I honestly don't remember what it feels like to do so many tasks in one day. Maybe I made that list for a joke or something! Now I have two precious children from the Lord, and although the house still needs to get clean and phone calls need to be made, and although I still find great enjoyment in accomplishing something I can cross off my list...I have come to realize that the things that fill my days now are so much more eternal, and filled with so much joy!! Reading children's books, feeding, bathing, brushing teeth (my kids' rather than my dog's!), coloring, building block towers, singing, rocking, praying, playing...I love my life and thank my Savior for each moment!