random thoughts for the weekend...

I have a problem. Really. Without the structure of going to work everyday, I get sucked into a vortex of trying to decide what to do with my time, and there is sooooo much I want to do!

I want to:

spend actual time with my husband
garden and landscape
homeschool
correct papers (not want, have to)
read
organize our "Harry Potter" closet
throw stuff away at the dump
think of things to do for Easter with the kids
organize photos
make a Lifebook for Brandon's adoption day by April 22
take the kids for a hike in the woods
clean the house so it will stay that way
hang curtains in Dave's room
call library people for parish
call back people
pray!

I am driving myself nuts. Really. It is a problem.

I write a little list each day of what I want to do. I have the book "A Mother's Rule of Life", but I never stick to a Rule once I write one. Follow through is not my strong point. Having fun is great and all, but I pay the price when I look around the house.

Here is another list: What I want to do in home improvement this year if the money comes through to do it. It not, maybe next year.

1. Pergo floors downstairs.
2. professional cleaner for carpets
3. blinds for bedrooms
4. remodel kitchen, with new sink and normal electrical connections, and countertop
5. new downstairs toilet
6. find out why the heck we have low water pressure (still a mystery)
7. Completely gut bathroom and start over, adding a solatube so it looks bigger. A nice jetted tub would be fantastic.
8. If I'm completely nuts and want to do this, I'd add a sunroom where our deck is. But maybe I'll just save that money to buy a new house. I am not going to get the best of any of these things, because I do want to have a down payment for a new house. But I'm putting that off for at least a year, to see how our credit looks and whether we'll qualify for more, because guess what!?

This is the year we will be debt free.

Yup. This is it. Only a mortgage will remain. I'm so excited. If you knew us in 2002, you'd never have expected this. I know I wouldn't. But my husband is that cool, and God is being exceptionally good to us this year. And because we've been through the ringer already, we appreciate it that much more! Maybe that was what God had in mind.

Silly me, trying to plan my own life.

What was I thinking?