The Small Stuff

Today it has really hit me how much of my time is taken up with the future or the past and not the present. Yesterday we were suppose to go to the Berry Ranch for a school field trip and we got rained out. My heart sank when Jayden looked so disappointed so Doug and I racked our brains to think of something special to do with the kids. So we took them to see Wall*E at the cheap theater. It was fun but truly I think we had more fun just being together at home most of the day decorating for Fall and just doing nothing. I am a planner. It comes with the job as a teacher I have to plan but I can be a bit of an extremest sometimes. I worry that maybe I am missing the small stuff being so focused on what needs to happen in the future. I was looking at some old Christmas letters I wrote and thought, "Boy did I have some big plans." I wanted (and still sometimes do) to get a Masters in Early Childhood, to write a children's book, or maybe even be a children's literature professor someday. But truly when I evaluate my days, the happiest ones are when I actually spend time with family and friends doing nothing but listening and laughing. Our sermon today was given by Mitch Thomas's father. I never met Mitch but his life has touched me. You might noticed his blog is a link on mine. I listened to his father and thought a lot about how I am like Martha or the disciples, I want to get it all done ORGANIZED. Can I be a Mary, live in the moment, GROW in the moment? Motherhood has been the most exciting and wonderful job I could have ever experienced but this stage of motherhood will end and will I look back and say I really knew my kids? I hope so...I also hope they look back and say they knew me because I was there. We went to my parents after church and Doug and I both felt like we had lots to do at home so we needed to hurry (the constant word in my life) but we got there and the kids and I found some of my old toys in a trunk. It was amazing! Sharing my old barbie house (which was a bear to put up) and doll clothes that are actually back in style. It was not on my "to do list" for today but it will be the time I remember. I hope that today will be the start for me of looking at the "small stuff" and making them the BIG priorities in my life.