Mindsweeper

Today was one of those. You know. Those days when you feel like there is too much to do and too little time? This is a portion of the list I created in my mind while I was trying to make dinner, clean the house (again! or still), and tend to the needs of my children:

To Do Daily or Weekly or Monthly or Yearly or Once or Sometime or All the Time:

exercise, spiritual reading, secular reading, reading to my kids, bills, taxes, budgets, meals, grocery and other shopping, couponing, blog, email, journal, planner, shopping list, library, diapers, flushing, hand washing, nail clipping, ear cleaning, bathing, high chair cleaning, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, window washing, pick up toys, pick up books, pick up puzzles, pick up stix, pick up, pick up, pick up, put gas in the car, de-junk the car, wash the car, other car maintenance, yard maintenance, hair maintenance, friend maintenance, get the mail, send the mail, take pictures, organize pictures, print pictures, church calling, visiting teaching, Relief Society meetings, date night, girls night, family night, temple night, make the bed, sleep in the bed, wash the bedding, fill the pantry, fill the freezer, fill the fridge, fill the sink, fill the dishwasher, fill the oven, fill the plates, load the dishwasher, load the washer, load the dryer, load the closets, work on that project, and that other project, and that other other project, fix that broken thing, replace that other broken thing, do missionary work, visit Grandma, visit neighbors, watch a friend's kids, playgroups, playgrounds, the bank, the post office, the pharmacy, the doctor, the dentist, the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, ....

You get the idea. I realize that the list is obviously overwhelming when lumped together and considered in one day, but my question of the moment is WHAT ABOUT MY KIDS??? The harsh reality of life is that things--cleaning, laundry, meals, errands, etc., etc., etc.--have to be done, but sometimes I just want to spend the day taking care of and playing with my kids. Sometimes I neglect the lists and I do just tend to the little ones, but that just makes the list longer for later. I don't really feel like I'm adding unnecessary things to my life, and my kids aren't even in school or activities yet, for goodness sake! I can't imagine the parent of five kids who has to add "drop off at school, pick up from school, go to school meetings and activities, team practice, sports games, music lessons, recitals, etc." to their list.

I guess I could cut out American Idol, Psych, How I Met Your Mother, napping, eating, and blog surfing, but shouldn't there be a little down time to maintain health and sanity?

So these are the things that were on my mind today as my frustrations festered and accumulated until I decided it was time. Time to run. And you know, as many times as running has cleared my mind and given me a renewed energy and outlook toward life, I still find myself almost surprised when it happens yet again. Since the sun is saving daylight for me now, it gave me time to appreciate the sky's song of wide open spaces and the blossoms' melody of popcorn popping. Oh those blossoms! I could have sworn that scent descended straight from heaven's springtime today, wafting through my nostrils and filling my soul, chasing the frustration away.

Wow. The cheese. It's melting off the page. But you get the idea: I love running. And now I'm looking forward to neglecting tomorrow's list and spending some quality time with Gavin and Paige before I'm looking back with longing and regret and wondering what was so important that I let their childhood slip through my fingers.

Tomorrow's List:

run.
eat.
enjoy Gavin.
enjoy Paige.
enjoy a phone conversation with Leif.
enjoy a girls' night with my sisters.

I'll sweep when I get around to it.