"Just Do The Next Thing" Progress Update #3 & This Saturday's Six

OK, it's time for a "Just Do The Next Thing" progress update.

The only progress I've made since the last update is that I went through a lot of old mail and cleaned off part of the computer desk today. This was really huge for 2 reasons: 1) It just looks better and 2) I now have everything in a spreadsheet that we owe and THAT will assist me in putting together a financial plan to accomplish goal #1! :) Even though I'm a little depressed, I feel really good about this step!

The goal about improving my relationship with Jesus will begin tomorrow as our church starts a 6 week journey through a book titled "One Month to Live". It is said to be life changing. I am praying for that to be the case in my life!


THIS SATURDAY'S SIX! (my version of Friday Five - ha!)
1. "Home days" (that's what Erin used to call Saturdays) are just the best! I love not waking to an alarm clock. I love doing just whatever needs to be done and what I want to do. I love when I have the house to myself - which I sort of did today as Randy worked and Allyson slept most of the day. It's just relaxing!!

2. I love that my baby girl, Allyson, is home for fall break! I've missed her!!

3. I love that my newlywed daughter, Erin, and husband came for dinner tonight! I miss her too!!

4. I was very excited when the mail came today and our group tickets for "WICKED" were here! Now I need to go get some envelopes and divvy them up and deliver them! (Looking forward to that show in May!!)

5. The pork roast I was cooking for dinner tonight was not done in time for dinner, so we ran to Food Lion to get some fried chicken from the deli, but now I have dinner already cooked for tomorrow night! Gotta love that!

6. Saturday night means that Sunday morning comes next! I always look forward to worship at my church on Sundays!!

Now to some chocolate chip cookies with my baby girl!

60 Degrees

(Note: I'm cooking dinner while I type this post -probably not a good idea because I'm in a totally separate room - - hope I don't burn something)

Ok - - FALL IS HERE! 60+ degrees! I'm trying to decide if I like it or not . . .

Pros:
1. Get to bring out the sweaters again. A fresh (even though not new) item of clothing is always exciting.
2. Don't have to run the A/C - that will save some money (sort of - - we're on equal payment plan, so we pay the same amount every month no matter)
3. Low humidity!!!! That's a REAL good one!
4. I like to see the leaves turn their gorgeous colors!
5. Good excuse to go shopping - - I need new clothes AND shoes. Especially shoes. I don't have many that are closed toed.

Cons:
1. There's not as much sunlight - darker in the mornings and darker in the evenings. I don't like that.
2. I'M COLD! - At least in this house! I awoke to 60 this morning. It is VERY hard to get out of a warm bed.
3. No more veggin' in the sun - - not that I did THAT much of it this year, but knowing I can't is depressing.
4. I know that Winter is not far behind - - and I am not so fond of Winter.

So, I guess I like it a little more than I don't (that makes perfectly good sense, I know), but I sure do miss Summer!

(NOTE: I did NOT burn dinner, and am going to eat it now).

Randomness

So, no update on "Just Do The Next Thing" this week, because there is nothing to update. Sad to say, I didn't even think about these things much this week . . . but that's OK - next week is coming!

So, what highlights from this past week can I share? Hmmm . . . .

1. I planned menus and cooked dinner every night this week! My husband really likes when I do this - :o) I do too because it really is much easier!

2. The sweet Coconut puppy awoke me barking the other morning. When I finally got up to see what he wanted, I couldn't find his food bowl OR his water bowl. Now it is not strange for him to carry around his food bowl as it is getting close to being empty, but he has NEVER moved his water bowl. But alas, he did this time!! He had taken them both to another room - both empty - - I think we was telling me "I'm thirsty, please get up and get me some water!!!" So I refilled both and he was a happy puppy again! :o)

3. I finished a book! "Picture Perfect" by Jodi Picoult.

4. One of the children in my choir wanted us to pray for "their baby" (her mother is expecting) and she said "Pray that it is either a girl or a boy". I said "Ok." (trying not to laugh and ask "as opposed to what?")

5. Oh - I couldn't think of the word "punctuation" the other day, so I asked a co-worker: "What is that word when you are proof-reading someone's paper and you want them to correct - not the words, but the commas and periods and stuff like that?" (Geez)


I've got a lot on my plate right now - over and above the goals I want to work on: 1) Work is extremely stressful right now. Everyone is just buried and running about 3 weeks behind and there is no relief in sight. I dread getting up to go to work in the mornings. 2) I have children's choir responsibilities to plan and carry out each week. 3) Living Christmas Tree is really not that far off, and I need to spend time sitting down with my CD and book and learning this music!! My biggest stresser is work right now, though.

I'm glad today is Saturday!

"Just Do The Next Thing" Progress Update #2

Well, not too much updating to do for this past week. I began the week out of town for 2 days at the NC Baptist Singers Retreat. Then I was sick on Thursday. So that only gave me 3 days to work on any of these goals.

I DID; however, make a few steps in the right direction on some of them. . . 1) I began working on a cash flow plan/budget and 2) I called my sister, Missy, today just to say hi and we talked for quite awhile! So, although the week was "short", it did not go by without some small steps toward accomplishment.

"Just Do The Next Thing" Progress Update #1

I'm sure you are waiting with anticipation wanting to know what my first next thing was! So, I'll tell you. . .

I put up a hanging shoe rack in my closet!! It fits over the door and is now holding my shoes. That cleared up some space in the closet, and I can actually step inside the closet now. It wasn't much, I know, but it was the next thing.

I also began making sure that I stretch my back some BEFORE getting out of the bed. That next thing alone has made a BIG difference this past week in my back pain!

Lastly, I attempted to go to bed earlier each night. The week started out good and then each night got later and later, but it was the next thing. So, it is a thing I need to keep working on!!!

This is how you accomplish your goals. Just do the next thing.

Just Do The Next Thing

I am a procrastinator. When things appear overwhelming to me, I put them off. Then nothing gets done. I've had this problem/issue my entire life. Now, I know in my head how to tackle it. One step at a time. But then I get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to begin. It is a vicious cycle and I HATE it!! I'm not very good at carrying out small steps to = a big plan.

This is why I like step by step instructions. 1. Do this first. 2. Do this second. and so on. I'm seriously like this with everything I do. Even down to cleaning the kitchen. I have to force myself to focus on one thing at a time: 1. Clean out the dish washer first. - - Don't look at everything else, just do this 1 task. 2. Put dirty dishes into the dishwasher - - Continue to not look at everything else, finish this task. 3. Well, you get the picture, I think. It's HARD!! (Don't laugh - it is.)

So, I have some projects/goals/things I'd like to accomplish. I'm going to try to outline them here and take them 1 at a time by making step by step instructions to complete them. This could take a long time, but might make for some interesting blog posts along the way. Below is a list of some projects/goals/things I'd like to accomplish. Some are B-I-G, REALLY BIG! Some not so big. Now that I know I have a small following, I'm expecting some encouragement here!! If I need physical help, I'll let you know, but for now just some encouragement will help push the procrastinator on to doing the next thing. I read somewhere about that - - when you really don't know what to do, just do the next thing. That might be getting out of the bed, or taking a shower, but just do the next thing.

Below are a list of these projects/goals/things I'd like to accomplish (not necessarily in this order - some of these will be long term projects):

1. Get Control of Finances & Get Out of Debt
(I'm getting mad about this one, so watch out!)
2. Clean out and organize my closet
3. Clean out and organize my dresser
4. Clean out and organize the hall closet
5. Clean out and organize the laundry closet
6. Rearrange/redecorate my bedroom
7. Complete the redecoration of Erin's bedroom into office/guest room/scrapbooking area
8. Go to bed earlier/Get up on time
9. Strengthen my relationship with Jesus
10. Strengthen my relationship with my husband & Date Night once a week!
11. Talk (not email or text) to each of my family members (mom, sisters, daughters) at least once a week.
12. Exercise 3 times a week (but this includes stretching my back muscles daily!) - - Been having some back problems again.

OK I think 12 is enough, don't you? Some are long term and are NOT going to be easy. Others I should be able to knock out, but for me even they will be a bit difficult. So, I'll post weekly on what I've been doing towards these goals - I guess that's Goal #13 - - to be sure I post weekly!! :)

OK, so just do the next thing.

Roller Coaster

So, my oldest got married on July 30, 2011. What does that feel like, you ask? An emotional roller coaster is what that feels like! But then, roller coasters are great fun!!

So, I embark on a new chapter in my life. I was reading a friend's blog about a transition of chapters in her life, and was so glad to see my feelings put down into her words - ha! She verbalized a lot of what I was feeling but didn't know how to articulate. You are so excited about this new chapter of beginnings, yet you are literally mourning the "death", if you will, of the past chapters ending. You long at times for things to remain as they were, yet you know that the things to come are wonderful and exciting. A roller coaster of emotions.

The wedding day: I was so worried about being a blubbering idiot. I wasn't. But . . . only because I had too much going on that day to really sit and contemplate what was taking place. Good thing or bad thing? I don't know. My morning was spent getting the last minute things done for the reception. It took longer than I had planned, so I ended up rushing getting ready to get to the church. That was probably a good thing, because if I'd had all the time I'd planned, my hair probably wouldn't have done right, etc. As it turned out, the hair did fine. I got there and went straight back to where Erin was getting ready. She'd gone that morning to get her hair done. Her veil was already on and she was putting on her makeup. She already looked stunningly gorgeous! (I know she's mine, but she was stunning!)



At that point I really had nothing else to do but watch her and wait until the wedding hour. I had moments of tearing up, but would make myself busy so as not to lose it. :o) All of a sudden the time had come. Randy and I walked down the aisle and lit Erin's candle, then I sat. So far so good. Then the bridal party began making it's way - - once the bridesmaids started coming down, I thought, uh oh - this is it, I'm going to lose it. I had to work really hard not to. Allyson almost did too, so I couldn't look at her for support. :o) Then the bride. I thought, "I'll watch Stephen", he was smiling, but I think he was fighting it as well and I decided that watching him was not such a good idea after all, so I turned to watch my first born be walked down the aisle on her daddy's arm (I'm tearing up now worse than I did then! geez) I was so proud!! The ceremony was beautiful! It didn't last long, and all of a sudden, they were pronounced man and wife. Wow. I really have a child who is a married woman now! Surreal. The rest of the evening flew by! The reception was hot, but we had a blast!! I think everyone had a good time, in spite of the heat (104 degrees that day!) Now it almost seems like a blur!

I am still wrestling with my transition of chapters. I miss her not being in my house. As a matter of fact, I am sitting in her bedroom as I type this (which is becoming a joint office/guest bedroom). I am trying to not be the mother who can't let go, so I haven't called much, but I so miss talking with her. I'm waiting about a month, then I'll call more. :o) This transition of chapters is going to be a long roller coaster ride, I believe, because while I'm trying to navigate the transition of one being married, the youngest one is now back at college in her senior year, and I am missing her terribly too. This may be the beginning of yet another chapter transition, and I'm not sure I can handle 2 chapter transitions at the same time.

Wait - - did I say roller coasters were fun? WHAT was I thinking? :o)