Lists and Free Therapy

I know myself well enough to know that I function much better with some sort of order and routine. But I also know that I cannot be responsible for said routine. As a stay at home mom I really only have myself to answer to, and occasionally my husband. If I say, "I must finish this task by Friday." and then Friday comes around and I don't feel like it, or it just didn't work out that way, who is going to care, I ask you? No one, that's who!



I really do try. I am a fierce list maker. Every day I get up and make a list of things I want to get done. I keep a rolling list of items I need to buy on the board in my kitchen. I make lists of goals I would like to accomplish on a weekly, monthly, yearly basis. I make lists of things I want to accomplish in life that would signify that I HAVE ARRIVED (you know, at that place where can look at your life and say--what more can I do, I have DONE. IT. ALL.).



Here is what I have found: (apart from the fact that it is catching--my children have started making lists, or adding things to my lists, i.e., the shopping list on the board now includes a "DS game" and "popcorn"--added by each of my girls) I rarely get everything done on my lists, but there is little I find more satisfying than crossing something off the list. It gives the allusion of structure and of accomplishing something. Because with two kids, a dog and a traveling husband (and let's not forget my afore mentioned fear of boredom and the ensuing chaos that causes) keeping an actual schedule is nigh on impossible, and nothing, NOTHING, stays done.



But who can blame me when rain ruins my plans to work in the yard, or the sun ruins my plans to work in the house, or my four year old takes my efforts to scrub the floor on hands and knees as an invitation to play pony!?



So I've settled for the partially accomplished list, the partially clean house and the mostly happy kids. And when I think I am running an entirely insane household I take comfort in reading the blogs of friends and perfect strangers and laughing because they get it. So for those of you who may or may not be reading this, (I can't really say because the lot of you are not big on the comments:) thanks for the free therapy. . . and the inspiration. Now let's see what is next on that list. . .