Getting my priorities straight

This is me going on a rant aimed at myself.  Bear with me.

I go to bed every day with a list of at least 27 things that were supposed to get done but didn’t.  And yeah, I know I waste a phenomenal amount of time doing things like checking facebook, playing words with friends and just being, well, me.  I usually accomplish quite a few things in day but I always go to bed feeling like I should have done more.

I had one of those days last week.  But it was different because I ended the day sort of wanting to smack myself upside the head.  So this is me smacking myself.

It was a busy day!  Work at one location which, thankfully ended early enough for me to run to the fabric store and get something so I can alter A’s dress that is needed for Saturday.  Back to work.  In between, a phone catch-up with a friend.  This is me multi-tasking.  Job two done.  Run home and respond to a few emails, fill a few jobs.  Kiss the girls hello as they arrive home after school and I leave to accompany a friend to a doctor’s appointment.  That ends and I dawdle a bit (because I really like hanging out with this person).  Text the girls to get their stuff together so I can pull up to the house and just get them.  Of course, they don’t look at their phones so I have to go in the driveway.  Deep sigh.   That whole process takes nearly 10 minutes.  I will never understand why but it does.  Finally, we’re out the door again on the way to get my mom. 

It’s now a little after 5 and I have not stopped all day.

I drove my mom and girls to the Kenwood area of Bethesda to look at the cherry blossoms.  Street after street was covered in a canopy of cherry blossoms.  I finally found a place to park and let the girls get out.  Then the smack starts to hit.  M’s nose is in every flower she can find.  She’s happy.  She wants to touch every single cherry blossom.  A is happy, too, taking as many pictures as she can.  I feel like I can breathe.  My mom stayed in the car, happily watching my girls. All that craziness just to take a few minutes to see, smell and touch the pretty little flowers that will be gone in a few days.

(hand is now slapping the side of my head)

I felt good.  My kids were smiling.  My mother loved just driving around – being out of her very small, very hot (today) apartment.  I need to remember all three of those folks are dependent on me for a lot of things – including fun.  I’m pretty good at giving them what they need but sometimes forget to give them what they want.  Fun needs to be a priority.