Learning From Others

This move and pregnancy has taken me back years as far as organization and effectiveness in my accomplishments from day to day. And that has been hard. As I prepare for our new school year (which starts tomorrow!!), I have been looking around a lot at other people's lives to see how things work or don't work for them and what I should try to copy or avoid. I think about this a lot. I am not sure if I should have been a sociologist or an anthropologist or if I am just plain nosey. I love trying to figure out why people's lives work or don't work or sorta work.

I think about the friend who find cheap airplane tickets and has regular weekends away with her pals to places her husband would never want to go but she finds recharges her. She doesn't waste money, but she is willing to invest money to keep her life in balance. That is smart. Another friend, when faced with a problem, will try anything to solve it--be it conventional or off the wall. When one thing doesn't work, she doesn't continue on that path for another minute. She figures out what step to try next and jumps right in. That is smart.

Then I think of two other friends. One is all talk and one is all action. The one talks and talks about what is wrong and what it would take to solve it. And then talks and talks and talks. And when a perfect opportunity presents itself, she can spend forever explaining how something else got in the way to keep it from working out. And I watch her life fall apart as she rationalizes it away. It took me a long time to catch on--I used to try to help her solve her problems. It now is crystal clear to me that she is never actually going to even make the tiniest changes to improve her life. She is just going to keep talking about it. Other friend, however doesn't talk much about what is going to get done. She just takes care of business. She works harder than any other mother I know. I couldn't keep up with her if I were on meth. Man, I want to be more like her and less like the talker. Need to keep that in mind. Less talk, more action. Less planning, more doing. Help me remember that.

Dan wants to take a scenic drive today (through four states!) and then I will finish writing up the kids' individual schedules. And we will just jump in tomorrow and see what works and what doesn't. And keep moving forward.

Lily slept all night. Woke her up to nurse.