Random Acts of…Planning

You know I’m a teacher. And one of the first things teachers learn at “teacher school” (right after Board Writing 101) is flexible planning.

That’s right.

Plan to be flexible.

Spend hours crafting the perfect differentiated lesson plan that meets all learning styles and covers a page of the all-important Standards, but be flexible if it doesn’t work or half your kids are out puking or there’s a last-minute assembly of some sorts. Flexible. That’s a teacher’s mantra in May.

It should be my mommy mantra everyday. Because everyday I plan (and by plan I mean contemplate in my head with my eyebrows squished together in concentration) how I am going to do a better job.
Somehow it never works out like I picture it.

This afternoon I decided to not rush around trying to actually exercise before Wednesday Night Supper at church. Instead I planned (how foolish) to be spontaneous. I know. There’s something wrong with that logic.

I picked up Amelia, tried in vain once again to convince my M.I.L. that she’s not going to starve if she has less than 5 oz in a feeding, and went for a drive. Sort of. I have real estate ADD when I drive these days since we’re actively looking for a new house and trying to sell ours.

So I took the long(ish) way to Cornelia via a subdivision with some homes I wanted to check out. Loved them. Loved one that wasn’t for sale the most. Pondered knocking on the door to ask if they would ever consider selling. Decided I was crazy and possibly sleep-deprived and drove on to the bank to get Belle’s carseat out of what we affectionately refer to as “the little white car.”

This took longer than planned. See I’m trying to save cell phone minutes. More later. So I was going to go inside and tell Joshua I took the seat and would pick up the girls. But I forgot that since the economy downturned, the bank has started closing the lobby at 4. I parked in the front and already had Amelia out. So I hoofed it around back (exercise for today, check!), rang the bell, got in, and carried out the rest of my plan. Give bank employees opportunity to ooohhh and awww over Amelia.

Then I headed to the daycare center. Here is where I thought I was really smart. It was a quarter till 5. Supper starts at 5. Amelia needs to eat around this time. I passed her off to a friend at the center and locked myself in the bathroom figuring I’d pump and we’d both be happy.

Hmmm…I have 6 bottles for pumping. Two are full of milk and in my M.I.L’s fridge. Three were dirty because they came from the M.I.L’s. That leaves…one. My math skills aren’t great but even I can figure out I have more boobs than that.

So, I had to pump one side at a time. Not efficient. Not enough. But I was in a hurry so I was–you guessed it–flexible.

Took back my baby and gathered my big girls. Into the car, buckled seatbelts, and ten minutes later were on our way. We made it to church at 5:30. I mentioned dinner started at 6, right?

Oh, and it was Missions Recognition night. My girls were supposed to be dressed up, not wearing daycare center play clothes. Well, at least they matched.

Crazy, hectic, flexible life.