Laps Around the Track

I keep having these good ideas about finishing one project before I dive in on another one. I know, I know...life doesn't usually work that way, but I find myself wishing it was that tidy! I keep thinking how nice it would be if I could finish one lap before the next one started. Instead, I often feel like there are three or four of me running around the track at the same time (waving to myself as I pass by...yes, I've definitely been pondering LOST too much this week).

My goals over the last couple of weeks seemed simple enough. I was going to finish reading and responding to seminary student papers and submit my grades. THEN I was going to spend a few days doing all the paperwork for the school district and for the sweet girl's insurance renewal. (Read: I'm a PA homeschooler with a kid heading for the magic number of 8 years old; and I'm a thankful recipient of state assistance for my child's health care but that means every year I have to prove again just how poor we are so we requalify.) So yes, this paperwork is all necessary and important, but it's still officially paperwork, with all the attendant drudgery of gathering and filling out forms. THEN I was going to do wrap-up notes for our grammar 2 year, for my own evaluation purposes. And THEN I was going to do some work on writing projects and start hunting for more writing and editing work. And THEN I was going to figure out precisely what I need to order, curriculum-wise, for grammar 3 and how we were going to pay for it. And THEN I was going to start planning the sweet girl's birthday party. And THEN...

Okay, you get my drift. It's all the "and THEN's" that are turning out to be impossible, because I can't seem to sustain enough time or momentum on one project before I have to go on to at least part of another one. Some of this is due to the fact that more projects keep coming up. First there's all the daily ongoing stuff of life (housework, cooking, schooling)! But there have also been ministry commitments: finishing up Alpha, coordinating the missions prayer stations for our church's Pentecost service, pulling together the monthly church newsletter. I had to try to re-find my review reading and writing rhythm at Epinions, since my income share has been down. I also decided it was worth the effort to try to submit a guide to Shopping.com (Epinions' sister site) in an effort to try to win some more cash that will help us buy said curriculum. And given my love of planning a new school year, I've done a bit of diving into that already.

We're also trying to plan another trip to see my folks. Dad is stable but not strong. He has another echocardiogram scheduled for tomorrow. And continuing to process all the emotions about his illness is taking inner time (again important and necessary, but not anything I foresaw going into this month).

We also realized we were long overdue getting out our family's regularly (supposed to be quarterly) prayer and support letter, something we feel is very important. So I spent much of the last week working on that and the church newsletter, with the end result being that it's Memorial Day and I've yet to submit all my grades. I'm really hoping to finish those up tonight!

And THEN... :-) I need to dive headfirst into the insurance renewal papers, since the deadline is fast approaching. If I can get through those things, and make at least a decent start on the homeschool paperwork, I will consider this week a completed lap.

For at least one of me...