The Best Laid Plans

Layne and I returned home from delivering Mom to Colorado late Monday night. Tuesday I spent the day lounging about and feasting upon the notion that I didn't HAVE to do anything. Wednesday we served in the temple and did catch-up errands in the afternoon.

Early in the week I felt euphoric about the time that loomed before me. It looked like several weeks of delicious openness. So I planned what to do with this gift of time. I have quite a backlog of activities that need addressing. It was such fun to schedule them into the few weeks that I will be away from Mom. I began working on my list in earnest, but, alas, others in my life had other ideas for the use of my time!

The end of June brings with it 4 birthday celebrations; one daughter (Audrey) and three grandchildren (Allegra-14, Scott-13, Jacqueline-7). In addition, the beginning of July brings two more (Chase-18, Peyton-5). You can imagine the shopping nightmare this represents. I have taken to offering to buy the local grandchildren a gift, or taking them shopping and letting them choose for themselves. This year Scott and Allegra wanted to shop. So I spent Thursday shopping with them. It was lots of fun, I will admit that. Then Isaiah approached me with a vision of a gift he wanted to make for his sister, Allegra. Well, actually, he wanted me to make it. And buy the materials for it. Hum. So, Isaiah and I also went shopping and he stood over me while I made his vision a reality. I will admit, he contributed to the cost and he also did some of the sewing. But Friday was filled with that project. Except for one more activity.

Chase talked Isaiah into letting me cut his hair very short. I am seen as the major hair-cutter in the family at this particular time. So out came the clippers with the correct attachment, and I did the job, quite well if I do say so. As I looked over my work, I noticed a stray hair or two on the top of Isaiah's head that I missed. So I took the clippers back out and, forgetting that I had already removed the attachment for cutting the right length, I roared through the top of his head with the unadorned clippers. Can you picture the result? My perfect job now had a stip of totally bald head, right in the middle of Isaiah's head! It happened in an instant! Isaiah was shocked, and so were Chase and I. I colored his head with felt tip pen so it would blend in and cut the rest of his hair as short as I dared. But he has worn his baseball hat ever since. Hum. So much for my expert barbering. I wonder if he'll ask me to cut his hair again. Stay tuned.

Saturday looked good. We helped a friend move in the morning, but the afternoon was looking wide open and full of possibilities. Then Ben called wondering if he could drop off three of his babes while he did some needed things of his own. Who am I to pass up the chance to have my babies with me? "Of course," I said. So on they came. We spent the rest of the day together. I loved it, of course. But another day passed without my goals even being started. "People over stuff" I always tell myself. And I believe that. Perhaps I am lucky after all. There are so many people in my life to love and spend time with. Maybe that really is the best goal to reach for.

At the top you see the Thursday shoppers, Allegra and Scott. Farther down is Isaiah, and, if you look closely at the bottom picture you can see my major hair faux paux.