The List vs The Assistant

I like to follow lists each day. I have a list of things to do that I update at the end of each day for the following day. I have a list for each week and a list for the month and even a list for the year. I highlight what things are coming up and need to be a priority for me and even though that sounds very organized…I still fail to get everything done or remember details. I’m adapting my lists as I go in order to better remind me when things need to be done.

I have decided that my life would be great if I had an assistant. If I had someone who could do my leg work and remind me of things I’d be in great shape. My lists are good but I can’t rely on them at all times and I can’t get them to do my shopping for me. Right now there are several errands that need to be run and I just hate doing that. It’s not even about loading Owen in and out of the car. Yes, that has changed things, not loading and unloading, he’s easy to manage, it’s feeding and napping schedules that I need to be aware of. It does make me feel extra pressure when I’m limited on time. Most of my problem with errands is just me. I feel exhausted after running to one store and deciding what I want and then purchasing it. Why is this a big deal? I don’t know. It’s just very tiring to me. There are a lot of projects that need to be done and I would love to do them if I had all the stuff I need but someone has to go get that stuff and I need an assistant to do it. Then I could be vaccuuming while she is getting my yarn and then when they get back I could sit and crochet while they run to get my groceries. Then when they get back with my groceries I could start dinner while they re-organize my crochet supplies into a handy little basket. Then when I’m done starting dinner I could play with Owen who has been very sweet and patient during my little fantasy. He would need to be fed and changed and then we would bang blocks together and make faces at each other. All this while my assistant sets the table and organizes my coupons for her next shopping trip. She would clock out at five and tell me that she can’t wait to see me tomorrow. I would ask her to stop by the post office on her way in to see if there’s anything in our box and she would smile and say…”sure, have a good night.” as she closes the door. The next day she would make phone calls for me and run downtown to the bookstore to pick up the cassette and workbook that I ordered from Lifeway. Then she would go get supplies for the invitations I need to make and run to kinkos to cut them into nice mailing size peices. While she’s doing that, I could weed the flower bed, feed and love on Owen, write the “News Skit” for the night of laughter that needs to be done in a couple weeks, make my bed and start some laundry.

I don’t want someone to do my work for me I just want someone to prepare it and clean up after me. Is that so terrible? In the mean time, I guess I need to stick to my lists.