My Marching Orders

Recently I was pleading my case with my mom about a major decision coming up. She hedged, not wanting to totally throw cold water on my idea, but I pressed on. Finally she said that I was wishy washy, and scattered all over the place. This week I was worried about where my oldest started kindergarten, and last week I was looking at moving.

At first I was tempted to gloss over that piece of criticism, but I paused. “What do you mean all over the place?” That  doesn’t sound like me.

She replied “You’re always telling me to make a list and set some goals. What are your goals for your family?”

She was right. I had  made goals for before I turned 30, and I accomplished all but 2. I saw a gray whale in the wild, started our family, played an instrument, tried a new sport, etc, etc,. I am a very focused, type A kind of person, but I hadn’t thought to bring that skill to my family.

So I made a new list. I have 13 years left with my boys which means only 13 summer vacations , 13 Christmases, 13 spring breaks, so I need to make sure I make the most of it.

• They must leave my house knowing how to swim, do their own laundry, and cook healthy meals for themselves.
• They must know how important it is to go to college, get a job, and start a family
• They need to have read through the entire bible before graduation.
• I want them to try photography, movie making, coding, building their own computers, robotics, making something to sell at a craft show, welding, and riding a horse.
• I want to take them to Pigeon Forge, Orlando, San Diego, Great Wolf Lodge, Chicago, Cincinnati, St Louis, plant tours, civil war sites, and a chocolate factory.
• Every year at least once we will visit Lake Michigan,  do go- carts, bowling, mini golf, mountain bike riding, sleep in the back yard, and visit an apple orchard.
• Lastly, as service we will do Christmas for another family, send a care package to a soldier on memorial day, make an basket for other children on Easter, deliver meals to other families after surgery or new babies, and hopefully share life with a foster child and their family.