It’s well into the New Year and the old year did not feel
like it had enough time in it! These
days seem to go by quickly for the most part.
Here we are and it is March. Some
moments seem to linger- like when you have a list of things or appointments and
you seem to forget something. Those are
moments that force us to say things like, “I’m going to change this!” or “I
stink at this!” or “Where are my keys?”
Oh well, maybe the ‘keys’ part is for a discussion on another day.
With the New Year comes Resolutions for many. I personally don’t care for resolutions. It is not that I am not driven to make small
changes to improve myself or how I do things.
I DO want those things. Making New Year Resolutions and keeping them is
not my gift. I prefer to write out a few
goals. Those goals are a small challenge
but attainable. I also give myself about
six months and then reevaluate. Instead
of “Keep the house spotless!” as a New Year Resolution, I like “Get back on a
good cleaning routine” as a goal. I did
not say it would be perfect or spotless.
I mean, who do you think I am? I
have 3 kids and two large pets. There
are days I count dust/fur bunnies as small pets! I am talking about progress, people. Attainable progress.
One of my goals for 2015 is to get a good schedule and
routine for the kids’ study habits and activities (and not miss some of those
said activities). I started a project in
the fall and finished it around November to help with this goal. It is a giant chalkboard calendar in my
laundry room near the hub of the house, the kitchen. The Laundry Room wall once had a
regular-sized dry erase calendar in that room.
I finally realized it did not work well, as there just was not enough
room for appointments and important dates. There was also a need to have these all
displayed so anyone in the family could walk in there and see what was coming
up. When do I have a game? When is my project due? When do I go for the flu shot? Actually, I don’t put that scary stuff on
there. Don’t need freak-outs for a week.
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| One of the collected hooks for the Laundry Room |
After being inspired by a few posts on Pinterest, I
calculated how large I needed each date square and then went from there. The whole Laundry Room was painted a fresh
coat of the current paint. I used Frog
Tape and taped off the entire section for the calendar. Then a few coats of dark gray chalk paint
were painted over the area. I had four
plates I received as a gift from my mom and they were just waiting to brighten
up my serious space of important dates. Those
were hung above the calendar. I also
decided a few hooks were in order for jackets and lunchboxes (and hats and
gloves). I purchased a 6-foot board and
painted it an accent color of a pale turquoise, a light version of the blue in
the plates. The board was distressed and
waxed. After collecting a few different
hooks, they were installed on the board and all mounted on the wall below the
calendar. There is a plan for making the
window look nicer and finished, but that is on hold for the moment. I love how the calendar turned out and it
seems to work well for us…for now.
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| The finished wall...finally! |
My other goals for the New Year include carving out more
one-on-one time for each child, having game nights, and reaching out to
others. That brings me to a bizarre
thing that happened to me a few weeks ago.
I say it “happened” to me but I chose to plug in and see if I could
help. After an orthodontist appointment,
I was leaving my son’s school after dropping him for the remainder of the
day. Across the street from the school
entrance, is a home with a sweet little pasture and a small herd of goats. We talk about the goats at random and the
German Shepherds that seem to enjoy the herding.
On this day, I noticed the goats were in a neighbor’s
driveway searching frantically for a way back in their pasture. I am an animal person and immediately felt
bad for the goats but I was also concerned for their safety by the semi-busy
road. Then I feared for the safety of
drivers and avoiding a random goat that could perhaps run into the street. I decided to make a quick turn into the
driveway of the farm owner. I did not
see any of the German Shepherds nor did I see a car. My plan was to ring the doorbell and see if
they realized the goats had escaped so they could get them back safely in the
pasture. After I rang the doorbell and
stood back, the goats seemed to see ME.
They started making their way around the pasture, and down the edge of
the road. Oh boy. The goats came swiftly, in a herd! I was thinking that I did not want to be a
witness of the hitting of a goat by a car.
I could not take it. I promise I
would be a mess. The goats were in a
sprint now, yelling their goat language toward me. I ran to the street and just waved down
oncoming traffic. Let’s get these goats
home safe. No hitting of the goats,
please. The goats were coming straight for me and I was briefly curious what they would do. Would I
be ushered around by the goats? Then the herd of sprinting, yelling goats
turned into the driveway and ran straight to the back yard.
Whew.
I was relieved as the owner never answered the door and I assumed no one
was home. The goats seemed to settle and
gather more quietly there in that back yard.
I decided it was time to go.
Goats are in yard of owner of goats.
Goats are calmer and not yelling goat language. Yup.
Reaching out to others in a different way. Trying to help. I was stepping out of my schedule to stop and
plug in. I don’t think anyone really saw
me but the puzzled motorists passing by.
Well, the goats saw me. I think
they were grateful. I felt like I did
what needed to be done. I would do it
again. We all need to pay it forward with a moment here and there. I sure need to do this more. Sometimes it just takes a note or an
email. Most of the time you have to be
deliberate about this. Reaching out to
others (including your family even in the midst of exams, recitals, house guests
and whatever else you may want to throw in there) many times can just involve
taking a moment to smell the roses and notice those around you. A smile or even a Good Samaritan effort may
only take a moment. Those are moments
that may mean so much to someone….or a few goats!
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| Image courtesy of www.reusableart.com |
With Joy,
Tracey
“If it is
possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” –Romans
12:18
Comment
below and tell me your favorite Good Samaritan effort…I may need ideas!
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