Confession: I do not like a lot of structure. That may not surprise some of you who have been reading me for a while. I like the freedom of doing something … or not. An over committed schedule makes my skin crawl. I am what my friends refer to as an introverted extrovert. I LOVE hanging out with people and experiencing life, but it exhausts me – zaps my energy and the way I restore “my power” is to be alone, unwind….
I know…. I should be on medication…..LOL 😛
This weekend is such an epic sized overcommitment time that I have to actually think about in pieces, like one step at a time to not get over-anxious but all I must accomplish before I hit the finish line of late Sunday. Here is what I mean:
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Today – I work until 2 pm. I normally do not work Fridays but it is my assistants last day and I want to work with her as she has been so wonderful and will truly be missed. Today will be a hard day. Also – in our own company my husband owns, our longest employee (of 9 years!) is also having his last day. Al and I are both having sad days.
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This late afternoon I am doing Group Power because it is good for me – and it will help me relax.
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AT 6:30 tonight I need to be at the Armory in town to help set up the tables for the Feed The Children Event tomorrow we are bagging a rice mix to be sent to Haiti.
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Saturday I need to be back at the Armory at 6:30 am to unload the truck that brings the bulk food, and then I help greet people and take them to stations to work until 2 pm.
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AT 2 pm I dash from the Armory with my hubby and we cruise about 10 miles out-of-town to a potluck where some of the kids I know from Honduras will be at and get time to hang out with them a bit.
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At 6:30 we are going to the Saturday Church service as one of the Honduras girls will be sharing her story. I know this girl well and can not miss this incredible event. After going to Honduras for the past 6 years to see her – she is in my home town currently. That blows me away.
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Sunday morning at 8:30 am I meet the trailer to set up the cots for the Homeless Program. It is my groups turn to serve for the week. I need to set up bedrooms for the 3 families that are currently in the program and then go purchase food for the breakfasts and lunches for the week. I have volunteers that provide the dinners and stay overnight with them each night from Sunday until the following Saturday.
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I race to the church parking lot by 11:00 am as it is out annual tailgate party and my vehicle is one of the tailgate. Note to self – I need to have a tailgate food item to share…. hmmmm…. I think meatballs are quick and easy. Leave there by 2 pm
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At 4:30 pick up the guests that are in the Homeless Program and take them to where they will be staying the next week and give them their orientation. Make sure my volunteers are feeling good and then by 6:30 pm go home and probably pass out. 😛
On the bright side – this weekend is filled with wonderful happenings and it is a bummer they are hitting all at once but they will make incredible memories. I will have pics in my morning meanderings, and actually breaking this down into bite size pieces like I just did makes it feel like a “to do” list that I can conquer one step at a time. 😀
Hope your weekend provides some fun and down time!!!
Book Journey 
That is a lot going on for the weekend Sheila! My weeks are usually so busy that I try to leave my weekends for just bumming at home or hanging out with a couple of friends, so I think I would probably be uptight myself if I had all that going on. You may need a vacation day Monday! lol
I wish Jo-JO. My hours actually go up at work starting next week while we are in between assistants. I was 28 hours a week and I was just approved yesterday to go to 40 hours a week until we get someone hired and trained. GAH! 😀
Sounds incredible! But yes, overly busy.
It’s crazy to me how, even when I’m being responsible at saying no to all but the best things, I still end up with times when I’m nearly pulling my hair out because everything’s happening at once.
Right Hannah! I do that too. I try to limit my commitments so this does not happen. I kick myself for complaining because most of what I have going on this weekend is to help others and that is a good thing. 🙂
It’s still an overload, though, even when you understand that 1) you got yourself into this mess, and 2) it’s all good stuff, that you *want* to do. 🙂
True…. so true 😛
it is so nice to hear of someone being crazy busy but it doesn’t mean that they are meeting this person for drinks, then another friend for shopping then another friend for dinner…this is actually meaningful and affecting people for the good
Ahhhh Diana…. you make me feel less stressed 🙂
I completely understand breaking down lists to “bite size” pieces. I get overwhelmed with schedules, too, and that’s the only way it works for me!
In psychology, we call that setting “achievable goals.”
Hope you end up having a great weekend.
It looked better broke down Laurel 🙂 AND I can now cross off my work day from the list and Sandi’s surprose goign away party 🙂
That is a lot to do but taking from the part where you say it’s a lot of happiness – hopefully that amount of happiness will overcome the tiredness, at least until the time you can take a break. You’re doing some great things that will be greatly appreciated after all!
Charlie – it will, once I get there and start doing it I will be fine… just looking ahead it is a tad overwhelming….. 😀
You amaze me. You are just so busy yourself, yet you keep on giving to other people too. Remember to take care of yourself too though.
I will Vivienne…. actually as my day has progressed my volunteers have really come forward and other than the set up of the Homeless program and then the tear down next Sunday – I am in pretty good shape.
I wondered if you may be meeting some of the Manuelito kids that were coming to the states for a visit. Jorge told us about that when we were down in Honduras in July. (you and I had e-mailed briefly about the summer trip I was taking). If I am correct one of the girls coming is Sayda??? She and my daughter Lydia became very close in Honduras. Could you please tell her (and everyone) Hi from the Ligonier Evangelical Youth group, specifically from my children Lydia and Isaiah. Thanks!! And I’m jealous!!
P.S. We actually have some photo albums for each of the Manuelito kids. When are they leaving back for Honduras? It would be great if somehow we could mail the albums to them in Minnesota so they could take them back to everybody.
Hi Anne,
Wow – yes that is exactly what kids are here. And yes, Sayda is one of them 🙂 I will tell them hi when i see them tomorrow.
They actually are leaving for Minneapolis tomorrow night to go back to Honduras so I am sorry there will not be time to mail anything. I wish I would have known – they have been in the cities since last week staying with another group.
And I thought my weekend was going to be busy! You’ll definitely be ready for bed come Sunday, by the sound of things! 🙂
I am Nikki-ann. I will need the down time that’s for sure 🙂
I like the freedom of doing whatever whenever too, but sometimes it is nice to have a schedule of things to do, espcecially if they are as important as what you are doing!! Reading your post makes me want to do more!
Vicki there are things that really capture my heart and the homeless and street kids are two that have had me connected to them for years.
😀
As my dad would say, “You’re a good egg Sheila.” 🙂 Doing for others is what it’s all about.
Egg… that’s appropriate Jill… sometimes cracked, sometimes scrambled, and sometimes fried. 😀
I used to have lots of days, weeks like that and actually really miss it. At one point when we were in the military, I was on 8 boards of directors and was averaging 40 to 45 hours a week on different volunteer programs. That plus I had a husband with an unpredictable work schedule and two girls in 1st and 2nd grade. I really miss that. I am making headway with the 4 households worth of stuff at my house, so soon I’ll have time to devote to outside programs. Most of the stuff is going to 3 or 4 charities we support, but the sorting makes more of a mess than we started with.
Sometimes I wish we didn’t live so far out of town. It is 15 to 20 miles to do anything, Church is 20 miles away. Once I finish with all this sorting, I’ll be working their food bank.
Holy cow Pat you were – and still are – a busy woman. 😀
I’m an introverted extrovert too so I know just what you mean. Hope you enjoy your weekend, even though it will be a busy one!
Oh good Kathleen – another one 😀
Geez – I started to read your post about all the things/places you were doing/going and had to stop because I became super – exhausted just reading it…
Man, I get bent out of shape when I have to go to a store on the weekend, or somewhere after work…but then I’ve got health issues, and to be honest, am very lazy.
I hope you take a few days here and there to just be lazy. I try every weekend – except that I usually have a three year old to keep me company. She’s fun though.
LOL Mardel… I have this vision of you needing a break mid way through the post….. 😛
Now that it is over (the weekend insanity!) I am sitting her this morning still in my sleep pants and coffee cup close to my side and …. recovering slowly. 😀