Daily Plans versus Reality and what really happens

Each day I climb out of bed before anyone else in the family, well usually anyone but sometimes you never know who is up, and as I prepare for my day I try to get my head around what they day will hold for the 6 of us.

In theory it is a good idea, get a plan for the day but in reality those plans seldom work out and I find myself getting to very little of what was actually planned.  Before the kids, I was a list maker, still am but just don't often have time to make the list anyone.  I find JOY in crossing things off the list and getting the projects done.  I liked when a day went as planned, now we hope for the best and cherish the laughter along the way.

So here is last Tuesday's plan and what really happened in our world:

• Plan: Get to work early to get something accomplished
• Reality: Made it at my normal start time of 7:30 so not too bad
• Plan: Have a productive day at work, get through emails and get some projects done (checked off the list) and to update the blog at lunch
• Reality: Sat in meetings all day, not really sure what I accomplished other than got more emails to answer and still need to do my projects.  Blog is FAR behind what I want it to be to capture our lives
• Plan: Pick the kids up at a decent time (hoping for a few minutes early) so that the evening would be smooth
• Reality: Was LATE by about 30 minutes more than normal thanks to the above said meetings
• Plan: Cook dinner, sit down the with kids to eat, hang out with them and then bathes
• Reality: Got home to the boys outside and ready to play, quickly ran in to use the restroom and off to the park the 5 of us went.  We were a sight!  One Gator, one pedal bike and two in a wagon being pulled trekked the 1/2 mile to the park, played and then came home all without injury.  Quickly heated up some dinner in the microwave and then threw them in the tub
• Plan: Get the kids in bed on time
• Reality: LATE on this - see above we were busy playing and getting bathes!
• Plan: Finish up some laundry that needs to be done
• Reality: had some work I had to do since the day wasn't quite as productive as I had planned
• Plan: Exercise in some fashion of at least a walk on the treadmill
• Reality: finished off a Tri Kappa Easter egg while I was finishing up work

All in all - besides running late it turned into a good day but I had to remember to not let the pressure of things not going as I planned weigh me down.  My kids had a ball at the park, they each rode or drove what they wanted, no one got hurt, we made smiles and had laughs and thankfully daddy came home early to help out with the bathes we were running late on which meant we could get done faster.  We got the kids in bed, watched a little of the Reds game and then got to bed ourselves without any extra little people sharing our bed - which is a chore in itself right now (don't worry it only lasted 5 minutes before someone was there!) at least we had a little adult conversation about what was going on that week to just check in with each other.

I don't know what made me write this all down the other day, maybe because it was a swing in the plan vs. reality that impacted me that day. 
Maybe I just needed to be reminded of what is truly important after a long few days at work that stretched until the weekend. 
Maybe looking at my babies I realize just how much they are growing up and that I cannot stop them as hard as I may try. 
Maybe I just realized that God has a funny sense of humor each morning by allowing me to think I can layout a plan for the day and then testing me each day to do more than I thought I could. 
Maybe I just want to feel in control for a few hours (sometimes minutes) as I lay out this plan.  Whatever the case, I know that the plan may not always happen, I have had to learn how to be flexible in what I expect and what is reality (this is a WIP - still need to be reminded of this at times) and that whatever comes our way in a day if my kids made me laugh, if we snuggled a bit and if Matt and I actually got to talk to each other that day then that is what matters the most.

Having two sets of twins has changed my mindset from "get the list accomplished" to "survive the day and hope to get something done" all the while trying to enjoy the kids as they grow up too fast.  I think any number of children will do this for you and somewhere there is a meaning for it. 
I just know it so enjoy the reality today because if you get mad about not hitting the plan for the day there is a chanced you missed out on something wonderful!