Priorities

I was talking to a lady whose children are grown. She asked me if Gabriel was napping any better. To which I said "No, and that makes it hard to get anything done." She replied with, "That's okay, you will have plenty of time once he is grown and out of the house to do things."

I am the type of person that when I get a project in head, I want to get it done. I like things neat, organized and put away. I like things to have a "home". If I can't get to it, I get frustrated. I have a long list of "things" I would like to get done for organizing the house. It has kind of been bothering me that I haven't been able to do any of them since staying home with Gabe. So when I had that conversation with this lady, I started thinking. My first thought when she said that was, "Yes, but I want stuff done now." Then I thought again.

Getting the "things" on the list done isn't the priority. Gabriel is the priority. I will only have him home for a few years. If the years with him go as quickly as the first 6 months have, he will be off to college before I know it. But we aren't talking or thinking about that right now. My house can wait; my child can't. He is a precious gift, not to be set aside to organize a closet because it is on my list. Oh I'm not saying let the house go and don't do anything. Obviously the dishes, dusting (unfortunatily), vacuuming, bathroom, laundry etc have to be done. However other things can wait. Even at that the dishes can wait a day so I can spend time with Gabe. When he is 25, what will he remember, that the house was perfectly organized or that mom sat at the table and finger painted with him? If he does remember that the house was perfectly organized, will he also remember that it was at the expense of mom not taking the time to sit and finger paint with him? I don't want him to remember me as the mom that didn't have time for him because she had a list of things to do. I have a few years to make good wonderful memories for him to charish when he is older. I don't want to waste that time.

Gabriel is at the top of my priority list.