The countdown has begun. The countdown to my official last day working at Chronicle Books: this Friday. And the countdown to December 1: my due date.
I am looking forward to falling asleep on Sunday night with the knowledge that I won't have to head into the office Monday morning. It's both incredibly freeing, and slightly terrifying. I've thought many times in the last few months about what I will "do" with myself after I've stopped working, and before Stella arrives. Work has, for so many years, provided structure in my week, given me purpose and a place to be every day. Without it, I'm a little afraid I'll feel lost and simply adrift in the world. But at the same time, I'm thrilled at the endless open time ahead of me.
When overwhelmed I make a plan. I'm really good at making a plan. Usually "a plan" involves a list. A list creates structure, and allows me to visualize a series of goals (big and small). So, in an attempt to wrap my head around the unlimited time (ok, I know there won't be unlimited free time with a new baby, but...) I'm facing, here's a list that will grow and change, of a few things I want to do before and after Stella arrives:
- Finish organizing Stella's room
- Create a relaxing playlist for the labor
- Pack bag for the hospital
- Do yoga every day
- Get back to reading 3+ books a week
- Blog more
- Hang all of the pictures that have been stacked in a pile on our fireplace since we moved into our house in June
- Roast a chicken in our new stove in our new kitchen (remodel soon to be complete!)
- Bake bread (and muffins, and banana bread, and cookies...)
- Learn to make jam
- Pickle some things
- Create a vegetable garden
- Start sewing again
- Start knitting again
- Send handwritten letters to friends
- Play more backgammon with Jordan and my Dad
- Spend hours in the kitchen cooking with my mom
- Take daily walks on the trail behind our house
- Visit with friends
- Spend lots of time with my cousin Bree, her baby Tomás (just born yesterday!), and my favorite little sassy pants, her 2-year-old, Viviana
- Travel with Jordan for his work (with Stella in tow)
- Try to relax. And enjoy the adventure.
What would you do with more time?
[beautiful wooden clock can be found at General Store]
5 comments:
I will be crying in all my free time because you won't be in my every day anymore.
Honestly though I am so very exxcited for you and so totally jealous! Can't wait to see what you do and create and of course meet Stella!
Sleep.
garden and relish the changing seasons
A million things, but especially matinees at the cinema and reading.
Missing you, Teenie!
So right on getting some sleep, Lank. I'm trying to store some up for the future but the pregnancy insomnia and peeing 7 times a night isn't helping at the moment...
Can't wait for you to be up here, Mom, so we can get in the garden together!
And, Liz, you're right. I should be heading to a matinee every day. I'll add that to the list. :)
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