Keeping busy

40 days.  I thought about Noah when I realized that my husband's latest deployment would last 40 days.  This is the longest trip away from home he has had in the past three years.  Considering it comes just one month after his recent 26 day deployment, I was not (and still am not) looking forward to it. 

During the previous deployment, I discovered that by keeping busy with baseball, family activities, and outings with friends, the weeks seemed to pass by more quickly.  Well, as baseball season comes to an end by the end of this week, I was looking ahead on the calendar over the next month to see what might help keep us busy for the next 40 days.

This is what I found:

• 6 baseball games
• 5 doctor/dental appointments
• 8 Swimming lessons
• 23 days of school
• 1 field trip
• 1 party

In addition to the list above, I decided that this would be a good time to accomplish some big tasks that need to be done, especially before Baby arrives (just 55 days after Daddy returns home).  I made a list for myself and decided that I would take 1-2 days per task, spreading them out over the next 6 weeks.

• Organize the school room for the upcoming school year - Check

• Plan out first 3 weeks of lesson plans and gather necessary supplies - Check

• Clean out dining room - Check

Before

After

• Load up a trip (or 2) for Goodwill - Check
• Clean out/sort/throw away kids' old shoes - Check
• Tag and sort this fall's Kids Market stash - In Process

Considering we still have 37 days to go, I might need to add a few things to the list....