A week of many lists

I've been busy making lists over here.  In my life there was a distinct time when I went from being care-free to being a list maker.  When I was in 6th grade I went through a phase where I was forgetting something of importance everyday, a clarinet here, a lunch there, a paper over there.  I wasn't doing it to be rebellious, I'm just a bit scattered.

My mind rushes about, when thinking of one thing it quickly leads to another and I cannot seem to hold on to all my thoughts long enough to make do without a list.  So my father made me this little notebook with a kind note on it (I still have it, although all the papers are used up) for me to make my list every night of what I needed to bring the next day and therefore stop leaving items behind.

It was one of the great lessons of my life and to this day, I make lists, about everything.  The more frantic I feel the more lists I'll make.  When we're about to leave for a trip I'll have about 3 or 4 different lists going, to-pack, to-do, things to-do on vacation, and (I'm totally for real) to-do before we leave, containing things like brush teeth, lock doors, turn off lights, take out trash, breathe in and out (ok I made that one up).

Lists, just make me feel better, once I think of something I can write it down (and I am a pen and paper girl) and have more space in my head for other thoughts.  Because of them I've become fairly good and not forgetting things.  Plus there is something deeply satisfying about crossing something off of a to-do list, proof of a task accomplished.

So you could imagine how many lists sprung to my mind when we found out this week that our baby girl has her visa physical scheduled!  For those of you not involved in an international adoption right now, that is really good news, we're almost there, after her physical they need to process the paperwork and her visa will then be issued.  We expect to get the travel call by the end of the month.

To-do, to buy for Chloe, to buy for foster mom and social workers, to pack, to clean, to put together for the kids, to read, to buy in Korea, you get the idea.  I'm a woman of many lists this week, I'm so glad for the lesson taught to me all those years ago, for every time I write something down I feel a little calmer, a little more in control, a little more like I can do this.  I can do this right?