Things to get done before baby's arrival...

I am sooo overwhelmed right now with the things that I must do before this baby arrives that I thought that maybe sharing what I am experiencing right now would possibly ease a little of my tension. I would also ask that as you read through my list that you would remember me (and my family) in your prayers as we try to tackle this list (by God's grace) and prepare for a new addition in our home...

1) Spend time each day in the Bible and prayer... I really need to work on this!!!

2) Clean my home from top to bottom (yes, really!). I am expecting company shortly after our baby's arrival and I will not be doing much after the delivery. I really desire to have a clean, comfortable, and inviting home for them to stay in (and this is what my husband wants). Unfortunately, as I have browsed other's cleaning plans, they just don't work for me. I can't clean my home in a day's time, and not even in a week's time (I don't think).

We have a very large home to clean (we don't own it), not including the basement which is a project in itself. If you were to do a walk through my home, you would start at the mudroom, then kitchen (off the kitchen is the office and screened in porch), leaving the kitchen you enter the hallway, living room, and bathroom. Then, to go upstairs you leave the living room and enter the hallway(again) which houses the stairs, and come to another hallway. On the right is the bathroom, linen closet, guest room, turn corner and you have boy's room, then girl's room. You turn around and walk back down the girls hallway to our room (walking toward the stairs) on the right (just opposite of the guest room).

I have posted a few cleaning lists and they work, for a short time, but I am still struggling to get it all done. At this point and time, I am just looking for a way to get my body to obey the command to "get up and work" while chasing a very busy toddler, and guiding my older children as they do a few jobs themselves, all the while reminding them that our new puppy does not need to go out every 5 minutes....

3) Plan a menu for the next 2 months, this is an easy one for me as I have no problem figuring out what to fix. We buy in bulk, cases of food (literally) so my freezer is stocked. We also have deer meat that we can grind for tacos and such.

4) Plant my garden. I have planted my onions, I have tomatoes & peppers growing slowly in my mudroom, and I have planted a few potatoes but I have several more yet to plant. My "main" garden is ready for the tomatoes, peppers, squash and herbs (I also have another herb garden, but will plant herbs in my main garden in hopes to keep the deer out), but I have not yet gotten the other garden plots ready for the tender crops like beans, lettuce, peas, radishes, carrots, and other things... I know that many of these things need to be planted now, but with the rain that we have had it is literally impossible. Thankfully, we got a Mantis rototiller this year that I can use, as well as my boys... we got a really good deal because the place we got it from couldn't get it started!!! All it was was a lose spark plug!!!

5) Finish up homeschooling... We have another portfolio review coming up in May, so I must get the portfolios done and ready for that time.

6) Make my girls some more dresses (play dresses) as they have most certainly worn out about everything they have except church dresses, and a couple others. You see, I refuse to buy something that I already have the fabric for and my dresses take very little "time" considering the time I would take to look for more. I will also try to take pictures as I go, and post them eventually.

So I guess what I am looking for is a way to get up before everyone else does to spend time with God, clean my home totally and completely while chasing a toddler and getting my children to finish the tasks they have been given, homeschool, prepare meals & make all the bread we eat, get my menu planned, till and plant my gardens, and sew all at the same time!!!! Any suggestions? Remember, I also need my sleep or I am not good for the next day. And I can't be stressed too much or I end up with a migraine and another day lost.

Am I crazy for having so much to do? How did I get so behind? Where is Mary Poppins when I need her? (O;

I am going to put these things before God in prayer and aim to redeem the time. You will probably not see too much from me for the next couple of months as I will be busy. Please, when you think of me, say a prayer for strength, productivity and patience for the unexpected.

And all of this has to be done before my 9 weeks or whatever the time the baby comes is up.

Prayerfully,
Heather