Projects

Projects

So I have a new project or two. I seem to need projects that have positive endings, and that provide a point in the future on which to focus. So UCM is working with a local organization and doing a canned food drive that will benefit the poor in our community. I am broke like no one knows, but I can damn well drum up donations. So I sent my kids out with little red wagons to collect door-to-door. So far I have 4 flats of veggies, and four good sized boxes of various canned/boxed non-perishables. Not all of it was collected by them, but all I'm saying is that my bedroom is beginning to disappear under a pile of boxes full of food. That makes me smile.

Another thing we're doing is sponsoring a family that currently lives in the local battered women's shelter. The shelter has long been my charity of choice, and I donate there a lot. Over the years they have been on the receiving end of the deal when my children outgrow their toys, clothes, furniture etc... I also do a Thanksgiving dinner and a Christmas dinner every year that goes to a family that they've assisted throughout the year. But I've never been part of actually sponsoring a family's Christmas, until now.

I've gotten lucky in that I've managed to fall into a real, live, free Christmas tree for them, and the meal I always donate will, this year, go directly to them. It's cool to do the meal anyway, but this year, having an idea of who this family is just makes it more fun to do.

And of course, I'm doing some shopping for Nova's birthday too. The nurses put their heads together and decided that the one thing that the babies in CVRU love most is the Fisher Price Crib Aquarium. They had 2, but one has gone MIA, and one just isn't enough... Unfortunately there is usually more than one baby in their care at all times. So I'm going to donate one, and a few other things, and I'm making a cake. I hope it doesn't suck ;) I'm no baker.

Of course, there is Christmas for my own household to contend with. I've begun shopping for the kids, but they keep changing their lists so I'm still afraid to buy much because they might just not want what I buy if I don't give them time to come to a final decision. The older boys both want money. And haven't changed their minds. That feels awfully impersonal to me, but they each have things they want to buy that we can't afford to get them (Nintendo Wii for example) and so they've told everyone that cash is best. I can't decide if I can really just give them money. We shall see.

So all of these plans and projects put me focusing on a point verrrrrrry close to the new year. At some point shortly into the new year, while everyone is still nursing their credit cards back to health, the Kintera site for the American Heart Association will open back up. Once that happens, I have a few projects in 'draft mode' so to speak that I'll be able to kick into action then.

I hope to, eventually, get to a point where I can maintain some semblance of sanity without having to distract myself with major projects. Until then, I'm thankful that I have the projects I have, and that there are no gaping holes in the timeline between them.