Monday, November 19th, 2007

Balancing the Scales

posted by lizzie    « 8 Comments »    tied to Uncategorized   

I look at my list of things to do in the next two weeks and this is what I see:

  1. talk to someone at the FDA
  2. call five universities to find out about their avian flu plans
  3. read a book and write a 500 word response
  4. read 4 articles and prepare a mini-lecture
  5. find out what “quarantine” means, legally and practically speaking
  6. talk to several experts about avian flu and how it might spread to the US
  7. plan and prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for 12 single men from our branch and our family
  8. take care of a small child
  9. find several insurance experts to talk to
  10. talk to more student families about affordable insurance
  11. plan and make meals
  12. do the dishes
  13. clean the bathroom
  14. finalize Christmas travel plans

And then I think, “Wait a second! How did ‘Take care of a small child’ get to be #8 on the list?” So I stop stressing and pick up the boy and let him fall asleep on my lap while I take a minute to relax and blog about keeping my perspective, and my priorities, in line. (And I do it with one hand tied behind his back. So to speak.)

Comments

  1. becca says:
    November 19, 2007 at 10:31 pm

    Good luck Lizzie- that’s a rather long to-do list! You totally could have left off #8 completely because you’ll likely end up fitting it in before, during and after each of the items on your list. What a good Mom! Simon is getting so big I can hardly believe it!!

  2. Sarah says:
    November 20, 2007 at 2:03 am

    Holy moley (or however you spell that), and I thought I had it bad. Good luck getting everything done.
    P.S. How does one get in touch with experts about avian flu?
    P.P.S. What is the big deal about avian flu?
    P.P.P.S. Are universities supposed to have avian flu plans? And if so, what kind of plans are they?

  3. lizzie says:
    November 20, 2007 at 9:27 pm

    One calls and e-mails a lot of people who might know something or who might be able to tell you who you should be talking to (or they might not know anything). And you keep doing it until the deadline, which is not for another few weeks.

    My class is writing a series of articles about avian flu with the hope of getting them published in newspapers across the country.

    Avian flu is actually most dangerous to healthy young people (like college students) which is why they should have a plan to deal with it. BYU is the only university that has been willing to talk to me so far. Their plan is to limit social interaction. Some universities say they have a quarantine plan, but BYU says they lack the legal authority to do such things and the BYU PD is not about to keep however many freshman cooped up in the dorms if they don’t want to be there.

    At least, that is what I have been told.

  4. Rachel says:
    November 20, 2007 at 10:26 pm

    Wow, you’re a real marathoner. I don’t know anything about Avian Flu, but maybe I should do some research too.

  5. Melissa says:
    November 21, 2007 at 6:47 pm

    I’m glad you picked up Simon and let him fall asleep on you. Sleeping babies melt all the stress away!:)

  6. Bente says:
    November 21, 2007 at 9:31 pm

    You are such a good mommy, Lizzie! I actually did the same thing today with Emiline. It is amazing how the other things just go away (at least untl you put them down!!)

  7. Stephanie J. Robertson says:
    November 22, 2007 at 8:31 am

    I am impressed that he will sleep on your lap like that I even though I dont have as much to do I feel like I can relate! There is so much to take up so much time- but nothing is more important than your sweet baby boy!

  8. Missy says:
    November 30, 2007 at 3:55 am

    I have to agree with becca. We all know Simon’s not really number 8. He’s number infinity because his needs fit into everything and never go unmet. At least not for long. Good for you for taking the time to relax and see things again. I love those sweet slumbering times.

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