A day of rest? Hardly!

Today is already shaping up to be a very busy day. On our way home from Cedar Falls last night, all I could really do was think about the tasks I need to complete in the immediate future.

1. Now that Sharp is sending us a replacement microwave, I need to go to Lampe Appliances and retrieve our old microwave so it can be sent back to Sharp.
2. Purchase a birthday present for my godson Daniel.
3. Complete my reorganization of the den. I was up at 7 AM and made a good dent but there is much work to complete. I'm unsure if I will have time to accomplish this task today or if it will be after Desperate Housewives tonight before I can take it on.
4. Organize the stuff that is to be taken to the dump on Saturday and get it loaded into the truck.
5. Retrieve any clothes that were put in the storage room so they can be taken to the local Stuff store this Friday.

On top of all of that, it is a typical 'spring' week.

• Monday
• Megan has softball
• Tuesday
• Hard to believe but NOTHING
• Wednesday
• Megan has piano
• Alex has baseball. Mark, the head coach is gone so I am running practice with the Assistant Coach.
• Thursday
• Megan has softball
• Survivor, new Grey's Anatomy, new Lost, new ER
• Friday
• Prepare for the weekend & my father's birthday
• Saturday
• Alex has baseball practice, Megan has a pitching clinic, Spring Clean-Up Day in the AM; Godson's birthday party in the PM in Ely
• Sunday
• Godson's First Communion in Davenport

So that is this coming week. Things won't be slowing down anytime soon. May is already filling up with (in no particular order) playing drums for the Confirmation Mass, a birthday party, Mother's Day, my wife's birthday, a probable trip to the Dubuque Dog Track, a trip back to Cedar Falls to see my brother-in-law's band play, and, the next night, being the designated driver for a bachelor party (driving the father of the bride around), and the full swing of Alex's baseball games and Megan's softball games. Add on top of that picking up the camper and getting it ready for our first camping trip the weekend of 6/12 in Elkader and WOW.

Jeff Foxworthy, the redneck comedian, talks about how he loves his life and wouldn't change any of it (before he launches into his routine about being single) and I agree with what he says. My life is busy but that's okay. In the big picture, I understand the hectic schedule I'm immersed within is only going to last another decade.

At the end of that decade, Alex will be graduating high school and the list of the above tasks will be nearing the end of the tunnel. Megan will be in college and life will be a lot different than it is now. It is already a lot different in 2008 than it was in 1998 than it was in 1988.

In 1988, I was a senior in high school. I had not met my wife and wanted to be an English teacher.

In 1998, I was married for 6 years, Megan was born and Alex was on the way.

In 2008, I have been married for nearly 15 years (August), Megan and Alex are talking and walking and a joy to be around.

In 2018, Karen and I will be approaching 25 years of marriage, the kids will be nearly out of the house, and who can guess what other challenges and exciting things will happen. That's what I like about my life - there is never a dull moment.

The challenge is to stay focused. Where am I now? What am I doing now? I find it easy to focus on the future. Even though it takes place in a galaxy far far away, Yoda criticizes Luke Skywalker for thinking like that - Luke focuses on the future and craves excitement.

I feel like I need to consciously check the balance in my mind between the future and the present. I don't want to miss anything while I am consumed by thoughts about the future but I don't want to be unprepared for the future.

Speaking of the future, it's time to prepare for Mass.