Smelling Roses?

I don't really have a regular schedule. I don't know if/when I work at the art museum until, maybe, a month ahead of time.  Lately, there really hasn't been any of that anyway.  My schedule also revolves more around Anna and Frank than myself.  Therefore, for the last year, I have sat down on Saturday or Sunday and planned the upcoming week.  Each day I list what needs to be done, activities to attend, how that time will be spent, etc.

I have to be flexible, at times, as things come up.  Like yesterday, Anna stayed home from school because she was ill. Originally, I had planned to volunteer at the museum, but switched that to another day.  So the plan was to have some studio time to work on my art. 
 
In the afternoon, Anna came in and asked me if I could read to her.  I said no because I was working on something.  But after a while, I started to feel a little guilty.  She is twelve and who knows how much longer she is going to want me to read to her.  So, I finished the section of quilting I was working on and went upstairs.

I told her I would read to her but she had to put some socks on and grab a blanket because we were going to read outside.  It was a gorgeous day! The sky was clear, the sun was shining and the high was near 60 degrees.  Eventually, I laid out a yoga mat on the deck for her.  She laid down with her blanket and pillow and I read to her outside (I wonder if the people walking by or the neighbors enjoyed the story, too). 

When my voice was starting to get sore, I stopped reading.  Anna eventually fell asleep on the deck.  I left her there, as what could be more pleasant than taking a nap outside in the sun? especially on the first day of March?  She looked just like she did when she was a baby sleeping, except much, much bigger and with her mouth open and tongue hanging out.  I thought I should take a picture.  But I decided to be a nice mother for one day and not embarrass her.  No picture.

I like to think that I am pretty good about stopping to smell the roses now and then.  Or if not stopping, at least noticing the roses.  The point of this story, though, is that I still get caught up in my to-do list sometimes.  And I have to remind myself to take that time to read to Anna or sit outside in the sun and enjoy life.  I hope you do, too.