7Qts on Getting Done What Needs to Get Done

Joining Jen & her crew for the 7 Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary.

— 1 —

I’m just getting done what needs to get done.

That’s my dad’s favorite phrase. That and, “pull my finger.” And maybe a few other dadisms we have chronicled through the years. He’s absolutely the funniest person in the world, hand’s down. {Sorry, Jim Gaffigan–I did just read your book and LOVED it, but my dad is funnier.}

My dad’s a doer. He comes from a family of doers. A cousin’s fiancé jokingly refers to my aunt and my dad and all their siblings as “human doings” instead of human beings. My dad’s faithful thought is, I just get done what needs to get done. He never complains about doing work in the yard around our house, indeed he cannot be pulled away from it with threats and screams. He never complains after a really long day at the hospital, followed by someone waking him up in the middle of the night asking about their medication, preceded by being on-call and popping by the hospital after mass but before vespers on a Sunday. The man never complains. He just does things, with joy or with disgruntlement–who knows?–and is my example on getting done what needs to get done.

— 2 —

Case in point, I’m still on a high from a weekend with awesome ladies, inspirational thoughts, sleep {who knew what that was?}, food prepared by someone else AND cleaned up by them, and a little peace & quiet. I splashed right into my week with doctor’s appointments for both kids multiple days, cleaning cleaning and more cleaning up. So instead of skulking back to my bed after the kids go down for their naps and the bebe is passed out on our bed, I do what my dad would do.

— 3 —

I clean up the kitchen, wipe the counter tops, sweep the floor, pick up the books and toys, and hand wash the dishes.

— 4 —

Do I stop there and do what I wish I could, AKA cruise the net to read other people’s Edel stories linked up on Jen’s blog, hostess with the mostess?

— 5 —

NO! I do the laundry, pick up in the front of the house, write thank you notes, and actually prepare and eat lunch, not just chocolate chips.

— 6 —

Wow, first world problems, Nell. But instead of lingering in vacation mode like I kinda wanna, I’m using all that grace & great energy I picked up on the other weekend to get done what needs to get done. Not procrastinate, not sulk or skulk. Simply do what I should when I should.

— 7 —

My dad’s such a super champ. He brought the big kids to every single one of AA’s firm softball games this summer. I only went last week for the first time, and then this week, and now the season is done. What would they have done without their BaBa? We all know what happens when I have to bring all three somewhere. Bad news Barbie. But he played catch with SuperBoy, and soothed SweetPea’s freak-outs about the ants on her pants. Literally.

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