Set Yourself Up for Success

I've never been one to sweat too many of the details of my day, but now, I've become 'Miss Plan ahead'.  I plan out what Dad is going to wear the next day and I set up his outfits.  We pre-make his special drink for the next day.  I know what his breakfast is going to be.  I'm finding that if I sweat a few of the details of his tomorrow then my today goes more smoothly.  This is a trick I am sure every sane parent already knows but as a fairly new caregiver, it hadn't occurred to me until recently.  I used to wake up thinking; "lets just see what the day brings. Fah la la la la".  6 years in now, I have a script for how the day should flow; It's like I pre-game in my mind.    I've lost some spontaneity and gained a bit of (perceived) control.  It's a trade off that I've managed to actually like given my current circumstances.  My husband and I synchronize our calendars so we don't overlap events. We tell each other about anything new going on days in advance so that we can work out who is doing what with Dad.  And yet, I still look forward to that unexpected miracle or moment of favor that God always has set aside for me.  It's almost like the prize in the cereal box--BOOM!, there when you least expect it while happily munching away.  Of course you'd eat the cereal without the surprise but it always tastes better knowing something special is in store.