You ever have a day that just throws you completely off track? That was my Monday this week! After feeling very uninspired last week I decided that I would try out a new time-blocking schedule this week. Instead of breaking up my days hour by hour, I planned a scheduled to break up my week day by day. So rather than writing every day during a set time, I would pick two days to focus solely on writing and the other days on other tasks. Monday was going to be errands and some small tasks around the house, including grocery shopping and prepping some healthy meals for the week. I was very excited to try out this new schedule for a couple weeks and see if it bubbled up some new focus and creativity.

Instead what happened was that my husband came inside as I was getting ready to head out, telling me that we needed to go to the ER. He had cut his hand while woodworking and needed stitches. Because he was using one hand to keep pressure on the hand that was cut, I had to run around and grab two masks, my purse, his wallet, my car keys, and jackets for both of us. Now, this isn’t the first time we’ve had to rush to the ER but the look on his face combined with the fact that I hadn’t seen the wound under his hand put me into a bit of a panic.

As it turns out the cut wasn’t very deep, just very long and jagged. So he had to get stitches in a couple places, but overall it’s superficial and should heal really easily. But all of that doesn’t make an ER visit go any faster. I think we were at the hospital for 3 1/2 hours, most of which was just waiting. Waiting to be brought back from the lobby, waiting for the doctor to come in, waiting for the numbing medication to kick in, waiting for the person to come do stitches, etc…

At one point, Tyler asked me if I had brought my computer. I looked at him incredulously and said “of course not!” I was barely able to make a coherent thought when we left the house. So any work that I could have gotten done while waiting, didn’t. And the errands and chores I had hoped to get done, didn’t. And those healthy meals? Well, we left the house a little after 11am and didn’t leave until 3pm so both of us were starving. And that led to a trip to Chick-fil-A which, while delicious, was not healthy.

I just let yesterday be a wash. I didn’t try to salvage my trip to the grocery store or even try to make dinner…after eating fast food for lunch we turned around and ordered pizza for dinner. I also didn’t try to squeeze any bit of writing out of myself after experiencing that minor trauma. My mental and emotional energy were spent. So instead of trying to force productivity, we just sat and watched Avengers: Endgame, ate unhealthy food, and went to be early.

So why am I writing about this story? It was a reminder that while I love structure and schedules, I can’t control everything. And I can’t let expectations and plans rule my life. I just decided to wake up on Tuesday and to get done what I could, also realizing that I am going to have a one-handed husband for awhile who will need some help changing his bandage, making breakfast and lunches, and opening jars.

Life happens and we just have to roll with the punches as best we can!