Routine

Dave is a "Mr. Fly by the Seat of your Pants" kind of guy.
He thinks planning and analyzing a situation to death are maddening.  He thinks if something needs done, you just get up and do it.  I know that's not bad, but that way of functioning is just plain scary to me.  It can make me nauseous.  Literally. Not joking.
According to practically every personality test I take, some for fun like the silly color profile in Better Homes and Gardens, some through work, like the DISC profile, and others just out of curiosity, like Meyer's Briggs, each one tells me that I am a routine oriented person.  I take comfort in having a plan.  And this is true.
I like to know what I'm going to have for dinner before I leave for work in the morning.  I am nervous to go to the grocery store without a list.  I am uncomfortable making a list without a menu.  And I can't make a menu without knowing what's coming up on the calendar.
When I plan a vacation, such as the trip Dave and I took last spring, I research the areas we're going to be traveling through --  I take note of what's where and what it has to offer and does it fit into the schedule?  I don't want to waste a moment of precious vacation time willy nillying around trying to decide what we want to do.
Right now, we're looking at curtains for the living room.  I've spent hours comparing different colors, patterns,  fabrics, styles - - all for the distinct intent of not going to the store and getting something just to have something to hang in front of the window because there's nothing there yet (expect plain blinds - we're not total exhibitionists). 
Anyway, my point here is that I realize I need to learn to be a bit more flexible and while I'm totally convinced that my way of functioning is safe and responsible and probably right (hehe) - - it's not the only way.
This last week has been a testament to this.  It started about 10 days ago when we kept Dayton after work on a Thursday.  He wasn't feeling good.  The next morning, Nicole wasn't able to leave him at daycare when she went to work because he had a fever - I had told her if he was sick to call me at work and I would be able to come home and keep him, and that's exactly what happened.
We also had him on Saturday, and again on Sunday from 6:30 in the morning until 9:40 that night.  Monday - she had the day off, but Tommy and his friend came by with 4 loads of laundry and YES, I was ecstatic to see him!  We watched Dayton on Tuesday, and we watched him Wednesday.  Wednesday night, Emily and her boyfriend Casey stopped by to see Dayton, so Dave and I took advantage of their visit and washed AND dried AND put away the dishes!  Thursday things were a bit different when Nicole worked at her 2nd part time job that lasts until 6:30.  Dave stayed home and worked on a new garden bench he decided to build around the fire pit (no, not much planning involved - it's done and it looks great) while I went to Dave's sister Sandy's.  Nicole was taking Dayton there because Sandy had her two granddaughters (Dayton's 2nd cousins) who are a little older and a little younger than Dayton, so they could all play together.
The point - - there was absolutely NO ROUTINE or anything planned out, except the play date with the girls, the entire week.  Other than coming down with a cold, I survived.  And it was fun. 
I DID NOT, however, walk on the treadmill one single time.  I wasn't able to wake up early enough to listen to more than about 5 minutes of any Joyce Meyer program that records every weekday - - my eating habits were atrocious - - mostly what I ate was Gerber snack food and frozen stuff from Schwann's.  Thank God for a few fresh fruits and veggies.  I didn't maintain my sleep routine and was in a walking coma for the greater part of the week. 
And, I didn't make time to sit down and enter anything onto this blog since last Saturday!
However, those are just facts.  In reality, Dave and I created so many fun memories this past week with Dayton.  We feel good about giving Nicole the confidence she can depend on us, and yes, we ARE getting a schedule from her, now that she is going to school and working two part time jobs so that we CAN make a plan and put together a routine which is not only good for us, but good for Dayton as well.  We love spending time with the little man and while I don't like to pass judgment, in general, yes, we ARE a better choice to keep him than anyone else.
I love being Nana - - and in being Nana, we have to form a happy marriage of routine and "flying by the seat of your pants"!