Losing my marbles

Call it old age creeping up, call it hormones or call it just plain flighty but I have spent the last month forgetting things. I'm talking important things like deadlines, real estate papers and other people's children. Not dumb stuff like forgetting to turn off the porch light or forgetting to water the plant. Oh no, these are whoppers that affect other people's lives. Then I have to beg and plead for forgiveness and spend time fixing what I messed up. It's kinda getting out of hand and I think I might have to tweak my organizational skills a bit.

You see, I consider myself one of those "organized" moms. Maybe even a bit psychotic about it, if I have to admit. For example, I have a huge calendar on the fridge outlining each child's activities and times, as well as their upcoming tests, games, appointments, etc. I organize the girls' rooms, separating the clothes in their drawers and closets by season, including the shoes. My brain twitches if I walk in their room and discover a short sleeve shirt hung up in the long sleeve section and I can't leave without fixing it. Their books are grouped by author and their toys divided by type and size and located in colorful totes.

The psychotic organization continues on into the bathroom, the kitchen, as well as throughout the rest of the house and I pride myself for trying my best to live simple, organized and responsible. It's just my nature and I've always been this way -- a planner, scheduler and list-making organizer. Therefore, to forget important things, goes totally against that nature, and I don't like it one bit!

It started a couple of weeks ago when I found out that I did not get my daughter's traveling basketball team signed up for an important tournament coming up next month. I was absolutely certain that I'd signed them up, and would have bet money on it, but after rifling through receipts and e-mails like a mad woman, I discovered I would have lost that money I gambled because I didn't sign them up.

It probably doesn't sound like that big of deal to some but the tournament was planned out since last November and all the parents on the team had not only already paid us for the entry, but some had booked hotel rooms for it. I couldn't believe I had messed that up and was infuriated with myself. Then, I had to spend a whole day making calls to apologize and making arrangements to pay everyone back. I felt like such a heel.

If that wasn't bad enough, yesterday I sat down at the computer to wish a friend happy birthday and when I saw her name, it hit me (a whole five days later) that I totally forgot to pick up her daughter last Thursday at preschool, which is something I do every Thursday and have been doing for the last five months. My schedule was thrown off because of my daughter's birthday last week, but that is no excuse, I just flat out forgot.

I immediately got ahold of my friend and apologized over and over for abandoning her innocent baby girl, and told her what a moron I was and she could be as mad as she wanted at me. I would understand. Then I had to go apologize to the teacher yesterday afternoon for ditching one of her students and making her have to drive her home. Both of them should slap me!

Then today, the forgetfulness continued. I got an e-mail from my realtor friend that reminded for the 92nd time that I STILL had NOT signed these particular real estate papers that have been waiting on her desk for weeks collecting dust and spider webs. I mean, how hard is it? All I have to do is run in and write my name with a pen and leave, but for some reason I keep forgetting to go down there. So, of course, I have to keep apologizing to her and somehow ensure her that I have not lost my mind.

I also forgot to take my middle daughter to basketball practice one evening, when she had reminded me several times that week and I had looked at on the calendar multiple times that very day. 6:30 ... basketball ... Got it! Make supper, then practice, got it! Nope ... wasn't till Hubby got home at 7 and said, "Doesn't she have practice tonight?" Ah Man! I forgot ... dang it! So he rushed her to practice .... super late.

Then there was the day I forgot to feed my youngest breakfast in the morning. I was busy running around tackling after-Christmas duties, packing up decorations, taking down trees, etc. and it wasn't till 11 a.m. when she finally stopped me in mid-pack and asked, all sweet and polite, "Can I have breakfast now?" Whoops! Kinda forgot that whole "feed your child" responsibility that day. Poor girl, her mama's gone nutzo!

Unfortunately I'd like to say that there wasn't any other forgetful moments this last month, but I'd be lying. It was a weekly occurrence in some form or another. I really was just waiting for what I forgot next and who I was going to have to apologize too. I told Hubby that maybe it's time for one of those fancy smart phone thingys that I can put all my "to-do's" with bells and alarms to go off as reminders. My paper lists and fridge calendar apparently aren't working real well these days. Or maybe I'm just losing my marbles!