I Am Manager. Fear Me.

I wish I could say that things are completely different from last week. But it's not. I run all day, go home, play with the kids, get them to bed, do more work, then help get the baby to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's not a bad life, but I'm going to need some variety before long.

I am at least starting to make some progress, though. This position is very demanding, but it won't last. We're starting from the ground up, and that takes time. But eventually it's got to get into a routine. Getting to that point presents a significant growth opportunity. As ma' momma always tol' me, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Since only one thing will ever kill you, everything else is good for you, right?

The up side of all this chaos is that I'm appreciating the little things more, as that's all I have time for. Our baby has started to smile, and it's amazing. Playing in the sand can be fun and therapeutic. Weinernougat candies in my lunch are like a ray of sunshine. Snuggling up to my wife for those few minutes between when the baby goes to sleep and wakes up again is a rich reward. A few seconds of enjoyment here and there can keep you going.

There is so much that isn't getting done. We hadn't planned on growing a garden this year, but we hadn't planned on growing weeds, either. But we are, because my few free minutes and the weather haven't connected to where I can spray weed killer. But it's not the end of the world. Life will go on. We have sparrows nesting in the patio rafters outside our back door. And that's cool.

Another unexpected gift: I found out today that our company's goal-setting year matches the fiscal year. All the goals I had set to complete by the end of the second quarter are not due until the end of next month. What a difference a month makes. I have a fighting chance now.

Day by day. One step at a time. We'll get there.