What was I thinking??

Sometimes I just wonder what the hell I was thinking.  Like the time that I let my mother-in-law give then 5 month old Adam a sip of her coffee (he was interested -- she wanted to see his reaction to the bitterness)...the kid liked it.  He's two and has a Starbucks addiction.  What the hell was I thinking?

Or the time that I left the box of chocolates on the counter, where my toddler could see them.  15 missing chocolates later and I"m dealing with a kid on a sugar high.  What the hell was I thinking?

But this -- this time -- I really want to know what the hell I was thinking!  I've been doing this course since September 4th, it's been a steady pace of 1 unit every week.  So....why did I think that I had until next week to finish my assignment??  I'd love to know that.

Last night, I leisurely read through all of the assigned reading and lazily glanced at the assessment, ticking off the answers that I knew and making mental notes to look up the ones that I wasn't positive of.  I thought about getting out of my warm, cozy bed to creep down to the computer and start on the assignment for the unit - but quickly changed my mind.  I updated my facebook status: "only two questions left, then I'm FREE for the rest of the week!"

This should have been a sign.  But of course, I didn't see it.

I woke up this morning and took one of those showers where you just stand there and let the hot spray of water splatter off your back -- not washing anything, just standing and enjoying the peaceful, quiet solitude of my child-free moments.  I got out, made myself a hot cup of coffee and thought about things I want to buy, places I want to go, people I should get in touch with.  Then, I decided to go to my computer and get a head start on this assignment.

But -- when I got to my PC, what did I see??  A little announcement from Outlook -- saying "1 event notification" -- "Event notification??"  I pondered, "What event??"  I click on it to see what it was -- I often fill my calender with silly nonsensical things that will bring joy and delight to the daycare kids announcing things like "Today is international doughnut day, who want's a doughnut?" or "Guess who's birthday it is today - Grover monster!!" and we all dance and laugh and celebrate.

There was no celebrating this day -- my stomach dropped when I read the event

"ELCC 321 - Unit 5.  Due before midnight, October 19, 2010"

Folks -- I cannot tell you the next few thoughts that went through my head.  They'd make my mechanic brother-in-law and his "street" buddies blush.  I'm sure you can guess some of them -- and if you can't, take this into consideration...I had to get lunches made, children up and dressed and sent to school, watch the other daycare children, prevent the toddlers from killing or maiming one another, do the laundry and prepare supper -- AND do the quiz, conversation postings and assignment for unit 5.

Yeah.

Thank God that I had mentally planned my assignment as I read through the 4 chapters of reading.  Thank God I knew exactly where to look for my research and thank God I already had a very strong opinion for my conversation posting....I was able to get it all done -- ALL of it...and before noon.  Thank God for that, too.

I still don't know what on earth possessed me to think that I had an entire week left to do it all...I've now got 1 week to tackle Unit 6.  Wish me luck.