Well, this wasn't exactly on my to-do list.
Actually, if you had looked at my to-do list, writing a book probably would have been somewhere between reorganizing the pantry and finally getting caught up on laundry. And we all know how those things tend to go.
But here we are.
After months of writing, editing, second-guessing, rewriting, and wondering if anyone besides my family would actually want to read my stories, my book is officially out in the world!
Introducing But God, I Have a Clipboard: A Memoir of Motherhood, Mayhem, and Learning to Let Go.
And if the title tells you anything, you can probably guess that this isn't a book about having it all together.
A Clipboard, a Plan, and Seven Kids (Almost)
As a professional event planner, I've spent much of my career anticipating problems, managing logistics, coordinating people, and making sure everything happens when and how it's supposed to.
Naturally, I assumed those skills would translate beautifully into motherhood.
I had plans. I had systems. I probably had a spreadsheet.
I definitely had a clipboard.
But motherhood has a funny way of ignoring even the most carefully prepared agenda.
The babies didn't sleep. The toddlers escaped. The laundry multiplied. One child ate ice melt. Another created art with a medium that should never be considered art.
Work deadlines collided with sick kids, school schedules, marriage, six children, and the persistent belief that if I could just become a little more organized, disciplined, patient, and efficient, I could finally hold everything together.
Then came career upheaval, homeschooling, a pandemic, unexpected diagnoses, and all the other plot twists that life seems to throw in when you're already juggling seventeen things.
Somewhere along the way, I began to realize that maybe the problem wasn't that I needed a better system.
Maybe I wasn't supposed to carry it all in the first place.
The Story Behind the Book
But God, I Have a Clipboard is a deeply personal, often humorous look at motherhood, marriage, work, faith, and the unexpected journey of learning to let go.
It's about the early years of motherhood, the chaos of raising a growing family, navigating the pandemic, and trying to balance a career with the beautiful, exhausting responsibility of raising children.
It's also about being a recovering perfectionist.
You know the type. The person who thinks that if she can just plan a little better, work a little harder, and get a few more things organized, everything will eventually fall into place.
Except life doesn't always cooperate.
And sometimes God has a different plan entirely.
Through all the chaos, I began to recognize something He had been showing me all along:
Some things are worth carrying. Some need to be put down. Some require another set of hands. And some were never mine to control in the first place.
This isn't a story about finally getting motherhood right, becoming perfectly organized, or discovering some magical routine that makes life run smoothly.
It's about grace when you don't.
It's about choosing people over performance, finding God in the unfinished work, and discovering that a beautiful life can also be loud, exhausting, imperfect, and completely different from the one you planned.
And, of course, there are plenty of prayers and coffee along the way.
Why "But God"?
Those two words carry so much meaning.
They remind us that our circumstances don't get the final say. That even when things don't go according to plan, God is still present. That the story isn't over just because we've run out of ideas, energy, or ways to fix things.
Sometimes we make plans, and sometimes those plans fall apart.
But God.
And maybe that's where the best parts of the story begin.
It's Officially Out in the World!
Writing a book was never something I had on my perfectly organized clipboard of life goals. But I'm so grateful I followed this one through.
I hope this book makes you laugh. I hope it reminds you that you're not the only one whose house looks like a small tornado passed through. I hope it encourages you to give yourself a little grace.
Most of all, I hope you recognize that God is present in the middle of the mess, not just after we've cleaned it all up.
If you've ever felt like you're juggling seventeen things, dropping at least three, and wondering how everyone else seems to have it together, this one's for you.
You can find But God, I Have a Clipboard on Amazon here:
Whether you purchase a copy, share the book with a friend, or simply cheer me on, thank you for being part of this little adventure.
And if you happen to see me with a clipboard, don't worry. Some things never change.
I'm just learning that I don't have to control everything on the list.
❤️ Danielle