I haven't really cleaned my house in weeks. Seriously. It's a sad state of affairs. Besides wiping down the bathroom with bleach on occasion, managing a few loads of laundry, and trying to keep the clutter from taking over, I have pretty much let the house return to it's original state of glorious abandonment. . . I think it likes it.
I am a bit obsessive compulsive at times—most of those times existed before my children—and one of my tendencies was to keep everything clean. Very clean. For some reason it makes/made me feel a bit more in charge of my world (a fallacy, I know.)
Regardless, my point, is that try as I might, I cannot keep everything in my life in a manageable state, and keep the house clean. Fortunately, those who love me best and live with me, (Aaron, Caleb, and Ella), don't seem to mind the current state of things too much. In fact, Caleb seems to rather enjoy it.
Case in point: I was in the process of cleaning up this afternoon when Caleb began leaping around our sun-lit kitchen. Watching him laugh and dance, totally unaware of the sink full of dirty dishes, the pile of unwashed laundry, and the nasty food-etched floors, made me take a deep breath and cease my striving. Leaping into stray sunbeams, Caleb extended his hands into the light . . . catching dust. And nothing was more beautiful than all that gloriously-lit dirt.
Doesn't that make it better, to realize the last thing your kids will remember is whether or not the sink was full of dishes? They won't remember the times we got on our hands and knees to clean the floor, but they will remember our times on our hands and knees to play with them.
ReplyDeleteWhen my babies were little I never folded any clothes. It all stacked on the guest bed in a big clean wrinkled pile. When I fold clothes now I think of the hours I spent with my babies then the I could have wasted folding and how glad I am that I traded something lasting for something temporary. Thanks for the encouragement to look at it that way, I still need to do that and look at it that way. XOXOX, Amy
ReplyDeleteYay, another Hautala blog. I'm adding it to my roll with enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteOh, and CONGRATULATIONS on baby Ella. What a beautiful, perfect name. I've long been a fan of that name.
amen sister.
ReplyDeleteand really, you are my sister. ha!
been thinking about you today, hopeing that all is well...i too am lost in my dust bunnies and cupcake sprinkles that hide in the corners of every inch of my kitchen, but you know what, it's okay. maybe Jesus will just come back so that i don't EVER have to clean my house again. :)