I don't know who took this picture of Leroy, but when I downloaded the photos from the camera it nearly frightened me. 
This is the island in my kitchen, looking into the laundry room. Why did the photo strike me so? I walk right past this sight many times every day. It's my reality today. While it is not always this bad, something else around here is. I've got one child in particular who likes to mess up pretty much everything that I clean.
Looking at the photo is sort of like looking in a window. If I looked in a window and I saw this mess, I would probably judge harshly. Sometimes we need to see ourselves as others see us, I guess. And judge ourselves instead.
My mom is visiting this week. I'm so thankful that she has helped me get caught up with some tidying. She straightened up Rose's room, mostly because that's where she sleeps when she comes. Today she demanded that the kids work on the basement bedrooms, bathroom and playroom. Tonight she helped me sort and fold a bunch of clothes that I have needed to go through.
I so want to be like the super organized moms of large families that you see on TV. The reality is that my life is just different and I'm different. My husband is not always home for dinner at a certain time. Much of the time he is not home at all. Over time, I've come to realize that that's probably a blessing, as I like to be in charge and I'm probably happier this way.
I don't get much sleep with my youngest two children who are quite needy still. I've got nine kids, for heaven sake! Even the Proverbs 31 woman had servant girls. I've got all the excuses, don't I?
But I can't help but think that I would be happier if I could keep on top of the housekeeping. I've heard some older ladies at church commenting about how women today don't "keep house" like it used to be done. That has stuck in my head. I think they are mostly right. I wish I had been trained in the lost art of keeping house.
Then again, there's that saying - "cleaning house while the kids are growing is like shoveling snow while it is still snowing!"
It may never stop snowing around here.
2 comments:
psst, I took the picture, that was the day I cooked my awesome lunch, ans had the camera out, so I took a pic of Leroy as he was standing by the fridge.
I think we are too busy in our lives these days, me included! When you find out the secret of being organized, let me know! I know that feeling of it may never stop snowing. That's me!
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