Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Let's Get Real

This is the home of a self-professed clean-freak:














What you don't see: pee in the potty seat.



This is what my kitchen counter looks like....on a regular basis.



My desk is cluttered with all of the things I am intending to work on.

I am so tired of cleaning up messes! One of the hardest things about being a stay-at-home mom is going to bed at night without a sense of accomplishment. It seems like one hundred percent of what I do each day is undone within minutes.

Make breakfast, clean up. Make snack, clean up. Make lunch, clean up. Make another snack, clean up. Make dinner, clean up.

Take off diaper, put underwear on, clean up poopy underwear and poopy bottom. Forget to put on new underwear, clean up poop off of the floor and poopy bottom. Try again with a clean pair of underwear......or give up and put a diaper on. (I am referring to my 2 year old.....in case there is some confusion.)

Wash clothes, fold clothes, put away clothes. Repeat 100 million times.

Pick up toys, put away toys. Tell kids to "go play with your toys," then....pick up toys, put away toys.

Right now it is 8 o'clock on a Tuesday evening. My house is a mess. I did clean up (many times) today....but I have not done "the final cleaning" and I DON'T WANT TO! But I know that I will pay for it in the morning. The only thing worse than going to bed with a messy house is waking up to a messy house.

As I sit here writing, my husband says, "Don't you have other things you should be doing?" He is right. And I say so. "Yes, there are ALWAYS other things I should be doing." Which is why I have not written a post on this blog in 6 weeks!

A few months ago, I spoke to our MOPS group about keeping a clean and organized home. I have thought about that many times as I have looked around my messy house. I think, "If they could see my house now!" So, girls.....here is your chance.

I will try to rest in the fact that it will be clean again.....probably, even tomorrow.

Although, it seems like a daunting task at this time of night.

I am comforted by the fact that many of you are right there with me. We are cleaning and breaking up fights and wiping bottoms and putting away loads of laundry and praying for patience.....together.

7 comments:

nates5bs said...

Looks like a normal house for someone who has children...glad to know you are normal!

Cindy said...

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
For babies grow up, we learn to sorrow,
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep,
Nor do toddlers and children.
You are the best Mommy ever and the proof is in your children, I witnessed it just 3 days ago! Amazing, awesome mommy! Ilove you!

Laura said...

Oh yes we pray for patience....I loved this post, thanks for writing it! Glad to know we can be friends cuz if your house never looked like this you might be crazy. When my house looks like that I just remind myself that I have chosen to spend time with my kids instead of on my house.

Unknown said...

What Laura said. Though it's hard. I prefer the feeling of accomplishment that comes with the clean house. I look forward to the sense of accomplishment that may or may not come when the children are raised. And meanwhile I guess I just PRAY TO GOD ABOUT EVERY SECOND that I can lean on his view of me and what I do every day rather than my own.
LOVE that you told us there was pee in the potty!

Shannon Davis said...

I love it Heather! I too like to go to bed feeling like I have accomplished something today (the clean house being the accomplishment). Why is having a happy house with kids knowing that they are loved and getting time with Mommy and Daddy not accomplishment enough for us? I will have to find a book on this :D

Sheridan Family said...

That is all so, so true!

little miss mel said...

yes, our day is never done. no one patting us on the back, giving us a raise for good work. This gig ain't easy, by no means, but I'd rather be doing nothing else. Even though I complain about it often. :)