Two things:
First, I hurt my knee. I'm not sure how... maybe it was from hanging upside down on the monkey bars with the kids during a picnic playdate on Thursday. Or maybe it was from riding Trevor around on my back, on all fours, yesterday. Or it could be that I fell down when I was trying to chase Isabelle around the van. Man, that kid is fast. She puts me to shame.
At any rate, I look like an old woman trying to get up off the floor. The knee hurts. Ugh.
I'm not even 30! I'm not supposed to have a hurt knee! I'm still supposed to be bouncing around. So. Anyway, Just needed to complain.
Second thing: I need to be okay with the messy house. I get WAY too stressed when my house is cluttery. But, let's face it: 4 small kids + 1 cozy cottage + 1 rather sloppy husband = MESS.
A wonderful friend gave me some good advice about a week ago: she simply said that I need to NOT CARE. Let it go. Relax. If the hallway is messy, I can still do reading with the kids. Go outside, if necessary. Do the important things first, not the "urgent things" (yes, I realize that hallway cleaning may not seem urgent, but you don't live in my brain. I may have some OCD tendencies. For one thing, I can't handle food on the floor. UGH. Or clothes. Or even toys, for that matter, unless they are in the playroom. Which is why, you see, my dear friend told me to put the blinders on and FOCUS on the "real stuff. It's not as if I was ever realizing my dream of the perfectly clean house anyway. And would I be satisfied if I got it, or would I just move on to toilet and tub scrubbing, as I've been known to do? Okay, enough in parenthesis already!)
So, there you have it. I'm determined that for ONE week (must start with baby steps!), I will let some things go. I will laugh when I usually cringe. I will focus on just being outside and reading and having fun, and I will not worry. I do a lot of "FUN" stuff and outside stuff anyway, but I usually have this nagging worrying tone in my head that says "and what if someone stops over? And shouldn't the house be clean for Fred when he gets home?" (ha, as if he cares!!) Shut up, voice. Enough.
So I warn you right now that my open door policy has temporarily been revoked, until I come to terms with my new focus. Call first. Please. Don't make me suffer needlessly. ;-) And, above all, when you do call first and then you come over to a messier-than-usual home, say only good things. (which is good advice anyway!!) :-) Thank you in advance.
Oh, and just for the record, I only hold myself to those standards. When I visit friends I couldn't care less how their house looks. Ironic, isn't it?
8 comments:
Who is David anyway? ;) My Mom is like you. The mess of us visiting for a holiday bothers her so much she has to talk herself down from it.
Me? I HATE drop ins from anyone but those who I've put on the "they love me unconditionally" list. I am just the opposite. Have to MAKE myself think about cleaning so that I don't live in a shanty. Oh get it Shanty-teehee. That's a Shan word I hadn't thought of yet. Bah.
oh, i SO need to hear this right now. i've been so busy lately that i'm spending almost no time with my kiddos - which i'd rather be doing anyway. what am i thinking? i must do this. "shut up, voice. Enough." so good!
Bummer about the knee - hope it feels better soon.
Oh - I can SO relate to the house thing. Drives me crazy to have it messy. Now that we are in the camper - it drives me crazy to have it messy (although in a cramped space with 2 kids and 2 dogs - it is ALWAYS messy). Feeling your pain. But, you are definitely on the right track - hope your week goes well just "letting things go" a little.
Blessings!
Shirley
I so get ya girlie! In my little corner of the world (or farm) a clean house=no time with kids. It also means a weedy garden, and grumpy animals! LOL I think I might have to try your "just let it go" for the summer! ;o) I'll try to remember to call...but that's the fun of Wendy...and the comfort....drop ins always welcome! LOL Have a fun week!
OH...I do the same thing with my house having to be clean, but not caring about others! LOL When I go to a friend's house I find myself just enjoying the companionship and watching the kids play...and laughing together...how their house looks is the furthest thing from my mind!!! :0)
My house is often a total mess...I admit it...I have four children...I plead four!
~simply~
(I hope your knee feels better soon)
Aw, I'm sorry about your knee. On the monkey bars? You are great! Do you ever try to go across them? I tried recently and I am such a weakling.
I long for a clean house, just not at the expense of the other things I love to do. (I do really have the longing... just not the oomph to carry it out!) I have days of intense cleaning with periods off in between.
I once lost a friend (years ago) because I could never get it together enough (read clean enough here) to have her over. (She didn't die-- or get lost in the mess of my house-- we just sort of stopped hanging out.) After that I vowed that I would open the door and kick the mess aside whenever I was blessed with a drop-in. I do still stress (ON occasion) about the cleanliness of my house... and some days I do actually get it clean but if you stop by without calling I can usually guarantee at least a bit of a mess... but a warm smile and a big welcome. Now that I have written a book.... I wanted to say thanks for checking out my blog. I have enjoyed reading some of yours and I hope we get to be better friends!
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