Why is it that I don't clean my house unless I absolutely have to? I used to not be like this. When we were newly married I cleaned my house every week. Everything in it! I can only think I was bored.
And then I had kids. It's amazing how priorities change. Not that I don't covet a clean home, but clean socks are a little more important when you're out in public. Clean kids are kinda nice to have, too. With all this cleaning going on I just don't have time to dust fan blades and picture frames.
I downgraded from cleaning everything every single week to cleaning the big things. And from there to picking up after the family and doing laundry and dishes on a daily basis. Dusting and scrubbing became something one does when company is coming over. And then The Baby was born. Can I blame it all on him?
He had therapists come to the house since he was 4 months old, sometimes 3 times weekly. My house was so super clean for months. And slowly I began thinking of them as family (there were there so often...) and stopped dusting and scrubbing for their arrival. And one day, when we were building our new house and homeschooling 2 kids, I simply didn't have time to even pick up before their arrival. That was the last straw. After that I made sure there was no dog hair on the floor (which is no small feat) and they saw the house as we lived in it.
And now when I have the honor of being invited to someone else's home I marvel at how their windows lack finger prints. How their floors shine as though they're newly mopped and not newly muddied. How their refrigerator door lacks three months worth of artwork. And at the complete and utter lack of toys and clutter strewn about as though a tornado went through. Or four little tornadoes.
But if I could trade my tornadoes for a clean home I think I'd decline. Eating off the floors wouldn't be all that fun without kids to share the picnic with. And no matter how unlike Dad the scribbled blue is on the fridge door, it's more colorful than the shiny reflection of an empty home.
I'm so proud of my fingerprints and multiplying dust bunnies. Some day when the kids are gone and I'm bored again, I'll have a clean home then.
2 comments:
I have to come back and catch up - been busy packing... but I wanted to let you know you've been tagged :) lol... 8 Random Things Abou You....
Hallelujah! I agree with that! I too will have a clean house again, someday. I keep telling my husband, if we ignore the yard and garden for 5 years, we could come back then, replant the grass and plants and it will look beautiful again. If we ignore the kids for 5 years, they will NOT! Spend your time wisely people.
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