Ever play Hi-Low? You know…when everyone shares their personal high point in the day, and then their low point? We “played” last evening around the supper table. Wanna hear what mine were?
My high was at about 11:30. During Phoebe’s morning nap, I cleaned the entire house. Everything. Sorted toys out and put them away. Vacuumed. Swept. Made beds. The diswasher was humming away. I even washed down the toilet (a job usually reserved for my husband, since it was his idea to teach our sons to pee standing up!). So, at 11:30, I sat down triumphantly to revel in the fact the my house was spotless. Oh, it felt good.
My low was 45 minutes later. Lunch was over, so the kitchen was messed up again. Zeke, upon arriving home from school at noon, had run to the bathroom and peed in (and around) the toilet. Noah had toys strewn about already. Again I realized, as I have hundreds of times, that it’s impossible to keep my house “Martha Stewart” clean with four kids!
The general consensus around the supper table was, though, that if that was indeed my low point, then I had had a pretty good day. So true.
But as I lay falling asleep last night, I reached a new high point. As I pondered the day, and it’s happenings, I thought, “I have four kids. FOUR KIDS!” Wow. Four amazing, beautiful, heathly, active kids, and I’m so thankful for them. What a gift. The reason that my house is a mess, is also the source of my greatest joy! Would I trade my messy house for a perpetually spotless one if it meant I would be childless? Never! Children and messes go hand in hand. And that…that is Okay.
Mmmhmmm, preach it, sister!
Nicely put Janet. A good reminder of what is really important.
i agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
thanks for putting what is in my heart, so beautifully on your blog.