Monday, March 2, 2015

Throw in the Towel

Things were off to a good start this morning.  I got up and made delicious omelets for the kids with sauteed vegetables and shredded cheese.  The kids loved their breakfast and it was easy to make!  I even made one for me to eat while I made my daily quad shot white chocolate caramel latte.  I read the kids their devotions.  We prayed for the day.  I told the kids to start on their chores while I tried to catch up on my own devotions.

That's when everything fell apart.

The kids were not motivated to do their chores.  While my back was turned the house looked even worse!  The junk had babies of their own and multiplied.  There was trash, clothes, shoes, toys, DVDs, food -- you name it -- all over the place.  I didn't know where to start!  The bummer thing was I couldn't start, because if I didn't pay the bills RIGHT THEN I knew I was going to forget (because that has happened) and then be late and I can't afford that.

Your children while they clean their room:
1% cleaning
30% complaining
69% playing with stuff they just found 

I know I'm not the only mom who shut their eyes so tight and tried to keep the tears from welling up and spilling over.  

I'm not the only mom to feel overwhelmed and want to throw in the towel when it comes to cleaning with small children.

I'm not the only wife and mom who has felt shame wash over them when people stop by unexpectedly and they see your house how it normally looks 98% of the time.

Then a little person wraps his pudgy little arms around my leg and kisses me while saying I am beautiful and I feel a little bit better.

I do the best I can with the house until the kids go to bed.  Then I get the living room clean, maybe run the dishwasher, fold a load of laundry and then fall into bed and read until I can't keep my eyes open anymore.  I promise myself that I will try harder tomorrow.  

I can only do the best I can.  Some days most days my house is going to be a wreck.  I will still have my emotional days, my overwhelmed moments, my feelings of embarrassment when it comes to my home.  But I'm trying.  Raising children is hard work and I can only do the best I can and be happy with that.

While I type I have four little heads in my way watching me type.  They're hoping I will tell them a story about princesses, superheroes, dinosaurs, and monsters, and houses, and kids, and pillow men.  Their words!  They don't care about the mess.  They would rather live this way because it's too much work to put away toys.  But one day they will grow up. I can expect them to do more chores than just making their beds, picking up dirty clothes and toys, and putting dishes in the sink.

One day my life will get a little bit easier.  But that means my kids have to grow up.  I may have a clean house because my kids are older, but that means they're not small enough to climb into my lap and ask me to tell them a made up story.

And so...  I take a deep breath in... I slowly let the air out of my lungs... and I get back to work.  And I won't feel bad when I get interrupted by pudgy arms wrapping around my leg.

Goodnight, beautiful moms.

3 comments:

  1. Right there with you except I only have two little ones. My kids go play in the bedroom while I am cleaning up the living/dining/kitchen area. Within 5 minutes they have dumped out all their toys, pulled all the clothes out of the dresser, and irreparably mangled the bottom of the blinds as they climb up to see out the window. (My blind strings/pulls are tied up high so the kids don't get hurt it's only the slats that they can climb up and touch.) It takes a lot of time to put it all back together. The only time my house looks clean is when my kids are asleep and that's not deep cleaned that is just looking clean.

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  2. Gracie, I remember those days and I miss them. As you know mine are all grown up with families of their own. Just enjoy your days with them and what God has blessed you with. All too soon they will be gone and you will long for a toy cluttered house that right now makes you weary and embarrassed at times. These are the good days. Make sure they grow up to love God and His Word and want to serve Him. That is a job well done. Love you girl.

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  3. One day when we were visiting my in laws they boys were everywhere, I was tired they were a little crazy and my father saw these few words. One day they will be older. This is not forever. That has helped me on so many crazy days.

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