Life is a Mess

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.  -Phyllis Diller 

 

When people ask how school is going, I feel pride well up in my chest as I tell them how well we are doing!  Zoe is slowly learning how to read and Max is learning his ABC's as he cuts pictures and pastes them in his school book and tracing his numbers.   I'm just thankful they don't ask how the rest of my house is doing since school started...

When I read the above quote in one of my self help books I couldn't help but chuckle and share it with my fellow mommies on Facebook!  I feel so accomplished once I fold the last piece of laundry, and before I have a chance to put it away all the piles are destroyed because my minions think "it's funny."  Jesus help their little souls.  They can be little devils sometimes.

Paul and I were talking to another young couple with a child and we were talking about junk that a house can accumulate.  I told them that junk breeds like rabbits.  I firmly believe it.  We always have trash bags or boxes full of things that we donate to Salvation Army.  Sometimes I will drop off a full car load of junk, return home, just to see my house still messy, full of junk, and not organized in the slightest.  Talk about depressing.

Just last night I cleaned the living room after the kids went to bed.  But there's still a pile of laundry that needs to be (re)folded, toys piled in the corner that I were put away in the morning for fear of waking a sleeping baby, and shoes that line my couch since they can't be put away in the closet.  You can't see me, but I'm rolling my eyes at my own sarcasm. 

Before I got married I was a very organized person.  My closet was not only color coordinated, it was alphabetized.  Everything had its place, and nothing was out of place.  Once I got married, I threw all of my good habits out the window.  I was a free woman!  I could do whatever I wanted!  I didn't have to pick up if I didn't have to!  My husband felt the same way.  We were young kids that didn't worry much about responsibilities -- just having fun.  Almost 8 years and 4 kids later...I'm in big trouble.

I won't go into the embarrassing details, but I struggle with everything in my life from waking up early in the morning and exercising, to simply putting things away when I'm finished with them.  The kitchen sink is too far away so I let dishes pile up on the counter or table.  The laundry is too monotonous to fold and put away so I have clean piles and dirty piles.

What is wrong with me?!

I feel like I'm to the point in my life now (please, Jesus, let it be so!) where I'm sick of myself.  I'm sick of the laziness.  I'm sick of the mess.  I'm sick of the unorganized lifestyle.  I'm sick of the way I look and need to exercise regularly for Pete's sake!  I'm sick of it.  I need change. 

Today I made changes.  Tomorrow I will make more changes.  It's time to be a different person.  It's time to be someone I can be proud of.

Anyways...  This post went in a completely different direction than what I intended!  I was planning on posting some pictures and letting everyone know how we are doing!

Zoe has two soccer games a week so that has been keeping us pretty busy!  It's fun to watch her play with the other little kids on her team.  I will admit, though, that her daddy and I need to practice with her more!  When she's on the field she gets a little shy and doesn't kick the ball.  She needs to pay attention a little better and be aggressive.  B-E AGGRESSIVE.  I know it's only her first year so I'm not too stressed out about it.  It won't be long before Max is on the field too!  I know our little man is chomping at the bit to get out there.

We are into our 4th week of school and the kids are still doing great!  I am so proud of my hard little workers.  I can't wait to see what they grow up to be one day.  Until then, I enjoy teaching them their ABC's and 123's and watching them grow.

While Zoe and Max do their school I am potty training Titus.  I should have started with him a long time ago, but I didn't so I'm doing it now.  He is doing a great job!  I can't wait till he's fully potty trained and we only have to buy diapers for one kid!  I hardly know what that feels like!

Paul decided we needed to roast hot dogs and s'mores in the backyard the other night.  It was so nice to just sit around a fire and talk while the kids played on the jungle gym.  There is something about a warm, crackling fire that is so relaxing to me.  We don't have very many nice nights left so I want to have another fire soon.  It makes me wish we had a fireplace!  One day... :-)

The beginning of this post may be a little depressing, and if you feel that way I'm sorry, but I'm still going to post it because I am an honest person.  One day I will look back at older posts, and if I stumble upon this one I hope I can read it and have fond memories as I think back to this time in my life, and hopefully thank myself for the turning point I made to strive to be better.

One day I hope to be healthy and strong, someone who exercises regularly and eats healthy.  I hope to be organized and take care of a more tidy home.  I want my home to be my pride and joy because I have created a haven for the ones I love most.  I hope to be patient and soft spoken to my husband and my kids -- to really think before I speak so the only words that come out of my mouth bless instead of curse or rebuke others.  I hope to raise children who love God more than anything, or anyone, else.  I hope to raise my children to have grateful, giving hearts.  I don't want a lot in life...but the things I do want, I feel are very important.  Starting today, I will strive to make these hopes a reality.