Good new folks, I’m drinking coffee again! Things are brightening up around here! The last few weeks have been a bit of a re-entry to life. And the life around here flies by at a quick pace. Because meal times come just as fast whether you are ready for them or not. And the dirty laundry flows in whether you are turning it over or not. And other things happen all around the house with a speed that boggles the mind. I am just so glad to be finally getting up to pace again – I have gone so far as to make a menu plan and actually go to the grocery store. Never mind that I threw up in the parking lot afterwards, it was still a victory. I told my husband that I feel like I’ve been standing on the sides of the treadmill since early December, but the speed has not gone down. Finally, at long last, after having a little sip of coffee, I hop on. Turns out I am moving a lot too slow! Turns out that crashing spastically off the back end of the treadmill hurts a bit more that standing on the sides. It can’t be denied that it is funnier though.
I think that the last few times I have blogged about housekeeping, it was all towards being spiritual in the mess. I have posted pictures of desperate scenes taking place on my kitchen floor. I have urged myself and anyone who would listen to not get so wound up by messes. Take it easy. Let it go.
I can assure you that I have had many opportunities in the last several weeks to let it go. In some instances I have let it go so far that I began to fear that we had lost it altogether. There are a few unfortunate people who have come to my house lately, and most of them were sworn to secrecy before they got out of the front hall. Things have not been looking luscious around here, and that’s o.k., we’ve made it through alive. Some of the kiddos had colds, and what with the influx of easily reached kleenex boxes, Blaire has perfected her hamster-like nesting techniques with fluffy little shreds. Hands on learning we call it. Toothpaste has been blobbing more that normal. Life has just been really, really ,real around here, with the crumbs and all.
And so now I am past the letting it go, and onto the getting it back. I ricochet between being ok with walking on pb&j crusts and instituting very specific new plans for bathroom drawer management. It might be a little herky jerky, but we’re getting there.
I’ve got to say that I love a clean house! I love being on top of the laundry! I love with a deep love having a plan for dinner and actually making it. I love spending most of the day on my feet. I love knowing what the downstairs looks like. It’s the truth. Regular, real, boring, basic, repetitive life is the best!
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I know the feeling of liking a clean house, having the laundry all caught up — even ironing! It feeds us a sense of satisfaction. Hang on! Things will get much better. I enjoyed your post. It made me feel normal. 🙂
I totally hear ya! I am a month ahead of you (due in July with #5) and I am finally back to cleaning the house, doing school with the children, making bread, and making healthy meals – yes, I had let ALL of that go 😉 I too, had people swear up & down to keep my craziness of a house to themselves when they came to visit. I love your blog & I am happy you are starting to be able to do some things again. I know what it feels like! Wonderfully exhausting! 🙂 truly, I am most thankful of 2 things: that my husband does not mind a mess (less pressure) and that I am not sick during the heat of the summer, as I have been before :P, but can put my newly found energy into our garden! 🙂
Sounds VERY familiar. 🙂
Amen! …I will continue praying for you and your awesome little clan that I love to read about! P.S. your book arrived in the mail sometime last week, and I am loving it and encouraging all my mom pals to buy it!
I too am slowly coming out of a fog…I’m expecting #5 and due at the same time you are. God’s grace is sufficient! I’m thankful for a bit of energy now, Mac n’ Cheese in a pinch and an overall understanding little family. We’ll laugh about these times when we’re older and re-live all the madness with joy. Glad to hear you’re doing better!
That is the greatest post! Truly am laughing out loud. Thanks so much for being able to laugh at this stuff with us.
LOVE THIS!! So glad you’re feeling better! Making it through the first trimester is definitely accomplishment enough! I’ve been thinking today about a friend who always used to say that houses were meant to look lived in. I guess the more that live there, the more lived in it should look! 🙂 All the same, may God grant you the delight of getting it back like you like it! 🙂
I’ve had terrible morning sickness with all of my pregnancies and it is so hard to let go and realize it is okay to loosen the standards for awhile. It’s usually not until I’ve pushed through that I understand I should have allowed myself the break. 🙂
I’m having #5 in a week or two, and my sickness lasted longer this time than any of the previous ones. So, when I was coming out of it, and could finally stand to actually smell nail polish again, I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure, as a “getting through the morning sickness” present. 🙂 Now, months later, my house is a “cleaned-inside-and-behind-and-beneath-the-refrigerator” kind of clean, and we are ready to welcome the little man to this houseful of women (and my husband, of course!). Anyway, so glad you are feeling better–little by little! We can all sympathize!
I remind myself constantly of your encouragement not to learn to love a clean house less, but to learn to love the people who make the messes more. Quite a learning curve for a reforming task-oriented individual. My new year’s resolution this year was to clean house less and play in the park more. Yesterday morning, as the children were driving me and each other nuts, I dropped everything and threw ham and chips in the front seat and called them all to the car for an emergency park outing! Well worth the chaos we left behind that I was able to restore during the naps of the park zombies. Praise be to God!
Yay! Good for you! I’m nearing the end of my 1st trimester, with 5 children ages 1 through 6. Crazy times! But good days are happening little by little, and we’re getting through it. Thanks for such an encouraging post!
Even though I am not a mom, I can still understand that great feeling when the house is clean;-).
Your post has encouraged me very much. By the way, I love the color of those gorgeous flowers! Did you grow them?
Love the treadmill illustration, definitely have had that feeling. And yay for feeling better!
Dear Rachel, your honesty is precious, and funny! Those days are a distant fog to me, (and I never had twins). But, I know that your words are very encouraging to the moms who are in the thick of it right now, or not :0)
So glad you are back on your game!
Glad everything’s coming up roses again!
I’m so glad for you. I’ve been through everything you just described. Six times over.
Hey! I’m glad you’re “back among the living” as my mom and I say. 🙂 Have you ever tried licorice root (supplement) instead? it boosts your system.
A clean house is highly over-rated, right?
I am glad to know that toothpaste blobs are universal….I would be interested to hear your bathroom drawer management plan. I am always looking for a new one. LOL!
Thank you for your post! I am going through a rough first trimester where I feel like I can’t even get off the couch and my one year old has control over everything. I have been having a hard time letting go of the messes for now and realizing that this is a season and it to shall pass. Thank you!
I wish I could come scrub your house from top to bottom, and let you begin again completely fresh. Seeing as how I am 8 months pregnant and in a different state of the country, and am wishing someone could come do that for me…that will not be happening. Know that I am laughing and crying along with you though, friend.