An empty pizza box sits on the counter, along with school forms to be signed, an empty cup waiting to be washed and even a few leaves the kiddies brought home for me. The floor is adorned by school bags and dirty little shoes. Even the puppy has managed to make his mark with chew toys scattered here and there. There’s laundry to be put away and probably more to collect and wash. I vacuumed today, but didn’t put the vacuum away, though I had every intention of doing it.
There are days when I feel like trying to keep the house tidy is equivalent to trying to tame a three headed monster. I am tiny in comparison and feel like I will never conquer. This monster can often rob my joy and take away my peace.
But not today. Today I see the bigger picture. Today I see past the mess and realize that soon there won’t be school bags on the floor, but luggage ready to go on journeys. Soon I will long to see those messy little shoes walk through the door, but instead those shoes, now grown, will be travelling their own roads. Today, I will enjoy this unusual feeling of appreciating the chaos that is having three kids, two cats, a puppy, a husband and an overly creative personality. Because even my art supplies form one of the monster’s heads?
Trying to see the beauty in everything and feeling blessed even amongst the mess.
Se dentro il caos sei riuscita a tirare fuori questi bellissimi pensieri…allora evviva il caos..Ti abbraccio
Gio
Well said! As a full time teacher and mom to a 4 year old and a 5 year old, I often struggle with the same monster. I love how you put things into perspective!
Yes, take the time to appreciate and enjoy what is important! Although I have to say I have to clean my house today as I have company coming tomorrow, it’s about the only time the house ever gets a GOOD cleaning LOL! xp
Sometimes it’s so very hard to see the bigger picture when your looking through an mess like the one you described. Your so right though, and it’s good of us to remember it from time to time. Have a great day.
You are a very wise Mom. Blessings!
My chest is seizing up a little reading this. I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed by the mess lately, and every night as I kiss my sleeping girls before I go to bed myself, I find myself thinking, did I really play with them today? Did I really appreciate how sweet and good and beautiful they are today?? Sometimes that appreciation and balance and perspective comes so easily and sometimes it’s so, so hard to rise above the mess and see the bigger picture and appreciate the joys. I keep thinking I need to find a way to better balance it all so I don’t miss out on the happiness of having little ones, but I’m struggling with it right now. Obviously your post is driving this all home for me 🙂 It’s just nice sometimes to hear that you’re not in it alone, you know?
This is so true, Lucy. Before you know it those kiddies will be out the door and you will wonder when you blinked. xo Laura
so true.
So much truth Lucy! A good reminder that I need to give myself every day!
Love it. Here’s to full houses; full of people, full of love and full of messes. 😉
Very well said!! I often feel overwhelmed by the never ending mess and my kids are already on their way to finding their own road. They have grown up too fast…enjoy the mess, I will try to do the same.
love this, Lucy!!! Beautifully said!!!
Oh Lucy, I can totally relate! And at times it drives me crazy, but then I think the same thing, someday my babies will be all grown up and gone, and I will crave the messy floor, and toys scattered everywhere!!
Thank you for reminding us of what’s important!!
Have a lovely weekend!!
Sincerely,
Melinda
This post really hit home. Hugs. Thanks for the encouragement I needed. 🙂
Yes, enjoy every moment! As a mother of 5 biological, and stepmother of 2, who are all grown and gone, I have to say that being an Empty Nester is by far the most difficult stage of my life-even looking back at being a single mom many of those years. The silence and inactivity scream so loudly. Far worse than the phone ringing off the hook, as someone else rings the doorbell, and the neighbor kids arrive to hang out.
Today the kids are scattered around, one in Colorado, one in Oregon, one in Japan, one at college 3 hours away, 2 living and working 1.5 hours away, and one about 40 minutes away. The grandchildren, therefore are scattered, too; and I thank God for Facebook, to catch up daily! Only one grandchild lives nearby, and he filled my summer with his one year old antics, and learning to walk and talk.
So treasure your chaos. Love the insanity. You can always clean a mess later. You won’t get your moments with the kids back.