Some days my house looks surprisingly similar to the last page of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”
If you looked around my house at this moment, you would see a kitchen cabinet pulled out (because I was in the middle of cleaning it).
A glance out the sliding glass window would reveal three children outside soaking themselves with the hose (they asked, and I realized summer would be over soon!). Which, by the way, started because of hosing down a cute table that was bought at a thrift store for $2 (How could I pass that up!? I didn’t). It had been waiting in the garage to be cleaned.
Oh, and the baby excer-saucer that we also pulled out to hose down while we were at it.
In the back of the yard, you would see another table (another amazing $2 table!) sitting in the sun, drying from its sanding and painting adventure earlier today.
Other bits of interest accumulating around us are today’s mail, some items from the garage waiting to go upstairs, the dishes sitting on the counter waiting to be re-arranged because of the afore mentioned cabinet issue, and the dining table with a toddler eating a cookie and sliced apples.
Surrounding him, are stacks of homeschool books and coloring pages from the morning, as well as trays of “animal habitats” made by my children on trays of small animal toys of rocks, twigs, and dried beans.
Yes, there are more children. I am glad that you asked.
That sound is the sound of my daughter yelling for me to come help her wash her hair (she decided she was done with the outside “shower”).
And the baby is taking a nap in my room (yep, sleeping).
It all does sound a bit crazy, but you know, if I take a step back (mentally, so I don’t trip) and take a moment to notice and think on all the life that has happened here today, it is beautiful. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Oh.
And the family room is strewn with dress up clothes along with an abandoned game of Candy Land on the floor.
Still need to make dinner.
It is not that we won’t tidy up and instead just revel in our mess. Not at all. We will tidy up.
It is not that there aren’t a few habits we could learn. We could. We will. There are ever toddlers and littles here (and me). There is ever learning and training here.
But, if we are in the spirit of gratitude, gratitude to the One who gives life, gratitude to the One who gave me these lives to tend,
Instead of grumbling,
Our sleeves will be rolled up with joy.