Last week a one of my closest friends from high school and Huntington Beach surprised me on my doorstep. We haven’t seen each other since my wedding day and have only recently been in touch through the blogging world. You can imagine my surprise when on a typical Thursday morning my doorbell rings and I opened the door to a face I haven’t seen in close to six in a half years…and her daughter!
My first reaction was total and complete shock. I was so excited to see her standing in front of me! Then complete horror set in!
It was 10:30 in the morning. I was showered, but that does not mean I was looking good. I had no make-up on and my hair was air-drying. With the AZ heat, that equals a hot frizzy mess. I was dressed, but that does not mean I had on a cute outfit. I was in shorts and a boring shirt from lets face it, a few years ago (there wasn’t much on the agenda that day, so what was the point?). I was at home, but that doesn’t mean the house was clean. There was a diaper next to the front door, toys scattered EVERYWHERE, Dax was running around with syrup on his face from breakfast, Wyatt was still in his pajamas waking up from a nap, the couch was pulled away from the wall because our home builders had been in the day before fixing the drywall, dishes were piling up, you could see mini hand prints all over the TV screen, dust bunnies along the baseboards, loads of laundry peeking out the door….the list goes on and on.
I could not have been more embarrassed to be visiting with my friend that I haven’t seen in all these years with me and my house looking the way we did.
We had a great visit and when she left, I kicked it into high gear. I needed the house to be back in tip-top shape. Who knew who would pop in next and I needed to be prepared! I am a firm believer that your house is a reflection of you. I stay pretty on top of my household chores. Laundry, dishes, toys picked up, floors swept; the basics. I try to have a clean house every night when Austin gets home, and if I can’t get it all finished, I just burn a candle and hope it smells like I was cleaning something.
This little visit got me to thinking….
So what if there is still food on the table from breakfast? Or if there are three spit up cloths on the floor because we went through so many making Wyatt laugh after he ate he couldn’t keep anything down? I want to be living, not cleaning! It reminded me of a quote….
I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.
That is exactly how I feel!
My first reaction was total and complete shock. I was so excited to see her standing in front of me! Then complete horror set in!
It was 10:30 in the morning. I was showered, but that does not mean I was looking good. I had no make-up on and my hair was air-drying. With the AZ heat, that equals a hot frizzy mess. I was dressed, but that does not mean I had on a cute outfit. I was in shorts and a boring shirt from lets face it, a few years ago (there wasn’t much on the agenda that day, so what was the point?). I was at home, but that doesn’t mean the house was clean. There was a diaper next to the front door, toys scattered EVERYWHERE, Dax was running around with syrup on his face from breakfast, Wyatt was still in his pajamas waking up from a nap, the couch was pulled away from the wall because our home builders had been in the day before fixing the drywall, dishes were piling up, you could see mini hand prints all over the TV screen, dust bunnies along the baseboards, loads of laundry peeking out the door….the list goes on and on.
I could not have been more embarrassed to be visiting with my friend that I haven’t seen in all these years with me and my house looking the way we did.
We had a great visit and when she left, I kicked it into high gear. I needed the house to be back in tip-top shape. Who knew who would pop in next and I needed to be prepared! I am a firm believer that your house is a reflection of you. I stay pretty on top of my household chores. Laundry, dishes, toys picked up, floors swept; the basics. I try to have a clean house every night when Austin gets home, and if I can’t get it all finished, I just burn a candle and hope it smells like I was cleaning something.
This little visit got me to thinking….
So what if there is still food on the table from breakfast? Or if there are three spit up cloths on the floor because we went through so many making Wyatt laugh after he ate he couldn’t keep anything down? I want to be living, not cleaning! It reminded me of a quote….
I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn.I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.
That is exactly how I feel!
I want everyone who comes to my messy house to know that I spent an hour on my hands and knees in the grass looking for lizards rather than folding laundry, or that I couldn’t stop playing peek a boo with Wyatt for 45 minutes to clean the bathroom because he was smiling the entire time, that the mess on the counter was from when Dax pulled the chair up to help me beat the eggs for breakfast and most of them sloshed out of the bowl, that there is no point in making my bed in the morning because when the garage door opens when Austin gets home that is where Dax hides from him, that the majority of the dust bunnies are there because Dax runs around with the Swiffer being a "helper", that we ran outside in the grass in our bare feet chasing bubbles rather than loading the dishwasher.
Yes, all those things around the house eventually need to get done, and somehow they do (and if they don't just remember the candle trick), but for the time being, I want to enjoy these moments with my children and be an active part of their lives. All those other things can wait.
So if you drop by, and it looks like a bomb went off, just remember, this is our crazy life and we love living every single second!
13 comments:
I LOVE this post Bryn. You are right. It is best to spend the time (because it is short) on the things that bring us the most joy, smiles and memories. Our house being cleaned to someone elses standards is not what makes us happy, gives us memories or makes our children feel more loved. WONDERFUL post...really! Thanks for pointing out the obvious in such an amazing way! It is a lesson I need to learn before October for sure!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!
Those are some great great pictures! You can just see the chemestry of your family . . . and I LOVE it. I just loved reading this post. Loved it. We do all seem to get caught up in having to make us "look" like the good mother some times (by cleaning, and baking, etc.) when really the good Mom is the one playing and laughing and making life wonder for our kids. And somehow, the other things really do get done at some point. It is true. You are a such a great mother and inspiration for me. I loved your quote too. I think I will be printing that one up so I can read it from time to time to remind myself of what is really important.
your house does sound like the perfect reflection of you!A wonderful mom and shame on Boo for not calling first! Oh I hate that! As much as it was a great visit I would have felt the same way. Shoot! I'm sitting here in my robe and cereal bowls are still on my table and my kids in pj's still! oh just give in to it!!! WE are all great moms
What a great post. YOu are such a great example! Its good to hear that your house wasnt perfect...ya know why? That just means you spend your quality time with your family! Less cleaning and more mommy-baby time. Thats how it should be!!!! You are doing such a great job at everything!! How awesome are all those darling pictures of your family! You can tell there's a lot of love and laughter with in your own home. Great post! Love you guys!
You guys are ADORABLE-fun pictures!So fun to have a surprise from a friend!
YEAH FOR YOU. I WROTE A POST A LITTLE SIMILAR TO THIS A WHILE BACK AND ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MOMS WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HER HOUSE WAS A MESS, THE LAUNDRY NOT DONE ETC.. AND THEN ASKED ME HOW I DO IT? I LAUGHED AND LAUGHED AND SAID, I DON'T. THIS IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT, AS ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS PLAYED ON OUR DRIVEWAY IN THE HOSE WATER. DISHES WILL WAIT, CLOTHES CAN PILE UP AND LET'S FACE IT... THE DUST BUNNIES ARE JUST A LOST CAUSE IN ARIZONA. IF SOMEONE IS YOUR TRUE FRIEND, THAT STUFF DOES NOT MATTER AND THEY WON'T EVEN NOTICE. BESIDES, ONE DAY YOU WILL HAVE THE CLEAN HOUSE AND THE KIDS WILL BE GONE... AND THEN, WHAT IS THE POINT RIGHT?
YEAH FOR BUBBLES INSTEAD OF FOLDED LAUNDRY AND FOR SLOSHED EGGS INSTEAD OF PERFECT COUNTERS!!
P.S. PUDGIE TOOK A MAGIC MARKER TO ONE OF MY KITCHEN WALLS TODAY. AT FIRST I WAS TRYING TO STOP MY HEAD FROM SPINNING IN ANGER AND THEN HE STARTED CLAPPING AND SAYING "MA MA YEAH, BOO!" AND THAT MARKER IS STILL ON THE WALL. I CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO PAINT OVER IT!~ JUST COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES AND REALITY!
I LOVE THIS POST!
Bryn, I agree with what you said and everyone else!! I am not the perfect house cleaner, but I think that my kids are happy! If there was ever a person that likes a clean house it would be me, but on a daily basis I have to choose between the perfect clean house and my children. Thanks for you blog. And the pictures are adorable!1
That's a good post Bryn. A clean house is nice and all, but it doesn't, and shouldn't have to be that way all the time. Sometimes those kids just need mom to play all day. Heck, sometimes mom just needs to play all day.
So so true Bryn. I love the picture of Dax grabbing Austin's nose.
And nobody judges your house like you judge it yourself. I never notice anyone else's mess. But those dust bunnies in my house taunt me endlessly until I finally dust them away.
You're such a fun mom looking for lizards. Gross!
That's such a true post...If only I could get Todd to believe it! =) Thanks for the reminder that there are always more important things than having a clean house when guests arrive. Our kids won't remember that the dust bunnies were gone, but they will remember the fun they have with mom and dad.
That's a good post Brynn and so true. I need to remind myself of that more often.
Sorry I posted that last comment under my mom's blog
Thanks for this inspiring post reminding me that my kids will probably not probably remember if there was toothpaste smudged on the bathroom counter, but they will remember the time we spend together playing! Off to look for lizards in the grass... :)
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