Thankful
One of the things I’m truly thankful for as I sit looking around at all the clutter that I’ve been meaning to get to this last week, is my very down to earth, understanding Mother in law.
We leave tomorrow afternoon to pick her up. I’m so thankful that a clean kitchen (check), clean linen (check), and a clean bathroom (on list for tomorrow) are really all she expects.
She remembers what it’s like with a toddler/small boy, she raised 2.
She gets that stuff piles up in your life and until you have a large chunk of time to devote to weeding through and trowing things out, it just sits there waiting and collecting more stuff.
I’m really thankful knowing that while she is here, she will help with the day to day keeping of the house so that I can do the weeding out.
I’m just really thankful for my Mother in Law.
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Hello again
It’s been awhile, I know, I’m sorry.
May was a crazy month, add a little bit of depression to that and well, that’s just the way it goes.
I spent most of May doped up on allergy medication. I was on 5, count them FIVE, different allergy meds just to be able to breathe. Not fun.
Also in May, my baby brother (who is now 31 and possible not wanting to be called baby brother anymore) graduated medical school and earned the title Captain Bingham with the Army all in the same day. Since we only live about 7 hours away we of course were there to see it in person. So glad I went. Mom and Dad live on the other side of the country and mom’s health is such that they were unable to come. I’m glad we could.
We rented a condo outside of DC for a LOT less than we could have gotten a hotel and stayed a full week, sight-seeing and running around. It was a very nice vacation and I wasn’t allergic to anything down there so I was able to come off my meds. YEAH! Haven’t had to go back on them since we’ve been home either, but Hubby has. Whatever I was allergic to left and now it’s his turn I guess.
I’m now trying to get back into my schedule and take back my house that got out of control while I was drugged. So far, I’ve reclaimed the kitchen and my sewing/prayer/den room. Next is the toyroom/TV room and then I’ll tackle the mounds of clothes to donate piled around our bedroom.
It never ends.
Sippy Cups and Dirty Dishes
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I have a sink full of dirty dishes and furthermore, I have no clean sippy cups in the house. I’m fairly certain that under all the trash, toys, coats, hoodies, and other miscellaneous detritus out in the car there are no less than 5 of them, all dirty and forgotten. I had to hand wash one for milk this morning.
Another confession, although I am a morning person, I like my mornings to do some reading, thinking, writing and such, not making breakfast, cleaning dishes or any of that other domestic diva stuff. So, when The Boy gets up with the sun, I give him some carnation instant breakfast (honest I tried the whole make a hot breakfast for him, he’s not a food-in-the-morning kid, neither is his dad) so, instant breakfast it is and I plop him in front of the T.V. with the Mythbusters/Dora/Diego/Backyardagians of his choice and go and finish what I was working on.
He’s currently in there with his sippy cup of white milk (his choice) and a sippy cup from yesterday (honest) with juice and watching Mythbusters Duct Tape Special. I for-see and afternoon spent recreating all the duct tape shenanigans with his toys. See, he’s learning, yeah, that’s it, he’s learning in there, not mindlessly being entertained. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it… now for another cup of coffee and where did I leave my Bible?
Trying to Recycle
The big bag of recyclable plastic is taken out and put on the curb on garbage day to be picked up. The thing that annoys me about the whole process is that the pick up is so inconsistent.
One week, the garbage guys will put a sticker on that says “contains recyclables” (duh, it’s a bag of plastic) but because there is now that bright orange sticker on the bag the recycle guys assume it’s a bag of garbage that hasn’t been sorted properly and they won’t take it either. So we wait until the next week, peel off the sticker and try again.
Or take last week. Garbage pail with bags of garbage, one recycle bag off to the side. Recycling comes by and leaves the bag, garbage truck comes by, takes the garbage and the clear plastic bag full of plastic recyclables.
I give up! I can’t figure them out, but at least I know we are doing what we are supposed to be doing even if it does mean extra clutter in my pantry.
When Mommy is Sick
I was out with a friend on Thursday when I had to cut out outing short and take her home. It was all I could do then to drive home and collapse on the couch. Sore throat, fever, aches, chills, plugged up nose. All sorts of fun. Thankfully, Hubby works from home so he was able for the most part to help with The Boy and the dog. Getting The Boy something to drink and setting him up in the T.V./Play room and instructing him to go to daddy if he needed anything, mommy comatose on the couch, able to respond in case The Boy tried to burn the house down but pretty much ignoring anything short of that.
For two days, I’ve been sick. The house is going to take me a week to get back under control. I have two days I spend cleaning, Mondays and Fridays. The other days get a general, keep it from overwhelming me pick up and the kitchen is kept clean, as they are very busy. Especially on Wednesday, I’m out of the house more than I’m in it. So for me to have missed one of my major cleaning days and the kitchen getting only Hubbys version of cleaned, I have a wonderful “Yeah I feel better, now to get busy” Day waiting for me.
I’m praying I’m better by Monday so that I don’t go into my Tues-Wed-Thurs rush without getting all this back under control. Right now, mommy is still sick, and I think I’ve been upright about as long as I can manage this morning and it’s time to go crash on the couch. Thank God for instant watch Netflix and a smart 3-soon-to-be-4 year-old who can at least start the next episode playing.
Pets Make a House a Home
We had 3 cats before we had The Boy. They were all indoor and one, I’m not sure which one, was not happy about the addition of The Boy. I gave them a few months to try to settle down and adapt, however, the morning I came downstairs and was smacked in the face with the smell of cat urine and saw that The Boys books had been pulled off the shelf and peed on… All three became instant outside cats.
I found a home for Indy, he was a very people person cat so I was really happy to find someone with a 3 seasons room that wanted him for an only cat. That left two. They were all happy about being outside and we have a walled in small landing porch upstairs on the back of the house so they had a nice cozy place we fixed up for them to get out of the weather.
Then, last Saturday, my hubby went to let the dog out the back door and found my baby, the cat I saw be born, the one I had for 13 years, dead on the back porch. He was 13, part maine coon, 35 pounds, diabetic, and my first baby. I’m still having some trouble coping.
Honeybear became very lonely and started standing at the windows meowing and would come running up and meow his little head off anytime we went outside. Almost like he was trying to tell us, “Hey, my friends gone and I’m all alone now!” So we went and bought a litter box, litter, treats, and cat nip. Yes, I know cat nip is a drug, I want a happy cat, for a while he needs antidepressants, cat nip works.
However, it is becoming quite clear that while he will use the box for urine, we haven’t found any poo in it yet. Nor have we figured out where in the house he might be doing that. Hubby has a pretty good sniffer and he hasn’t been able to smell anything. The cat did go outside for a while yesterday, but not today.
I really hope I don’t have to throw this cat outside again. I’ve come to love having him purring away on my feet as I do my morning Bible Study.
Morgan and Honeybear seem to be coming to terms with sharing the house. Actually, the anxiety is all on the cats part, Morgan couldn’t care less what the cat does or where he goes. She’s just laid back like that. Honeybear is fascinated with the rat, can’t imagine why, thankfully the rat lives in The Boys room and that door is usually closed so we don’t have to worry about the cat “liberating” the rat.
All in all I like having animals in the house. I have lived without and I don’t like it.
However, do you think it’s possible to train one of them, I don’t really care which one, but one of them to vacuum up all the pet hair that tends to collect along the walls?
I Hate Housework
I like the thought of everything has a place and everything is in it’s place.
What I don’t like is the never-ending cleaning and picking up that is involved in the practical application of those ideas. I hate cleaning. I’d much rather sit down with my nose in a book and ignore the chaos around me. But, that’s not right, that’s not balance and ultimately, that’s not God’s plan for my home.
I just recently finished with reading the book of Proverbs with my church. We all know the Proverbs 31 women. Many studies and books have been written on her. I’ve grown to extremely dislike her, I really want to use the “H” word but can’t bring myself to use that word in relation to a Biblical figure.
Proverbs 31:10-31 (The Message)
10 A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.
11 Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. We all like to quote these two but don’t really like to go on to see why they are true. That’s when it gets hard. But let us venture forth.
12 Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. Okay, I get this one, I am not a spiteful woman in general and feel I live up to this one most of the time…
13 She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. Another one for me, I LOVE to shop for yarns and cloths, I’m an avid knitter and crotchet and quilter. Love these crafts. Yeah, God is giving me the go ahead on something I like to do anyway, that’s not hard to follow. Let’s see what else we got here….
14 She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises. Hey, more shopping, yeah…wait who are the surprises supposed to be for…
15 She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day. While I’ve not always been this woman, I did recently ask God to help me get up earlier to be able to spend time with Him. He has, 4-5 am I am waking up and getting up. I do find my whole day goes better when I do this. Today, I slept in and I have been feeling like I’m playing catch up all day. There may be something to this Proverbs woman!
16 She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden. I am planning a garden this year, but not with money I’ve put aside, I’m taking it from our regular family budget with hubbies help.
17 First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. Do sweat pants and a T-shirt count?
18 She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. Okay, here’s where they lose me. I do not sense the worth of this housework thing, and I can hardly wait until we put The Boy to bed and hubby and I get to sit down and spend time together.
19 She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. I tend to be hit or miss in the homemaking department, remember my opening paragraph?
21 She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. Does buying new count?
22 She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks. I CAN make my own clothing and do sometimes, but my standard uniform is afore-mentioned sweats and a T-shirt.
23 Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers. Not really sure how this is her doing, but I do try to keep The Boy away from hubby as he tries to work from home in his office upstairs. Of course, right now, as I type this, The Boy is currently up in said office with his Daddy. I did try to remove him but Daddy is okay with it for now and says to let it be….
24 She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops. I do have a desire to do this with my quilts. I have made one original design and made it for my sister-in-law for Christmas last year..
25 Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile. Again with the nice clothes, I’m starting to think I need a wardrobe make over and that my sweats and T-shirt are not appropriate…. The attitude adjustment is an ongoing thing, I don’t always face Today with a smile, don’t even get me started on Tomorrow!
26 When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. This one God has been working on me with. The old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, SHUT UP” or something like that.
27 She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. I actually tend to take the attitude of “Just stay out of my hair and keep the noise to a dull roar” and leave everyone to their own devises.
28 Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: I don’t think a 4-year-old is capable of respect or blessing, it’s all about him. Hubby is all the time telling how blessed he feels to have me as a wife, clearly he has low expectations. Thank You God!
29 “Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all!”
30 Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. This is I think the main point of the whole proverb. And as I feel called to ministry (link to Worship Warrior) I am concentrating on fulfilling all that God has called me to in preparing for that. It’s the balance with the housewife/mother role that I am trying desperately to find.
31 Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises! Another one we all try to quote at our husbands without making sure we fulfil the ones in between.
I have a long way to go on this journey of homemaker. I am reluctantly taking the journey. Seeking a balance in all things. As I type this, I have laundry sitting waiting to be folded, some in the washer and some in the dryer and one more load on the floor waiting to be started. However, dinner is in the oven, the morning dishes are done and I have had my private time with The Lord. My child isn’t dressed, but that is his choice, he prefers to run around in his boxers and a t-shirt and if I put clothes on him he’d just take them off and I’d have even more unnecessary laundry to do.
He does keep clothes on if we are out of the house.
So I pick my battles.
involuntaryhousewife 