Bright Lights

I realize this may be the only time my home is photographed clean for a while, so I thought I'd take a moment to share why I took these pictures and the story that led to them......

2009 started out like a scene from a horse race. Everyone at the starting gate, wiggling and waiting to hear that gun shot and the gates to open. The first Monday of the year was that gun shot. We had a whole lotta new coming our way. We got a new dog, which adds new puppy classes every week. Kaylee started public school, so that added meetings-clothes shopping-homework nights-and new friends peering over the back wall. She was also starting a new soccer team that week which demands 2 nights a week and a few hours on saturdays. Ella got a new online teacher and she had meetings and greetings with her. Dave quit one 'job' to pursue another, which changed our schedule and added to the chaos. And his basketball league was picking back up that week, which means extra practices and game day Sundays. etc etc etc.... You get the point. Its all good stuff, its just busy.

So with all this going on, all that I had done to organize and put our house in order during the break, was becoming undone. FAST! One soccer Tuesday, we all walked in the door @ 6:30, the laundry is washed and folded and ready to be put away ( which didn't happen before our new puppy decided it was the perfect pouncing grounds). Trash was full and the counters weren't even visable beneath the recycling. The dishes were piled up in the sink. My floor was sticky and crunchy. Homework was sprawled out over a crumbly crusty table cloth. The dog needed to be fed and walked. Dinner needed to be made. Chores were undone and Dave had a practice he was getting ready for. Eeeash. I sent everyone off with a task to complete. Mostly ,so I could clear the kitchen and get a moment to think.

I took a DEEP breath in to allow myself a pity moment with the Lord. Just a moment. No more. As I huffed out my 'not so cleansing breath', all I could think of was the tasks ahead of me that night. I asked God this, " Will I ever be DONE? Will I ever have a day where I dont have to clean, and nothing around the house needs to be done?".

My mind drifted away to a picture of my house where the floors weren't sticky,my fridge was free from all fingerprints, the sink was empty, the toilets had no ring or boy pee, and there was a fully grown ,fully trained, sleepy doggy in the corner of my clutter free family room ( the lines from the vacuum were still there!). It was beautiful. The thought relaxed me.

Suddenly, my bubble burst.

" When your house is clean, your children will have grown. Your floors will be clean, but your house will be empty. You will be willing to trade your mess for thier youth. Love God".

I was reintroduced to the vision of my perfect house, and I noticed what I hadn't seen the first time. Although my house was pristene, it WAS empty. The dog slept on the floor because there were no kids to play with. My sink was empty because no one was there to share dinner around the table.

My vision that was lit up by magic and hope the first time ,seemed so quiet and lacking now. It felt real, like I had missed everything that led up to that point. My frustration had melted off of me as Dave walked back in from the garage.

Everyone had reconviend back in the kitchen for more jobs. I looked each one of them and I realized I was missing the moment because of my focus on the situation around me. The mess wasn't important. The mess wont last.

This season is mearly a flash- You have a baby when you press the shutter button- the bright intense flash that you cannot see past- is your childs adolesense, and then the blur as your eyes adjust back to normal.... and its over. Ok so maybe its not THAT fast, but you see my point. While your in the flash, thats all you can see.

So, what did I do? I put a smile on my face... and a broom in a child's hand.

Another got a garbage bag, and someone else unloaded the dishwasher. Dave and I made dinner together as the radio blarred.

We did not forego the work, but rather we enjoyed the journey. It is still my responsibility to instill a work ethic into my kids, but there are no rules writtten that it has got to be frustrating and intense.

So, I guess what Im saying is this:Dont be so consumed in what you HAVE to get done, to miss the chance to get to do it with your family. It may never be like Susie Homemaker's house next door, but who cares? She is a crabby old bird who doesn't exchange Christmas cookies! Id rather have a sticky floor and smiling kids while I can!

All too soon Ill be adjusting my eyes from the flash....