This is for my children. (I wrote this about a month ago, but due to techinical difficulities, am just posting it. My kids are out of school now, I am not doing much cleaning...)
Yesterday before the kids left for school, my son was saying family prayer for us. Part of his prayer was, "Bless us to have a good day at school, and bless that mom will do good at working out......" Now, this wasn't as bad as the time one of the kids said, "and bless mom to do whatever it is that she does." But, it did get me thinking.
Now, I love my husband dearly. I appreciate that he goes to work everyday for our family. I would not want his job, and I am pretty sure that, for the most part, he doesn't want mine. I have worked outside our home periodically throughout our marriage, and still do work for a few weeks a year as an Event Planner (actually I plan many events everyday, but I mean for pay!) I love my job as a Domestic Engineer! I feel blessed to get to do what I do. I am not one to complain about it, I think! I understand when my husband has to work late or long, I am just greatful he has a good job.
I will admit though that once in awhile, I feel a little underappreciated! Sometimes I think no one notices what I do during the day. So, I decided to document, for posterity sake!!
This is what I did yesterday!
Yesterday before the kids left for school, my son was saying family prayer for us. Part of his prayer was, "Bless us to have a good day at school, and bless that mom will do good at working out......" Now, this wasn't as bad as the time one of the kids said, "and bless mom to do whatever it is that she does." But, it did get me thinking.
Now, I love my husband dearly. I appreciate that he goes to work everyday for our family. I would not want his job, and I am pretty sure that, for the most part, he doesn't want mine. I have worked outside our home periodically throughout our marriage, and still do work for a few weeks a year as an Event Planner (actually I plan many events everyday, but I mean for pay!) I love my job as a Domestic Engineer! I feel blessed to get to do what I do. I am not one to complain about it, I think! I understand when my husband has to work late or long, I am just greatful he has a good job.
I will admit though that once in awhile, I feel a little underappreciated! Sometimes I think no one notices what I do during the day. So, I decided to document, for posterity sake!!
This is what I did yesterday!
I entered the house and took a look at the kids messy lockers. This picture doesn't do it justice.I continued through the house as my blood boiled a little. It was Monday, and I had spent the day Friday cleaning and organizing. Of course, the weekend ruined all that, and it was time for my normal Monday routine. Monday is cleaning and laundry day. I try to keep things up all week, but Monday I really use the elbow grease and scrub corners, wash windows, and wipe baseboards. It is the one day a week that I clean the kids rooms, otherwise it is their job. They have their ups and downs, times when they make their beds everyday, but lately we are in a slump.
When I got home from the gym and went to walk in the house, I had to step over and around the leftovers from the bazillion baseball games last weekend.
Yes, I did go to the gym. These are my spinning shoes. They help me peddle more effectively, as I sweat to death while I continue to try to burn off the fat cells around my belly (and other parts of my body) from carrying and birthing 3 children. I also have a few extra calories to burn from the sweet or two that I eat after making fresh cookies, cakes, and muddy buddies for my husband, children, and friends. So yes, I do go to the gym almost everyday!So, here are the before and afters. I should have taken a 3rd round of pictures at 8pm to demonstrate the destruction of my labors!
The family room may not look so bad to you. But, what's wrong with this picture? #1 Someone left some of the shutters closed. That make me feel like I live in a dungeon. #2 The entertainment center doors were left open. #3 There are blankets unfolded. The picture bellow is how I like it!
This is the kids bathroom. Do you see the scum on the shower doors! Yikes!! Anyone ever heard of a few sprays of Clean Shower before you step out? Also, there is a towel bar and when you use up the shampoo, can you throw it in the trash?
Under that sink on the right there is a bin. That bin is meant for my daughters makeup and brushes. And there is plenty of room in those drawers for her flat iron and hair dryer.
AHHHHH, that is more like it!
So my daughters bed isn't made and there is a wet towel on the floor. I didn't have the stomach to take a picture of the closet! WOW! Be careful opening the doors!
If only this could be how it looked everyday!
Now my youngest doesn't like to sleep alone, so we moved his bed into his brother's room. I can't decide if this just consolidates the mess or what. While it does drive me nuts that they pin random posters and pictures on the walls, I try to look past that. It is the stinky socks, wet towels, dirty underwear, "nut cups," and baseball cards everywhere that is my real problem.
This is better, although I must say that if they are going to share a room forever, I might need to break down and buy matching bedding!
OK, so my room wasn't much better. But here is the thing, when I leave stuff around, I am not expecting anyone else to pick it up! There is no assumption that I will come home in 7 hours to find everything perfect. And I do clean OUR room everyday (usually!)
I love a clean room! And you notice all the colors on all the walls in all these pictures, I painted them myself!
And all the laundry was folded, even the socks were matched!
Here is a before and after of the laundry room. You see those empty baskets in the picture below? Proof that everything was not only folded, but put away!
So, next time you say your prayers, pray that mom will be able to:scrub the toilets,
shine the floors,
restock your drawers,
match your socks,
wash your sheets,
fill the fridge,
pay the bills (yes dad makes the money, but I write the checks)
dust the shelves,
get the oil changed in the car,
plan your end of the year class party,
call the insurance company and argue a bill,
bring the trash cans in,
go pick up some school supplies you need,
take the car for a smog check,
make your dinner,
make dad some cookies (because he always needs a treat!)
buy ink for the printer,
pick up a birthday present for your friend's party,
go on your field trip,
paint a room,
help in the classroom with math centers,
pick up the dry cleaning,
pick up your prescription,
fix the hole in the drywall where you slammed the door against it,
make a dish to take to the teachers lounge,
do lunch duty at your school.........
Should I keep going?
I really do love my job and am not complaining. But next time anyone wonders what I do all day, read my blog!
And for anyone who didn't already guess, he is the one that inspired this post!
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