let it go!

super clean kitchen! (BK - before kid)

If you know me, you know I have a type A personality.  I like to get things done.  I’m pretty driven and focused.  I like to be organized and generally neat (my husband is says I’m not organized but that’s because he organizes differently than me).  I like having my house ready for company.  I like it when the dishes are put away and the floor is vacuumed with no dog hair and the laundry is all folded and neatly put away.

Everyone tells you your house will be messier when you have kids.  I’m here to tell you it’s true. 

These days there are often dishes in my beautiful deep kitchen sink we had redone when we moved into our house.  There is fur in the corner because I did not get to vacuum on an almost daily basis (seriously, if you knew Blitz you would understand!  It’s kind of ridiculous.  You can pet him and he will shed even in the winter.  We thought maybe it was just summer when it was hot.  No.  Year round shedding even when I “de-furminate” him a couple times a week.  I could really write an entire blog just about Blitz and his fur.)

As I wrote in my last post about laundry, I used to put it away right away and now I dump it on the bed and sometimes it lives there for a few days before I need something and dig through the pile and finish putting it away.

Sometimes I get annoyed with myself and think I’m getting lazy or I’m falling behind.  I beat myself up for not being organized.

Then I remember, in the end nobody cares!  No one who comes over cares that I have dishes in my sink.  My salvation does not depend on whether or not my laundry gets put away.  I can just shut the door on that room when I don’t want to see it myself.  What matters is that I spent time with my family and played with my daughter, went on a date with my husband.  It matters that I had those friends over and they enjoyed fellowship (and the homemade ice cream or homemade pizza or other homemade creation I made for dinner).  It matters that I got steps and made healthy choices and tried to be a good example to my family, friends and patients.

Norah helping with recycling

Regardless of whether you have kids or not, in the end, it really comes down to priorities.  There are 24 hours in a day for everyone.  Some people can get it all done from cleaning the entire house, sanitizing everything, cooking, exercising every day, volunteering at church, and hanging out with family.  Good for you!  (Maybe share your secret with me in the comments!)  But then there are newer moms like me that don’t have it all together.  I say “let it go!”  Like the Frozen song I often sing (and my daughter is only about 8 months old, I just like animated features myself ha!).  Obviously, I eventually have to get the dishes into the dishwasher and put the laundry away, but I don’t need to obsess over it or worry about it if my daughter needs something or I have people over.  Live in the moment… and remember it's okay to let it go sometimes!

- run for life