It has been while since I posted, so I wanted to check into my cyber world and let you all know all is well. I am working on a few posts, mostly writing in my head and then forgetting them, but they are there somewhere.
When I say cleaned out the playroom I mean REALLY cleaned it out. Three bags to the trash, two loads to donate, one load to the consignment store. We ended up with about 1/10th the stuff and it feels SOOOO good. I don't post photos of my house much, mostly because I am not a very good photographer, but also because although my house is generally clean, I am the queen of piles. Since I am not big into image crafting, I would rather you not see the pile of books I need to research, and the Christmas cards I need to address etc, and the movies I borrowed and need to return etc… But this is a huge change for me and it is already cleaned so it is post worthy. Now that I see the photo in the blog I notice that I really should have run the vacuum because those puzzle pieces are flaking off… but ignore the little stuff on the carpet. I will vacuum right before my Godson comes over tonight lest those mini-pieces get put right into his mouth...
When we go though things together, with hopes of de-cluttering, it is always MY stuff that is problematic, and I am always defensive. Sometimes, if I have kept something for a while (like the roman blinds I still haven't actually made, but cut out and got prepped to make for a window in my old house), I think that I have to continue to hold on to it until I actually use it. Otherwise I have to accept that it was dumb to move it from one house to another (which of course it was dumb). So I guess there is some pride element there I need to work thought.
But the playroom thing was easy. It wasn't my stuff, and I had a friend help me. She used to work in a consignment store so I trusted her "toss", "keep", "donate", "give to cousins", or "sell piles". I also didn't get mad when she harassed me for having broken toys and the like saved for so long because she was doing ME a favor and she was right. It was a lot of JUNK! It took 6 hours (with both of us working) but we got it done and it is great now!
The kids are fine. Great actually. Anna has taken a recent liking to puzzles (maybe because she can now find them) and is fighting sleep (a post in the making there) so we take the good with the bad.
They loved the playroom when I was done and I gave the boys each $5 from the stuff I sold at the consignment store. The girls got a little stuffed animal from my trade money and I still ended up with some green in my wallet. The kids wanted to know why they didn't get ALL the money since it was all their stuff. I told them that next time if THEY do the work, they will get all the cash. We will see if that works.
The school semester is gearing up for an end and it is always challenging to write during the breaks but Santa MAY bring me a laptop this year to help with my computer access and blogging. I have been MOSTLY good in the ways that count and when I am not I do try to make up for it. Like a few nights ago... after I had a Bad Mommy Moment during bedtime reading:
Me- I am sorry I am really hard on you at times.
Gracie- That's okay mamma.
Me- I know you are really really well behaved almost all the time, and I just expect that you will always be like that. When you aren't, I just snap… I know that isn't fair. Am I perfect honey?
Gracie- No
Me- Are you perfect?
Gracie- No. Only God is perfect.
Me - That's right. But do we love each other anyway, even though we aren't perfect?
Gracie- (big hug) Yes mamma.
I feel some days like the biggest lesson I am learning during this stage in parenting is how to live with my imperfections while still striving each day to BE (and do) better. I pray you all are BEING better each day and learning to love your perfection found in your everyday imperfections. Because after all, if we were perfect we wouldn't need Him!
Thanks for stopping by!
