Keep In Mind…

As I cleaned my kitchen this morning after everyone was off to school and work, taking advantage of that fresh morning burst of energy I’m experiencing in my second trimester, I couldn’t help but think….

These clean pots will sit in the right side of my double sink (the right side is for clean pots in the process of drying, the left is for dirty dishes and washing… duh!) probably until it’s time for me to use them again, in a few hours or so. Sure, I would love to have my stainless steel sink empty and shiny and gleaming with pride just in case anyone decided to visit, by some miracle, but the reality is that people live here, in this house. So, the reality of this lived-in kitchen is that, that will most likely not occur… ever, and that’s ok.

For anyone ever considering coming into my home, keep in mind that this house is lived in. Sure, I would love to have a spotless stainless steel fridge, but several hands open and close that fridge several times on a daily basis as they seek out nourishment, including mine. I do clean it (because God knows it would look MUCH, MUCH worse!), but little fingerprints and random smudges will always find their way onto that stainless steel surface because…. this house is lived in.

Sure, I would love to have my bathroom sink shinning a magnificent glow of sparkling white perfection, but keep in mind that this house is lived in. I clean that beautiful white sink every morning, but there will always be dirty hands that need washing several times throughout the day, most likely resulting in little drops of water or soap here and there, a smudge maybe. All because… this house is lived in.

Sure, I would love a perfectly tidy laundry room, but the reality is that this house is lived in so, expect my laundry closet to look used… because it does get used… a lot…. EVERYDAY! I wipe off the surface of those hardworking machines regularly, but keep in mind that they will most likely have laundry draped, thrown, or folded on top. There may be some type of detergent spill or drip or drop on top of one of those majestic machines… because well, I wash with detergent EVERYDAY! The point here is that I wash… EVERYDAY… because this house is lived in.

Sure, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE squeaky clean, beautiful, shiny floors that I can walk barefoot over without EVER feeling a single crumb or particle of dirt, but the reality is that there are several feet that I adore that walk up and down, in and out of this house constantly. They run and play through this house; they jump, flip, and fight in this house. And I’m thankful for every single day those feet are blessed to return to walk through this house and it’s floor. This house is lived in.

So, if you ever decide to pay our home a visit, keep in mind that this house is lived in. It does get cleaned, but it is lived in… and that’s perfectly ok.