That is how I've been feeling this past weekend. I have so many projects started, needing attention, and ideas in my head that I don't know where to start. The problem is when I feel this way I begin to get short-tempered. The messes in my house seem to magnify and what was okay yesterday becomes completely unacceptable today. However this frustration does not motivate me to clean it up, but tends to leave me feeling hopeless and defeated. I try to explain it to my husband like this... I spend my days cleaning up all of the messes - it's part of my job, but when it isn't enough, I feel like I'm failing - that I'm a failure.
It's a bit of an overreaction.
And I know that I need to teach and allow my kids to help and to clean up after themselves, and they do...sometimes. And if anyone has any tips on how to teach my husband how to clean up after himself, I'd love to hear them.
So here is my fall list...
1) Finish our headboard - it has been built and in our garage waiting to be sanded and stained for several months now.
2)Yard work - we have lots of weeds in the flower beds, we are removing an old water feature area that is overgrown, expanding the garden, and then leaves and blasted gumballs.
3) Sort boxes and boxes of old papers.
4) Clean up the office space - also where I sew and I haven't been able to sew because of the mess.
5) Keep up with the produce from the garden - that means canning salsa and tomato sauce, and dealing with the cabbage.
Plus I know that Matt has his own project list...
The problem is that it seems that every time I focus on something "extra" the everyday falls apart. When I spend time working outside, the kitchen seems to get trashed with dishes piled up and the table buried under papers and junk. When the house is semi-in order the outside is being neglected. I'm sure some of you understand.
So now that I've whined enough, I'm going to take a cue from my blog name, "I Will Rejoice," I will adjust my attitude, and get busy. I will rejoice that we have a wonderful home and beautiful yard. I will rejoice that I have three fantastic children and a supportive husband. I will rejoice that I have a pile of dirty dishes in my kitchen because it means we had a delicious meal. I will rejoice when I'm buried in laundry because it means we are blessed with more clothing than we need. So that is my goal this week, to forget the frustrations and focus on the blessings. I hope you can do the same.
Very true. I read a line somewhere that said, it's not that I don't accomplish anything as a stay at home mom, it's that I accomplish the same five things, a million times a day. I make a meal, people get hungry. I change a diaper, a kid goes potty. I do a load of laundry, but people are still wearing clothes. I empty the dishwasher and people eat snacks. I just have to remember that those "people" are the three most important people in my world and my job right now is to care for their needs. And hopefully a few of my wants along the way.
ReplyDeleteSometimes Amanda I read your posts and I think you are in my head! I feel the same way about things around my house, especially when I focus on a "project" how the dailies seem to get out of control. I also tend to become less then pleasant to my family when these things start to get overwhelming. This time of year is the WORST! I am working on getting my classroom ready, getting Julia ready to go back to school, plus I always have a couple house projects that I put off all summer, and we throw a church end of summer Labor Day camping trip into the mix. I enjoy all (most) of the things we do but because its this perfect storm of busyness it makes me anxious and irritable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your joys and frustrations so honestly. It makes me feel less alone! You are in my prayers today!
That is exactly what I end up doing--and right now I am looking at the fact that we are to begin our school year, and my parents arrive Friday, so this pit needs to at least appear to be attempted! Thank you for reminding me to take a look at my heart attitude first and foremost. If it is not in line with where it should be, none of the tasks will be even a bit successful, and I will certainly not be inspiring my children and husband to want to jump in and help! You are correct--we are NOT failures, we are more than conquerors through Christ!
ReplyDeleteYou all are the best! Thanks for reading and thanks for your comments. Chris - what a great reminder. Thank you!
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