Twelve Loads

Yeah, OK, after yesterday's late night rambling about not cleaning the kids' rooms and leaving the dining room table buried under a mountain of miscellaneos things that need sorting- I ignore myself this morning and attack Max's room with a broom, a garbage bag, a damp cloth, a laundry hamper and a box. In the end, I needed 2 large green garbage bags, 2 boxes (for things going to goodwill) and 6 laundry hampers because I couldn't figure out his filing system. (About 1/5 of his clothes were on the shelves of his closet, but they weren't folded or particularly clean looking. 3/5 were on the floor of his closet, under or on his bed, and under or on (and even in!) his desk. The remaining 1/5 were just simply taking up all the other floor space his bedroom had.)
I've spent the day washing every article of clothing that he owns.

The dirt. It has been purged. It took me close to 4 hours to "do" his room. Every shelf, every drawer, every corner of his personal, private, living space has been dealt with.

I've been doing laundry non-stop since noon. My dryer has not been off for more than the 30 seconds that it takes to trade loads.

I was just starting in on Drew's room when the kids got back from SunPeaks, bringing with them vitality, fresh air, laughter and more laundry. Two overnight bags and one suitcase full. And of course the clothes they brought home were their new ones from Christmas. Their favorite ones. The ones they want washed first.

I'm not the only one bit by this cleaning bug. Krissy and Heather have blogged about their efforts, complete with photos. (I would have loved to have done before and after pics too, but last year my kids asked me to stop posting pix of their messy rooms. Not that they were embarassed. They were just annoyed.

After he had been home for 12 minutes, Drew needed to see his grandparents and cousin. I made him stay in my company for a few hours before I drove him over there. He will stay for night getting no sleep but feeling loved.

Tomorrow after church, I'm driving Max up to Stillwood Camp (one hour east) for their summer reunion. Then over to my mom's to pick up Drew (one hour west). Then he and I will head into Vancouver (another hour west) to watch the Canuck's host Bertuzzi's new team.

So, it's back to having someone other than myself dictate how my days will be spent.

I had coffee this week with a young mom (she's 20 and her son is 11 weeks). "I can't belive how much time it takes to look after him. I never have even 10 minutes to myself anymore."

Welcome to the mom club, sista. Their needs (and wants) come first. Always.

'K. Times up. Gotta get back upstairs. Three more loads to go before I can sleep. (This is what happens when the last load you washed was on Dec 20. Oy. Christmas break is so over.)

Three things I'm thankful for:
1.The sounds in my house right now. Washer on rinse cycle, dryer drying and Clint and Max visiting.
2. That Drew still likes overnighters at Bups and Nan's place. That Bups and Nan still like having him over. I love that he keeps on chalking up good memories of the farm.
3. That Vanessa has peace about not going to Guatamalla.

Shalom,