(Not) The best housekeeper

     Truth is, I am not the best housekeeper (insert picture of me hanging my head in shame). I am actually very picky, and even when most people think a house is clean, I still don't. You think that would make me a good housekeeper, but not so much.
     Laundry for six is a never ending story and I honestly never even have the goal of having every bit of laundry in the house completed. I am happy if I have only one basket of non-overflowing dirty laundry. Some weeks are better than others, and the dirty pile doesn't get too overwhelming anymore, but the clean pile...Oh! The Clean Pile!! (Insert cringe). I have a bench in the living room (we don't have a laundry room, only a laundry spot) and 6 out of 7 days of the week, it is piled with clean laundry. My mother is always amazed that my family isn't dressed in wrinkly clothing, since we oftentimes grab stuff straight from the "laundry buffet." Confession: about three times in my life, laundry has gotten so bad that I just loaded it all up and took it to the laundry mat. It was shameful, but felt amazing to come home with ALL clean laundry.
Sweeping and mopping...well, we have tile throughout the house, except in the bedrooms. I am thankful because at least when the floor is clean, it's clean. I hate how carpet just holds on to stuff and the padding under the carpet...eek! But, actually cleaning the tile, is such a chore. I'd rather talk about it (or blog about it) rather than do it).
Dusting...what's that? Windows? Rarely. I do like to give the bathroom a good scrub, but we also have four guys in our home. Even my car is usually a mess.
     My point in all this, is to say, I don't like being a bad housekeeper. I hope to always improve, at least just a little at a time, but it's far from being my forte. It makes me feel bad about myself because I'm a stay at home wife and mother, and all of us are supposed to be great at keeping the house in top-notch condition, yes? Well, I'm not great and it just makes me feel bad.
    I wish I had a list I could keep up with. A schedule to follow.  I also wish I was much better at implementing and enforcing REGULAR (regular being the key word here) chores for my children to do. I do have them do certain things, but after they have spent a day at school, the guilt sets in when I ask them to do something besides homework. In all honesty, I believe NOT having them help, is failing them. The goal of being a parent is not to always be there to baby our children. The goal is to teach them to be able to be responsible adults. If we don't teach our children how and when and the importance of doing chores, being helpful, and working together as a family, we are really failing at what I believe is one of our main jobs as parents.
    I do believe that we all have talents and are gifted in different areas. There are areas we all have that we excel in...and areas we fail in.  Knowing that housekeeping is an area I struggle in, though, I don't believe it gives me a free pass to not work on improving in this area. I have also decide that rather than feel bad about myself, it is better to take this concern to God and ask Him to help me work on this area of my life. I find comfort in knowing that I don't have to have a perfect house, but I do have to make an effort. I also find joy in knowing that it's okay to love on and enjoy my kids, rather than stress about everything being perfectly in place.
     I am So blessed to have a family that needs picking up after. I am so blessed to have a home that needs tending to. I am beyond blessed to have a God that accepts me just as I am, imperfect housekeeper and all. :)