I still have a TON of work to do for the mister's company. I'm still incredibly grateful for it.
My house, on the other hand, is not grateful for it.
I have the basics covered: kids are fed and relatively happy, meals are made on time and not ordered from a drive thru, the laundry basics are done (though Mt. Washmore is looking more and more like a pimple compared to the current pile I need to address), and the kitchens remains under control (a shock to all of us, believe me).
What is funny to me about me is that I tend to gear straight towards a solution when a problem arises. My son's autism diagnosis was met with me parked in front of the computer, tearing through information and anecdotes, chat rooms and doctors' listings, therapy forums and at-home options to exhaust myself in how to help my son.
When the husband and I fight (so blissfully rare!), I focus directly on resolving the issue.
When work for the husband's office needs doing, I immediately carve out time to do it.
When our budget needs adjusting, I cut out non-essentials without a second thought.
When the kids are angry, hurt, or fighting, we fix the problem right away.
But when my house needs to be cleaned, I magically think of a million other tedious non-issues that need my immediate attention:
"I'm sorry, I can't fold the mountain of laundry that has consumed our couch because I need to devise a grocery list!"
"I can't organize my eyesore of a sewing desk when the kids' books need to be shelved in a more pleasing manner! I can't, I tell you!"
"The kitchen is a post-apocalyptic scene of destruction and disarray? I'd better make cookies in the midst of it all!"
"The whole house screams to be purged and organized! I'd better hurry to Target and buy back-to-school supplies right away!"
Alas, today I will work to overcome those urges and create a space that will greatly minimize the stress that is slowly squeezing my brain into utter paralysis.
In the mean time:
Story of my life as a domestic engineer.
So, thanks for helping me justify the bike ride I just took and the quilt top that I made. The house can wait! (can't it?)
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