Tag Archives: cleaning

hello march

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hello-marchimage source

{what?  march already?  no way.}

have i mentioned that this is shaping up to be one crazy month?

hubby is taking his series 7.  elinor has a 4 month checkup.

{what?  i have a four-month old already?  no way.}

a birthday celebration.  st. patrick’s day.  a wedding shower.

woah.

i don’t know why this always happens to me.  february comes to a close and i have a mild freak-out that march has arrived.  mostly, it is a happy freak out.  like…hurray, spring is around the corner!  but it also contains a hint of panic and melancholy.  like…wait, i’m not ready for spring cleaning and to flip the closets and put away the sweaters and scarves!  and this year especially, i am feeling overwhelmed with that feeling of SLOW DOWN TIME!  this time last year i was getting ready to head to the doctor to confirm that we had a little peanut on the way.  and now, now that little peanut is a chatty little thing that rolls around on the floor and grabs at objects and smiles at me. and is moving through diaper sizes way too fast.  i am acutely aware of how quickly time can fly once springtime hits.  and it is thrilling but also jolting.

something deep in my bones starts buzzing with excitement this time of year.  i love the fresh infusion of energy and hope that seems to accompany the change of seasons. but i also mourn the cool breeze and coziness that fall/winter offers.  alas, time waits for no man.  the page turns.  the seasons shift.  and you know what?  i am going to embrace it.  let’s do this march.  i am ready for a fresh start.  i am ready for the warm, fragrant air of spring.  i am excited to see what new life and creativity and joy bursts forth from the stagnant soil.

jesus, you’re the one who saves us.

constantly creates us into something new.

jesus, surely  you will find us.

surely our  messiah will make all things new – will make all things new.

life is breaking out, it’s breaking out, it’s breaking  out.

gungor – dry bones

contemplations of mr. charles

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good day, fine people.  today, i would like to discuss a little thing called bathtime.  every so often, i am forced to participate in this ritual.  the signs are clear:  towels, shampoo, brush, running water, and the removal of my collar.  these all point to one end – bathtime.  i am actually a pretty good sport, all things considered.  i straddle the sink and stand patiently as my mom lathers and rinses.  sure, the warm water feels nice and i even get to enjoy a mini massage.  and, i won’t even complain about the brushing and drying.  but, the whole process is still an inconvenience to me.  sometimes, i get soap in my mouth [see picture number four above].  sometimes, i have to get my nails clipped. sometimes, it takes way too long to brush out my ears to get rid of the knots and make them extra fluffy.  the grooming experience can be an annoyance.

however, during this weekend’s bathtime, my mom reminded me of the needtobreathe song, washed by the water…

even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, i am washed by the water.

this did make me stop and ponder [i had plenty of pondering time while mom was drying and brushing and fluffing and coiffing] the idea of bathtime.  i started thinking about it in a new light.  even though the water can be inconvenient, bothersome, or even painful…it still washes.  sure, i may not always enjoy it, but the result is a clean, new me.  i do feel much better after a bath.  and it does feel good to be all shiny and bright and fresh.  i will remember this next time mom starts running the water in the sink…even when the faucet is turned on, even when the water fills the sink, even when i get water in my eyes…i am washed by the water.  it is good to be clean.

the saturday evening post

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the above image should really be the snapshot of my weekend…

cleaning house, scrubbing dishes, and polishing our copper pans

but, what it will really end up looking like is…

relaxing with the hubby

beginning the master bedroom redecoration-palooza project [many ideas to unfold over the coming weeks...wahoo!]

and, eating a pile of queso with the family in honor of football

happy weekend!

what a man

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not to brag, but i have the best hubby ever.  he encourages me and prays for me.  he reads the Bible to me every morning and every night.  he listens to my rants and nods along.  he cooks yummy meals for me.  he runs errands.  he hugs me.  he actually enjoys my idiosyncracies and is amused by my “turbo mode” [that is when the switch is flipped to "on" and i am just tunnel-visioned and in the zone.  it can be a scary sight to behold]  he takes the dogs to potty.  he cleans up my messes in the kitchen [i tend to go a bit overboard with dishes and utensils when i am cooking] he is just so helpful and sweet to me.  i am very blessed.

exhibit a.  i recently got into a turbo cleaning mode where i cleaned all the nooks and crannies of our home.  then, suddenly, i was over it.  the turbo charge had worn off and i was ready to spend the afternoon relaxing.  however, i had overlooked the finishing touch of the house cleaning process…the vacuuming.  after you clean, you just have to vacuum.  you need the lines in the carpet to signify your successful completion of the task.  the smell of pine-sol alone will not cut it.  you must have the carpet lines.  sensing my mood, my ever-watchful hubby swiftly grabbed the dyson and came to the rescue.  my hero.

oh, the glorious carpet lines!  just look at my man in action. you gotta love a guy who appreciates lines in the carpet as much as you do.  he is a good one.