Saturday

Today I overheard Jonathan say, with great exasperation, "When you clean everything up, Mama, I can't FIND ANYTHING!"
I have been doing some major cleaning the past few days and have been trying to de-clutter the house. I just reached a point where I felt like I was drowning in stuff and had to do a major purge. Do you ever get to that place where all of your stuff is making you feel claustrophobic?? And I had lost my diamond engagement ring and my wedding band. I had not been able to find it for a long time. So I figured if I went through lots of cabinets and drawers and closet space, maybe I would be able to find them.The engagement ring is worth a decent amount of money, but we do have an insurance policy on it. But I would be totally heartbroken if I lost my wedding band. It means a lot to me. Luckily, I did finally find them both! They were in the change purse of my wallet. I have no memory of putting them there! But it was a great motivation to get stuff cleared out and cleaned up. I had several garbage bags full of stuff that I threw out. And I also did some major detail cleaning of the house. I went through three Magic Erasers yesterday! I felt so exhausted last night but so satisfied when I went to bed. I also finished all 100 of my Christmas cards and got them sent out this morning! I feel very accomplished. And all of my shopping is done, except for two people on my list, which I hope to finish up Monday morning. I feel like I am keeping a good pace in the Christmas race.
But I do agree with Jonathan. It was much easier to find stuff when the majority of the contents of our house was out in the open, on the the floors, hanging off shelves, strewn all over countertops and tables. I am naturally a messy person and I find it easier to live in chaos than to struggle daily to try to keep everything neat and tidy. For example, I think it is better to have three or four hairbrushes that you just have scattered through your house in random and ever-changing locations, than to have one that you keep in the same spot. I just find it so confining to have to brush your hair in the same location all the time. Isn't it better to just wander around, and be able to say, Oh, there's a hairbrush, I think I'll brush my hair. Who's with me on this????

I was looking in the mirror and rubbing lotion on my tummy today because I am getting stretchmarks right now. From LOSING weight. Isn't that a little unfair? I thought they were well worth it when I pregnant with the kids, but to be losing weight and get more zebra stripes? Anyways, I was looking in the mirror, and I was telling Dave, "Look, see, somewhere under all this blubber, I have abs. I used to have abs. Can you see where they used to be?" To which he replied, "I've never had abs. Isn't it better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?"
This is a good question. Maybe if I had never been skinny, I would not mind being fat so much. Maybe if my tummy never had definition, I would not mind the doughy state it is currently in.