10 minutes later . . . 
Last week I went shopping at 4 am and then went back to bed. 5 hours later the kitchen still looked like a mess . . . a weeks worth of groceries, last nights dishes and morning dishes. I was determined to clean it all in 10 minutes. So I ran through some rules with Josie and Joshua . . . For the next 10 minutes Mom would NOT be:
1. Helping anyone in the bathroom
2. Watching a newly mastered trick down stairs
3. Help with any crafts
4. Get any snacks out
5. Listen to any stories . . . You get the picture.
So 10 minutes later I had a clean kitchen. It is amazing what you can do in such a short amount of uninterrupted time. Well actually, it took me 13 minutes, because Adam had a huge dirty diaper and needed to be cleaned. He cheered me on the rest of the way.
Every once in a while Eric and I wonder what we did with all our time when we just had Josie. There are some days now, I seriously feel like I'm running a marathon from the second I get up to the second I go down. And even though cleaning the kitchen so fast felt good, I wondered what it would take to get me to slow down a bit and what advantages would come to my family if I could do so.
Last week I visited a sister from my ward who is an art teacher. Her apartment was filled with all sorts of great art she had created over the years. She talked about how her students (teenagers) have a hard time working on something and slowly seeing it come to life. That it is hard for them to see the big picture and they want it all done NOW. I know that sometimes I run through things too fast, and that as a result my children feel rushed and pushed and have a hard time slowing down for things that matter. I want for them to enjoy each moment, even the lame ones, and cherish each day. And I'm sure seeing Mom run around like a crazy woman cleaning the kitchen doesn't help. So I'm going to try to slow down today--and actually enjoy the process of cleaning the toilet and tub, while Joshua cheers me on by singing "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel."
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2 comments:
Oh Michelle! I so remember what you are going through. I had 4 kids in 6 years too. There were so many days nobody got everything they needed--especially me. It eased a little by 6 months. I hope it does for you too. The part that cracked me up was that you didn't even really get your 10 uninterrupted minutes--you had to change a diaper.
Good to hear from you Heather! Things are actually going really well. Of course there have been a few weeks of chaos (usually when no one is sleeping), but really, we couldn't be happier. I think I would have had a much harder time having twins at the first. I've relaxed so much, I think?--I hope?, since having Josie. We miss you all--and hope Kansas is treating you well.
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