dusty blinds and fan blades

Seriously.  Sometimes I race around this house for two hours doing stuff that falls into the "cleaning" category and when I look around I see so much left to do, it's as if you can't even see the two hours of work I put in!  I know there are a bunch of you moms shouting "Amen!" right now. It feels overwhelming, to say the least.  

It is a constant game of catch up that never seems to get won.  Even when we have a group of friends over and I get the house looking clean, what you don't see are the clothes piled up in the laundry room (behind closed doors) or the Cheerios that I neglected to vacuum up from under the couch so I just shoved them further back, or the stuff that is shoved in the closet and please don't open that drawer...or that cupboard...or go into the guest bedroom! 

Currently, I am trying to teach my kids more responsibility.  At this point in the game I still feel like a supervisor.  Instead of saying, "Clean up the Family Room," it is more of a bit-by-bit process.  "Pick up those Skylanders.  Good, now put them by the PS3. Okay, next are the shoes - make sure they are actually in the shoe basket , not just near it!  And the socks have a home too - laundry basket.  And all those books shouldn't be on the floor, they live on the book shelf. Pick up the Cheerios from the floor before the cat eats them!" I like that I get to stand in the middle of the room and tell them what to do, but there are still so many other things I could be doing!  

And that's where the perspective comes in on all of this.  

Priorities.

What is more important? Having a perfectly clean house that I am constantly stressing about?  Or taking the time to train my children how to properly clean up a room?  Cleaning my fan blades or making sure my kids' homework is done correctly (although I have to give credit: my husband does nearly all the homework with the kids: what a stud!) Should I be cleaning all the mirrors and windows in the house or spend some time hanging out with my husband? Should I rake up all the leaves on the front patio or help my kiddos write a thoughtful card for their Auntie's birthday?  

I feel like this time right now, while my kids are still in this house, my focus should be on them.  Reading them books at night, talking of Jesus, dealing with hour-long tantrums, teaching them to floss and to make healthy food choices. Because when they have moved out, I will have plenty of time to clean my house!  

Here's my list of priorities (in order of importance):

God

Husband (because we've got to be together for a long time so we've got to build us up now!)

Children 

Everything else

So, honestly, those dusty blinds are probably gonna stay that way awhile.  Maybe another 15 years.

KC