Dust and Dog Hair

You know, I've never been a big fan of cleaning. Mother, stop laughing... There just always seemed to be not even better things to do, but more important things to do. When it comes down to it, there's just got to be more important things in life than vacuuming! But I have recently (meaning tonight) have a new found respect for the act of cleaning.

I've been pretty stressed lately. I love my husband, I love the industry he is in - it's what brought us together! I love my job. They've been amazing to me, allowing me to keep my job and work from home all the way up here in Louisville. But things have been just a little hectic lately. It seems like I'm never done with my work day until at least 6:30 - and that's normally a good day. My hours, my travels, and Matt's 17 hour work days at the stadium just haven't really been jiving lately. (Is jiving a word?) I will admit however, it's just bringing us closer and allowing us to truly, truly appreciate and take advantage of every minute we do have together. Anyway - totally sidetracked there... point is... I'm stressed!!


Yesterday was Sunday. I worked all day to hopefully get caught up and prepared for a big trip I have this week. And today, well, it's a good thing I worked on Sunday, because I ended up giving myself a goal of being done with work by 8pm. And I did... 7:56! I know, what a goal... there's not much joy in completing that one. Especially since I still have to pack and oh my gosh, the dog walker is coming tomorrow and if my Mama ever drilled anything into my head it was that the house must look good, no matter who's coming. (I used to try to pull the ol - but their house isn't clean, why should ours be spotless?! But it never did any good.) So of course, the last thing I wanted to do after a stressful day of work was clean a house that I was about to LEAVE for three days!


But I got to work - I folded the towels I washed about 4 days ago. I cleaned off our kitchen table (the table that had to be just the right one that Matt and I searched and searched for that's now our "whatever's in your hands when you walk in the door" dumping station), straightened up our coffee table (that serves as our kitchen table/magazine rack), put the dishes in the dishwasher, and even vacuumed (I swear there was more dog hair in the vacuum than currently on Dixie) for crying out loud. I was focused. I was on a roll! And the next thing I know, I'm enjoying myself! What? I'm not thinking about work, I'm thinking about taking care of what God's blessed us with... and all the sudden... the stress is gone. What happens this week with work happens. At the end of the week, I am coming home to my husband... and a clean, welcoming, relaxing home.


So, I have made a pact with myself (that I'm hoping lasts longer than just tonight) that the next time I feel like I can't take the stress anymore, that I'm just gonna get to cleaning.... And thank Jesus for the dust and dog hair that will always be here... in the home I share with my husband.