I am not an impulsive cleaner, by far, if you came over right now, you'd be greeted in my living room by piles of sorted- but not folded- clothes. The baby's dresser, which serves as a tv stand in the homeschool room has drawers hanging out, half empty, because one of her favorite pastimes is dumping her clothes all over the floor. So, yeah, we have messes all over, but sometimes the piles, messes, and the undone things seem to overwhelm me to the point of physical stress. That is where I have to make a choice, put something else off to get it done, or ask for help.
I'm sure many people frown on getting help from pros, but now that I can (finally) afford it from time to time, I am grateful. So, while my husband worked 16 hour days, and the days were in the hundred plus temps, the yard was getting, um, untamed. Like, we had actual trees growing in some places that stray pecans had fallen. So I asked a neighbor that works with a landscaper in our neighborhood, and I scheduled a consult. May I say, it might have stretched our extra funds thin (rather, depleted them), but it was worth it, because with three guys, and two hours, my front and back yards were pristine. The simplicity of giving away our physical burdens echoes the need to hand over our mental, and emotional burdens to our Heavenly Father; really, it is something we should practice doing.
My suggestions to other harried homeschooling parents is to get help where you can. If you can't afford a professional housekeeper or landscaper, maybe you know someone you can trade services with. Offer to make dinners for someone who can come help you with laundry, or babysit for a great friend who can detail your car for you. Whatever it takes to get a little break from the stress of being overwhelmed, because being a whole, healthy, and happy parent and spouse is much more crucial than an extra hundred dollars.
So, I'm taking my steamy cup of coffee out while the rare rain has the air chilled, and I'm going to give thanks for what He has blessed me with, a chance to relax.
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