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For me when I first started homeschooling my house is what seemed to suffer most. My home business I had to keep up with and well school was and had to be our priority so the big thing that was left to give, the house. Things are some better now as my kids have become a bit less dependant on me but still the housework is probably low on the priority list.
I remember maybe 4 or 5 years ago coming across some old video tapes and watching them when I only had the two boys, they were maybe 2 + 4. What I noticed in the video’s was the house. It looked really clean and much more uncluttered! It showed me that it wasn’t always the way it seemed to me at that moment. That time for me was “somewhat” of a season.
Since then we’ve added two more children (and all the stuff that comes with that) and now all four are in our “homeschool” (and all the stuff that comes with that.) They can all read (which always free’s me up A LOT) and they are all capable of chores around the house. This has helped tremendously with the house. My home business has also changed to one that allows me to be home more and not put in near as many hours as I was at one time. The house is still not perfect and has its’ days but the worst “season” seems to have passed (at least for the moment!)
But you know, even in the worst time our house was a home. Actually, when it was probably hardest for me I was still having Bible study here twice a month and hosting small group dinners. The point is, even though my house wasn’t perfect it didn’t stop us and I didn’t feel bad. I actually have had more then one person tell me how comfortable they were in my home because it wasn’t “perfect”.
All these thoughts to say this week I had a chance to bless my home and I hope my husband. He’s been on a business trip this week so I decided to tackle a much needed and long overdue house project. It seems to be easier when he’s away to get these things done and it blesses him. When he’s gone we don’t have to stop and get ready for Daddy to come home we can just keep working. We don’t fix fancy dinner’s (or dinner at all for that matter), the kids prefer sandwiches and ramien noodles for a couple days, very do it yourself kind of things.
Just before Thanksgiving we were trying to get some things finished before his Dad came for the holiday. He did get new trim up around the slider in the dinning room and a new curtain rod and curtain there too but we ran out of time for the kitchen. I had already patched holes and spotted the wall white with the putty but that’s where it stayed from the week before Thanksgiving till now.
I’ve been able to paint the ceiling, (it was blackened by a burnt bread accident a few years ago, okay, stop laughing now…), re-paint the walls and sofit, as well as sponge paint some new colors on the sofit, stamp a verse I wanted on the wall and make a new curtain. I’m hoping this afternoon to buy bead board (is that how you spell that?) and maybe get it up before I pick him up, we’ll see. I know I won’t get the trim and corner round done with that part but I’m sure he’ll be inspired to help me finish this weekend if I don’t. The best part so far I’ve only spent $9 to do it. If I get the bead board it will add probably another $40-50 but still pretty good.
One thing I found out about my husband starting with when we registered for our china pattern before we were married is he sometimes cares about this stuff! That was a shock to me at first. My Dad probably couldn’t tell you what my mom’s dishes look like so I assumed all men were like my Daddy (didn’t we all assume that!) Anyway, he shock of all shock, had an opinion!
The other thing I found out probably 8-10 years ago is that he does like things to look nice, by that I mean decorated. We had lived in this house about 6 or 8 years and have a master bathroom that was not really ever finished and really still isn’t. It has the sink with counter and toilet but a big empty space where a big tub should be and at that time plain wall, no pictures etc.. One day he informed me he’d like it if we had “stuff” in there. Wow, this was news to me! He wanted it “decorated”.
So I know he will appreciate the refurbished kitchen!
Oh, and the big empty space now has our dog’s kennel and other junk in it. Guess that should be our next project! Weird place for a dog kennel I know but our dog is HUGE and scary to guests, especially kids, so it seems like a good place for it.
So, be encouraged, whether you’re in one of those seasons or out! Use your home and don’t stress about the house stuff!
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