Kari Tyree

This is what my house looks like. At any given moment, I can count at least five pieces of paper on the floor, and that’s only in one room. What ever happened to going paperless? And what is it with cats and knocking paper off of tables? Don’t worry about the scattered toys, because my toddler is playing with them and they’ll be shoved into boxes and put away onto the rugs once a week so my husband can mop the floors with his giant, manly, old-school mop (he insisted). Then the toys will make their appearances again, little by little, like an expanding ant hill, until the next tidying-up day. It’s fine. She’s only three for one year. Another three-year-old will take over again, and God only knows how many more after that, but still, each will only be three for one year. Boxes from deliveries (because Amazon) need to be collapsed and recycled. But – hey! – at least we have recycling here! Score. Sorry about the six or seven mateless shoes in the walkways and kitchen and laundry room and – oh, pretty much everywhere! No explanation. Maybe we need a system. I also think we need a bookshelf for the dining area because it has become the central location for listening to fun CDs, reading the story Bible at breakfast time, and checking recipe books. All of the necessary associated items live on our table for now. Speaking of tables, and eating, and dishes: Yes, the dishes are in progress. The laundry is also in progress. Don’t worry about that; I do have a system worked out. We are not starving; we are not naked; we are healthy and learning all the time all together. We read a lot – again with the bookshelves – I think we need more. Is it possible to have too many books? Wait, no, what am I saying? Someone find my sense for me, please. While you’re at it, grab my keys and take the van out to get some chocolate. I’ll be here. Let’s make this a regular thing. Chocolate every once-in-a-while to remind us to take a break and slow down and breathe and do some yoga and all of those good things. And, remember: one day it will just be us adults here with only memories of all the messes to keep us up at night.