Time for some honesty. Our house is a mess. Not as in sometimes there is stuff around that makes it appear disorganized, I mean that our house is messy. More often than not our house is quite disheveled, and I am okay with it.
The reason I am okay with a messy house is that it means we are living life. Four kids, three cats, some fish, and around 150 chickens, equals an environment where our house is being well loved. I say well loved because it we do love this house. We also recognize the house is here to serve a purpose.
I'm not going to lie, I love a clean house as much as the next person, however, that is secondary to living life. If you were to come into our living room, 50% of the time there is a fortress built using cushions and blankets. The sacrifice of cleanliness for the sake of our kids using their imaginations. Most of the time I love them making the forts, minus when I am looking for a place to sit on the couch and all the cushions are in use.
I'd also be fibbing if I said that there are days that I would gladly get rid of all the toys so that I could have a clean house, even for just five minutes. Then I see how excited my kids are to show me how cool their new house is, and I find that I can't help but to climb inside. Their imagination is contagious.
This messy house syndrome that we have is heightened during the winter when it is freezing cold and soaking wet outside. Levi and Mae love to play outside in the elements, but when that wears off and the cold reaches beneath their coats, the living room is the playground. For that matter, every room in our house is a playground when combined with creativity.
Sure, we love to entertain guests and have our house semi put together, who doesn't want that. We do not forsake creativity so we can maintain some sense of a tidy home. Now, when it is time to eat dinner, yes, we make them put away the playdough and clean up. No sense mixing up the food with craft time.
Please know that we do give them chores, and they are expected to help clean up and keep the house "semi" organized. But the cleanliness of the house is a secondary function of why we bought this place. First it serves to protect us from the elements. Secondly it serves as a place to develop meaningful relationships as a family, and with our friends. Third, it is a place to learn, play, and grow.
I guess what I am trying to say is, if you are coming over to visit you may want to be ready to encounter a house that is well lived in. Sure, we will attempt to tidy up, but you may want to temper you expectations for cleanliness, and come prepared to engage in fun.
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