Simplicity

This post was on my other blog, but it really should be here. So here it is. Sorry if you've read it already.

Have you ever tried explaining some of the things we "grown ups" call routine? Breaking our every day tasks down in simple steps as explanation and clarification to an almost four year old really makes me think about why we do the things we do. On Saturday we had some landscapers weeding and mowing our back yard. Just the sight of someone cutting the grass got Sarah pretty upset. She very despondently informed me that she liked playing in the grass, and if those guys cut it, she wouldn't have any grass to play in. I reassured her that there would still be grass left to play in, and that it would just be shorter. She then stated that she did not want it to be short. She wanted it to be "long forever." I then told her that we can't let it grow too long because we don't own this house and if the grass is too long, we'll get in trouble with the landlord. At the same time the mowers were working, our neighbor was out watering his back lawn. Sarah asked why he was doing it. I told her that he was putting water on the grass to help it grow. She then apprehensively, yet firmly, stated that she didn't want the grass to grow because we might get in trouble!

As I was having this conversation with Sarah, I realized that it really is kind of silly that we feed and water and cultivate our lawns one week to promote healthy growth, only to cut it down and start the process all over again the next week. Ahh... the price we pay for enjoying our comfortable lifestyles.

Here are some other examples of my seemingly ineffectual routines:

Sweeping the kitchen floor. At least it is for me. I'll do it, and within 5 minutes there will be some other crumbs or dirt so lovingly placed there by one of my four children. They must like to see me use the broom.

Getting Alex, Lucas, or Audrey dressed... at all. As soon as I do, someone spits up, leaks out, spills, slobbers or wipes something on their nice clean outfit. If I never got them dressed, it would sure save a lot of laundry!

Even attempting to style Sarah's hair. I put a ponytail in for church Sunday. Before primary even started, she had taken it out and put the flower ponytail ring on her wrist to wear as a bracelet! Now, these little flower hair accessories were only purchased upon the solemn promise that Sarah was to let me put her hair in ponytails if I bought them. Well... I guess she held up her end of the bargain! I never did say that she had to leave it in. Just let me put it up.

Vacuuming the floor. Same reason as sweeping.

Folding clothes. Even Jeff does not fully appreciate a nicely folded shirt. Everything gets stuffed sloppily in dresser drawers or on shelves in closets. The kids like to pull everything off and pile it all up to play in like a pile of leaves. Sarah even likes to climb up on the linen closet shelves and push everything off. No blankets, towels, sheets, washcloths or tablecloths are safe if they are less than 5 feet high.

Doing dishes. I can load up the dishwasher and clean out the sinks and counters so my face shines in them. But why? Within an hour, the sink is full again of cups, glasses, silverware, small plates and leftover snacks.

Showering. Yes, this sounds a little gross, but after I shower, I can guarantee there will be spitup, pee, poop or some other disgusting bodily function or slimy, goopy, sticky hands dirtying my clothes, skin and hair. Yet, I still do it daily...

Washing the sliding glass door. We have a wonderful view here, but it is always inhibited by tiny little mucky handprints. Oh, and streaks of slime where Cosmoe likes to lick the window. Why in the world is that even in the least bit satisfying for him?

There are tons more, I'm sure. But this post is long enough. This is my monotonous, ineffectual, yet somehow still fulfilling life!