I always have a choice.

Last weekend, I took time, like I normally do on the weekend, to clean the house.  Our house is a 2 bedroom, 770 square foot home, with just one bathroom - so it really doesn't take long to clean, but it's just about finding the time to do it.

And I normally tidy things up a bit before I even begin to clean.  So I tucked Jack's toys away in their usual spots and I put the dvds back on the shelf.  I swept the floor and cleaned the table and wiped down Jack's highchair.  The child was napping so I figured it would stay this way for a short while - at least until I finished cleaning right?

So I finish tidying up and began cleaning...cleaned the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, and was moving onto the bedrooms when Jack woke up.  Peter went in to get him...and I finished cleaning the bedrooms, and walked out into the hall to start on the bathroom.  And I couldn't believe my eyes...it had only been a matter of minutes and already chaos filled the living room.  What the heck??  How did that happen so fast?  I had just spent time putting all those items away.  How did he get his little hands on them so fast.

The dvds were back on the carpet, the toys were all over the floor, his highchair was a mess, crumbs were everywhere.

Let's just say it looked a little something like this.

And it was in that moment that I realized I had a choice - I could cry, which I had already kind of started to do, or I could laugh. Let's just say I chose both - I started to cry out of frustration and pure annoyance, feeling as though my efforts were for naught, as my husband looked at me with so much tenderness.  I started to get mad.  Started saying...how can you (husband) let this happen, I just spent time cleaning, blah, blah, blah - I'm sure you get the point.

And I was crying, I mean I had tears people.  I had just spent time tidying up this mess, and I was annoyed that nothing was in my control anymore.  I mean I turn my back for a few minutes, and bam, chaos appears.  And I was mad...I wanted to be mad at my husband, but I realized that wasn't really fair as none of it was his mess.  None of this was his doing - it was all the little person's doing that resides with us.

And that's when I started laughing.  In a matter of seconds my tears and frustration turned to laughter and joy.  It was all rather freeing to be honest - to realize that I had a choice.  I could stay mad, annoyed, frustrated, or I could see the humor in it all and get down on the floor with the little person in our house and embrace the chaos!

It was such a beautiful moment for me - to realize that I always have a choice.  And I hope that next time, as I'm sure there will be a next time, the laughter comes before the tears, the joy before the frustration.  As I can honestly say, I would trade a clean house for this little person and his chaos any day!

Until next time,

Malia