Irrational as I want ... and other things

A towel carefully spread across the hallway. What's it there for you wonder? Well, I'll tell you. (Because I looked.) It was covering a mashed pile of cookie crumbs.

Of course. 

Clever children. Out of sight, out of mind. 

Would that I could cover the whole house with a towel sometimes. 

Well, no. It would do no good. I can't pretend. It's all the somewhat-hidden mess and disorder and needing done that weighs upon me most constantly. The fridge full of leftovers needing cleaned out, the cluttered craft drawers, the crumbs under the couch cushions, the nine twin beds needing sheets changed, the boys' closet overflowing with disorder, the girls' drawers full of outgrown clothes, the garage needing organized, the grime under the kitchen sink. The completion of one task coming at the dissolution of ten others. It's one of the hardest aspects of parenting for me. 

Which is utterly ridiculous. There are souls at stake here (for crying out loud)! Worries and struggles and occasions needing risen to that I'd never dreamed of before becoming a parent! 

And yet ... the lack of perfect order. It will not fade into insignificance against these mighty things for me. 

Still, the other day, after having been tense and impatient with all the world simply because of the continual undoneness of things, when I finally rallied my better self and apologized to Mike for being so irrational, he merely hugged me in close and replied, "You can be as irrational as you want."

And somehow, for a minute, the press of things needing done did fade.

What a good husband I have.

And ... look how pretty it is where I live: 

And look at this tiny person with crimped hair! (Crimped!)

Who is this dear, strange little creature? I often wonder. 

And how fun to meet in person friend Becca! (One of my sister's best friends who I have claimed as one of my own. It seems as though we've certainly met countless times, yet somehow seeing her at my nephew Connor's wedding reception was our first real meeting!)

And a few pictures of Anders and Jesse from a bike ride Abe took them on. I'm always so grateful for my older kids taking my younger kids to do things.

And look at this handsome oldest son. He needed a new profile picture for ... his BYU ... something?

Speaking of older siblings taking younger siblings places: here Hans and Starling befriend this nice mannequin fellow while running with Daisy to Sportsman's Warehouse.

And Daisy taking them all to get drinks at a tiny little place in Mendon. (Some of my happiest childhood memories are of going places with my older siblings.)

Here Starling and Jesse lounge at a park.

And the downtown Logan splash pad. (It doubles as a skating rink in the winter.)

Watching Bluey.

Penny headed to a masquerade ball a friend was hosting. We were glad her grandma had a blue dress she could borrow since her character was supposed to be all in blue.

Anders learning to drive the tractor.

Kids practicing walking their goats. (You have to "show" them at the fair in front of judges. I fear we are sadly unpracticed. Sometimes, when Summer tries to walk her goat, it just collapses itself in a heap.)