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The Clerty Pile

April 4, 2016 by Michelle Filed Under: Being a Mom, Life 7 Comments

Hi Friends!  Happy Monday!  I hope you’re off to a great start this week!  We had some d.r.a.m.a. with the eldest of the two today, which was fun.  But we’re hoping for an early bedtime tonight {daddy, GET OUT OF HIS ROOM!} so that he can get the rest he very much needs.  {Repeat: DADDY. GET. OUT.}

Anyway…while I write this post and criticize my husband all at the same glorious time….

Over the weekend he was a gem.   I mean, he’s always wonderful, but especially this past Saturday.  He packed up both kids and took them to our “Touch a Truck” event and left me at home, laying on the couch, resting, reading magazines and watching Fixer Upper.  I can’t think of more wonderful things to do on a Saturday morning…when no one else is home.

So there I was reading my Real Simple-March 2016 and I came upon the “Ask the Organizer” section…first topic: a sweet gal talking about her husband’s “nest” of clothing, that he may or may not wear again before laundering.

This was going to be a goodie, I thought.  She was asking how to get rid of it forever.

I was intrigued.

You see, my husband also has a “nest”, albeit small, it’s a nest.  And usually consists of a pair of jeans, a pair of workout shorts and at least one t-shirt.

The organizing Pro called it the “clerty pile” – part clean, party dirty.  My clerty pile {yep, I have one too} is usually a t-shirt or pair of shorts or lounging pants, usually left over from a Sunday afternoon, but left folded on the chest, on the bench or some other “neat” location, in our bedroom.folded-443509_1920

I have a friend with a husband who keeps a neat “clerty pile” in their bathroom, on a shelf.  And it totally stresses her out.  I think because it grows pretty big before it gets smaller.

Not to leave y’all hanging, but I was a little disappointed with the solution given to this sweet gal.  Hooks.  One for each family member and whatever didn’t fit on the hook must be put away.  I’m not installing hooks in my bedroom for this purpose, so I wondered where we would hang said hooks to deal with the clerty pile…  I am left without a permanent solution.

So now I’m curious to know…are there more males or females with this “clerty pile” habit…and is it more often next to/under the bed?

Do you actually wear those item(s) again before you wash them or is it more of wishful thinking?

What makes us keep the clerty pile…?  Why don’t we just toss the clothing into the hamper, or put them back into the drawer?

Hopefully this isn’t a sign of future hoarders…

A Blog About Socks

March 8, 2016 by Michelle Filed Under: Being a Mom, Faith, Life 3 Comments

I love sharing with y’all the real life conversations that are had in the Lucas home.  For example…I was running thru this entire blog post in my head tonight as I folded the massive mound of clothes that covered our bed.  And as I was coming up with what I thought was a great idea, and grabbed the camera, the peanut gallery walked in.  The peanut gallery in this example is none other than the hubs, Andrew.  He says to me “Um.  Are you writing a blog about….socks?….because that’s weird.”

…………………………………………..

I am even more determined to write a blog about SOCKS now, Burn. 🙂

He has spurred me on toward good things.

So here’s where I was with all of that before the peanut gallery chimed in and made me think twice about my post.

First thing this morning I was reading my devotional from SheReadsTruth – the Lent study.  And I was reminded about the Israelites and their grumblings against God.  And yet, He provided for them….their every need.  And I’ve thought on that all day.  How I grumble about stupid stuff…all day long.  And yet, He provides for my every need.

Last night at the end of my short post, I encouraged you all to encourage someone today.  I had the honor of enjoying coffee with a friend this morning and happy hour with another this evening {that never happens, like ever, y’all.} and I thought about how incredibly blessed I am to have been encouraged by these sweet friends.  How, though my friendship tank has been close to the empty line, today’s events took me to overflowing.  He provided for that need.

And then tonight, as I walked into our bedroom and saw that massive mound of clothes that needed to be folded, I thought about that first post I wrote about finding joy in the laundry, not grumbling about it, but rather, finding joy in it.  And as I sorted things out, this one pile of socks just kept growing and growing and growing.  And while socks can seem like the thorn in my flesh → why are there ALWAYS socks MISSING?!, I pondered this little mound.  {←notice the adjective went from massive to little…}008

In the mound are: Andrew’s dress socks to wear to church and a job that he has been incredibly blessed in, especially this year.  And athletic socks…for him to wear mostly on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons when we’re having family or play time.

Then there are Reynolds’ socks – our son who, though he is coming into his own “type A” self, has a huge encouraging heart and is crazy protective over his little sister.

Next are Eliza Jane’s socks, the daughter that shocked me with her speedy delivery, serious face and sneaky ways…she will be our trouble-maker or the class-clown…

Then there are my socks, the athletic ones, for which I am thankful to be able to get up so early in the mornings to walk on the treadmill and do those things that get my heart and soul ready for the day.

I pondered all the socks.  Without the husband or the kids, there would only be my socks.  Without the blessing of his great job, there wouldn’t be so many dress socks.  Without the kids, there wouldn’t be the fun, colorful socks that somehow end up everywhere {in the car, under the sofa, in my purse…}.  Without all of these amazing blessings, there wouldn’t be any socks.  So why grumble about there being so many socks?  They are a blessing.

That’s my post on socks…hope you enjoyed it. 🙂

 

Laundry Lessons

August 11, 2015 by Michelle Filed Under: Being a Mom, Life 3 Comments

Don’t think that I’m about to teach you about how to do your laundry.  I am not an expert laundress….but these ladies are!  

No, I’m just here reminding you to find joy in the laundry…again…

I had yet another lesson in my laundry last week.  And while I started to just shoot off a little instagram photo about it, I thought instead, that this was a good lesson that I’d learned {or been reminded of…} and wanted to share with you, my friends.

The Saturday before last our washing machine went on the fritz.  Meaning, I got the load of clothes into the machine, started it and approximately 5.43 minutes into running, it started beeping at me.

I’ve heard this sound before.  “Devil!” I think I said, out loud.  I knew what it meant.  The trap had to be taken out and dumped.

However, the hubs had just done this as precaution earlier in the week.

“I am NOT taking out that dang trap”, was the response from my beloved.

Fast forward to Monday night when I made my plea.  “Those clothes have been soaking wet for 3 days in the machine.  They’re on the verge of being moldy and nasty and I’m going to have to throw them all out {and buy new!!!}.”  So Andrew got out his tools and started working on the machine.

Around the twelve minute mark I hear “OH, COME.OOOONNNNN!!!”

I entered the room to see what mishap had just taken place {remember the oops! Andrew fund?  It’s real.  It exists for a reason.}

“What happened?” I said in my oh-so-cheerful voice.

“I dropped the stupid flashlight down into the machine!” – read: I dropped the small flashlight I love to use all the time from the top of the machine, along the side of the machine so that it is now resting comfortably against the bottom of the machine.

I may have laughed, just a little.

Then Andrew had an epiphany…”the sensor tells me that there’s something wrong with the water pressure….so it must be the water line.”  So he took off the water line and dumped it.  After a few other tweaks here and there, he turned on the machine and it ran.  No problemo.

That is, until I put in the second load.  Remember if you will, I’d started that first load of clothes on Saturday…it was now Monday night.  No laundry had been done over the weekend.  I was staring at at least three loads by now.

The beeping started again.

“I’m not touching it” Andrew said.  Sternly.

I may have mocked him.  {I’m really not an awful wife}

Tuesday came and Andrew had the best of intentions in calling someone to come look at the machine but due to a conference he was attending, it just didn’t happen.

Wednesday arrived and in his great aspirations of going to get some mysterious part towards the end of the day….well, that was dashed when the monsoon hit downtown Columbia.  “Yeah, I was not about to stop in the deluge to get that part.”

Gee. Thanks.

By Wednesday night, I was on the verge of crazy wife, momma lunacy.  You know that feeling AND that look.  Your hair is frazzled out all over your head and your eyes are starting to bug out.  Nothing you say makes any sense.  Yes, that’s the laundry monster coming out of you.

My exact words to Andrew that night were, and this IS a quote “We are in a state of EMERGENCY.  Eliza Jane has ONE pair of pajamas and Reynolds has ONE pair of shorts.  I have FIVE loads of clothes to be WASHED AAAANNNNDDDD DRIED.  AND THE TOWELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE WASHING MACHINE ARE ABOUT TO BE STANK.  FIX IT TOMORROW OR GO BUY A NEW ONE.”   And yes, the intensity of my voice {both loudness and pitch} increased with every word…every syllable probably.

Thankfully, looking back, even in my crazed state, we laugh….a little.  This was also the night that I posted about how God is love.  Praise for that saving word.

I was anxious.  I was thinking about all that had to be done and it completely and utterly overwhelmed me.  I work full time.  I do kids.  I do home.  When am I going to have time to wash and dry five loads of clothes {all at once?!?!} once this stupid machine is fixed.

There’s a verse that God gives us…”do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.”-Philippians 4:6

I had been praying about it all week…well, I’d asked some friends to pray about it, discounting that it was “a small thing”, yet knowing that God cares about ALL things that matter to us.  The big, the small, the “dumb”, the whatever.  If it matters to you, it matters to God.  And the fact was, this mattered to me…big.   So of course it mattered to Him.

Thursday Andrew called me at lunchtime and said that he’d gotten the mysterious part and was at home.  The machine had been running for “seven minutes”.  “Please don’t leave”, I begged.

“If I come home this afternoon and that machine is beeping at me when I walk in the door, I will be a goner.  I can’t handle it.  Please don’t leave until it’s done.”

He promised he would stay.

He texted me some time later saying it finished the cycle.  Praise.

We got home that afternoon, again after another crazy storm blew through Columbia…and the power…well, the power was out.

HA!!!  If that wasn’t a laugh out loud moment.  “Of course it is…” I muttered.

Wretched one that I am.

We had a lovely evening playing by the candle light.  The kids went down and the power was back on.  I washed and dried 2.5 loads of clothes and when Andrew had “vanished”, I found that he had been upstairs folding the clothes.

I’ve told y’all before that he’s wonderful.  He knew I was anxious.  He knew what was making me crazy and he was trying his darndest to help me.

Friday, my company closed at 4.  Andrew said he would get the kids so I could go to a little happy hour with some co-workers.

I left the restaurant at 5 and rushed home.  I was able to get the last of the laundry {2 loads} folded and put away before Andrew and the kids got home.  It was done.  It was all done.  In two days it was done.  We had our weekend.  I wouldn’t be a slave to the laundry on Saturday, which was my fear.

This was the picture I almost shot off to Instagram.   And it would have had this caption:  “Praise for the laundry lesson.  The lesson in the laundry that I learned this week.  The Lord taught me once again not to be anxious.  He taught me that He will provide.  He showed me once again the amazingly smart and talented man that I married.  And I am once again humbled by the blessings of a washing machine.”

laundry 2

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