Tuesday, November 4, 2008

This post goes out to you Mom...

Mom, i just want to say Thanks for being you. Thanks for being clean and organized. For always keeping our house spotless. For forcing or i guess a better word would be instilling in, me the importance of having a clean house and keeping it tidy. Yes, I have teased you numerous times about your sometimes seemingly OCD tendencies, like when you came to visit Aunt Leslee and ended up cleaning out her pantry for her. That's okay if you can't go anywhere without cleaning up a bit. I am grateful for that. Why is it that i have suddenly come to appreciate this great trait of hers? Because i have seen and been to the dark side. I'm helping Hannah babysit her professors 4 kids while they are on a cruise for 10 days. It wouldn't be so bad, but their house is a MESS! You know those shows on TLC where they go in and clean up dirty and messy houses?? This house could be on one of those shows. Everything about the place just makes me shudder. I walk in and immediately feel hte need to shower, but not in their shower, i always drive back in the mornings to my apartment to shower, because i feel like i'd get MORE dirty if i showered in their shower. There are just piles of stuff everywhere, I don't think they've done their laundry in month, it's just sitting in piles on the ground, and i don't think their house has ever seen a vacuum. There are few things i can't stand more than a dirty kitchen, so Hannah and I cleaned up that and it looks a million times better. Sleeping in their bed has been one of the worst experiences of my life. Even though we put on clean sheets, Who really knows if they are truly clean or not? Both nights i've slept there so far i've woken up multiple times throughout the night from being so anxious about sleeping in a dirty bed. Plus they have a cat and i swear i just inhale cat fur and dander all night long. We were both so grossed out that we've been wiping everything down with clorox wipes and spraying everything with some antibacterial spray, even the bed and pillows that we sleep on. I would rather suffer death by too many cleaning chemicals than by filth. I am by no means as anal about cleaning as my parents are but i am truly grateful i grew up in a house where things were too clean rather than the opposite end of the spectrum. I don't know how people can live like that. Not only is it probably a health hazard but i feel like emotionally it would be harmful and it definitely takes a toll spiritually. What's that scripture, "cleanliness is next to godliness" or something like that? Besides the house being a den of dirt, the kids are pretty cute. A little too rambuxious (sp?) at times especially the youngest, but altogether good kids. Needless to say this will be a loooooooong week and while i'm sure i'll learn a lot, i'll definitely be glad to get it over with.

2 comments:

charlotte said...

Ew, I HATE dirty houses. I used to nanny for this family, and there was always jam on the couch and carpet. My heart shudders for you--ew. I believe in you, though--you can make it.

Jessica said...

Oh no Brooke... I hope you didn't tell everyone my dirty secrets! My house gets pretty bad sometimes. Hopefully, you would have showered here!