Be Messy and Live

I have come to a new realization since returning to my home in Congo. Let me explain. When I left here, I had one child who could neither walk nor crawl. By being diligent with laundry and sweeping the house twice a day, I could manage the cleanliness of the home environment fairly well. Upon my return, I have two children: an active toddler and a baby who will soon be crawling. I knew life here was messy and dirty; we had kids over all the time, and I alone created enough mess to give myself some work. But oh how I underestimated the potential for messiness!

What I mean by this is not the occasional spill into a mud puddle or an upset plate. I mean constant, relentless super-messes. And it’s not so much the mess itself but the exponential amount of work it creates.

A blowout on the couch!? Where is the deodorizing spray or the baking soda? Hmm, I guess some soap and water and perfume will have to do.

I can’t just put spot remover on clothes or spray something on to treat grease stains. No tossing piles of laundry into the washer. Why not? Oh that’s right; I’m the washer. Paper towels aren’t necessarily on hand to wipe up a meal time spill. Explosive diapers can’t just be chucked into the trash can...the list goes on.

The other day after the girls had massive blowouts in cloth diapers (Molly is being potty trained but it’s been a process) I found myself becoming overwhelmed and frustrated by the messes. I can’t make it through the day without being covered in food, or poop, or my clothes ruined my grease stains, or rice squished all over the floor.

These are typical mom problems. I’m not saying it’s any different than what other moms deal with. In fact, I’ve learned something from watching the other moms here. Don’t think ahead to the piles and piles of laundry that need to be hand scrubbed clean. Don’t think ahead to the work cleaning the floors. Don’t waste your time wondering if it will rain tomorrow which might affect whether the laundry will dry in time before you run out...live in the present.

Let your kids be messy. That’s what everyone else does. Crawlers crawl in the dirt. Toddlers toddle on top of rice and sauces and in and out of houses. Walkers walk through mud puddles. Everyone eats ferociously. Messy clothes and messy diapers are the natural result.

I recently listened to some podcast episodes which emphasized being faithful with a cheerful attitude. No excuses for sharp words or grumbles or complaints of being tired.