A couple of months ago, as Corey was working on the ice rink, he started a conversation with our neighbor's maid who comes and helps them clean once (twice?) a week. He is a lover of all things Latino so they had a chat. Then, with a sweet desire to help me manage all that is our busy life, he mentioned to Maria that I could use some help. He brought her over and I was caught off guard and tried to nicely be agreeable while not showing too much the fact that I didn't want a maid even though I know I could use one. We had a maid in Costa Rica, and that was okay, cause I knew it would be short term cause we were only going to be there for 3 months. That lady, Shirley, was nice, and it was nice to have help, but I didn't love it and would have happily let her stop, but she could use the work and I didn't want to be a tightwad. It was okay and good things came of it, for example she taught me how to make pico de gallo and frijoles. :)
Anyway, so Maria... she came over and assessed our home and I agreed to let her come over in two weeks time to try it out on January 14th. When that day came I cleaned most the day and did a good job staying on task. I didn't really know what I'd have her do, I hoped she'd just decide whatever she wanted and would do her thing and I'd go bide my time in my bedroom nursing Natalie or something until she left. She was supposed to come over at 3:00, but she didn't. Maybe it was 3:30? Is she just late? Then I thought I had the time wrong, maybe it was at 4? But then I secretly began praying that she would forget or something and not show up, cause I really don't want a maid. I want help, but I don't want a maid. I kept cleaning and kept praying that no maid would come. And she didn't. And she didn't even call or anything which was great cause I didn't want to have her reschedule. And I didn't say anything to Corey and he didn't seem to remember but did enjoy the clean house. A few days later, when I went to try out the ice rink, I felt caught off guard again when I saw her, but we said hi and I was pleased she didn't say anything about not showing up that day. And then last week I was over there again while Maria was there and this time she apologized for not coming over, she's just really busy with clients right now. "No problem, totally ok...."
Am I weird that I'm resistant to having help from a maid? I think I could do a one time cleaning from a maid service, but I don't want a regular maid in our family's life schedule. Part of it is cause I want to clean and I like to clean (I mean really, my favorite show is Mission Organization), plus I feel like it is my responsibility and I like to do it and find it very fulfilling when I am able to stay on top of it. Downside there is I find it very depressing and discouraging when I can't stay on top of it, and I must admit that most of the time I'm feeling like I'm just barely keeping my head above water. Yes, "I pray when..." my house is a mess. I pray for someone to come rescue me or for God to please grant me the energy and ability to clean and manage it all. I'm right there with this mother...
So, my house has been in a mess the past little while and the idea of getting help from a maid is trying to get my attention from the back of my brain. The job chart we just started is going okay, but kids are getting stickers for music and homework more than cleaning, sigh. Part of me thinks my inability to get past start up mode in cleaning is nothing big or unusual, that's just how life is when you got all these fun and awesome kids. And I'm probably just in a little slump, which said slump is just the regular wave crash that is the lot in life on Venus from whence I come. Little bit from Venus, little bit from Triple Whammy and a lot from the 100+ little messed like this that I seem to stumble upon in every room and corner of this blessed house.
As I prayed for deliverance again this week, I had a thought to call a friend, Aubrey. I did and left a message. When she returned my call, after shooting the breeze, I sheepishly asked if she wanted to be Maid friends, "...Cause I'm about to wave the white flag here and need to hire a maid or something... but if ~you♥ want to come over and be a maid for me for a little while, then I could come to your house and be your maid, too! And we could talk while we clean! Won't that be fun! " She was sweet and laughed at my suggestion and thankfully she said yes. We set a time - Thursday after our kids get home from kindergarten. Today she came over with her kiddos and the kids played while the two of us together whipped this ship into shape in just over an hour. Yes, a heaven sent angel, even if I did have to call to set up the time. :)
Of course there is still much to be done, but oh what a sigh of relief and I told her thank you thank you over and over again for taking me up on my suggestion. And I thanked the Lord. I am glad I hit bottom and that now it seems that life and light have returned into my attitude and my home until the next wave crash cycles around again. Aubrey said it best today~
"Never underestimate the power of two more hands!"
She would hold the baby for a bit while I gathered toys and swept, then we set her down while we vacuumed picked up. 4 hands are better than 2. Four mother hands that want to clean and enjoy restoring order and achieving it. That's the problem right there, I clean but never achieve it long enough to feel like I actually did it. I clean and then there are little hands that are following right behind me messing it up ~ but with two of us cleaning, we were too fast and the kids couldn't keep up, ha! So they gave up and went outside to play. Point - Mothers! And so my house is clean, I didn't have to pay a maid, I didn't have to have a stranger in my house, I got to have a friend over and we laughed and talked and cleaned and it was a win win win. We're going to do her house next week. :) Anyone else want to be maid friends?
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