Yes, we CAN be friends.

As I scrolled through Facebook the other day, at least half a dozen of my "friends"
had "shared" an article by Dugans Incahoots titled: "We can't be friends."
Heck, people were tagging me so that I would read the article too. Thank you. I did.

Long story short - it basically reads that her home is messy 90% of the time,
and if she has to clean before you come over then you can't be friends.

And suddenly my armpits began to sweat, in the most lady-like way possible of course.
Just tell me, are you sharing this because I am the one who needs to take a chill pill in the
home sanitation department or do you feel like you owe me an explanation for the status of your home?

I then went and applied some more deodorant.

Truth is, I recently argued with my doctor about incorporating an exercise routine into my day.
I bend, lift, pick, shove, kick-it all day, every day because I have kids and they make messes...
and I am a lover of order. Thus I'd rather sweep up crumbs, wipe down walls, and organize
toy bins than catch up on the latest episode of The Bachelor. I "work-out" ok, doc?!

That's a joke. I don't even watch The Bachelor! But if you watch The Bachelor, I still love you.
I think less of you, but I still love you. That's my new favorite joke... ba-da-ba!
*clashing cymbol* Someone stop me. Ha!

I'm not saying my house is ALWAYS perfect. I do have my days.
But more often than not, it's pretty ship-shape around here.

I am the mom who feels slightly embarrassed when "other moms" come over and ask me,

"So is your house always this clean?" ...

YES!?

I imagine that this response makes them all sorts of uncomfortable so I start back-peddling...

I mean... are you kidding me?!
As I frantically sprinkle some dried play-doh (the bane of my existence as a mother)
all over the floor and casually spill some day-old milk. Home sweet home.

I think the home is an expression of one's self and family.
And that's beautiful - NO MATTER WHAT!


Sometimes that expression looks messy, discombobulated, spread out, organic.
Other times that expression looks like labeled bins, alphabetical bookshelves,
and vacuumed floors. I don't alphabetize my books, for the record.

It's the people that LIVE in that house, their personalities and preferences,
that pull it all together and make it a HOME.

I agree with Dugans Incahoots - we DO need to stop trying to impress one another and
just BE who we are in our homes. But I say we CAN be friends... if we just meet each other
where we are at, clean or messy house, and focus on what really matters!!!

It's not the house. It's the people.
It's about living life - whatever it looks like - with those we love.

Relax. Just leave things the way they are. Your home is like an extension of your skin -
be comfortable in it. And let others be comfortable with you.

I declare the "Mrs." and "Mommy" wars officially over.
Glad we're friends.