This Thursday I am choosing to be thankful for all that I normally grumble about because after all, all life is a gift, and filled with blessings we disguise as work.

My tiny little house….

Our house has never sold and in eighteen months on the market has had five showings.  It’s not happening.  We owe too much and it’s worth too little.  So it’s coming off the market, and we’re learning to live in a cozy space most people think is crazy.  But a wise friend told me last night that she grew up in a small house with two sisters and loved it, and she said, “It made us closer.”  Having observed the sweet bond of her family, I believe her.  And it does make us closer.  We have to watch tv together, the girls are almost always less than ten feet away when I’m cooking or cleaning or talking on the phone or blogging.  Our small house has taught us about what is necessary and what is not.  And while we’ve still a long way to go in eliminating clutter, we do have less “stuff” now that just takes up space and more of the stuff that’s important to our lives for this moment.  Like Weeble treehouses and dollhouses and art easels.  Other junk went so those things could come, and I’m grateful.

The dishes….
I hate doing dishes.  I’ll cook all day long if someone else will wash and load and put away.  I don’t know why I make dishes such a big deal because whenever I actually break down and do them, it takes fifteen minutes, tops.  But I hate it.  Confession: I cooked a chicken in the crockpot on Sunday.  The crockpot was filled with soapy water that night in anticipation of a scrub.  Guess where it still sits?  That’s gross, I know.  In my defense, however, it’s the only thing in the sink longer than 24 hours.  So, I hate dishes.  But dirty dishes mean my family ate that day.  And they usually ate pretty well.  Pots mean I cooked instead of giving into the temptation of going out and a sink full of dishes also means I thought it was more important to rock Amelia and read to my big girls on these nights we’ve gotten home late from soccer and church.  And I’m thankful my husband could care less if we have dishes in the sink as long as there’s food on the table.

Our tiny house has won me over to the open kitchen/living.  I like this one for someday.

The laundry…
Piles of laundry mean my kids have an over abundance of clothes.  Which they do.  I don’t mind laundry like I mind the dishes.  Laundry to fold means I can sit on the couch and watch a movie while Amelia naps.  Important note: laundry MUST be folded while Amelia naps.  Otherwise she “helps” by unfolding.  I’m also grateful that today is Pajama Day at the girls’ school since I’m behind on my once-a-day loads.  Sheesh, what have I been doing this week?  By the way, if this was my laundry room, I would never do laundry.  I would just keep it pristine and keep the real work hidden away.

I might get some work done here, though.

Did I mention I’m also thankful for Pinterest?

Linking up with the lovely Julia over at Black Tag Diaries.