On leaving

I read a post on one of the blogs I follow that commented the author's mother and her desire to have the house perfectly clean before leaving on vacation. I understand where she is coming from. I, too, grew up in a house where our family cleaned house before going away. Unlike the author, I've incorporated that desire into my own life. Some of it comes from being the bit of OCD that I am. But some of it comes from the other side of the coin. I love coming home to a clean house. Too often I am too tired by the time I get home from a trip to want to do much of anything. It is great to come home to a house that is neat and clean. No funky smells, no interesting mold art, no tripping over lost shoes. So today, as Clint and I are getting ready to head to the other side of Atlanta for Thanksgiving with his family, the dishwasher is running, the trash is empty, and the laundry is done. Well, almost. I didn't get time to put the clothes away. But at least they are clean.

I hope I don't turn this desire to leave things in order into something my future children call "hell night." I do hope they grow up with an appreciation of preparation, order, and thoughtfulness. Then again, it is much easier to get two people ready and out the door. I may change my mind after our numbers grow.