Epiphany #6

Brad's sister Nancy and her boys have been living in our guesthouse for the past eight months while her husband is serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan. She decided to go back to Utah for two weeks over the Christmas holidays, just to get away from all of us crazy AZ folk.
Saturday afternoon, Brad's mom called, and she told Brad that she'd be driving down with Nancy to help her on the drive, and to escape all the crazy UT folk. Could she stay with us? Sure, that's no problem. But, how many of you have really let your homes go to pot over the Christmas holidays? Not only did I have all the Christmas decorations to sort, label, toss, box, organize, and shelve, I also had all the snow gear from our trip to Greer to wash, dry, sort, label, bag, organize, and shelve. (just as a note of interest, I took 9 people to the snow, including 7 kids, and did not lose a single glove, mitten, scarf, snow pant, or coat. There was a zipper casualty, but when they're only used every few years, what do you expect?) For those of you that don't live in AZ, you don't realize that your snow clothes, including coats, are always packed away, prepared for the moment you: a) move, b) lend them to someone else who needs size 4T snow pants and gloves, c) end up actually venturing to the snow for the first time in 3 years.

So, back on topic:
When Brad's mom called and asked if she could stay here, I was floundering under a mountain of STUFF.
Epiphany #6--Why is it that you don't realize what a disgusting, dirty, messy, cluttered place you live in until someone comes to stay with you?

"No, don't bother helping set the table. I can get the dishes out of the precariously stacked cupboard." "No, I can get you a spoon out of the drawer, since the kids emptied the dishwasher." "No, I don't think I keep food in the pantry, since the little boys spilled all the Goldfish in there." Does this sound familiar?