Thanks to the good people at Two Writing Teachers for sponsoring the Slice of Life Story Challenge. Today is Day 13!
I have a niece who is in the process of making some fantastic lifestyle changes. As a result, she is healthy, happy, in GREAT shape, and as an added benefit has lost a lot of weight...81 pounds to date! She frequently posts photos of her "before" and "after"...even though the "afters" are really "durings" because I don't see her reaching an "after". I don't see this as something she will ever be done with. I see it as something that will be a new lifestyle for her, and I am so very proud of her!
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| BEFORE...obviously! |
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| AFTER...Phew! |
I do not have my own "before" and "after" photos...at least not of my physical self...yet! My niece is inspiring me to get healthy, but I am not there yet by a long shot.
However, I do have my own version of before and after. Last night my kitchen and most of my house was upside down and inside out! It's been a busy week and there hasn't been a lot of time for housekeeping. Last night I was of the mindset to just
let it go. It's okay to let it go...really, it is. While I do not like
to wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes, the world will still spin if
I do. But, this morning a burst of motivation struck and before 7:00am I had scrubbed the toilet, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, and got 20 minutes of Bible study in. After a night's sleep, the urge to get it going was stronger than the urge to let it go, so I jumped on it while I had it and got it done!
I have a wall hanging stitched by a dear friend that says, "Cleaning the house while children are growing is like shoveling the snow while it's still snowing!" My children are pretty much grown and on their own, but I do remember the days when playing in the backyard had to take precedent over the dirty dishes...it just had to. Young mom friends, your befores and afters only have a set number of years in between them. When it's time to let it go...let it go. When it's time to get it done...get it done. And enjoy all the durings while you're at it!
Congratulations to your niece. What a transformation! Wow, wow, wow! And congrats to you- my house right now looks like before…
ReplyDeleteWell, now it's the next day and my house is looking a little like the before again also! Thanks! She's doing a great job!
DeleteThis is a good before and after also. I feel like my household before and afters are like the progress you see with you niece. I feel like there is no true "after" because my cleaning and organizing and getting my home to be how I want it to be will never reach the finish line.
ReplyDeleteAmen...we are all befores and afters aren't we? Always something to improve upon. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI'm a sucker for before and afters...in fact there's a whole blog dedicated to such (Better After). Your niece looks great and I so appreciate your reminder that there are times to let it go and times to get it done!
ReplyDeleteAmanda - ELA 101
Glad you liked the reminder...wishing I would have listened to it a few more times when mine were younger! She does look great, doesn't she? She's a hip hop maniac! :)
DeleteOh my gosh, I love the advice to young moms. My children are grown too, and I was just like you. Playing with my kids was much more important than cleaning my house. Congratulations to your niece. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I had so many good women give me advice when I was a young mom...it's hard now that I am the "old" mom to be able to say it so that it will be well received. And yeah...don't think my kids will ever look back and say, "Our house was too clean!" Ha!
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