Slow and Steady Wins the Race ...

... or at my house, gets the clean-up done. Progress on our clean-up effort after the fire is slow but sure - the slowness is mainly due to no electricity, so, no hot water. Hot water helps to clean a multitude of messes. Because the house wiring has to be reworked, it may be Wednesday before we have power again, so I'm just making due at the present.

They say, "everything happens for a reason" - we just don't usually know what the reason is, or the reason will come to us later. I have come to the realization that I'm a pack-rat married to a pack-rat and these 2 things don't lead to a neat and tidy household. During the cleaning process this week, the evidence of my pack-ratty ways has been staring me in the face - screaming to be thrown away.

So, while I'm semi-cleaning with cold water and waiting on the electrician to do his magic, I am also taking this time to clear out years of "junk" we have accumulated after 20 years of marriage. Do I really need to keep every single school paper my children have every brought home? Yes, No, I am systematically going through years of papers and picking out the best pieces to save. Do I really need to save every single glass jar I've accumulated in the past 20 years? Yes, No, the majority of these can go to the recycling center - one or two is all any household can use at one time. Do we really need to keep every plastic cup my hubby brings home from Speedway because their soft drinks are so cheap and his commute is so long? Yes, No, there are only 3 of us, and even with the older girls are home with their family, we still don't need a gazillion cups.

The list could go on and on - accumulated sports equipment that hasn't been touched in 10 years, review copies of books I've read but really have no desire to read again, the clothing in size 8 to 22 that I may loss enough weight to wear again, every pair of glasses the 3 of us have ever owned, etc. etc. etc. etc. ....

Thanks to everyone for all your thoughts and prayers this past week. We have been blessed with wonderful families and outstanding friends. I may never know why this happened to us, but I do know it has helped me appreciate life more and I never plan to take life for granted again.