Going The Extra Mile

Happy Monday to everyone! It's the beginning of the week and I am determined to go above and beyond this week to be the most excellent homemaker that I can be, with a strong focus on cleaning and organizing. Today is one of those days where the inspiration to clean and declutter is not quite there. So, I want to share an inspirational post from fascinatingwomanhood.net, about Helen Andlin's mother-in-law. For some reason, this article about her really inspires me to go the extra mile, and put forth as much love and care toward caring for my family and home. Here's a snippet:

My mother-in-law was a Real Domestic Goddess. Not only was she an excellent housekeeper, she was a devoted homemaker in all areas of endeavor. She managed her house like it was a five star hotel. The most noticeable thing about her was that she seemed to enjoy it. She usually arose about 4:00 am, not because she had to, but because she was anxious to begin her day. She reminded me of a little girl anxious to begin playing house. To her it was a career – her career in the home.

In the afternoon her husband urged her to take a nap. She earnestly tried to but she enjoyed working more than sleeping. Finally he resorted to paying her for each nap.

My husband told me much about his mother during his childhood. When he was six years old and ready to begin first grade he put up such a fuss to stay home that he got his way. He began school when he was seven. Home, he thought, was the very best place to be. When he was in school he described how great it was to go home. As he and his brother walked home in the snow they were thinking of home. Soon they smelled fresh bread baking. When they arrived they never had to raid the refrigerator for a snack. She had freshly baked bread and homemade jam waiting for them.

To read the rest of this wonderfully inspiring article, go here. I encourage you to read it and be inspired to give 100% to your families and homes. It always blesses me to read this, and I hope that it does the same for you.