Tuesday, March 1, 2011

creativity

Let's pretend that you are invisible.

You are invisible and you are at my house watching me make dinner. The sink is full of dishes, toys are scattered all across the house, and the guest bathroom door is locked because Caleb left a puddle of pee on the floor and I have not had a chance to clean it up yet.


You will notice that Conner is climbing on the counters, sneaking chocolate chips, and overflowing cups with water in the kitchen sink.

Caleb is scooping out the stir-fry-sauce I am in the process of preparing with measuring cups and spilling it on the counter. Eventually he has spilled it all and so he moves onto joining his brother on the counter to empty my herbal/nutritional cupboard in hopes of locating his favorite homeopathic cough medicine.

And Colton is on my hip, grumpy, unwilling to play, and desperately hungry.


Within a matter of thirty seconds...

Conner falls off a chair he was climbing on in spite of my warnings. He is screaming.

Conner distracts me and Colton grabs at some hot food and burns his hand. He is screaming

Caleb decides to dump an extra 1/4 cup of ginger powder on the vegetables that are being cooked. He is screaming because I am mad that he just destroyed dinner.


Three kids screaming.


I quickly scoop out the ginger powder from the vegetables while simultaneously rinsing Colton's hand with cold water. Conner and Caleb are each hugging a leg. And I am desperately trying to quiet the kids because Nate is downstairs teaching an online class.

Deep breath.

I used to believe that creativity was limited to various hobbies. Sewing, scrap booking, painting, etc.



I am learning that creativity is really about finding joy and beauty in life despite imperfect conditions... like a sink full of dishes, heavy babies on the hip, and absolute chaos.

My life is pretty darn creative.

1 comment:

  1. Haha, I completely understand how you feel! :) Why is it that all the kids loose it simultaneously right when you start cooking dinner...every day!?

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