the Undoing of Neatly Folded Laundry Costume Parade

I came here to write about how well I've done over the past few months with my de-cluttering, about how clear I feel with less piles, more restful blank space and rearranged furniture that gives us a fresh perspective.

Before I could take myself too seriously, the high-pitched boy team of Gillen, Jesse and (spending-the-night-friend) Logan enthusiastically burst my superficial bubble - all clad in costumes they'd created from Nicolas' boots, coats, glasses and the newly folded laundry and racing through the room in a loud parade. My moment of false organization pride threw itself into the pile up of superheroes and joyful noise.

Because (like everyone) I have presidents on the brain this week, I thought of a better picture that shows a child's joyful grandiosity - the one of John Kennedy in the oval office with his young son John-John underneath the desk at his feet. I have a feeling Obama's kids will be allowed to visit the Oval office too. And what could be better while making majorly important world-affecting decisions than to be reminded of what is at stake by the presence of a child.

Sometimes it's really loud around here. Sometimes it makes me a bit crazy. But, as parents of older kids remind me, the joyful, chaotic noise of these years will be gone all too soon and oh how I'll miss it.