It takes thought.

The other night, as we sat for dinner, and I asked Matt to bring some napkins to the table, to which he replied, "I don't know where they are." Let me clue you in, he knows where they are. They have been stored in the same location for six years. He just didn't want to take the time, nor heaven forbid, have to bend over and open a cabinet door to retrieve them. And I called him out on this. And as I pointed out his laziness, it dawned on me: we have never run out of napkins. Nor paper towels. Nor toilet paper. Nor wipes. Nor diapers. Nor trash bags. Nor soap. Nor shampoo. Nor toothpaste. Nor Ziploc bags. Nor ibuprofen. Nor Band-aids. Also, if we were to get trapped in our home for a week or so, we would all survive on a reasonable amount of food and drink. The dogs might struggle...as we do run out of dog food on a regular basis.

These things don't just magically appear. I am constantly taking a mental note of the inventory of this household. I see that Curtis has outgrown all his t-shirts. Kids clothes don't just appear in the right size for the right season either. They don't just organize themselves in a dresser or closet. On a day to day, moment by moment, basis, I am taking constant note of what we do or do not have, where it is located, and when will we need more of it. I even notice where pacifiers are lying on the floor throughout the house. All of this takes quite a bit of mental energy. The wheels are always spinning. To manage a household it NOT an easy task.

So, all of this runs through my head as I get up to get the napkins, whose location Matt has so conveniently forgotten. And I get back to the table and say to him, "Do I not amaze you? Have you ever realized we have never run out of napkins (then I go on to list the aforementioned items)? You could never run a household. You don't even notice where the napkins reside, let alone, if we have any." His response was merely more than a shrug of the shoulders. But I know he's impressed. And I know, he knows, he would struggle to take on my role as household manager. Most of the time, I enjoy my role here, as I am somewhat of a control freak. Noticing, caring about, obsessing over the little things is what I do best. But sometimes, it's nice to take a mental break. And sometimes, it's nice to be noticed yourself. And appreciated, for all the small things. And now, I officially sound like my mother (and every other mom.)

I just want people to know, it takes a lot of thought. What we do. It takes thought.