A middle aged missionary came into work today. My mom works directly next door to me and had sent him over. "You must be Paige. Do you drink alcohol?" "No." "Do you smoke cigarettes?" "No." "Do you drive fast cars or eat hamburgers?" At this point I started laughing. He said, "Im just kidding, I like to start off with a joke so people don't automatically reject this coupon book I am selling." I laughed and he continued, "So on the first page you get a free hamburger, here you get a free kids meal and on the last page you get a free brownie. I am a missionary and have never been married. For the past 15 years I have been married to God. I believe that it is important to understand how God loves you before you can love someone else. Is your mom married?" I said technically. They are separated. "One day I hope to find a gem just like your mom. I think I am going to bring flowers later but shhh don't tell her." "I won't tell her." In the end, I bought a coupon book, felt sincerely cared about by a complete but incredibly kind stranger, and I realized once again how incredible my mother is.
As much as I’d love for the house to be pristine at all hours of the day, it isn’t. And recently, I’ve learned that this is perfectly OK. Just five years ago, I refused to go to sleep unless the house looked flawless and the sink was completely empty. Every surface had to be wiped down, every toy put away, every last dish cleaned. Now, we go to sleep most nights with a sink full of dishes and at least one part of the house in total disarray. Sometimes it’s a carefully arranged doll village set up in my room. Other times it’s glitter and tiny cut-up pieces of paper scattered across the playroom floor, a fort taking over the living room, or some wildly elaborate animal-and-blanket fortress creeping up the stairs. And honestly? That’s okay. On the bright side, the sink is full of dishes because we ate good food together. The doll village exists because my daughters are creating stories, imagining family dynamics, and bonding as sisters. The glitter and scraps of paper mean they’re experim...

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