I’m glad I’m a thrill-ride kind of girl who enjoys ups and downs and stomach-floaty moments.

Because this Slob in Recovery thing could really get to me if I wasn’t.

I know it’s good to celebrate progress.  I know it’s good to enjoy the changes that I’ve already made.

But perhaps . . . perhaps . . . . the part of my brain that was able to keep me from seeing the mess before it became a disaster is the reason why I am somehow able to convince myself that I’m a pretty-darn-good housekeeper.  At least on the days when the floors of the main rooms are undie-free.

Last week I was rolling on my daily checklist, and the house was presentable more than 70% of the time.

70%!!!  That’s nothing to sneeze at, people!

Sister-in-law is coming over for dinner?  No problem!  Home groups start in an hour?  No problem!

In-laws coming in for the boys’ basketball games?  No problem!  I hope they can stop by for a while after the game!

Mother-in-law bringing her dog by before the game to leave in the backyard?

WHAAAAATTTTT?????!!!!!!!!!!

No, not the backyard . . .  NO!  Not the backyard which has windows looking into the playroom!

The playroom which leads from my dusted, vacuumed, AND picked up living room to the totally-ignored-since-before-Christmas backyard!!!!!!

The playroom which is really more of a toy-storage-room and a hotel for our dog to stay in in the winter.  She enters through her we-don’t-have-a-doggy-door-but-we-taught-her-to-jump-through-the-open-window-into-what-is-really-an-enclosed-patio-and-since-the-window-stays-open-the-leaves-blow-into-the-room–and-then-mingle-with-the-leaves-4yo-has-cut-up-with-scissors-to-make-play-salad-to-attempt-to-feed-to-said-dog entrance.

NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

In case you ever read this blog and think I have it all together, you should probably bookmark this post.

I don’t.

I’ve always (see how I said “always” just now?) been an all-or-nothin’ kind of girl.  When I’m proud of my house looking so much better, I feel the full emotion of that pride and joy.

Since I personally sometimes misinterpret that pride to mean that I’ve kicked this slob-problem, I’m sure someone else could misinterpret it as well.

Unfortunately, the other section of the roller coaster is the part where I realize how far I have to go, and I plunge down into despair.

I seriously need to add something, anything concerning the playroom and backyard to my daily checklist or weekly task list . . . or something.

But the thought of doing that totally overwhelms me.