reflections on a home study

Today we completed two of our three home studies.

Up until yesterday, I hadn't really thought too much about the home study. I tidied the house because my mom and sister were coming for a visit, but didn't go overboard.

Then yesterday arrived. And I went into a slight frenzy. I had a migraine at school all day and took a nap when I got home, furthering my anxiety when I awoke because I had lost precious time that could have been spent cleaning or... you know, worrying.

I had planned on going into school for the first two hours today, but last night I called our secretary trying to sound casual and said that I thought I'd just take the whole day off. I scrubbed, I vacuumed, I re-vacuumed, I DUSTED, and then at 9:00pm, I decided to make cookies. To prove my domesticity? I don't even know...

I crawled into bed at midnight and made a list of things still to do when I woke up in the morning.

You guys. I woke up at 7:15... and went for a run with my dog. WHO AM I?! But seriously, it was the perfect start to the day. I felt energized & ready to clean the kitchen... again.

I even ran to Meijer and grabbed a bouquet of pretty fall flowers. Because what good housewife doesn't always have fresh flowers adorning her kitchen table?

At 9:45, I lit some autumn-smelling candles and put a pot of coffee on, and paced around frantically. Then brushed my teeth one more time.

Then the doorbell rang, Zooey predictably freaked out, Doug held on to her, and I opened the door with what I hoped was a relaxed, winsome smile.

And in walked our social worker, totally laid-back and friendly and - thank the Lord! - a dog lover!

And we proceeded to do a 7-minute tour of the house (during which she didn't check to make sure I had dusted anything), and then we settled in with cups of coffee and talked like we had known each other for years. And no one ate any cookies.

And I had nothing to be all worked up about.

Lesson learned: There are more important things than looking perfect to impress people. And besides, they probably know that you shoved some last minute miscellanea into your closets anyway.