Lost in the Mess

Our house is a mess. I know this. I figure that I get a break this semester. After all, if I'm working 50+ hours a week and single parenting, the fact that I pack our lunches every day, we eat out only once every 2 weeks, I do the dishes every day, I do the laundry each week, and there is no food or other actually gross mess around is enough. And clutter is just going to be a part of our life.

These arguments were all pretty convincing to me. Until this weekend. When I discovered that I can't find anything in this mess! I was certain Corduroy's Christmas Surprise was in the black diaper bag. Certain. But when we went to pull it out in NY, it wasn't there. I was annoyed but figured we'd get home and I'd see it sitting on the floor right next to where the bag had been, removed by a little helper. Nope. And I've searched the house. It is nowhere to be found.

It isn't really about the book. I did a quick search and I can get copies on Amazon starting at a penny. But we have the book. Somewhere. It has to be in this house. Or in the car. How can I be that person whose house is so cluttered that I can't find a book?

I also spent half an hour last night looking for matches to light the Advent candles, only to eventually give up and go buy a lighter. That I blame on the move, however.

I also spent 20 minutes last night searching for the mug Joe got as a groomsman's gift from Brian and Shayna last month that I didn't remember unpacking and was worried was sitting in the bottom of a bag waiting to be smashed. It turns out I actually did unpack it and put it in the last place I thought to check--the hutch with all the nice glasses. Exactly where it belongs.

So I'm hoping Corduroy shows up on Nicholas' bookshelf and I was just blind to it the 4 times I checked. Not because I don't want to spend the penny to replace it. But because I'm starting to doubt my sanity.

We have got to get this house cleaned up!