Perspective.

My wooden blinds in my living room are ruined at the bottom, due to two very high strung dogs who attack them whenever they seem something exciting outside (mail lady, squirrel, leaf, you get the idea).

One corner of our fairly new couches has a huge hole in it due to an anxious little dog that chews when he gets bored.  I have re-stuffed it numerous times, but there is no hiding the gaping hole.

Neither of my kids have matching furniture in their bedrooms.  None of the furniture was purchased by us...it was all hand-me-downs.

My kitchen table is the "catch all" for the family.  Walk in the door --- dump everything on the table.  It's the common practice of all of us.

Laundry is done, but NEVER put away.  We don't have enough places to put our clothes away, so 9 times out of 10, we have "Mount Clean Clothes" in the basement that we rummage through each morning.

My linen closet is so unorganized, you practically have to grab what you want and SLAM the door super fast, or else you will be buried in...stuff.

There is almost always gobs of toothpaste in the sink.  My 7 year old has yet to figure out how to rinse the sink.

The computer cord is broke after I tripped over it one day.  It now has to have packing tape to hold it in so that it can keep charging.

About 3 feet from the floor on every wall in my house, you will likely find some form of kid goo.  Won't go into details.  Kid goo sums it up quite nice.

Perspective.

Thank God for the sturdy wooden blinds that have held up many dog attacks, because that means that we are fortunate enough to have a home in which these blinds to hang.  And dogs that are happy, and healthy, and very, very observant.

Thank God that out of all our belongings, our anxiety-prone pup only turns to this one corner.  Thank God this nervous little pup is in our family, because I firmly believe that we saved him from a much worse situation (more on that later).

Thank God that both of my kids have warm beds to sleep in. 

Thank God for a kitchen table to gather around.  To lessen our burdens as we walk in the door.

Thank God we have warm, clean clothes each morning to put on.

Thank God for a linen closet full of medications for colds and allergies, towels and washcloths, and fresh sheets and blankets.  Thank God for "extra" anything!

Thank God that my son takes good care of his teeth after his dentist fiasco last year.  He may be messy, but he tries SO hard.

Thank God for the luxury of a new(er) laptop that both the kids and my husband and I can use.  What a luxury!

And mostly?  Thank God for my sweet children, who keep my house looking the way it does:  lived in.  Thank God for little finger prints,  smudges on the mirrors, and evidence of snacking in the living room as evidenced by the dried cereal and goldfish crackers found in the couch cushions.  Thank God that I have been fortunate enough to not just BE a mother, but to be THEIR mother.

Thank God.