Monday = cleaning day

“I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for sick neighbor children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden. I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Here in the Philippines we get to be a little spoiled because everyone here has a maid or two and even one or two drivers. No matter how small an apartment is, it comes with a separate bedroom and bathroom used only by the hired help. It reminded me of the book “The Help” I know I can do it all on my own just fine and probably don’t need anyone to come to my home to do any cleaning but I love the fact that I can give someone a job that needs it. At least that is my excuse for having a maid come every Monday. Every Monday is my cleaning day. It used to be Saturdays but I prefer to do stuff with Daniel on Saturdays. On Mondays I get up early to start doing the wash, changing sheets and organizing the home.

Here in the Philippines we get to be a little spoiled because everyone here has a maid or two and even one or two drivers. No matter how small an apartment is, it comes with a separate bedroom and bathroom used only by the hired help. It reminded me of that book "the Help."  I know I can do it all on my own just fine and probably don't need anyone to come to my home to do any cleaning but I love the fact that I can give someone a job that needs it. At least that is my excuse for having a maid come every Monday. Every Monday is my cleaning day. It used to be Saturdays but on Mondays I get up early to start doing the wash, changing the sheets and organizing papers. 

Our new hired help goes to other homes the rest of the week so Mondays is what she has available.  She was here today for the first time and helped me clean all bathrooms, dust, vacuum and iron the shirts. I did the wash. changed the sheets on my bed and fixed lunch. I was also doing some cleaning in the kitchen because it is hard for me to just sit and do  nothing. I simply can't. It is not in my DNA I love serving others and have a hard time when people are serving me. 


I always want to be active and independent. I don't mind getting old but I want to be healthy. Most of all, I want to give every once of service to others right up until I take my last breath. It is what Daniel has expressed he wants to do and I want to do the same. 


I hope that when my life is done I will feel proud of everything I have done. In the meantime I am trying not to feel too guilty I got a maid because I know all those young mothers in the Sates out there don't but you at least have a dish washer. I don't. If that makes you feel better. 

Con amor,

Vero