The Only Mess I Can Handle

As I've mentioned before, I'm a neat freak who married a slob (is there a nicer way to put that?).  I'm also a neat freak who has spent the past week laying in bed recovering from my back surgery and the fact of the matter is that with me unable to do anything around the house, it's easy for it to very quickly get to a bad state.

I'm pretty much relegated to the bedroom right now, and honestly, I'm surrounded by a super mess.  Stuff is spread out all over, things are piling up, there's an empty Cheeto bag on the nightstand.  But for some reason, it's not really getting to me.  As I looked around the room today, I realized that I think that's because though there is a mess, it's a lovely one.  It's the loveliest mess I've ever seen, because everywhere I look in this room, I feel love and support and memories from family and friends and everyone I love.

Here:

(1) PJ pants I bought on a trip to see my favorite college friends.
(2) My laptop, which has All of the Stuff up on it, this blog that I am so excited to share with Kendra, Heidi, and Sam everyday!
(3) Flowers from my parents and siblings.
(4) A TV from my grandparents.
(5) My husband's biking clothes, which are kinda stinky, but are a great reminder of something he loves to do.
(6) Magazines brought over by sweet friends.
(7) Crosswords sent by my thoughtful cousins.
(8) My phone I've received a million "thinking of you" texts on.
(9) A tapestry my husband brought back from Bonnaroo, a yearly tradition (both him going AND him bringing me back a tapestry)

I feel a lot of things laying on this bed in this room - among them, boredom, restlessness, and discomfort - but I also feel a whole lot of love.  Laying here it's easy to see that love really is all around, even in (and perhaps especially in) the mess.