motherlode

Originally uploaded by laundrylessons.

This week I will strike the Motherlode of laundry. This term applies to the center vein of a large deposit of gold or silver, the biggest, thickest part of the treasure. Now, I’ve never equated my laundry with great riches, but this week I will. See when I work through the pile of dirty stuff this week, I will feel all the immense fortune my family has experienced.

First, yesterday I worked my way through my suitcase. That’s right I disappeared from the blog world for a bit. John and I were able to escape to our favorite place, the Colorado Mountains, for four quick, child-free days. My suitcase was filled with riches like a dirty fleece and rain jacket worn to the top of my first 14,000+ foot peak. John and I hiked to the top of two fourteeners in one day. I feel blessed to be married to a man who will push me outside the comforts of Starbucks and onto some of God’s most glorious handiwork.

Second, today I will wash John’s treasures of dirty socks and smelly shirts. He returned, safely, a day later than I because he climbed one of the more difficult fourteeners, Long’s Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Two buddies joined him for this grueling sixteen mile climb as I sipped my Starbucks and headed home. From his stories of the climb, that started at 2:30 am in order to avoid afternoon storms on the summit, it sounded like a golden accomplishment.

And finally, my motherlode of laundry will be complete when we pick up the three oldest kids from camp on Friday. They have hiked in the muddy Pennsylvania foothills, kayaked across mucky lakes, and been splattered by mornings filled with maple syrup covered pancakes. Their mountains of messes will fill me with both dread and pride. Last year I had to hose off JP’s jeans in the driveway before I could bring them inside. But I was proud of him because he had worn those jeans through 55 degree water during a caving expedition. That’s something I’m not sure I would have done as a ten year old.

So although I loathe the huge piles of laundry this week has brought, I’m thrilled that as a family we’ve all pushed ourselves to get dirty in new ways. Sure, a drink from Starbucks can leave a big stain when it spills, but I don’t get a grubby sense of adventure sipping a mocha.

Check back Friday for what I’m sure will be some fantastic laundry piles from camp!