The dirty laundry is piled high. A colorful mountain of dresses, towels, sheets, shirts and socks. It all came from the bathroom, where the hamper vomited its contents making it hard to open the door. But my children…my children think this is fun! An occasion to roll in the clothes, dive in the mountain, or get “buried” under the garments. And if by any chance their noses are dangerously close to a dirty sock or underwear, they giggle so hard with exclamations of, “ewww!” that is it hard not to join in the laughter.

And so, while the dirty laundry reminds me of the work I have to do, my children remind me to enjoy each moment. They show me how to laugh in the midst of work, making the everyday chores seem more manageable and less dutiful.

I join in the fun, throwing towels over their head, or even burying them while their muffled voices call out, “Make sure I am all covered!” All that is left is a bundle of clothes that rises and falls as the giggling girls hide underneath. Then they explode with glee sending pants, socks, and washcloths flying in all directions.

Then I tell them it is time to sort the laundry, and “let’s see whose pile gets higher” and we are all working together. My oldest takes the dirty underwear with two fingers, touching as little of the fabric as she possibly can and stretches her arm as far away from her as she can. She makes a disgusted face, and pinches her nose with her free hand.

Oh, I still have to do the washing, then the folding, then the putting away. It is still a chore. However, I can at least enjoy the dirty laundry and the bonding experience it brings to my family. The laughs, the games, and the time we spend working together. I am thankful for the making of a memory that will stay with them, and with me, for years to come. I even wonder if when they have their own families, they will dump out their dirty laundry in the middle of their living room and make a game out of it with their children too.

Besides, it is not the washing that I mind so much, it is actually the folding, and then having to put it away that I dislike! My girls have not found a way to make this fun, and neither have I. But one thing is for certain, I chose dirty laundry, folding, and putting it away over doing dishes any day!