Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

OCD

I think I have confessed on here before that I am just a touch OCD - that's obsessive compulsive disorder for those of you who haven't heard of it before. I am self diagnosed, of course. But then who would know better than me?

That means that I like all of the clothes hangers in my closet to be just alike. In my closet you will find only plastic hangers, the kind that things hang on in Dillards or Penneys. Well that's all the blouses and dresses will be on. Pants will be on the wire hangers with paper bars that come from the cleaners. All the pants. And all the blouses will be hanging together and all the pants will be hanging together. In my husband's closet all his shirts and jackets are on those hard plastic hangers you buy at WalMart 10 for $1 or something like that because they are stronger and will hold heavier things without breaking. Except his pants which are on those pant hangers that you can also get at WalMart. He doesn't keep his shirts and pants separated, which drives me to distraction, so I rarely will get in his closet. If he wants things all jumbled up like that well he can just clean out his own closet when it needs it. Come to think of it, maybe he jumbles things up so I won't clean out his closet - never thought of that. Besides he has a couple of those wife-beater type shirts that I have to put on my hangers because they kept slipping off the other kind and that means he has...different...hangers...for...his...shirts. I can hardly breathe thinking about it.

On my desk, which can be messy, the tissue box will be exactly parallel to the edge of the desk. If there is a lamp on one side of the bed there will be a lamp on the other side of the bed. I don't have to have bedside tables alike, and they aren't. But both sides will have a lamp. Makes no sense I know. When I was a teacher that meant that my student desks were in rows. Straight rows. Parallel rows. Not in circles, my goodness no. Because you could never get a true circle. I like for things to be balanced. Even. Straight. In my sewing room if a pin is bent it goes in the trash even if it still works. I like things to be sorted. I like small paper clips in one box and large paper clips in another. Now I'm not a fanatic about that sort of thing. But it does make me nervous when things aren't straight, sorted, balanced or even.

You all know that I have 7 beautiful, smart grandchildren. You know that because I've told you about them. They are, naturally, the most beautiful and smartest grandchildren that ever were. God blessed me with 7 grandchildren who are funny and sweet and kind and loving and joyful and...oh dear, I'm bragging, aren't I? That's not nice so I'll quit.

I'm telling you all this to say that you can imagine my delight to learn today that my 8th grandchild will be a boy!!!!!!!!!!! Before you jump to the defense of girls let me just say that I now have 7 grandchildren, 4 girls and 3 boys. That's not even. It's not balanced. Soon that will be corrected. Thank goodness. I was beginning to get very nervous.

Just as a side note you might like to know that when my son sent me a text message this afternoon to let me know the results of the ultrasound he said, "boy...girl...boy...girl...boy!!!" When I first read it I thought he was saying it was twins. My first reaction was, "Good grief, what was I thinking when I told them I would babysit all of April and May?" My second thought was, "Oh no, it will be uneven again!" I'm not sure which scared me more.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am somewhat OCD, also. But I'm getting over it, due to the fact I have no time to be OCD about things. Learning to live with it is not easy!!
Congratulations on the new grandchild and the evening up of the boy/girl ratio.

Southern Lady said...

Marlene, you remind me so much of myself sometimes it's scary ... lol

I don't know if I'm OCD or not, but I am obsessive and a perfectionist, too, which is not a good combination.

Congratulations on your new little 8th grandbaby-to-be. I'm so glad they're "even" now ... lol

Hope your day is good -- Thank you for starting mine with a laugh.

Sincerely,

Janie

Dandelion Quilts said...

SO, a new little boy? That will be fun.

Raquel said...

ROFL! I am never letting you look in my closet! You would definitely hyperventilate. Congrats on the new grandbaby boy! Much love - Raquel XO

sister sheri said...

congrats, grammy!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Grandma! How fun :o) OCD... don't even get me started, lol.

Suzanne said...

Congratulations!!! I'm glad that things will be even. I think the touch of OCD is a good thing when you're a quiter.....know what I mean?

The problem around this house is that we live with someone who is full-blown OCD, in fact, got in line twice when they were handing out OCD behaviors. It's really, really, REALLY difficult to live with someone like this. You cannot put ANYTHING down and expect to find it when you return. We're remodeling and are making some messes in the garage with the power tools. Holy cow. It's cleaned up in the time it takes us to walk in the house and walk back out. It's really terrible to watch.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

Rue said...

Hi Marlene :)

I'm self-diagnosed OCD too! My closet is the same way. The right hanger for the right thing and eveything lined up. I even put the colors together LOL

Congratulations on the 8th grandbaby!!

rue

Calamity Jane's Cottage, Bonnie said...

Marlene, your post are just plum good reading....Now the OCD can be good, sewing, organizing, etc. It is hard to control when your around people that aren't.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! A boy, I'm so happy your even for now. Never no what the future might bring.
Hugs,
Bonnie

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Really?

Come hang out with me and my family for a season. We're the cure for your OCD if you're looking for one.

Congrats on the new grandson! He will be a blessing to you all.

peace~elaine

Grammy Staffy said...

Oh Marlene, you make me smile... so funny...

I guess that I am lucky to be in my family instead of you....I have 4 grand-daughters and 7 grandsons .... that would drive you crazy, huh!

Actually I usually prefer balanced things too.... I'd never gave much thought to how unbalanced my grandkids are....hummm, I'd better tell my kids to get busy and have more girls...but then I will have to make so many more pretty dresses and doll clothes, oh dear!!!! What should I do????
Congrats on your upcoming grandson... glad that he will balance things out for you.

Love, Lura

Anonymous said...

Once again I find that we are so alike. I have seven grandchildren though and not expecting an 8th (as far as I know, anyway). My OCD has limits though because I don't work hard enough to keep things the way I would ideally like them to be ;D
Congrats on the new little-one-to-be

Mary L. Briggs said...

I am glad those kids are getting 'evened-upped':) And I'm sure he will be a sweet, smart, and adorable as the other seven!

I sure don't want you to take a look in my closet, but my clothesline should pass your rigid standards:) I always hang like things together~easier to fold as I take off the line and put in the laundry basket.

R~Mary

Mama said...

I think I was once touched with a little bit of OCD. Spices alphabetized, cans stacked facing the front and logically organized, floors you could eat from.

No more. I think I'm just too worn out to have OCD anymore.

I kind of miss it. lol

Christine said...

You're too funny. Glad to know someone out there is as bad as I am when it comes to silly stuff like that.

Oh, and congratulations!

Salem Stitcher said...

Congratulations on the new balance in your life!

OCD I am not. You would probably hyperventilate at my house.

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

That was funny and sweet at the same time! Congratulations! How wonderful. I am hoping to be a grammy by this time next year!

I do plan to go with David - and have done that in the past. Him traveling is not new to us. That's part of why he is not happy. He has spent too many hours on plans as it is - now he will spend a lot more!! We will make it work despite this not being what he signed up for when he took this job 18 months ago. But we will keep the end goal in mind!

Birdydownunder said...

Now thats just not fair. So you are the one with my portion of OCD.:) Give it back. ')
congrats. on the news.

Kentucky Bound said...

I'm chuckling as I read this, in part because it's a wonderful post (congrats on the new grandson) and in part because part of our "technical difficulties" when hanging the medicine cabinet last night concerned symmetry (or lack thereof). The only part of the OCD gene that I ended up with is the symmetrical part. We went from deadlock to compromise and the "uneven" part is on the top where the vertically challenged part of the equasion can't see it unless she's on a ladder.

Blessings from the creek!

Anonymous said...

I'm so OCD I find myself straightening the buggys in the parking lot of walmart!

molly said...

Congratulations on getting your grandchildren all evened up and organised! However, much as I like you, and love reading your blog, I have to regretfully inform you that you are barred from ever entering my sewing room, should you happen to one day stray in this direction......I wouldn't want to be responsible for you having a heart attack.