Monday Inspiration: Cleaning up

Hi Folks, I wasn't going to post today, I am caught in the middle of a huge cleaning/cooking/shopping working streak preparing for the Babe's Birthday Bash, but my clean office is calling to me so here I am. My Mother in Law and Sister in Law stopped by today and were ever so helpful, I had to get over my fear of letting the in-laws clean my house of course- which is a hard one. I get along great with my in-laws, we bought their house from them, even, and it's fine-(mostly) really fine- which is unusual I think.

Something about allowing my husbands mother to clean my house though makes me crazy. I can't figure out what it is- I don't hesitate to ask my father in law to help out with handy-man stuff. Plus this house is giant, with mouldings and doors that need dusting, it's a ridiculous amount of work- and I have other things to do that take my priority away from vacuuming.

I allow my mother to do alllll sorts of things around the house when she comes out, but I have a block when it comes to my In-Law. I know she wouldn't think less of me if she knew about my dirty oven, she lived here herself and knows how hard it is to keep this place clean( it was her full time job). For some reason I guess it feels I'm letting things slip, I'm not living up to my responsibilities -which is hard to think out because I don't really think my job is housework, do I? I am a card carrying feminist who believes in equal (if different) work loads in the household, my marriage is a partnership, and my husband is not mine to look after or 'mother' any more than he is expected to 'father' (hmmm...father used as a verb has a totally different connotation... interesting...) me, but for some reason this whole idea of my husband's mother helping my clean gets to me, makes me feel inadequate or something.

To be clear my MIL is totally cool about cleaning in our house, she is discreet and awesome, and in no way causes me to cringe, or feel bad, also she does a bang-up job, way better than I do, it's honestly a total treat for me to have her vacuum. Also, she cares about me, and genuinely wants to help me, so why can't I allow myself just to enjoy that? hmmm? That's something I need to work on, how do you all manage with your in-laws? do you let them clean?