Here, Lee-zard Lee-zard

Who in their right mind would sign up to show their house when they have three little ones ranging in age from 15 months to 5 1/2? Showing your house when you are trying to sell it is not fun for anyone, but this go around, I am somehow nostalgic for the days of house-selling when the biggest worry was dog hair.  These days, it's much harder to keep clean because little ones are always undoing what I've done.

Two weeks ago, we had been in a lull on the house showings. And then that Tuesday night, we got a call about a showing the next day. My sweet husband helped me get the kids to bed and then he raced to Home Depot to get lightbulbs and new plants for the front pot. He got home at 9 p.m., and then changed lightbulbs and planted the pot on the front porch! Talk about physical energy. He amazes me.

The next morning we found out we were actually going to have three showings that day, so I put the baby in his crib that morning (even though he's given up morning naps!), armed with books and stuffed animals. Hoping he'd entertain himself for a while, I got busy on floors, countertops, mirrors, and the regular tidying/kitchen/laundry/beds.  When I got to the hall bathroom, I noticed we had a visitor. A little green lizard. 

Lizards are not my department. I just don't do lizards.  So, I decided to ignore the lizard.  I swept, I mopped, I sprayed and wiped.  I kept thinking he would scurry off, but he froze like a little green statue on my white tile--as if I wouldn't notice him. 

I left to finish up elsewhere, and when I returned to check on him, he was hiding under the bath mat--with his green tail sticking out.  I don't care how cute and clean the house looks: if there is a lizard hanging out in the bathroom, who's gonna want it?  I was really starting to freak out.

I called my husband in a panic and left a long, hysterical, high-pitched message about the lizard.  Couldn't he please come home to capture it? Couldn't he take time off from his out-of-control busy week to help me with my lizard situation?  Thankfully, he did not get the message until much later.

I must confess. I considered murder. Maybe some potent cleaning spray would knock him out?  We'd never hear from him again. No one would have to know.

But then I felt guilty. So, I gathered all my courage and got a little dustpan and hand-held broom. I envisioned success.  I would just sweep him quickly into the dustpan and race to the door and flick him outside.  It sounded so easy until I got a living creature involved that didn't want to be swept. He kept slithering and sliding and scurrying whenever I'd get him onto the dustpan, and then I'd get scared and jerk the pan, and out he'd go. After numerous tries, I gave up.  I decided to pray instead.  Lord, you are bigger than a lizard. If you want this person to like the house, please don't let that lizard show his little tail or face during the showing.

I haven't seen the lizard since. I'm guessing the lookers didn't either because they made an offer on our house.