Ever stand and look around your house and have that "WOAH" feeling come over you?! The "my house looks as though 4 tornado's" went rushing through without warning. Tiara's tossed on your nightstand. Toys scattered on your bedroom floor. This isn't college and I am not celebrating my 21st birthday! Yes, I like to wear Tiara's but mama's gettin' real here. My quotes used to come from comedy movies...not Disney and Pixar movies. I used to shower at least 1-2x a day. Now I "try" to shower daily. But lets get real. Its usually every other. My makeup routine went from a makeup bag to 5 simple steps I can do in a matter of 2 minutes. Shave my legs? Why? Once a month at least.

My once manicured fingers and toes now reflect chipping, dulled paint. While my 3 year old has a perfect manicure. My every 6 week trip to the salon for fresh highlights is now stretched into a 3 month period. Sometimes longer and I have perfected the top knot bun. The higher the bun...the closer to God they say. 


I am envious of my 9 month olds wardrobe. Mine on the other hand, has seen better days. Lets not even talk about the fact my yoga pants are actually my favorite old maternity pants from 7 years ago that are slowly getting holes all down the seams. Or that my favorite daily wear (around the house ONLY) are my ugly black gauchos that I am sure on more than one occasion my husband has tried to throw away. I used to shop at the Limited. Banana Republic knew me by name. But now a days the Target employees know me by the sound of my voice. I don't bother trying stuff on. What's the point? It takes me 45 minutes to try on a pair of pants I can no longer slip over my thighs and a shirt that "says" its women's but must have come from the teen section as I feel like a twinkie. 


When my children and I go out into public we actually get stared at. I look at my 7 year old and ask her if I have something in my teeth and then look around to make sure everyone is wearing pants. I get the sympathetic look from strangers as they mutter under their breath to me "You sure have your hands full." and smile like I just asked for their opinion on my life. I always respond with, "Nope. I have my heart full." I smile at them and then walk away. The look on their faces instantly changes. And I think to myself. Take that.




Some may look at my "job" as unfulfilled. The fact that my husband and I choose for me to be home and raise our children. To be a homemaker, a chef, a house cleaner (although the house rule is come in if you can get in most days!), tutor, nurse, chauffeur. Yes, I do not bring in lots of cash. We would be able to move into a much bigger, nicer home. Put our children in anything they wanted, but I would miss them far too much. I don't care about my black card from Banana Republic anymore (actually its now a different color...I was shocked when I no longer got free hemming...after all what's a short girl gonna do?!) I miss parts of my "before" life. {REMEMBER LOT'S WIFE!} But living with the noise, mess and craziness the last 7 years...I think I would feel lonely. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.


Instead of giving me sympathy for the little people running around me feet. Give me a high five. Be like the little old lady that ran into me 2 different times in 2 different stores. Recognizing me and telling me what a good job I was doing. That I am raising well mannered children who are going to do good things.