Thursday, October 3, 2013

....But I won't do that.

If you didn't get the Meatloaf reference in the title, I don't think we can be internet friends anymore. Seriously.

Well, post #2...exciting stuff. I probably won't ever do more than one a month.  1. Because I'm a full-time stay-at-home mom to two kids with a husband in law school.  2. Aforementioned husband takes our only computer with him to school, and brings it home only to work it to death studying at night.  3. I'm a supposed minimalist- If I was bliggity-blogging every single day I would be a fraud (ok maybe that's too extreme but you get the point).

All that being said I am proud to make it to post numero dos. I tend to get all excited about new projects, workout schedules, goals, life dreams, yadda yadda yadda, and then after one heroic plunge into whatever area of improvement du jour, I become full of self doubt and scrub the whole project. Which brings me, in a round about way, to what I actually wanted to address with this post. I am specifically talking about mothers, because that's what I do (most days pretty well) but the principle could be applied to anyone.

In addition to the rampant Mommy Wars....we have another strange parenting phenomena, the Mommy Rubberneck Syndrome. A person with Mommy Rubberneck Sydrome, or MRS (ha see what I did there?) is constantly comparing parenting styles, talents, hobbies, clothes, kids' clothes, dinner menu items, lawns, decor, family pictures, toy organization systems, etc. to every mother that person comes in to contact with. You know you do it. Just as a rubberneck on the road is a danger to everyone, a person with MRS is a danger to herself and ultimately the success of her family as a whole. Most of the time when I try something new, the reason why I typically abandon ship is because my MRS gets in the way big time. There is always someone who does it better, faster, more efficiently, more artistically, more patiently. What's worse is that I have tried things I know I hate and have no natural talent for whatsoever, only because a mom in my circle of friends can do it with ease. I'm not kidding, I once spent an entire 3 days obsessing over how to make this adorable set of felt farm animal puppets I saw on Pinterest before I came to the senses and remembered that I hate sewing with every fiber of my being.

So as part of my search for the cure for my MRS, I have decided that I will use this post as a sounding board for both things I am amazing at, and things I will never again attempt. None of these examples are inherently evil or virtuous, and I'm not knocking on anyone who does or doesn't do them. It's just a realistic portrait of who I am as a mother, a woman, a person.

I won't do that
I don't craft, scrapbook, make vinyl lettering, or repurpose furniture. It stresses me out. I'm not exact enough, I'm too erratic, and if I had the extra time to do any activities of this nature I would probably spend it napping. When I want something cute, I save up money and I BUY IT.

I don't sew, crochet, knit, darn, patch, or hem. In the event of WW3/ the Zombie Apocalypse/ New World Order, you won't find me calmly sewing bandages or making socks. I'll be at the front lines with my rifle, or at the very least, a gnarly kitchen knife.

I don't create elaborate, laminated lesson plans for my preschooler, I don't do sensory buckets for my infant. Learning in our house is more in the moment, experiential, and through reading and real time conversations. I do pull out a coloring book, play dough, chalk, and other super basic tools when we are feeling creative.

I don't have a OneNote filled with ideas for my dream house- The only dreams I have for my future house is that its not a run down mess and we can pay for it in addition to student loans.

I don't put on makeup every day. I always have one or more kids underfoot who would rather I roll around on the floor with them. Plus if its a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday, I will probably end up crying it into makeup oblivion, or having it smeared by the loving hand of my 8 month old, who, at this point, has no future as a personal stylist.

I don't pretend to have it all together.

I'm awesome like that
I am a dancer at heart. It has been years, I mean years, since I have taken formal lessons, but it is still central to my being. Corny much? I was actually pretty good at it, too. I dance in the kitchen, in my Zumba class, in the shower, and in my mind's eye. As soon as life calms enough I will find my way back to the studio and the stage.

I'm a great organizer. Ya the kids undo most of it, but I can balance the budget, bills, weekly meal plan, school deadlines, events, and random bits of miscellaneous info without dropping one detail (95% of the time) Hey, I said I was organized, not perfect.

I feed my kids healthy stuff and they eat it most days. I plan it out, look for deals, and eat the rainbow- the simplified way to get in a variety of vitamins and minerals-NOT lucky charms. Just the other day we had leftover grilled salmon, quinoa with beans and veggies, and peaches for lunch. I'm feeling good about that one.

I love to read. I'm neck deep in Little Dorrit right now; sometimes I want to kiss Dickens on the hand, other times I want to throw Shakespearian insults in his literary genius face. But mostly kisses.

I'm pretty darn hilarious. Hey, you made it this far down a lengthier than intended post about my personal insecurities- maybe the joke is on you. But seriously, I love to make people laugh, mostly through sarcasm and mild self-abuse. I chatter constantly. When I rock my 8 month old to sleep my mind wanders to the time in the not-too-distant future when I will be an award winning satirist and a stand up comedian. (I have a few bits in the making).

I'm good at eliminating the things that don't matter, or worse, will have a negative impact on myself or my family. I'm a sceptic who is building a foundation of faith in Christ. I am a fiercely devoted mother who has serious struggles in finding happiness as a stay-at-home mom. I would honestly rather have a career at this point, but its not about my personal self actualization, it's about creating a solid, blissful childhood for my children.

I love, protect, support, and serve my children.

I am a minimalist

I'm good at that.

1 comment:

  1. I absolutely love this blog! Yes you are a funnyn, talented and an amazing woman! but I couldn't help but hear hints of Grandma Lisk as I was reading your blog! She too was a minimalist devoted to her children but her passion was dance. So I think you got two great gifts from Grandma Lisk...the ability to dance and the ability to write...and I think you need to write a book...because you are sad tire is hysterical!

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