Don't you sometimes just get distressed reading some blogs and/or magazines? These women seem to have PERFECT homes, PERFECT children, PERFECT control over their weight, their laundry, their attitudes. WHO ARE THESE WOMEN, ANYWAY??? Well, you know what? They simply do NOT exist!
I was chatting with a gal recently who was very discouraged comparing her life to the cyberlife she saw of this one woman whose children were shown perfectly groomed and totally filled with a joy of life, family and learning. I thought I would share a dose of reality from MY life in this image of PERFECT. I have often been told that my FAILURES are a great encouragement to others. So, be prepared to be encouraged!
Do NOT paint pictures in your mind of idyllic families where no one pukes on the carpet or colors with magic markers on the walls or punches their brother. THEY DO NOT EXIST!!! If I posted lovely pictures (assuming that I TOOK lovely pictures) of my family and told sweet (even truthful) stories of our life...you are only getting the reality I CHOOSE to show! If it will make you feel better I could post a picture of a home with only 3 days of a working washer in 3 weeks and a family of 10 (extend that to now being 6 days out of 6 weeks). I could record me when I get on the children when they are falling down on their chores (I don't usually yell, but I can be VERY firm and stern!). I could video tape me when we have to be somewhere and someone has misplaced my hair and we are all frantically turning things upside down to find it!! (not to mention the time I thought I was using my eyebrow pencil only to find I had drawn BLUE eyebrows on and wondered why the pizza guy was giving me a funny look!!)
Then of course my kitchen ceiling has orange juice spilled on it (yes, on my ceiling!) and it won't come off, my family room ceiling FELL DOWN and we haven't been able to replace it, we have blankets hanging between the living room and front hall and between the kitchen and laundry room to try to keep some semblance of heat in the downstairs. Or there's the 3 kinds of gross carpeting laid down on top of one another in the boy's bedroom (the top of which is ugly shag from the '70s) that we haven't been able to tear off and replace.
We live in a seemingly small space (and sometimes it seems smaller than others) ALL THE TIME - and with 10 people it can get VERY noisy! Everyone sings loudly, jumps (which bounces the whole house) and things often go BUMP, BANG, THUNK down the stairs - if no one cries or screams, I now assume everyone is fine and it wasn't a person on their way downstairs! We use crib mattresses to surf down the stairs which makes LOTS of noise, screams and squeals.
Just know that your house only seems more chaotic to you because you are living in it. If you lived in mine you'd begin to appreicate the quietness of your home! Not that I don't love mine...I do. It just isn't this peaceful quiet haven that you sometimes see on blogs or in magazines. And that doesn't mean it is a bad thing!
Comments (5)
:) wishing i was a Megill daily...just so you know ;)
I think this is wonderful, Kate! I was just thinking this the other day when I was reading the blog of someone who really seemed to have it all together. Thank you for the reminder.
Leah (from CHFWeb)
You absolutely made my day!!! What's so unusual about orange juice being spilled on the ceiling?
We're a family of 7 living in a 2 bedroom apartment. My mother just doesn't understand why my home isn't immaculate all the time! 
Could I do better? Oh yes of course I could. But having an immaculate home where no one dares to breath is NOT what I want. Thank you for a good laugh.
Blessings,
Renee
I am glad that we are not a "Perfect" family. We love and enjoy each other! I wouldn't have it any other way.