Perfectly Imperfect.

What we DON’T do defines us as much as what we DO do.

 Do you ever have this overwhelming pressure that you are doing everything wrong and everyone else seems to be doing it all right?  In the world of facebook, blogs, pinterest, and technology in general, it is hard to get wrapped up in what others are doing…doesn’t it seem like other people have it altogether and have all their dots on their i’s and all of their t’s crossed?   After reading this post at:  Simple Mom.

I decided to write a similar post about what I don’t do…..

I don’t:

• Garden.  I tried.  I would like to try again…but hate pulling weeds…it hurts my hands (even with gloves).  I forgot about our garden after a while…and I don’t like fresh vegetables very well.
• Eat organically.  I try to get in and out of the store….fast.  I don’t have time to look at labels or even find the organic section…or go to a special store that sells it. 
• Exercise.  I would like to.  I am worried that my back will go out again.  My goal is to start back on our bike…soon. 
• Let my kids stay up past 8:00pm when we are home.  Sometime that is the first moment of silence I have had all day.  I start the countdown at approximately 6:30pm…sometimes sooner.
• Stay in touch with my close friends very well. 
• Know how to decorate very well…despite having sold Uppercase Living…a home decoration….my husband is way better at that than me.
• Coupon.  I tried.  It was too much work.
• Read to my kids if it is past their bedtime.
• Bathe my kids every day….unless they are really smelly or we have gone swimming.  3 times a week will do.
• Enjoy catering to idle people who have arms and legs that are fully functioning. 
• Read my Bible as often as I should.
• Have live plants in our house. I forget to water them...and they die.
• Like having a dog.  Maybe if we had a fenced in yard...I would like it...not sure.  
• Appreciate when people give me a guilt trip for having 4 kids...we wanted to have at least 4 kids...what am I supposed to do...return one to the hospital?
• Make my kids get dressed every day.  It just creates more laundry for me to do.
• Do laundry every day.  I only do it twice a week…unless there is an emergency.
• Wash my towels after every bath…shouldn’t you be clean after you get out of the bath?
• Care if our kids get dirty...unless they are in church clothes or we are going somewhere.  Living where we live...I have accepted our kids will get dirty...because they are simply that...kids, and they like dirt.
• Make my kids eat their meals if they don’t like it.  They can starve….they won’t die.
• Take criticism very well from people that haven’t been in my shoes.
• Put myself before others.  I would rather cook a meal for another family, than for my own.
• Make lesson plans or keep a planner. I keep everything in my head.  I should probably start writing things down.  I try…but always forget about the list or thing that I wrote down…somewhere.
• Talk on the phone very often.  I like to chat with friends...but feel bad for calling thinking I might be interrupting something.
• Vaccinate my kids…one of these days we probably will, but I truly fear that they could suffer a severe reaction when they are young…like I did….but my mom was smart enough to stop.
• Show enough appreciation for my parents.
• Mop our floors…but maybe once or twice a month….Actually I haven’t in a few months…(I hope my husband doesn’t see this…I kept forgetting to buy the spray at the store….but finally remembered…so I will get to that one of these days).
• Buy my kids new clothes….except if I can get a good deal at an outlet mall.  Consignment stores and garage sales work for me.
• Make my kids make their beds every day.
• Dust enough.  It drives my husband crazy….sorry hon.  I do my best.
• Take vitamins.  I have tried…but always forget…maybe they have a vitamin that helps with forgetfulness…Oh wait…I would probably forget to take them.
• Shower everyday when my husband is out of town…and we don’t plan on going anywhere.
• Update my kids’ baby books like I should.  Not even sure I have started on my 1 year olds yet.
• Write thank you cards enough.
• Compliment my children enough.
• Care if my kids play sports or not. I am leaning for the latter.   
• Overly sanitize our kids (and myself).  We need to build up our immune system some how. 
• Freak out if our kids pick up something and eat it off of the floor. 
• Leave the house everyday….sometimes only once or twice a week…except for church.  We get more done that way.
• Appreciate when people tell me I don't discipline our kids enough (or the right way).
• Dust for cobwebs...unless my husband mentions them...sorry honey.
• Vacuum unless we have company coming over....my husband is really good at it...why waste his special talent?
• Wake up before my kids….ever.
• Keep up with the latest trends…I am a bit behind…I don’t hit the malls or shop at clothing stores very often.   I actually really don’t care about keeping up with what is in style.
• Get what people do during the day/night…when they don’t work…have kids to care for…and are perfectly capable and able to work---even a simple part time job...or volunteer work.  
• Think I would ever go back to teaching in a public school setting....even if I had to re-enter the working world.  I think I would go back to school to become a labor and delivery nurse or become a certified midwife.
• Regret going to college….I needed something to do before I got married and had kids…but am not going to push my kids to go if they don’t want or need to go.  It is a complete waste of time and money for the most part unless you need a certificate to practice something.
• Have a lot of close friends….and I am ok with that. 

Gosh I have a lot of don’ts on my list….so do I do anything?

I try to take care of my family to the best of my ability.  As overwhelming as some days are…I wouldn’t trade a single minute of my life for someone else who seems to have it altogether.