There's extra in our ordinary.....

Last week Chrissy at Life with Greyson and Parker wrote this post  which was, in part, about appreciating simple things........and it was as though she was sending a message directly to me. Then the message at church on Sunday was titled, "The Extraordinary Ordinary".....coming right at me....

Sometimes it feels like I'm living the movie Groundhog Day. Same thing every day.....sometimes the same thing three times a day. Diaper change, diaper change, diaper change. Breakfast, sweep the floors. Lunch, sweep the floors. Dinner, sweep the floors. Then do it all over again. I browse Facebook and think, "I should take my kids to the beach.....we should go to Disneyland.......my kids would really enjoy a trip to the San Diego Zoo......" I scroll through my Instagram feed and long to get myself pretty and go somewhere interesting. I look through the photos and think, "I wanna go to San Francisco for the weekend......I want a girls night out......I want to wear a pretty dress...." It's as though I'm isolated, as if there's all kinds of amazing stuff going on in the world and I'm just here......at my house. I don't want anyone to misunderstand. It's nothing that makes me feel down or sad....it's just little fleeting wishes for something else..... 

I was reminded by Chrissy that many of things we remember most from our childhood were the simplest. So if the biggest outing we have for the month is our walk to Rite Aid for an ice cream cone-that's okay. If the biggest deal this week was that I made something out of our norm for breakfast (Cinnamon scones today) that's alright. If we don't go to Disneyland......ever......our kids will still be happy. 

And at church on Sunday I was reminded from Romans 12:2....."Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." That's what I do sometimes, I look at the world and wish for something else.....I need to keep in mind that my Groundhog Day is full of it's own kind of amazing. Today Gracie pooped on the potty for the first time, and with the biggest grin on her face she said, "My daddy is going to be proud of me." THAT is something special. Ashlyn took more than twenty consecutive steps.....and with that she only covered half the length of our living room. She could be a walker by the end of this week! THAT is outstanding. 

Just as I have desires to get dressed up and get away......there are many working mamas longing to sit at home with their babies and watch their first steps and first poop on the potty. And there are many women just longing to be mamas. That's something I've thought about many times over-there's always going to be something or someone.....there will always be someone with a nicer house, someone who has more time with their spouse, who takes better care of themselves, or travels more, it goes on and on. This blog, in part, is my effort to transform my thoughts and highlight the extraordinary in what seems just ordinary.......

Right now all the little ones are asleep and Gage is at school. This is my view.....

  

It's extraordinary......

Love