The Essence of Girlness

Those who know me best of all, know that I try very hard to be the rounded out woman. Killing spiders, fixing broken dishwashers or disposals, all things I attempt to do because I have a fierce can do pride attitude. However, in the end-- I am pure girl. I may tackle the broken toilet, but I will do so with my nails shaped and manicured and my hair up in a cute french twist. And I am OK with that. I am a girl to the core. I think it is one of God's funny ideas that he granted me with only boys, for it is the essence of girlness that I am blessed in. The rest I just make up as I go along.
In my journey's along the way.. I have come across so many people like me. We attempt to round out the soft sides of ourselves with the the woman that NOW created. We think it is a sign of weakness to ask for help from a male or perhaps we simply have to prove to ourselves that we CAN do it..(as I do) I always welcome these people into my life. They make me feel normal, at ease, and secure in myself.
However, I am blessed to have a few Queen of the Ladies in my life too. The ones that are more than able to do it, have the brains and the brawn to do it-- but prefer not.. so don't. Ahh- how I love these gals. They make me smile. They make me want to scoot into a rose petaled bath. They make me want soft skin and to pamper.
There is one Queenie in particular that has been on my mind this week. I will give her the artful and well thought out name for this blogs purpose of A from B. (oohh--but it is funny!) A from B left me one of her HYSTERICAL 10 minute messages on my voicemail (without a whisper of annoyance about me never answering my phone by the way-- fellow blog readers-- you know who you are..) and on it-- she drifted from the subject of her location to the recent celebrity gossip. I saved the message. I have listened to it everyday. It reminds me that SHE reminds me how fun being a girl is. I have known her for 10 years, and she has always left me these kind of funny messages. I can't walk past a a Cosmo magazine without fighting the urge to pick it up, turn to the quizzes and call her so we can can do them together, like old times. No one else quite understands that it does, in fact, take most of a Sunday afternoon to do your own nails. And I have to say-- I have yet to find anyone on the planet who understands the magnitude of eyebrow gel like her. All that said, please know she is not a foo foo Queen. She can certainly hold her own, I have seen it. But- A from B also basks easily in the essence of womanhood-- embraces it.. and reminds me it is fun along the way. I guess I need to remember that more often.
All of you reading this have at one point or another, given me the strength I need to go on when I can't find it. I could write about each one of you for days on end and it would not begin to cover how I feel about you. I chose this particular person to speak about today because I am seeing that I need the reminder that being a girly girl is GOOD! And I can't help but wonder, if I need the reminder.. perhaps someone else does too. Perhaps someone else needs to be reminded that yes-- a waxing is painful, but necessary. That getting your nails done is expensive, but the feeling you get after is worth it. That eyebrows do need tending to.. that lipstick is not the enemy. That shoes can make you smile. That sparkling body lotion is the coolest invention since sliced bread. Or maybe, it is just me who needs the reminder.. and that is equally as important.
Any way that makes you feel girly and good is what we should do for ourselves today-- to make us feel like we have that extra bounce in our step. It may not be adding lip gloss to your lips, or color to your nails.. it may be rubbing on some lotion you like, or using a new shampoo. Whatever it is, we should do it. Summer is upon us, and frankly-- we don't need a special reason-- we are the special reason.
So, I am going to go get a Cosmo, dap some glass on my lips, dip my feet into a pedicure, and call A from B to tell her thanks for the reminder. And there are quizzes to be done.

You become suddenly aware of how much you are failing as a parent when upon passing a herd of cattle, your five year old happily screams out: "Look-- horses!"

It's funny how, no matter how hard you try to cover all the bases, something always gets left out. This job of parenting, it bewilders me. How is it possible that I drill into them the art of manners, kindness, understanding and patience; but along the way, it is painfully evident that I missed the whole chapter on farm animals. And how is it, of all the accomplishments and opportunities I have been blessed with, my brown haired clone of me in the back seat is the one thing that makes me able to scoff at them all and realize what is important.

The nice thing about having kids, is that you get a constant reoccurring chance to try again. So I failed at the introduction of animals to my kid, but I did manage to teach him math, writing and social skills. And after all, how often is going to have to use his knowledge of cattle in his life?? Naturally, this means he will be a diary farmer. But even so, he may not know they are cattle.. but he will know how to count them, write about them and how to interact with them! Look at me! I am an amazing parent! Please pass my crown!

Apparently, today's travels will include a trip to the library where we will be checking out numerous books on animals. *eyeroll*

This is me: searching for the zen.....