just regular old happy me

I've been thinking lately (I know, that gives cause to worry).
Have you ever thought about how many fun people there are?  Women, especially.  Every where I have been, every place I look I find so many good women.  I think of old high school friends, college roommates, neighbors.  Even strangers.  I feel that is one of the very best things to come from this whole blogging craze.  I'm not one to spend hours and hours wandering over the Internet, but I've come across a few lives that I like to follow. I see the best in womanhood- goodness, creativity, humor, and courage.  I am often amazed and I love what I see. 

However, sometimes I am so inspired that I find myself thinking "My, wouldn't it be fun to be like that?"

For instance, I'd love to be one of those earthy gals who wear and eat only organic.  They run their own little family farms, raise good wholesome food, gather eggs, and such.  Then they make yogurt and butter, and sew and . . .well, you know.  Doesn't that sound like a very nice way to live life?  It does to me.

But then I remember me.  The me who shudders whenever I think about the lamb we own (which, may I remind you, doesn't even live at our house.)  The me who is lucky enough to get the toilets cleaned once a month, let alone gather eggs each day.  The very one who (eek, don't yell) brings my groceries home in plastic bags and doesn't eat much organic at all and can't really afford to think about wearing it. 

That's when reality brings my "green" dreams to a screeching halt. 

But I still think it's cool.

I think it is so fun to see moms who take such good care of themselves and who find fun, happy clothes to wear in cute ways.  The ones who look super-put-together, but don't look like they tried too hard.  I find it exciting to see someone who looks very up to date but doesn't look trendy. (I've never been much of one for trendy.)  I see moms who look this cute, and I think "Maybe I ought to try harder".

And then I remember me.

The me who isn't much of a shopper.  Who finds comfort an absolute necessity.  The very one whose go-to fashion staples are a pair of jeans, a plain colored t-shirt, and flip-flops (the comfy kind, of course).  I'm the one who watches What Not To Wear and has more than one epiphany.  I would hope I'm not the worst of subjects, but I'm definitely not a fashion icon.  Just a plain Jane, I am. 

But still.  I sure think it's fun to see someone who is good at putting it all together.

Clothes are one thing, but what about hair? 

I have a hankering to get a really cute short haircut.  I've seen a few lately that are oh! so cute.  Each time I see someone sporting a cute short cut I think how fun it would be to pull it off.  In fact, just the other day I mentioned this to Courtney.  He asked me why, and I replied that for one, I think it is so darn cute.  And two?  Well, you don't need much of a brain to see that it would be a piece of cake to get ready in the morning. 

Do you know what he said? 

"Soooo. . .is that because a ponytail is so hard?"

I laughed.  A few years ago, I might have tried to be offended (because isn't that what girls do?). 

I knew, and I knew he knew.  That's what made it so funny.  It doesn't matter if my hair is two inches long or twenty.

I'm probably not going to do it.

So this morning as I was doing my hair for the first time in about two weeks (I was tempted to send him a picture!), I thought about all of those cute, creative, pulled together girls.  And then I thought about me.  Plain Jane, regular 'ol me.  And I just may have thought that someday I ought to try to be one of them.  But when I was remembering my little exchange with Courtney, I thought of what he said after I admitted he was right.  I almost always pull my hair back anyway.  He looked at me and said something that I knew was completely genuine. 

"I like it."

What he meant is he likes me.  The real, pony-tailed me.

I reminisced about this and smiled.

Sure, making my own yogurt would be fancy and fun (who knows?  Someday I might give it a whirl.)   So too would sewing all of our clothes or having a sassy new look.

But really?

This is me.  Right here, right now.  A good husband, four sweet girls, and a slightly neurotic dog.  Nothing fancy, not too much out of the ordinary.

But happy still the same.

I wrote it the other day, and I'll write it again.  "There are many ways to do the right thing".

Every day I see good women, going about their business and doing it the very best they can.  Like me, they are using their unique combination of talents and experiences to create their very own neck of the woods.  If we do it right, I think we can make quite a team.  We can inspire and encourage.  Find the humor in ourselves and those around us.  Help each other find our very own happy. 

Right here, right now.  Wherever we find ourselves.

After all, This Is A Time To Be Happy.

Even if we're wearing a ponytail.