My Perfect Life...well with a little perspective.

 I am very blessed but I am far from perfect.  I had an acquaitance at the store the other day tell me, "Everytime I see you out with your kids you always seem to have it together."  Obviously, she hasn't seen me at the store enough because we have had our fair share of less than desirable behavior while out and about.  The thing is that everything in life is about perspective. 

My life is for sure not perfect.  I eat too much, I am not always kind, I talk about people behind their backs, I have spanked my child in anger, I have yelled at my children, I have plopped my children in front of the TV because I didn't feel like being mom, I have said very unkind things to my husband, I don't get enough sleep,  and I could go on and on and on.  THe thing is that when I look at these things in perspective then they all seem so trivial. 

Now, don't get me wrong I have my fair share of pity partys for myself.  Just ask my husband. However, as soon as a pity party starts there is always some clarity to snap me back into perspective.  For example, the days leading up to Christmas and even Christmas day, Mckenzie was a mess.  She would not sleep for more than 30 mintues day or night and cried pretty much every minute that she was awake.  I was exhausted and desperate for sleep and starting to get at my whits end.  I felt angry and annoyed at her even though I knew being angry and annoyed at a baby who obviously didn't feel well was silly but that is how I felt.  Then a lady I know through La Leche lost her baby who had been born prematurely.  She went to the hospital on Christmas Eve to say good by to him because his little body could not fight anymore.  I cried my eyes out rocking Mckenzie to sleep that night.  Here I had been so annoyed that she wouldn't sleep and I know that this mother would give anything in the world to be rocking her baby to sleep for hours if that is what it took.  Again, it is all about perspective.

I often wonder if people think my life is all rainbows and gumdrops when they read my blog because I really only write about the happy times.  I don't really omit the "bad" times it is just I have a hard time writing when I am down because I always don't feel quite right about feeling down when really I have it so easy.  I mean I have a roof over my head, healthy kids, a loving husband who provides for me so to write about how I am having to clean poopy panties just seems arbitrary when somewhere in the world some mom is washing her entire families clothes in a dirty river.

Have you ever visited a third world country?  I think everyone should at some point.  It really gives you perspective about how we live in this country and how blessed we really are.  I mean I think it is ok to be grumpy sometimes and not feel all that great but really what do we have to be so grumpy about?  Anyway, I just think we should all try and have some perspective.  I know that it helps me.

I know this was sort of a rambly post and I hope it makes sense I have just been thinking a lot about it lately as many around me have been handed a less than fair share of cards.