balance schmalance
August 4, 2011 at 8:59 am 6 comments
At first I was disappointed when I grabbed yesterday’s photos from my camera. I was looking forward to seeing some gorgeous images from our cloudy morning at the water’s edge. But my exposures were all messed up and I still don’t exactly know how it happened. So instead, the images are all blown out! Boo hiss. But when I spent more time looking at the photos, I started to see the beauty in the mistakes. In the rushed moments.
The other day I received a message from a friend who said that she admired how I seemed to have it all together. Ha ha ha! I replied that it might seem that way from a carefully-curated glimpse into our world via this blog, but that usually means that I haven’t taken a shower in two days. Or if I made a great meal, it means that there is likely a mildewy pile of laundry awaiting me in the basement. Or if I meet all my client’s deadlines, then the little birdie is probably having a meltdown right behind me as I e-mail the last ad off to the paper. Or if the house looks clean and organized it means that I’m procrastinating my client’s work. Or if I somehow (miraculously) am wearing a clean outfit and have some mascara on both sets of eyelashes, you’ve got to know that I probably had some help with the little birdie that day, which enabled me to find time and energy to think about what I was putting on… Balance, schmalance.
And you know what? Some days this juggling act drives me (a bit) crazy. But most days, I just accept it as my version of “normal” and do the best I can with the cards that are dealt that particular day, with the deadlines that are ever-looming, with the tantrums that maybe could have been prevented, with the raspberry jelly stains on my growing bump.
Entry filed under: Parenthood 101. Tags: drivel, musings on life.
1.
wordplayhouse™ | August 4, 2011 at 11:36 am
Mistakes are sometimes the biggest blessings—your photo here just shows it. Simply beautiful. I enjoyed your thoughts and shared life here on your blog. You’ve created a beautiful space here.
2.
Zane | August 4, 2011 at 4:32 pm
So true. You’ve described ‘balance’ while mothering little ones so perfectly. Thank you for this reminder to do the best I can on any given day. . . and embrace the beauty however it may find me!
3.
Jennifer | August 13, 2011 at 12:37 am
You have a beautiful blog! I never delete photos off my camera or memory card because I always worried that one of those “messed up” shots will actually turn out to be awesome. Keep up the awesome work. Upper Michigan is fantastic… I’m sure the colors will be changing soon… I’m down here in the lower part and it seems too soon for summer to end.
Jennifer
Diesel Stomping
4.
Ashlea | August 14, 2011 at 8:09 am
Thanks for clicking in, Jennifer!
Fun to know another blogging Michigander. Bliggity blog on!
5.
Celina | August 16, 2011 at 11:02 pm
I just discovered your blog through blogstar… First congrats on 300 posts! You made me look at how many I had written, I have a long way to go! I never looked at it that way. Secondly, lovely blog, I particularly like this post: the photo is gorgeous ( so is your daughter) and I can totally relate. You have a new follower! Thank you!!!
6.
Ashlea | August 17, 2011 at 6:37 am
Thanks so much for clicking in on me! Isn’t it fun to get lost in cyberspace sometimes, especially when you can relate? Blog on!