This is Real Life: The good, the bad, and the ugly...

I had an interesting conversation with a good friend awhile back about how social media really plays tricks on us.  We all post the good part of our lives and typically leave out the bad.  A lot of that is because we figure no one wants to read about the depressing parts of our lives.  We only want to share the good.  At the same time, it leads us to a false reality.  No ones life is as perfect as their Facebook or Instagram posts might portray. 

I am the first to admit I have followed a few friends and had thoughts like "Wow, that mom has it together.  She finds time to do this or that and some days I'm lucky if I get a shower!"

Its so easy to convince ourselves that we aren't enough or we don't do enough.  But in reality we are what our family needs us to be.  That looks differently for every person/family.  We make priorities in our lives, we do well in some areas and fall short in others.  Some moms are crafty and make everything from scratch.  Not me.  Some moms make time for workouts everyday.  Not me.  Some moms get outside everyday.  Not me.  Some moms enjoy working outside the home.  Not me.  Does that make one of us better than the other?  No, of course not.  We all do things differently and that is okay.  However, we do all have one thing in common, we love our families and want to be the best we can be. This has made me realize I need to be more of an encouragement to other moms.  So this week I am making it  my goal to pray for all you moms out there.  Motherhood is amazing, but it is also terribly difficult.  You are doing an amazing job.  Don't allow the posts you follow make you feel like less than enough.

In honor of this post, I decided I would share a few pictures of our daily life, the good, the bad, and the ugly :). 

Our little doggy

Joey got Strep throat a few weeks ago, the same day, I got mastitis...

Meanwhile Ava got sick too, 3 of us down.

Taking a moment from chaos to drink some coffee

Joyful time with my best friends/sisters

What you see? A date with my husband
What you don't see?  Ava with us and our two kids who were a mess before we left.  I wasn't sure we would be able to leave.

The good? Balloons for Joey's birthday which he loved.
The bad? fighting over them...and hearing one balloon sing happy birthday over and over again.

What you see? Siblings in a stroller
What you don't see?  The huge tantrum Genna had before this in the middle of a huge crowd at the fair.

a joyful moment with a good friend.

My niece came to visit and was immediately stung 4 times by a bee, near her eye.

At the Dr. for a possible ear ache that had us up for a few hours the night before.

What you see? sweet baby snuggles
What you don't see?  I don't necessarily love baby wearing.  I get all sweaty and I just like my space. However this baby loves to be held...so baby wearing it is.

There you go, a little sneak into our lives.  Life isn't always easy or fun, but if you find beauty in the ugliest parts, you will find happiness.  Time to sneak in that shower  before the baby wakes up :).

Happy Thursday everyone!