What Life's Victory is Really All About...

So today was amazing...start to finish, simply an amazing day!!  

I cleaned the bathrooms first thing, did a load of laundry, and spent the day out with my kids.  When we got home, there was time for some snuggles, and  I even had time to make a pizza from scratch...!

Personally, I would like to congratulate myself for finally having made it in life...
I mean,  I've got it goin' ON... I am THE Mom of Moms!!!!  

....or am I???

See, what you're not really seeing is the rest of my kitchen table 

where that pizza dough is being prepped on 

yeah, there's a table under there...

...& you're certainly not seeing the kitchen sink...

...Ewwww, right?!...and that's not even a full day's worth!

As far as the rest of the house goes, you can forget about that!!

No, seriously, forget about it!  

If you think the kitchen's bad, well...let's just say you ain't seen nothin' yet!!  

Nor will you...at least not today!!!

So why this victory if my house is insane, 

and I can barely find my floor underneath all these toys and laundry?  

It's because I'm discovering the secret...the one that I've felt God leading me to inside my heart, and the one He's shown me through such fine ladies as those at Life Over C's and Not a Stepford Life.

See, life's victory is not about a Martha Stewart home, 

complete with warmed cookies 

awaiting my children and husband as they walk in the door...
(though, seriously, that'd be delicious!)

...and it's certainly not about maintaining the alleged "balance" that I've been both striving for and failing to achieve ever since the day the idea developed in my mind.

Life's victory is, instead, about God 

and praising Him for my day by enjoying the gifts here before me...

...these amazing children ...my beloved husband and family...

It's about actually rolling up my sleeves, diving in, and getting dirty.

Praise God by PLAYING with my kids?

 ABSOLUTELY

Praise God by LAUGHING and LOVING and SNUGGLING, you mean?

POSITIVELY 100%!! 

 And, yes, my house is crazy and not "primmed" and "propered",

but you should see the smiles on my kids faces (&mine!)

and the laughter in their voices and excitement in their eyes...

...The house will be here ...AND it's mess...but my kids and these moments won't always be.

One day, they'll grow and move along and have families of their own...

I don't want to miss the NOW while they're here with me...

I mean, think about it,
                           who ever looked back on their life
                                                                 and wished they'd had more time to clean??

I mean, REALLY?! 

But, you know, I do feel strongly that
                                          there are plenty who have looked back and wished
they'd spent more time with their kids...their families...

...the ones they love most on this earth...

If I ever had to look back like that and realize my mistake too late..

I gotta tell ya, it's too overwhelming to even stomach.

I'm just so grateful to God that He helped me figure it out before it was too late!! Oh, I still have a lot to learn, and I'm sure that crazy girl and her need for what she perceives balance to be will kick in, but I got it today...and that, for me, is enough...

Message received, my God...
Thank You....Thank You so very much..