I am a Mommy

We went to the lake this past weekend to a college get-together from The Trail (the new church our church recently started). We don't know very many people that went from our church to start The Trail so we thought it would be fun to meet some of them and who can pass up an invite to the lake!! We went and got Emma a life jacket so she could ride on the boat. Trying them on in the store was not fun for her, she did not like it one bit! But we finally found one and went home to get changed and head for the lake!

I was SO excited. I love the lake! I do not like being in the water but I think I could ride in the boat all day long and be perfectly content. I was also very excited to take Emma out on a boat for the first time. So we came home to change, and I bet I tried on 4 or 5 different bathing suits before deciding on one that I thought looked the best. Bathing suits these days are not my favorite thing to put on :). So we packed our things and headed out!

We got there and everyone started to load up the boat, jet skis, and inner tube. Will got on the inner tube (with about 9 other guys I might add!!) and Emma and I climbed in the boat to enjoy the ride. She was not very happy to have on her life jacket. Poor thing couldn't sit down in it because it rose up around her shoulders almost suffocating her. So she stood tightly between my legs and loved it! We were having a great time. It was pretty warm outside even with the breeze from the boat so the other girls in the boat started taking off their bathing suit coverups. I immediately felt this wave of jealousy come over me as I see their cute little figures in their two piece bathing suits all tan and slim while I had on my tankini with very little tan, slight baby belly remaining, and definite love handles! I sat there thinking how I wish I could look like that again...

We got home that night and I was telling my mom about our evening and how I wished I looked like the other girls. Her response to me was, "Katie, don't you realize that those girls were probably wishing they were you. You have a wonderful husband and a beautiful little girl, this is most girl's dream!"

I thought about what she said, and I felt guilty for wishing I looked those girls because my sweet baby girl means everything to me and I wouldn't trade her for anything!  I am a Mommy...therefore, I am not going to look like I did years ago. You sacrifice many things when you give birth to a child, but it is every bit worth it. So my trip to the lake taught me a much needed lesson... Life isn't all about what you look like, though our society puts so much emphasis on this. You body is a temple so number one, your image should be pleasing to God. And number two, when you are married to someone who loves you for you and thinks you are the most beautiful thing in the world, it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. Of course a slim tan body would be nice, but in the grand scheme of things, I have everything I need and more...after all, I am a Mommy!