To Be Me or Not...That is the Question!

The average expectations of a woman in today's society is a little different than fifty years ago.  It used to be the norm for a woman to be a stay-at-home mom and wife who only took care of the domestic duties.  However, many things change in fifty years.  Today, the majority of women in the United States are working outside of their homes and still trying to raise a family.  All the while, we as women are expected to be as feminine, beautiful, and perfect as ever.  This is where I get frustrated, and because of that this blog post is presented.

I am a wife and mother.  I've been married for 9 years, am a mother of two very active children, I work full time as a teacher, and I'm going back to graduate school.  Needless to say, my life is a little chaotic.  I don't fit the typical "June Cleaver" profile, but I do try my best at everything I do.  Because my life consists of running from here to there and back to here, I usually don't spend too much time on myself. 

Growing up, I never thought about who I truly was on the inside.  Instead, I always tried to be what was expected of me:  a pretty, girly-girl.  Now, as I'm older and am truly finding myself, I have come to terms with not being what society expects me to be.  I am me and only me!  I'll never be the perfect model!  This realization used to bother me when I confronted it, but now I say, "Who cares?"

I have determined that I am much more of a "tom-boy" than a "girly-girl!"  Don't get me wrong.  I still like to get dressed up and look nice at times, but for the most part I'm just a good ol' country girl.

I want to wear my jeans, t-shirts and flip-flops.  I want to watch baseball and go ride four-wheelers.  I want to hang out at home playing in the yard, rough-housing, so to speak! 

I've often told my husband that if he wanted a girly-girl, then he's married the wrong person.  Most women would love to get a manicure, pedicure, massage, etc. for their birthday.  Me...well, I'd be perfectly happy with getting tickets to a baseball game!  I'd much rather spend my day out at the ball park than in a mall, etc. 

I know some of you are thinking, "Wow!  She's not who I thought she was!"  And, you know what... that's okay!  I'm good with that.  I don't want to be who you or anyone else think I am.  I just want to be me.  I don't want to be uncomfortable at some silly girly-get-together because it's expected of me. 

I've decided I'm not doing anything that I don't want to do anymore.  Who cares if society says I have to be the perfect feminine role model?  I think God would be more pleased with me if I'm being true to myself and just living my life for Him.

Therefore, from here on out, that's what I'm doing.  Yes, you'll still see me dressed up for work and church.  But, I can promise on the weekends and at home, you'll see me being me.  Yes that's right.  It means jeans, t-shirts/hoodies, flip-flops/tennis shoes, just a little makeup, and hair in a pony-tail.  What's wrong with being both a typical girl and a not-so-typical girl?

No more questioning who I want to be, because I've decided to be the real me!  (I hope you can accept that!)  I'll leave you with pictures which show both the real me's:  the silly goofy "tom-boy" and the "girly girl!"  Enjoy! 

--Crystal     :)