nothing's easy

Mark and I have, over our almost-10-year-journey as a couple, developed a few key catchphrases - usually words of profound and life-changing wisdom that can apply to virtually any situation.

Things like:

Sometimes... it's not about you. (most of the time, in fact)

No one will like you any less. (a good way to try to get your wife to try something new that she's afraid will make her look like a profound idiot).

It's not supposed to be easy.

This last phrase is the one that has seemed to surface in my mind the most in the last year or so... and not because my life has been monumentally difficult. We have suffered no major losses - we have a lovely, warm home - Mark has a great job that provides more than we need - we have a gorgeous, healthy baby daughter who is quickly growing up out of babyhood and into toddlerhood... the blessings in our lives are abundant and obvious.

But day to day, I find myself in small situations that just never seem to be easy. Naptime is always a bit of a struggle. Laundry regenerates itself daily. Sickness knocks the house down for a few days. Basements flood. Oh - and the one that is positively driving me batty right now - our house is a hotbed of static electricity. Seriously - EVERYTHING in this ever-lovin' house will zap you to kingdom come if you're wearing wooly socks (or wooly anything, for that matter).

Even though things aren't easy in my everyday life... things are GOOD. There are simple pleasures and deep joys to be found lurking under the not-easy roadblocks in my day. Today, I strive to remember that life as a stay-at-home mama may not be easy... but it is good. And in the end, I will choose goodness every day of the week and twice on Sunday.