Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Until now...

My entire life, I been baffled and even appalled by the tendency of women to fall into the pattern of keeping themselves "put together" and caring about their appearance only until they secure a man and have the ol' ball and chain firmly in place. Then, after a few years of marriage and a couple of kids, all efforts in the physical appearance category go out the window. I've never understood. Never been tempted to join them in this phenomenon.

Until now.

Now... I totally get it. I'm totally tempted to just "let myself go."

Please don't get too worried. I've haven't... well, I don't think I have at least... at least not completely.

You will not find me at WalMart in my pajamas. I do not attend every church service in the same jean skirt and tennis shoes. But I do wear the same jean skirt and old sandals to WalMart and everywhere else I go. It's just so comfortable, you see.

I remember being a teenager and driving to the dentist with my mom. It was a hot HOT summer day in the desert of Southern California, where I grew up. As we were about to get out of the car and walk into the office together, I casually evaluated my mom's outfit. Shorts and t-shirt that neither matched nor were her size.

"Mom!! What are you wearing!!!???!!!" I gasped in horror.

Someday, I am sure I will be getting out the car with a teenage Madison or Eden and hear something similar. LOL


"Kate, I just don't care. Someday, you'll understand." Suddenly, hundreds of images of my grandma (my mom's mom) wearing Capri pants and t-shirts that really really did not match.... like really did not match.... filled my mind. Was it genetic? I protested to my mom that I would never give in to the family curse of a non-matching but comfortable existence. My mom re-iterated that one day I would understand.


And I do. But not to the extent that I'm planning on leaving my house in a similar ensemble.


Just know that although I am wearing the same the jean skirt into the ground, I'm trying really hard to not let myself go. But some days, brushing my teeth is all the beauty routine I am motivated to do! When I took the time to remove the 4 month old nail polish from my toe nails and actually put a file to my finger nails, I felt like we should have celebrated with a date. Too bad Seth was working. (And I doubt he would have seen my reasoning.) I haven't trimmed my hair since Christmas and seriously need to. But I've been using any babysitters I have for doctor's appointments or working on the house. So, anyone offering to watch my little darlings (please ignore any posts I have ever posted about their sin natures) in the name of saving me from about an inch of split ends? ;)



The good news, I still shellac this face with makeup every day. The world can not handle a falling away of that necessity. I'm embarrassed to even post this picture of myself.





Love,

4 comments:

Mrs. Reverend Doctor said...

I often think of the amount of time I spent in college hot rolling my hair...seriously there is letting yourself go and then there is just "simplifying", I can't ever imagine you letting yourself go!

Unknown said...

You're right... I really have simplified from the hour and a half routine of college days. I mean really, how many coats of mascara does one girl need? ;)

Tonya said...

so so true. i am constantly having to push myself to put forth that extra effort...hoping it will become habit.
this is a really real issue among women that can't be stressed enough.
especially is this info good for married moms.

Joyful Blessings said...

So humorous Kayte, I was thinking of Holly being home four years with me AFTER college, where became the queen of fashion, she was always telling me to spend a little money on some clothes that did not resemble a sack...lol I thought I was ok. At Christmas I was painting the window outside in Tradds flannel shirt, wearing furry earmuffs, she ran out and tried to grab them off my head and chased me around the whole house...what would people think...gee maybe that my ears where cold??