air force one high heels One Stay-At-Home Mom's Re

I saw her at the mall the other day. You know...the woman with perfectly coiffed hair, a size four waist, and clothes with labels that do not come from Target, Wal Mart or TJ Maxx. I couldn't stop myself from staring as she browsed the housewares department with her kiddos all in a row. If I was a betting woman, I would say her nails had recently been manicured, her hair freshly blown-out and that her handbag cost more than we spend on groceries in a month (and with a family of six, that says something.) I allowed myself to get lost in the moment and travel to the land of "if only." If only I made it a priority to get my hair done every month... If only I spent money on my clothes instead of on things for the house...If only I sucked it up and wore what looked great instead of what is most comfortable and most stain resistant...
I stood completely still, watching, for what seemed like hours. I couldn't stop looking at her beautiful skin, perfect makeup, and fit body. She couldn't be much younger than me, I mused. She had three kids trailing along behind her-behaving wonderfully, I might add-and yet she had it all together.
I had a silent debate with myself as I gawked at her. I bantered with my alter ego back and forth about what she was like; snobby, nice, shy, outgoing, caring, aloof. I made terrific assumptions about what her husband did for a living, what her house looked like, and in which neighborhood she lived. I imagined when she left she would drive off in a Mercedes or an Escalade. I watched her children follow her quietly; never once pinching, hitting or whining.
It was utterly fascinating.
The spell was broken when my daughter threw a hay-maker at my son and a full-blown wrestling match ensued. I pulled my gaze away to referee my children, administer the necessary threats to ensure good behavior (no candy at checkout and no Sprout television when we get home) and offer a hasty glance in the mirror at my stay-at-home mom's uniform of knit pants nike high heels sneakers, long-sleeved t-shirt, ponytail, and ########## face. By the time I looked back in Super Mom's direction, she was gone.
I couldn't get her off my mind as I finished my shopping, corralled my children and headed for our minivan. I couldn't help but wonder where she was headed; lunch with the girls, to the club for some tennis, or out to dinner with her husband while the kids stayed with a sitter-all things that rarely, if ever, happen in my day-to-day world.
As I was buckling what felt like a hundred seat belts and laying the ground rules for the drive home (sit quietly in your seat and keep your hands to yourselves) air force one high heels, my son interrupted my spiel by calling out, "Mommy!" Still lost in my self-deprecating thoughts brought about by a woman whom I didn't know, had never met and probably never would, I absentmindedly answered. "Yes?"
"I love you."
And there it was: the only reassurance I needed that while I may not wear expensive clothes in single digit sizes, carry a bag that costs the same as our monthly mortgage, or live in a house with enough bathrooms for all of us to have our own, I am living the dream. My dream.
I have four beautiful, healthy children who think the sun rises and sets by me, a husband who works hard to provide for our family so that I can stay home with our babies, and peanut butter flavored kisses any time I want. What could be better than that?
How to set you goals for 2010 - 2020 1st Step Choose a time when you are feeling peaceful, relaxed. Free of interruption. Get yourself in a positive state, open to possibilities. Write a list of things of what you are proud to have achieved during 2000-2009. List them down and quietly reflect on them. If it helps you, write the years in a list and write beside each one. Feel the feelings of achievement bubbling up. Give yourself a metaphorical pat on the back... well done you!2nd Step What did you do during these years that were the 'icing on the cake?' Make a list. What gave you your greatest sense of joy? Who was there? What happened? How did it make you feel? What photographs do you treasure of those moments? Go and have a look at them and relive the feelings, sounds and sights.
3rd Step Think about the areas in your life that are important - list them down for example career, environment, personal development, fun & recreation, relationship with friends/family, significant other jumpman high heels, spirituality etc. Consider where you are with each right now, today. Give each one a score out of 10, with 1 being low and 10 being high. How would you score your satisfaction with each area?
4th Step Think about how you would like to change each area - what would make it a 10? What would '10' be like for you? How would it feel? Close your eyes if it helps, imagine, dream, design. Paint a picture in your imagination of how you choose to change things. Imagine if Aladdin's genie gave you 3 wishes, how would you use them to change your life? What if you had more than 3 wishes, how would you use them? Drift into your imagination, what can you hear, what can you smell, taste? Who is there? What are they doing? How bright is the picture? Turn up the colour, adjust the volume so it's right. What difference would it make to your life? How would it affect your relationships?