Diamond Earrings and Glitter Nail Polish

You know what I realized this afternoon while admiring my reflection in the mirror? I am wearing diamond earrings and sparkly glitter nail polish.... What a combination! TLC's "What Not to Wear" would have a field day with me! I was given a set of diamond earrings by my children for Christmas and Jason's daughter Sophia had painted my nails with sparkly glitter nail polish the day before during our girly nail painting party. The contrast between my glamourous earrings and the tacky nail polish made me see something very important.

At times I feel like I have been thrust into motherhood, helpless to the time that passes all too quickly and steadily trying to claw my way back to my youth that feels lost so long ago. I'm constantly covered in crayon, marker, strange nail polish, crumbs etc... My lap is wearing out from the constant rotation of bottoms sitting in it. When we make the decision to have children, we never truly realize the sacrifices we will have to make along the way. But we don't mind doing that, because the rewards are so much greater.

However, day by day, we notice in the mirror a new wrinkle or a sag here or there. Our lips that in our youth used to curl upwards seem to be fixed into a permanent frown... You long for the days when you were young and beautiful, (the way diamond earrings make you feel). Suddenly a gray hair peeks through the brown and you start to wonder what happened to that carefree girl that you once were...

Occassionally you will see her, peeking back at you in the mirror. You can tell by the twinkle of her eye, the smile playing on her lips, the giggle escaping her mouth... And you know that she is still there, still young, still carefree, just hiding. Hiding and laughing because she just saw you wearing diamond earrings and sparkly glitter nail polish....