Wow, my first blog!  I got a wild hair tonight and decided I must not be the only mother out there who is constantly comparing herself to other moms, both real and fictional, and feeling like she constantly falls short (or at least I hope I'm not alone!).  I recall memories of my mother's seemingly always spotless house and home-cooked meals and wonder if a gene skipped a generation (or perhaps more likely my brain is cruelly forgetting the times the house looked like an atom bomb went off and we sat in our pajamas eating PB&J for the third time that day).

I am not perfect.  There it is!  I admit it!  I sometimes let the dishes build up in the sink for three days, secretly hoping my husband will take the hint before I finally start loading the dishwasher.  I let my daughters run around the house in swimming suits and Halloween costumes in the middle of February because I long ago decided that was not a battle worth fighting.  I will let my kids watch TV all day when I'm feeling sick (and ok, other days as well) and just pray their brains won't rot before junior high.  I probably feed them fast food at least once a week and let my picky eater survive on a diet of peanut butter sandwiches, chicken nuggets, pizza, cereal and fruit.  I wish I spent more time playing with my kids, praying over my kids, and modeling for them what it means to live as a Christian woman in today's world.

On the other hand, I truly love my life.  I have a wonderful husband who is my partner and my rock.  He understands what my contribution is to the family and the household and he has never once come home and asked me "what do you do all day?"  I have two beautiful daughters that I love more deeply than words can express.  I am blessed and I would not change my life for anything.

I am human, though.  I make mistakes.  I lose my temper.  I constantly compare myself to other women, other moms and wonder why I don't measure up to them.  As Paul said in Romans 7:15 (and no, I didn't know the chapter and verse offhand, I had to look up the reference), "I don't really understand myself.  For I want to do what is right, but I don't do it.  Instead, I do what I hate." (NLT)  I hate to admit how often this verse speaks to what I am doing and feeling.  Every day is a new day and, with God's help, I hope each day can be better than the last.

Do you want to get real with me?  I will share with you my struggles and my triumphs, my joys and my fears, and maybe a really great chocolate cake recipe.  I hope this blog will help you know you are not alone if, like me, you are an average mom trying her best to be  Supermom.