Little Ole Me

I'm a blog addict.  I admit it.  I was excited when I figured out how to follow blogs in Blogger.  And then I figured out Google Reader on my iPhone.  Fabulous entertainment for waiting rooms, nursing, and a quick escape from reality.

I blame it on my love of books and fiction.

As soon as I learned to read, I devoured everything around me.  I remember reading every street sign as we drove around town and my parents patiently putting up with it.  I quickly starting reading every book I could get my hands on.  I have wonderful memories of the "book shelf" in my grandma's large hall closet.  I loved opening it, and smelling the stale, old books and reading all that were there.  I have read many Reader's Digest condensed books.  I went through the entire fiction section in my church library as a student.  Since the birth of #3 book reading has been slim, but even in the last 5 years I've gone through periods of reading several books a week from the library.

I love a good story.  And even a cheesy story.  Bean brought me a book from his work this week (which I've yet to open, but am very interested in) that mentions a characters "Amish roots" and he knows I love all things Amish and Little House on the Prairie-esque. 

And so I love reading blogs.  Interesting ones that is.  Understandably, many of the blogs I come across are written by moms, usually stay at home moms.  Most of the are quite busy though, with various hobbies and involvements with their children.

Me...I'm busy, but it's with work and balancing a family alongside that.

I've noticed that many bloggers have a lot in common.  Things that I don't have in common with them.

1.  They are photographers.  Some do it as a hobby.  Some have a side business.  I love taking photos and even posting them.  I have a great interest in learning to take great pictures.  But I need to finish decorating and organizing my bedrooms first.

2.  They are great at editing their photographs.  I have a copy of Photoshop on my computer.  I've tried to use it.  But I find it complicated and not easily learned.  Therefore, my photo editing is limited to what I can do in Picasa.  If I even have the time to edit them at all.

3.  Along with editing photographs, they do great digital designs with their photos.  Again, I have a great interest in digiscrapping, but that will have to wait for another decade probably.

4.  They are crafty.  Whether it's sewing or quilting, selling stuff on etsy or being creative in their home decoration, they are a crafty bunch.  It's been a long-standing joke with my long-time friends how un-crafty I am.  I actually can sew, but just the basics.  Let's not talk about how uneven the baby blanket I sewed for Miss Rose is.

5.  They play with their children, a lot.  I'm so busy playing catch-up when I'm home, playing with my children isn't always a priority.  I strive to interact with them at all times and do put aside the to-do list as much as possible, but the outings I read about--just don't happen around these parts.

On a good day, I feel lucky to have fed my kids a vegetable with dinner, to have all three bathed, to have read at least one book with them before bed and spend a little quality time with my husband.

I'm just little ole me.  Not a photographer or quilter or creator of things.  Perhaps one day I will develop other talents and hobbies.  I'm satisfied with me.  With who I am.  Strengths and weaknesses. 

After all, my kids just want me.  And to the best of my ability, they have me.  Anything else is just a perk.