Do You See What I See?

The other day I had a challenge of sorts placed before me. An acquaintance made a passing comment that they have never seen me in life or in a picture look unflattering.

Boy...They don't look around my FB albums or see me at the Wal~Marts on a Saturday morning, do they?

I didn't give it another thought.

Until this last Saturday morning.

I had been up since 2 cute munchkins climbed in bed with me when My Man left for work. I had made breakfast, cleaned the house, reorganized the pantry, fridge, freezer, AND junk drawers. Time to fix them lunch, then we read some books and played a few games. It was noon and I was in my nightgown still, with some rockin monkey fleece PJ pants, mismatched socks, some crazy bedhead and my awesome night regime still on my face.

Yes, I was a treasure. If the nice mail lady would have come to my door, she would have requested to transfer to a different route!

But I digress.

It was time to get cleaned up so we could nap and then go meet My Man for the evening when he got off of work. As I was removing the kicking new fashion trendsetting outfit I had on, I chuckled. The statement made to me earlier in the week came back to my mind. I thought, "Boy...she wouldn't say that if she could see me now!"

As Lindsey would tell me, my Swagger Points just bottomed out!

Then, I dried my hair, chose a more decent outfit from the closet and snuggled down on the loveseat in my bedroom window for just a few pages of my current reading choice. About 2 words in, I stopped, chuckled again and dug my phone out of my pocket.

And snapped a picture.

I looked at it and said, "Niiiiiiiiiiccccceeeee!" It was fully laced with sarcasm, I assure you. There I was...no makeup, hair just blown dry, no fashion-y clothes, no jewelry, acne...just me.

I scrolled quickly thru to another picture I have on my phone that I took one day and sent to My Man. My makeup was nicely done, my skin was clear, I was having a great hair day, it was a nice outfit choice for the day, the chosen jewelry worked with it all...Lindsey would have awarded Swagger Points for sure.

How many differences could you name?


You can stop counting now...

So I looked back at these 2 pics side-by-side and asked myself:

Do I see any less of "Billie" in my eyes?
Do I see any less of "Billie" in my smile?
Do I see any less of "Billie" in the way I'm carrying myself?

And then I showed and asked my Baby Girl the same.

"I see no difference at all, Mommy."

And that, my friends...is the best lesson a Mommy...a woman...could learn...or teach...

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." ~Proverbs 31:25-30