My laundry room smells like dog urine.

I have been known to eye a suspicious puddle and then choose to ignore it – because if I ignore it for at least an hour, then it will dry up and I won’t have to clean it.

The toilet in my bathroom has orange-ish, moldy looking spots growing around the water line. I am a little confused because I always thought mold was green, but I’m pretty sure these spots (regardless of the color) shouldn’t be there.

I don’t iron. Like ever.

The kids spilled popcorn kernels all over the carpet in front of the TV. I had friends coming over. I pushed those kernels under the couch because it was easier than vacuuming.

The puppy slobbered all over my husband’s pillow. I turned the pillow over to the clean side before he came to bed. Maybe he won’t read this post and so it can remain a secret between you and I.

I am currently sitting at my computer, writing a blog, listening to music and completely ignoring my children. And the school work we should be completing.

I am still in my pajamas.

It is 12:19 pm.

Here is a picture of my stove-top….

Doesn’t that make you feel better?

And, my children have a pot garden. That’s right! A pot garden. What are you going to do about it? They wanted to plant flowers, fruit and vegetables and so I gave them each 4-5 pots to tend. They carefully water and monitor their self-proclaimed “pot garden” daily.

As I write this, I keep thinking about a particular friend of mine. She will probably be very disappointed to read these things. In my mind, I call this friend “Suzy Homemaker.” Her house is spotless. I could probably eat off her floor. But I wouldn’t have to, because her table is always set with REAL plates. And linen napkins. And centerpieces. I hope she doesn’t read this. She is probably too busy cleaning her baseboards to have time to read my blog, anyway.

I have another friend – let’s call her “Martha Stewart.” She is one of those people who actually makes all the crafty things that the rest of us just pin on Pinterest. I want to be like her. Actually, I just want to kidnap her and force her to decorate my house.

Then there is my friend, “Miss America.” She is beautiful. Just painfully beautiful. And she is always clean! And her clothes match and her hair is freshly cut and styled. I am jealous of her. Really, I am especially jealous of her white, straight, evenly-spaced teeth. I want to marry her dentist.

I have been talking to my daughters lately about the gifts God has given them. I tell them that God has blessed us each with different talents. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same? Your beautiful voice wouldn’t sound as beautiful if everyone had the same gift of singing. Your backflip wouldn’t be as spectacular if everyone else was flipping, too. We can’t all be good at everything. Let’s thank God for the special gifts He gave to YOU!

It sounds like my daughters have a very wise mother.

It sounds like I need to listen to her.

So today I am celebrating the gifts I do have. I will not worry about those I don’t!

Here are some of MY special gifts….

I throw the best living room dance parties! Really great ones. With laughter and music and booty shaking.

I make excellent enchiladas. They are like super-terrific. And I do it the right way – with corn tortillas, not the white way – with flour tortillas. Flour tortillas do not enchiladas make, people!

I am particularly good at laundry.

I have this one really good cat joke. It doesn’t matter how many times I tell it, my children laugh hysterically every single time.

We are an active family. My children walk, and skate, and ride bikes and see in their mother an example of what healthy activity looks like.

We eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.

I excel at publicly embarrassing my children.

Directly linked to the previous gift – I also excel at public affection. In high school, I got in trouble for this. They called it PDA. Now, I consider PDA to be completely legal and I use this gift to show my family how much I love them.

Yes, there are things I do not do well. But, there are so many more things I do!

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:141

Today, celebrate the unique gifts that were placed within you. God formed each of us to be His perfect child.

Perfect.

Fearfully and wonderfully made.

Unique.

Words that describe me.

And my children.

And you.

Blessings!