Redefining me

I always laugh when I think of what the “me” in high school would think of the “me” today. I doubt that me would even recognize this me, or if she did she would probably be laughing too – you know, in a, oh my gosh how did I become so weird sort of way. Of all my childhood hopes and aspirations none of them included raising a family in small town, USA. None of them included enjoying the simple pleasures of life – making my own baby food, canning fruit I picked myself, quilting, cake decorating.

I’m not sure exactly how or when I became so weird, it must be a process I guess. Shortly after getting married I remember sitting Ross down for a big goal setting session. Paper and pen in hand I intended to outline and detail our 1, 5, and 10 year goals, both corporate and individual. We noted our goals for finances, for major purchases, for trips and fun stuff – yes, I even outlined when I thought it would be appropriate for us to purchase the two labs that Ross is still waiting for. But it wasn’t until I proof-read our goals that it hit me – in a completely obligatory manner, “Oh my gosh, we have to have kids somewhere in here”. And as I see it, that may very well be the moment I started becoming weird.

For the most part I think I am okay with the weirdness (aka. Laura Ingalls Wilder tendencies) but this summer I have hit a whole new level of self-preservation (I’m not even sure if that’s the right word but we’ll just go with it, okay?). I started a garden. Oh horror of all horrors! Now please, I mean this with no offense to those avid gardeners among us, but this is just one road I was sure I wouldn’t go down. I have been perfectly happy with the peppers and broccoli that my local Safeway provides me and have never seen a reason to risk getting dirt under my fingernails AND on my knees to grow my own. I remember as recently as last year a friend from MOPS asking me if I garden and I quickly responded with, “nope, that’s not my thing, I’m not that girl.” Oh, but I am.

Part of me thinks that a certain degree of weirdness is just downright required for motherhood so I’ll just consider this all an effort to oblige my children – to teach them tolerance and acceptance and whatever else those modern psychologists think my kids need. But the truth is, I am having a blast learning new things - trying things I never thought I would try, exploring new interests and discovering ones I never knew I had. So, who cares if the high school me would be laughing – laugh away miss high school, but I’m the one with some awesome applesauce in the pantry and happy heads of romaine in the garden.

Meet my little organic garden. 4x8 raised bed. 20 pea plants, 16 beans & onions , 4 heads of lettuce, 4 tomatoes, 3 peppers, 3 cauliflower, zucchini, pumpkins, broccoli, strawberries, a few dozen carrots, cilantro and, hopefully, more herbs by tomorrow. Who knew weird could be so much fun!