Two weeks ago, my husband and I loaded up our two boys, the tent, and all things camping for a weekend at the race track in eastern Colorado. We aimed to pack necessities only, so I left my makeup, makeup remover, daily skin care regimen (except the sunscreen moisturizer!), white strips, hair product, hair dryer, curling iron, and extra clothes (I could go on and on) at home. Between the four of us we had a shampoo/body wash combo bottle, conditioner, lotion, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, sunscreen, bug spray and toddler/baby Tylenol. That’s it and it’s completely normal to pack all of this (or less) while camping.
I started realizing how freeing it is to waste all of the extra fluff that women usually do everyday or on most days to secure their regular appearance. Then the memories of junior high sleepovers and youth group camp outs came flooding in. The ones where dad would put a tent up in the backyard for five or six of us girls to “sleep” in. At that time, our worlds were carefree, makeup-free and caffeine free. We didn’t care if we had big pores, stained teeth, super pale skin or what route the lines on our foreheads were taking. If we had chap stick and deodorant, we were good to go.
Okay, hold on while I transition to where these thoughts took me over the next several days. Upon our arrival home, I could not stop thinking about what camping and young motherhood have in common.
It seems as though when a girl reaches high school, she also reaches for societal expectations of beauty. All of the sudden, numerous beauty products and routines, outfits and accessories and body stature and weight determine her self worth. Her relevancy. It travels with her when she leaves home for college. Except now, those expectations up the ante. She’s older and should be more put together. She doesn’t dare leave her apartment without some sort of makeup. She needs to tan, get her hair done on a regular basis, her nails should look nice and “go to the gym” is in her planner at least five times a week on top of going to class and preparing for the next phase of life.
Now fast forward a few years, a marriage and “x” number of babies later. She’s in the throws of motherhood. Between nursing her babies and keeping up with toddlers and/or older children, it has cut her down at the knees. She’s vulnerable and raw. Her messy bun she went to bed with is now resting on her ear as she runs an afternoon errand with her kiddos. She grabbed her eldest son’s shoes as they ran out the door, only to find out they were two lefts of different but similar shoes. Caffeine is the first thing on her mind, makeup the last. Athletic shorts, leggings, t-shirts and anything she can grab from her closet quickly make up her uniform. She didn’t even have time to realize that all of her expectations of beauty, all that fluff, were overcome by something far more worthy. Her self-worth now rests in the hands of the Lord. She remains the most beautiful to her husband and more precious to Christ.
There are times when mothering makes me feel ugly and unkempt (also stinky!). I find myself longing for unlimited time for self-care and sleep. I want to feel “put together”. In all honesty and in all of the upheaval of motherhood, I’ve never felt more beautiful in my life. Before babies, makeup was a requirement, I had time to pamper my skin and do my nails and my hair was usually fixed. I took some time to pick out an outfit, maybe add some jewelry and out the door at my own pace, I went.
Camping with the essentials only is temporary. So is mothering infants and toddlers. It’s messy and sometimes, not the way you’d prefer. But the scenery is beautiful, you are beautiful and your family will take you any way they get you. The important thing? That you are there.
<3
Stay tuned for more blog posts! I have another sweet treat with a sweet story attached coming soon!
Find us on Facebook at Little Miss Mumsy and follow our ice cream shop renovation at Aunt B’s Ice Cream Shop, Bakery and Coffee House-Coming Soon!
