No Boys Allowed in La-La Land

Men. There are just so many of them in my life.

Spending the weekend with "my family" is like a camping trip, a sports event, a burping and farting contest and a 24 hour buffet, all wrapped up in one huge, loud, smelly package. This weekend it was my oldest brother, my 3 boys, my husband, his brother, and his son. By Saturday night I was wondering if I, myself, was beginning to grow a little chest hair. I mean, I'm completely out-numbered here! And every one of them depends on me for sustenance. I wake up in the morning, put my feet on the floor and try to just make it to the bathroom before they begin to swarm. It's like... " We've got you surrounded! Come out with your hands up and fix us some pancakes!!"

By this afternoon I just had to go. I had to make an escape for the outside world. A world full of girly things. Pretty things. Things that are attractive and smell good.

So I went shopping! Not to buy anything, but just to look and feel and smell. I looked at hair things, jewelry, perfumes, lotions, comfy jammies, slippers, clothes, purses, and lingerie. Then it happened...I saw the shoes. I had completely forgotten how much I love shoes! As I rounded the corner of the women's shoe department, everything went into slow motion. I swear I heard angels singing in the heavens, and every shoe was sparkling like a little diamond glistening from atop it's box. My heart raced as I walked slowly down each and every isle, soaking in the magic. My mouth was most definitely hanging open at this point. And I'm not talking about drooling over the usual flip flops or running shoes. These were girly ones...pretty ones. Feminine ones. Sparkly ones. I just couldn't walk away without trying on "just a couple of pair". I ended up having a totally self-indulgent "Pretty Woman moment", as I rolled up my jeans and went to town! After about the 12th pair and the creation of a big mess for some poor sole to clean up, I had gotten my fix. And it was FANTASTIC! But in that moment, my eyes came back into clear focus, the angels stopped there serenade, and reality settled in.
I quickly slipped on my black flip-flops (from 3 years ago) and hurried back to the mini-van empty handed, but satisfied.
Feeling much better about my femininity and a lot less concerned about chest hair popping out between my bosoms, I realized how much I actually do love my old black flip-flops and my life of burping, farting, wrestling, video games, sports and fixing food for hungry man-bellies at all hours of the day and night. It suits me just fine.

It just never hurts to be in La-La land every once in awhile.