Twin Mama: Celebrity

     Shopping with twins is a paparazzi-worthy event. Don't believe me? Well, to give you an example of a recent shopping trip I had with my little twins I was stopped no less than seven times with the common question: "Are they twins?!" and for the blessed souls that didn't stop me on my journey they watched, pointed, smiled, whispered, awed, and visibly counted the amount of car seats in my big box warehouse-style Gigantor shopping cart. So YES onlookers: they are twins. I will on my venture answer questions on if they sleep through the night, give advice to those who have friends having twins, clarify why boy/girl twins are not identical (?), allow pictures to be taken, and yes, even reveal whether or not my sets were conceived "naturally" ( because we were both shopping for the same set of 1,000 Dixie cups so we are now super-close friends and so I want to tell you EVERYTHING...) and lastly, promise that I will definitely be back because you will miss my little dumplings until you see their squishy faces again even though you just met them...(sigh) *deep breath*

    Now, do I sound bitter? Do I sound annoyed? Well despite it seeming like I want to avoid my "fans" like the plague, and like I want to wear a traditional celebrity pair of over-sized brand-name uber expensive celebrity sunglasses while I sport my celebrity twin-babies with their baby celebrity names ( Peaches and Plum...eria?) in the latest twin baby-wrap carrier and race through the store like all is well and I'm a commoner... Simply put, every outing exhaustingly is a reminder of how blessed and awesome I am.
     Just to clarify, I use the phrase "awesome" not to solicit glares, pffts, or even praise. I use it the way that Webster uses it:

awe·some

/ˈôsəm/

Adjective

Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration

     Awesome: Extremely impressive, yes. Daunting, YES. Inspiring great admiration...Let me save you the "yeah, right" trouble and just leave it at inspiring. I have the opportunity to inspire others. THAT in itself is laughable. But every time I use all my energy to get to the store, take my children on a walk, take a three-hour adventure to the park as a vulnerable adult human, I inspire others. I say "Yes, it's hard. It's also possible..." I take so much joy in this seemingly little concept.

    To just give you an idea of how life is now versus how it was in my world goes like this: (Before) College student (18 credit hours consistently). Worked full-time in the Service business (ug). Four main responsibilities to my religion, active participant in four different singing groups. Two other part-time jobs (one again in the Service industry {double-ug}) and exercised five days a week. Volunteered, participated, planned, organized, lead. NOW: full-time work (to say the least), Mom. Difference? Well, the most significant one is that I can't even volunteer to bring a salad to a church function without sending my chaotic world into an even-bigger tailspin. I live like a low-level Hoarder, remember sometimes that my husband isn't just a roommate, and shower when I forget the last time I did. So I guess bottom-line is this: I can't do anything outside of waking up every day, feeding and clothing my children, and try to make it out of the house once daily to ensure the stay-offence of cabin fever. So yes Fans, I got out of the house today. I am awesome.

    I am also not singly in this boat. You all with children, especially multiples know how hard everyday life is. Yet, with sheer endurance (and help of every one who offers) we get through. We go out of the house, we cook, we teach, we bring church salads, and even on a good day we shower. We sacrifice everything for the good of our sweet tender families. We are awesome. We tell others that can't muster enough mental energy to get out of the house that they can. Those that have two babies, two car seats, two diaper bags, two bottles, two sippies, snacks, blankets, stroller, purse, umbrella, extra set of clothes, and those that have to walk to the car in the snow uphill both ways to keep going... It gets better. It's Hard. Have hope. Keep going...YOU are AWESOME.

   Some days I feel like I have nothing left. Then I remember in some small way I can help others by just showing up. Times when I feel like I can't even help myself wake-up for the best job in the world. So off I go to the big box warehouse store to buy Dixie cups. I am a celebrity. YOU are a celebrity, WE are celebrities, WE need to be there for our fans. So YES warehouse lady who guards the tobacco cage: I will be back to let you see my little dumplings squishy faces, I promised afterall...

   I was once told that twins come to those who are special. If that is the case then I feel extra-special. But then again we really all are.