The Farm Table and Corners Cut

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I follow Ann Voskamp on Instagram.  And if you have been reading along for any amount of time you know that I love her book, 1000 Gifts.  Yesterday she posted a picture of a farm table in the middle of the woods surrounded by pumpkins and mums.

By the IG post, I gathered it was a celebration dinner she and her family share each year.  It was a beautiful picture full of earth's bounty.  Someone made a comment on the feed about Ann posting perfect pictures....and how did she do it all....homeschool, mother 6 children, cook dinner.....(you get the picture).

Ann's response resonated so deep with me.  She said something to the effect of.....my son dragged the table out into the woods, my kids brought out the pumpkins and mums, my momma made the turkey, someone else brought..... Her response was gracious and honest.

And I LOVED IT!  But as of today, the post has been deleted.  Maybe the thread of the post became more than she wanted it to be, who knows.

Ann got me thinking.....we all cut corners.  We don't live perfect Susie homemaker lives.  There is no way we could.  Everyone "cuts corners" with something(s) when it comes to life and creating memories for your family.  But often times we only see the snapshots of the perfect memory.

Here are some ways I cut corners......

I may arrive at church with 3 children and myself dressed but....

my house is a wreck and my husband helped me get them in the car.

We may be eating a home cooked meal.....

but it came out of the crockpot and was the most SIMPLE recipe ever (dump and heat).

I may be on a walk around the lake with 3 kids and 2 dogs but....

I forgot the snacks and the sippies. 

I am not super woman, I just need a mental break from the walls of my home

where the fussing keeps echoing.  I am praying the open air will swallow up

their dispute.

My house may be decorated for the current holiday but.....

my hardwoods have dried dog drool on them and I am hoping you won't notice.

I may be working a 12 hour shift and saving your child's life but...

my husband gives his "off" day to keep our 3 littles all by himself.

All this said....I am a wife, a mother of 3 littles and 2 big dogs, a nurse, a host to this blog, and I create every once in a while for a little ETSY shop but I DON'T do it alone.  I DON'T do it all perfect.  I cut corners along the way with frozen pizza for dinner and closing the lids on toilets that have pink stuff growing in them.  I even cut corners on this blog by not killing myself to post when life is too busy 

(ie, the last several weeks)  

I think we as women can do so much better.  I think we can give each other a break and stop the critical eye dead in its tracks and rest in knowing, everyone cuts corner.  I am speaking loudest to myself in this post.  I think Ann would say she was creating a moment of memory and thanksgiving for her family.  She "cut corners" by allowing others to help her along the way.  She knows she can't do it alone.  I can't do it alone.  We can't do it alone.  So let's stop trying, cut some corners, and get on with making moments of thankful memories with the ones we love most!