The oompa loompa effect...

So, as many of my friends know we used to live in another state. When we moved, everyone in each place asked "Why would you ever want to move away and to such a small secluded shopping foodee free area?" How many answers would you like for that question? lol One of the reasons brings up the title for this post... the vanity issue and the oompa loompa effect!

So, we went to our former neighborhood to check on our home. Yes, we have people renting it, but who knows if they'll actually keep up with the yard & etc etc. As we were driving through the surround neighborhoods we started seeing the vanity effects, especially since school was letting out. See, that school had a 'hoity toity' rep and it doesn't take long to see why lol Who looks better walking their kids home from school, the best little outfit on waiting for their kids, the best color job, boob job, lipo job, etc etc. You know who they are... those 40ish plus year old women. The ones who are obsessed with remaining 20ish to keep up with the Jones', the ones who are afraid to just be themselves and LOVE and EMBRACE what God gave them naturally!

Keeping up, in that neighborhood, means staying toned and tanned by whatever means necessary. They're up at 5 with their coffee in hand walking around in their little herds. They meet their little herds at the gym, the salon, everywhere. They're gone to the best ski resorts in the winter & the lake in the summer. They go with their herd to the best eateries but hardly eat more than a few bites. Then there are those that are so obsessed that they don't even recognize themselves in the mirror anymore, but don't dare do anything about finding themselves again out of fear that 'Sally might not be my friend anymore'.

As we were driving we saw all of them & I used to know most of them. Sadly, I was turning into one of them when we lived there which scared me. Before I had the Hurricane I was up at 5 am running, always trying to make myself maintain that "perfect shape" and then it hit me... I wasn't raised like that & I wasn't going to raise my kids to be like that. Needless to say, my stress level is a lot lower not living around them and I sighed happily at that fact passing all of them. Then there she was....

We saw her from over a block away. In her cutsie little black spandexy type shorts, tank top, and zip up jacket. Hair perfectly coifed in a very fluffy well glued type pony tail style. Nail glossed up, $300 running shoes that she only wears then, I'm sure you get the picture. Yes she looked to be in fabulous shape, especially for having a baby just a few weeks earlier lol The thing that caught our eyes wasn't her physique but her coloring. I thought it was my sunglasses or a glitch from the headache I'd had all day. But as we creeped closer I realized it wasn't. Sarah, yes I knew her as she used to be a great friend of mine, was orange. I'm not talking taking too much VC orange, I'm talking oompa loompa orange. So orange it litterally was visible from quite a ways away. If we were still friends I would have stopped to mention it to her. But knowing her hubby, as soon as he saw her he bribed the kiddos to not say a single word to her about it. I know full well the other ladies in her herd wouldn't dare say anything either. If that were to happen that would open the door to comments and critiques when the doc made one boob slightly lower than the other, the lips looked a little too puffy, etc etc.

I apologize my dear Sarah. I apologize that I didn't stop and offer to take you to our favorite salon where they could correct the mistake they made at Charlie's Chocolate Factory or wherever it is that that atrocity took place. I apologize that I didn't get into my bag and hand you two bottles of self tanner that would not turn you orange. You used to be my only running buddy that wasn't brown as dirt 24/7 because we lived by the spf code and look what happened. You fell into the pitfalls of being part of the herd.

Life here is at a much slower pace and that's ok. I'm not the size 4 I used to be and that's ok. I might be there again one day but if not that's ok too, afterall, monkey's only 4 months old. I like my coffee from my coffee pot with generic creamer & that's ok. I haven't bought a new pair of shoes since we moved here 2 years ago & that's ok. I have yet to find a decent salon so my hair is what it is & hasn't been colored in nearly a year & that's ok. I don't spend hundreds a month on clothes for the kids or I and that's ok. We haven't had a family vacay, except to see the family, in awhile and that's ok too. I'm pretty aok with how things have turned out and beyond aok that I moved away from the herd. I'd hate to imagine what I'd be like today if we'd have stayed!

Ladies & friends, please PLEASE check yourselves every day before you leave the house.

Ask yourself: Who am I? Am I who I want to be or who everyone else wants me to be?

Am I doing all I can to be true to myself?

And most of all, am I looking amazing in what god blessed me with from day one or...

am I turning into an oblivious oompa loompa...

This... Is where I come from.

In just a few short months time my hometown area lost two young men, proud American soldiers, overseas while defending all of us. One of them grew up next door to my aunt & uncle's house. He truly was a gentle giant who put everyone before himself, and after you met him you knew you had met a true example of God's work. Just a few weeks ago, we lost another son. This time, I had a connection to him as I had his dad as a teacher in jr. high. I never knew this young man, but know that his family is truly amazing. When I read this letter to the editor from a paper back home, I though everyone needed to read it.

The Powder River Basin may be known mainly for it's coal, but we're also known for backing all our soldiers past and present. Some days I shake my head at some of the things that have gone on back there, but when I read this I was definatly proud to say I was from there.

Afterall, this... is where I come from!

Gillette's Shining Example
Posted: Thursday, April 8, 2010
Editor:
To the people of Wyoming (especially Campbell County):
I am a police officer in Connecticut with over 30 years on the job, a sergeant with a department in the Hartford area.
This past week my daughter and I have been driving cross-country from Connecticut to Seattle, Wash., where she will be living while attending college.
While driving through the states we have been seeing many areas of very large farms and ranches. A house and cluster of barns and surrounded by miles of fenced fields and land. We were wondering aloud about what the people and their daily lives were like.
It seems like it’d be a long drive just to go to the store or visit a neighbor. How do the kids go to school? How do you get to town? How far away is it to the store, hospital, to get gas? We talked about what it would be like to pull off the highway and drive up to one of these homes and ask.
On Wednesday, March 31, we pulled off the highway to gas up and get something to eat. We were in Gillette, Wyo. As we were leaving the restaurant we saw the street lined with people holding flags, their hands over their hearts or saluting.
One of the waitresses watching from the door explained that a young soldier killed in Afghanistan was coming from the airport en route to the funeral home. We saw the tail-end of the procession and followed it as we made our way back onto the highway.
All these people stopping what they were doing to honor this soldier and show their respect was so moving. I’ve never seen such a display of respect and gratitude where I work. I would venture to say some of the residents back home would be breaking into the cars while the owners lined the streets.
And as I said to my daughter, we’ve been wondering about the people around here -- this is what they are about. These are true Americans.
Your shining example will forever be remembered by my daughter and I. We have been sharing this with our friends and family as a highlight of our trip.

SGT. DAN "ZEKE" MATHENA, Harwinton, Conn.

http://www.trib.com/news/opinion/mailbag/article_e833a8bd-e24c-5903-9db4-cf5a24879cec.html