That's What Makes You Beautiful

There is this new 'tagging' thing going around social media where you post 5 pictures of yourself that you believe you were beautiful in. I was tagged by my cousin in law, Miranda, on Facebook. But I decided to throw this on my blog so I could elaborate on why I felt beautiful in the picture.

I felt beautiful the day Matt and I went on our 1st date.

 You couldn't wipe the smile off my face for weeks - Geez - YEARS and I'm still smiling. That day changed my life and brought a new kind of smile that makes me feel beautiful even today.

I felt beautiful the day I married him.

No one did my hair. No one did my makeup. I looked like me, just with a pretty dress.
The look in my ‘new’ husbands eyes projected so much love that I knew I was beautiful!

I feel beautiful when I'm not taking myself seriously. 

I love that I'm that girl who can leave the house without makeup and still feel pretty. 

But I love that I can use makeup and feel just as pretty as I do without. 

I love that I have a husband who gives me the confidence to just be happy with my features even though they aren't perfect. I would love a new nose, better teeth and of course my tiny body back ..... 

But thinking about those things just brings me down .... and besides, this body I have leads me to my next picture..... 

I felt beautiful being pregnant! 

Surprising huh? I had a horrible pregnancy. I was miserable from day one. I cried all the time and it seems that from the moment I found out I was expecting, everyone was on my case about how much weight to gain. Others who were constantly saying how huge I was and that I looked like I was about to pop (even when I had months to go). Believe me, I felt huge but I didn't need to hear it. 

But when I was with my husband,  he would give sweet little kisses on all the stretch marks that covered my entire tummy, and he smile at me with such a tenderness and love that I knew no matter how big I got - I was beautiful.

Lastly, the day Zeplin, my 10lb 4oz and 3 week early Monster, was born. (Now we understand why I always measuring so big and was miserable... lol)

This event changed my life as did the day I got married.

I feel more beautiful, today, as I am a mother and a wife. 

I have new smiles I've never before smiled, I have happy tears I've never before shed, I have a body that I still don't recognize sometimes but it carried my son therefore it is beautiful to me. 

And without any of the moments I've experienced, I would not be this person I am now. 

I am learning that beauty is so much more than physical. 

It's emotional, and spiritual & most of the time this beauty is not captured on film. 

I feel beautiful when my husband kisses me!

I feel beautiful when my son runs to me, arms wide open and his lips puckered up to give me a huge hug and kiss!

I feel beautiful when I know that God is present in my home, filling it with peace and comfort. 

I feel beautiful when my dad tells me he's proud of the mother I've become. 

I feel beautiful when friends call me just to see how I'm doing. 

I feel beautiful when people tell me I look like my mom and sisters because they are so beautiful!

Not every day is perfect, and not every day do I feel like I'm a beautiful person, inside and out, but I'm thankful to have so many beautiful people in my life to remind me to be beautiful and encourage me to let it shine.