Normal is a setting on the dryer

I saw a picture on the web the other day. The little girl asks her mom what "normal" is, the mother responds that it's a setting on the dryer.  If that doesn't sum up my life so far, I don't know what else does.

As I get older, I get more and more sick and tired of people trying to put me (and my family) in a box. Yes, it's true, we love labels. They make classifying things super easy. I love labels too. For my sewing supplies and kids' toy bins. After that, not so much.

• I am a city girl who likes Art Museums and concrete and riding horses in WV and hiking in mud.
• I  am a gun owner who thinks that universal background checks are a good thing. I also think that if you don't want to tell me what kind of gun I can own, you sure as hell shouldn't tell me who I can marry.
• I curse like a sailor for many reasons, but one of which is that I don't like society making rules for me.
• I am a substitute teacher who loves the constant change and challenge.
• I also get tired of all those adorable little angels sometimes, and I enjoy my quiet time.
• I collect coins, and cowboy boots.
• I learned how to sew a couple of years ago. I like it.
• I like historical fiction and stories about vampires. Preferably together.
• I continue to take karate after my daughter decided to stop, because I like it. And because it's something I can do for myself. And I love the workout.

I am trying to teach my kids that we don't have to fit in boxes. My daughter loves softball, and math, and dolls. She has a lot of friends that are boys. Sometimes she gets some 9 year old attitude from her friends because she doesn't fit a stereotype. I ask her, what fun is that?

My son is a HUGE kid who is not crazy about sports. He will not wear jeans. ever.  He loves animals, has a smallish number of amazing friends. He's not a huge fan of birthday parties or large crowds. He's introverted, but crazy when you get to know him.

My husband is also not small. He is very smart. He is introverted too. And he gets bigger when he thinks that I or the kids may be in danger. It's really handy at sporting events. He likes to hunt, and he collects tropical fish. He also really likes me and puts up with my shit, and he is the forest through my trees. I know, weird right?

We live in a biggish house in the burbs with his parents in the in law because it works for us. His mom has special needs, but don't we all?

We're going to Disney World this summer for the adults as much as the kids. And we're going to WV for the rest of the summer because it work for us.

Sorry if  we don't fit into a box, or a setting on the dryer, but I kind of like it that way.