Perhaps you've got a big nose or a prominent forehead -- me, I've got both.

I never knew I was living and leading large with my smeller or that my vast forehead would be a breeding ground for what my kids lovingly call the 'racetracks' that now decorate my beautiful face, but my uber-complimentary(ish?) children and husband enjoy reminding me of such.

In jest, of course.

But can I be honest with you? Of course, I can.

So I *used* to see pictures of myself and think I looked FAB. That's when I was young, naive, and believed I was the shiitake.

That's when I could eat like shiitake and not gain any weight cause I was young and immune to increasing pounds.

Until I wasn't.

Until I was in college living above a pizza and wing joint and drunkenly ordering it almost every night.

Until I got married, had one baby, and then two.

And after the birth of my second child, I found myself at 206 lbs.

I'm no longer at that number and, at present, live a pretty healthy(ish) lifestyle.

Like most, I exercise and eat well during the week, and the weekends are a free-for-all.

These days my insecurities regarding my appearance are less to do with my size, but my features.

Now I see pictures of myself, and it's so very easy (and I'm so very quick) to think I look

rough,

aged,

and yes, at times, even ugly.

It's embarrassing to admit. As a mother raising my children to know, believe and trust that beauty is beyond skin deep and a person who, deep down, believes just the same, I still struggle with not comparing myself to

my friend,

neighbor

or stranger and her

perfect body,

appropriately-proportioned features,

pristine brows,

flawless skin,

and perky boobs.

But then I come to my senses and remind myself that this body, with its

stretch-marks,

cellulite,

wrinkles,

eye bags,

barely-there brows,

and saggy breasts,

it made three miracles.

I recall that the lines on my face are thanks to all the smiles I've smiled and the feelings I've felt while being with and raising them.

That my nose, though slightly oversized for my face, allows me to breathe in not only the smell of my three gorgeous children and wonderful husband but also the fresh air I am so blessed to take in every single day.

I'm not picture-perfect, and, likely, you're not either.

What is perfect, though, is my understanding of the fact that while someone's looks matter very little, how we feel about ourselves comes through very much in how we look.

Grateful and happy people are stunning AF, and if you want to look good, all you've really got to do is get yourself feeling good, and one way to do that is to look around at your life and marvel at what you have accomplished (and perhaps who you have created) to-date.

You've done a darn good job, lady, and you believing such, it looks *really* good on you.

In fact, you’ve never looked better.