the girl is rockin' it

Who knew? Who knew that under all that worn woodwork and ugly carpet was a vibrant beauty waiting to be discovered? We suspected as much, but you’re never quite sure until you start.

I’ve been known to watch an episode or two or three or more (but only when a certain daughter was home for the weekend lying comatose on the sofa watching a back to back marathon) of America’s Next Top Model. If you haven’t seen it, don’t bother- you probably won’t like it. And I can guarantee you from personal experience your husband will hate it, unless there happens to be a rogue episode in which, instead of dressing up and posing for pictures, the girls suddenly decide to blow off the photo shoot and install a dual overhead camshaft in Tyra's car instead. However, if you do accidentally sit down with a bag of chips and a coke and become captivated by the timeless wisdom of Tyra Banks or the insightful, biting intelligence of her cast of wannabe top models, you will observe something I find interesting. Under those model exteriors, under the makeup, hair product and haute couture fashions, are some fairly plain looking girls you wouldn’t notice unless their shopping cart accidentally clipped your shin in the Maybelline aisle at Wal-Mart. But while they may look like Plain Janes without their Cover Girl, what these girls possess is the potential for extraordinary external beauty. And not everyone does. Possess it, that is. While it may not be fair, I believe it safe to say that the difference between the average top model and the average mom, hockey or otherwise, is more than just lipstick. It’s something in the bones, the angles, and the proportions- and for those fortunate few it’s just waiting there behind overgrown eyebrows and bad dye jobs to be revealed.

Well, that’s the story of our house. She’s a beauty. Despite the fact that she was hiding in shadows, wearing all the wrong colors, and hopelessly out of fashion she was, under it all, a real looker. Bone structure? Sis, think Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina. Angles? All I can say is she looks great in full sun now, so no more of that Blanche DuBois “I can’t stand a naked light bulb” stuff. And proportion? As good as she looks from the front, you should see her from behind... she's got a patio that won't quit. And we’ve finally got her wearing colors like toasted pine nut, silvermist, koi pond and svelte sage. From now on, nobody’s putting this baby in a corner! The girl is totally America’s Next Top Model Home.

For fear that you’ll think me a shallow, superficial bragger who’s only interested in outer beauty, let me assure you her beauty is more than just skin deep. She also has a great heart. She’s warm, accepting, loves children and animals, and boy does she enjoy a good laugh! We’ll throw a party for her when she’s ready one day soon and, sis, you are so invited.