It must be easier for you

Our little old neighbor has a bunch of company this weekend.
We've enjoyed meeting some new faces and our children have played together the last few days.
In a conversation with one of the mothers we started talking about work.
She works full-time out of the home and by the way she was talking, I gather her wish was to be at home full-time.
Their vacation to Wisconsin had been lovely and she commented on how wonderful it was to take a nap on the blanket with her baby and have time to play trucks with her 3 year old son.
Things she doesn't get to do because she works full-time.
I sympathized with her and told her I understood she must wish to be home, etc. etc.
We discussed my job, the benefits of working part-time and the luckiness of it all.

Fast forward a few hours and I'm here mulling over our conversation.
I had actually noticed her laying on her blanket with her baby (as our back window looks into the neighbor's backyard where they were visiting) and I thought "Oh, that looks wonderful. I wish I could do that..."
The thing of it is that I technically can do things like that on a daily basis.
Or at least I should, right?
I stay home, after all.
Nevermind the constant demands of BigBoy #1, #2 and BabyGirl.
The 3 meals and 10 million snacks I have to plan and fetch.
The ubiquitous messes that pop up when you live in your house 24 hours a day.
When your children are there with you.
All.the.time.

It got me pondering the whole "grass is greener" deal and the conclusion I have is this:
You never know what the grass is going to be like on the other side.
And if you get a chance to take a look for yourself, you're likely to find both sides are laden with piles of poop.
They may smell different but are just as messy.

This is less a complaint and more an observation.
I am truly grateful for our situation and how Bri is able to provide enough for us to live a joyful, satisfied life.
It's just not always naps on blankets and playing the sand.