A Wonder Woman in Yoga Pants

Ah, Wonder Woman. If I had to dress up for Halloween, and I won't, I would probably select Wonder Woman. I don't know if you've seen the movie, but if not, you should. I did not fall asleep before the movie's 11 p.m. ending. From a tired mama, there is no higher praise.

What is it about this movie that kept me so captivated?

1. It's hilarious. I laughed heartily on more than one occasion and found the relationship between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine completely endearing.

2. It makes you feel like you like you, too, can be stunning and indestructible.

3. It makes you believe there are people who still care about saving the world. (Even if it's a bit unreasonable to think that said person will arrive scantly clad in knee high boots, a metal headband, and minimal clothing between them.)

But this is not a Wonder Woman review. (Seriously, though, watch it.) It's a testament to the innate desire to be both beautiful and fierce, kind and relentless, mother and warrior. Maybe that doesn't resonate with you, but for me, it reminded me that I want to be all those things and more. And better yet, that I can be.

One of the best scenes in the movie is when she is walking around London hiding her warrior wardrobe with a trench code and she asks exasperated, "What do these women wear into battle?" Followed closely by, "*gasp* A baaaabbyyyy" as she runs off to see it. A clear picture of a woman ready to take on anything to stand for what she believes in, yet cannot deny her desire to nurture and comfort.

In our culture, sometimes it feels like we've confused meek with weak; humble with insecure; gracious with pushover. If we serve our husband, we're doormats. If we're modest, we're uptight. If we value cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing we are positively stuck in the middle ages.

And yet... if we work too hard, we neglect our children. If we're opinionated, we're *ahem* witchy. If we're too revealing, we're tacky. If we order take out every night, we're poisoning our young.

Does anyone else feel like there's no better time to stop worrying about the societal approval process?

I believe that most women, mothers or not, desire to be heard, validated, and to make her mark in whatever corner of the world she is tackling. And I get that. I respect it even if she's doing it completely differently than I would. Because sometimes it's just hard enough to figure out what the heck we're doing.

I'm not running around in revealing armor, but that doesn't mean I'm not fighting. I fight every day to disciple my kids well; to show them what it means to love; and to exercise patience and grace. I fight to keep right priorities and not settle for less than I was made for. I fight to believe that I am equipped to live a life that matters, and that I can teach my kids the same. I just do it wearing practical yoga pants.