-
the elf thing
ehhhhhhh. i tried to ignore this whole elf on the shelf thing. i have an enormous privilege to shape these two children and instill the true meaning of the season. WELL gracie came home from school telling me all about her friends who have an elf at their house! lucky for her, we had the whole elf on the shelf kit that was given to us last year. out of the closet it came and elf showed up. gracie smothered it with love and hugs and kisses. that night we read the book that accompanied it and it specifically said NOT to touch the elf, or else it would lose…
-
to the weary
to the dear friend who just had a miscarriage, to the weary mom with a broken heart over her chronically ill child, to the mom desperate to escape postpartum depression, to the mom having to explain why mommy and daddy live in separate houses, to the single mom barely making ends meet. the the friend feeling lost in change. to the WEARY. this is for you. fall into Jesus. you are precious. you are loved. you are cared for… if one day you can’t see through the tears, i’ll guide youif one day your legs crumble under the weight, i’ll carry youif one day you can’t find your joy, i’ll…
-
mom victories
i joke that rad’s happy place is his high chair. the boy can eat although i feel as though the novelty of it has worn off for him and it’s not as exciting any more. i used to have great mom pride in his willingness to eat foods of all varieties. he would gleefully eat brussel sprouts, fish and asparagus, just to name a few ridiculously weird foods for kids to enjoy. i didn’t have to make special meals for him (like picky carb addicted sister). he. would. eat. anything. nowadays most of his meals end up on the floor as he thoroughly enjoys pitching his food, piece by piece…
-
the friendship domino effect
you know those friends that constantly lift you up, are always there for you, encouragement seeps from every ounce of their being…and you know those friends who are constantly in need. in need of encouragement, support, a shoulder to cry on. i’ve been both. seasons of life toss us between the spectrum of these types of people. that is the beauty of friendship, of community, of truly walking life with one another. that’s what God had in mind when He created us. we aren’t meant to suffer and succeed, face joy and sorrow alone. i have found myself recently abundantly blessed by a community of people that are more than…
-
the smell of water
since moving into our new neighborhood, one of my favorite moments of the day is our morning walk. as we walk house by house i feel like i’m a kid again, navigating the same streets i did visiting my grandparents. and as we walk by lawns watered by sprinklers, the distinct smell of the water in this town comforts me. the nostalgia of many memories spent outdoors, exploring with my sisters and cousin, adored and loved so much by my grandparents is overwhelming. and when we meet neighbors who ask “who we are” (which in small town means who are you related to!) i am proud to name my parents…
-
once a nurse, always a nurse
it’s been about a year since i last put scrubs on and cared for other people’s children. instead, i usually have my fancy yoga pants on chasing my own children around, hoping and praying that i am nourishing their souls, compassionately caring for them well and stimulating their minds and imaginations. well let’s just say that happens on a good day. we all know that being a stay at home mom isn’t as glorious as it sounds. rewarding, yes but easy, no. we don’t go shopping all day with perfectly behaved children in tow, or meet up with friends and have uninterrupted conversations over lunch or indulge in our own hobbies with…
-
good for the soul
i hit a wall today. physically, emotionally and mentally and realized that i needed some help in my little world in order to take a much needed break. my parents came to the rescue and picked the kids up for the afternoon. as much as i absolutely love the opportunity to be home with my sweet kiddos, i can not do it all alone. and i’m not the mom i want to be when i’ve been pushed beyond my limit. the weight of responsibility i put on myself is enormous. and the amount of energy it takes to meet the needs of two littles 24/7 is impossible sometimes. but through…
-
small town charm
the kids and i now call small town texas, home. it’s a long time dream of mine. it’s a much needed push of the reset button for us. i’ve learned so much and have been so richly blessed by the small town charm in just a few months. sure, there are drawbacks, like everyone knows your “business.” but in my case, it was refreshing to move to small town texas and be able to share exactly who i am and what’s happening in my life. a fresh start. people have the choice to accept me and my “business” or move on. and remember when i talked about being real? well,…
-
a week full of big feelings
this has been one of those weeks that quite honestly, i’m glad is over. it was hard. difficult personally because of a pretty monumental event that forever changed my family. difficult because of big emotions. difficult because of parenting hurdles with big behavior struggles… BUT oh so good because of God’s big grace. good because of overwhelmingly great big love i have for my kids. good because of a sweet community that i have found myself immersed in. good because of so many blessings. regardless of difficult or good, my heart is worn out from so many big feelings. i helped miss independent put her pajamas on the other day,…
-
grace
grace…it’s a name we give our daughters,a word we sing in songs,something we strive to possess,something we beg for… and it’s free. we just have to choose to accept it and extend it. “the Lord is compassionate and GRACious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from…
