After especially busy seasons, slow weekends are best friends. This past weekend was similarly sweet and mellow like the past weekend I wrote about. I want to put this into words so I don’t forget. I am feeling just so thankful right now. Life feels simple and peaceful and quiet, and I know this won’t last forever, but I am really loving this particular season of life.
Hudson is at a stage that I am absolutely adoring. If you have read even just a handful of my past posts, you should have the idea that the newborn stage was a struggle to say the least for me. I feel much more comfortable in this stage of making snacks, taking him to mommy and me classes, and chasing him about the house. I was unprepared for the very early stages. Not to say that that time is not precious and sweet and special, but I am really loving this toddler season.
The Leather Sandal Incident
Just yesterday, Hudson came up to me holding a pair of sandals he has yet to wear. These sandals gathered dust because I assumed they were still too big for his little feet. Yesterday, he decided he was ready for them. He showed me them and tapped his foot with them. Such a simple thing, but this moment struck me. I thought it was one of the most darling things. He has desires and grand ideas, like wearing his cool leather sandals in the house just because. I love watching his brain churn. I love watching his little quirks develop. And I love the fact that he can communicate with me.
Along with the sandal tapping, Hudson has been signing “please,” “more,” and “all done.” I can now tell him, “say please” or “how do we ask for something we want?”. Hudson greets me with a smile and a hand over his chest. This melts my heart in a certain type of way. I love that he can ask politely for things without even a word. I love that he can tell us when he is all done and ready to get out of his high chair. This early stage of communication is a lot of fun and I eagerly await for the words to begin to flow. So far the vocabulary looks something like this: “mom,” (which is always said in association with something he wants) “dada,” (which is usually said when he is happy and having fun) “ba” = ball, “na”=Nala, our dog.
Journal to Find Beauty in the Ordinary
I have become obsessed with a journaling concept I recently heard about on Emily P. Freeman’s podcast “The Next Right Thing.” I am linking to that particular episode here. She talks about how when she is feeling overwhelmed with the demands of everyday life, she grounds herself by writing down lists called “These Are The Days Of.” Under this title she lists the things that are currently happening in her life. This is such a simple, little exercise, but I think it is genius. It is genius in the sense that it gives us space to actually name what is going on in our life.
It is amazing how the most beautiful, yet ordinary things of our days so easily slip by us if we don’t take the time to intentionally jot it down. This scares me! I don’t want to forget the beautifully ordinary elements of my days. This is why writing is such an important part of my days. It is why I journal in the mornings and persist in keeping up this little blog. Your perspective, your story, the ordinary elements of your day are sacred. They are strung together by the greatest storyteller of all time, the Lord, and He wants us to share it. He wants us to tell about the seemingly ordinary, yet holy, beautiful, and sacred aspects of our days. So, I am sharing. I am logging them down for you to read because I believe it is important, no matter how small.
These Are The Days Of…
- Beach days
- Chasing Hudson as he runs toward the ocean, completely fearless
- Baby friends and mom friends
- The park
- Homestate lunch dates with daddy
- Farmer’s Markets
- Cinnamon rolls on Sundays
- 15-months
- Planting plumeria in a blue planter
- Water diapers and sprinklers in the backyard
- Watching the grass grow, literally
- Trying new things
- Finding confidence in motherhood
- Fighting hard against comparison, daily
- Wondering if Hudson will be the crazy, misbehaved one in school
- Also wondering, if he will be drafted to the MLB before college; he has an arm!
- Leather sandals
- The park, again
- Capturing milestones with signs
- Registering for The Boston Marathon!
- Checking out 11 library books
Poetic, right? I love this exercise because it gets me to literally just list out what is going on in my life. When I read that list back, I am amazed by the beauty in it. This is just our life right now. This is literally what is going on. And if I am honest, most days, I don’t stop to let the beauty of it all sink in. Instead I spend a lot of time wondering if I am doing enough, as I mindlessly clean the baseboards and compare my mom life to the lives of the busy, important friends I see all around me. I need to stop. I need to make my “These Are The Days Of…” list. I need to give space to the abundant blessings in my life, even though there are days where I feel pretty small and unimportant.
Your Story Matters- Own It!
This post is a little all over the place, but this is just what is on my heart, currently. I hope you can find encouragement in it. I hope you can remember that your ordinary days of the park, library, and sprinklers in the backyard matter. It is easy to get lost in the stacks of laundry, sticky floors, and that feeling that you are always at a park. It is easy to forget these ordinary days of correcting, feeding, cleaning, creating, and loving are in fact poetry. If you are overwhelmed and exhausted, do me a favor. Take 5 minutes. Write down the ordinary elements of yours days. Then, read it slowly and thoughtfully back to yourself. Let it set in. Let the ordinary moments hold space in your heart and let gratitude take over.
Each of our lists are likely going to vary quite a bit, but this variance does not change our status as moms or wives or sisters. The Lord has a unique list and story mapped out for us, it might not look like the mom who is seemingly doing it all, but it is ours. Let’s own it, more.
This Mama Needs Grace 