Keeping it Real

And after months of silence I felt the urge to write.  And as I sit here I hardly know where to begin.  I've been encouraged by friends, some through e-mail to pick up again and resume blogging.  In a world where social media allows us to show the image of "perfect" parenting, of mothering I've been seeing a lot of lonely moms, discouraged moms.  Moms who feel like they are just barely keeping up with the task of teaching little ones, running households and working on marriage.  And these Moms, they're tired, exhausted and somehow have been convinced that motherhood is meant to look different.

The truth?  Its never as easy as it looks. On Sunday's our family probably looks pretty well put-together.  The clothes are nice and matching, hair is done and faces are scrubbed.  The truth?  During the week is a different story, Maddie's pants rarely match her shirt these days, the battle is far too fierce and I have decided to save my energy for other battles that will be waged.  She's 2.5, its the battle age.  Kaylins hair?  I do it once a day, I've stopped trying to fix it a dozen times. She pulls it out and puts in hairbands that she loves and I think look ridiculous, I've learned to let it go.  Jacob's sporting a buzz cut, because its just another way of simplifying life.  And my garden, after 3.5 years is finally starting to look more garden and less jungle. My laundry room is rather jail-like with a constant pile of clothes waiting to be cleaned and folded.  There is always a basket of clothing waiting to be put away.  And once a week the kids dressers look tidy, it lasts about an hour before someone is rummaging through it (ahem...Maddie).

There are finger prints smudged over every counter and window in my house.  A plant was pushed over 2 days ago and this morning I was reminded by the small pile of dirt that I really should clean it up.  The image I'm sharing is far from pinterest worthy, but its truth.  This stage? Its beautiful, its fun and at times I want to scream and run for the hills.  Its exhausting.   Dear fellow-moms, its okay, we soldier on.  Parenting in our different ways, mothering in the way that we are called to mother, differently and yet somewhat the same. Its not the end of the world to look in your backyard and realize that one child left their undergarments in a heap in order to jump on the trampoline naked (ahem...Maddie), its okay that there is a freezie wrapper wedged behind the couch rather than placed appropriately in the garbage.  Ants?  Just apart of life when you have littles dropping crumbs at the table and making spills.  You see, we're teaching and we're learning at the same time.  

2 years ago I wrote this post, about organizing my work and finishing for the most part, 10 things before 10 a.m.  A friend asked me recently if I still accomplished this.  2 years later we have one extra 2 year old and a very pregnant Mama and the answer is no.  My new title to that post would be "10 things before 10 p.m.".  I do still recommend the 10 things before 10a.m., its a wonderful way for Moms with one or two kids, preschool age to get into a routine, to prioritize.  I've shared it with many moms who have told me that it works well for them, others have tried and said not so much.  We're different, and anything that I share on this blog are things that have worked for me.  As our families change and perhaps grow,  we have to adapt and once we figure out one thing that works well a wrench is thrown in the mix. A sick child, school, pregnancy, a husband whose working long days. 

In approx. 2 weeks time, the Lord willing, we look forwarding to meeting the newest member of our family.  And life will take us around a corner.  My husband calls these road changes "hiccups".  A time when life may not run smoothly but it will continue, the running of the household will not look the same as we adjust to a new baby and slowly we'll figure it out, together as a family.

Until next time friends, and for now a few of the most recent "imports" from my camera....all from March.  Keeping it real....