Joyfully Weary

I could on and on about how wonderful our library is. Their collection is amazing. There is no limit to the number of books I can check out. I can renew books online - I still end up paying late fees but it's not nearly what it could be. They also put on amazing programs and events. This past week they held a celebration for Hermione Granger's birthday. This worked out perfectly for our family because our older three kiddos have started to fall in love with Harry Potter... the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree . In fact, spoiler alert, we are all going to be HP book characters for Halloween.  Little Lady is going to be Hermione, and she has started to see her as a bit of a role model. It's kind of a great fit. Not only does Little Lady share some of her physical features but their personalizes are also quite similar. Like Hermione, Little Lady could easily be a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor. She is smart as a whip. Even though she won't turn 7 unt...

One of the things that trips me up the most about motherhood is the chaos that comes with it. The inability to plan things or to have things go as planned. I like to organize and frequently visualize how I want days or experiences to go. My kiddos all seem to have their own ideas though...seriously, it's like they thing they are people or something 😉 They have their own agenda, or crises, or even moments of delight that interfere with all my well-thought-out plans. I've learned that sometimes our expectations do nothing but kill our joy. I'm striving to grow in my ability to roll with the punches. To engage in and find delight in whatever the day brings. To not fight the chaos but to embrace it Yesterday, I woke-up to find a huge branch in our yard. I also had a head full tasks I was planning on accomplishing: school work, spring cleaning, laundry, etc. As soon as I saw the branch, though, I knew it would draw my kiddos in and bring them delight. I could fight that ...

Earlier in the month Baby Z turned one. To celebrate we had a couple close friends over for lunch and birthday cake. It was a simple fare but special because we were surrounded by people who also love our little baby boy.  I've always heard that motherhood get easier with each baby; you know what to expect and thus you are more relaxed. It been the opposite with Baby Z. Even though he is my fourth, it's with him, that I have been the most anxious. He keeps throwing me curve balls and seems to have me constantly on my toes. During my pregnancy he wasn't as active as my first three and I was continually praying for his safety and for peace of mind. All my deliveries were different but his was the most unique. During his first month he had trouble gaining weight and words cannot describe the helplessness and anguish I felt. Even now he's throwing something new my way. He's got a bacterial infection and his poor little body is covered in a rash that keeps di...