Sunday Moment

Sunday Moment - Happy Mother's Day

Image: A Night Owl Blog

Today on Mother's Day, I want to thank my Mom for all her sacrifices for us growing up. I want to thank Scott's Mom for all her work raising him to be the man I'm thrilled I married. I want to remember the Grandmothers who are no longer with us and celebrate the two we still have with us - Great Grandma Helen and Grandma Sherry. Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas (and future Mamas) out there!

Sunday Moment

I first saw this quote in barre3 class and I loved it. It reminded me of Molly. She is obsessed with mermaids and has such passion for life. She teaches me daily to live fully and deeply. When she becomes interested in something, it becomes an obsession and she fully throws herself into it. I feel that living deeply is the only way to live. There is so much to take in and taking it all in to the fullest is the only way to live. 

Sunday Moment

Don't Give Up on Your Dreams! 

Sunday Moment

Image Credit: sunnyskyz

I think about this a lot. Nobody gives me anything. I seriously have had to fight for everything I've ever wanted. BUT this has made me the strong person I am today. This has made me the person who had firm boundaries and a strong sense of self. Go out and choose who you are! 

Sunday Moment

Happy Easter! May you celebrate with quiet gratitude or loud hope. May your day bring joy and renewal. 

Sunday Moment

Photo Credit: LaRue

Sometimes Molly tells me, "Mama, I can't do it! I'm just a little girl!" It is times like those that I like to remind her that she can do it. That she might surprise herself. Of course, I often find myself sharing her self doubt. "What if I stumble and fall?" I wonder. Then I stop myself and wonder, "What if I fly?" Sometimes the thought of succeeding is scarier than the thought of failing but I know that both have wonderful lessons.

So today, go out and take a risk. You might stumble. You might fall. Or you might just fly high into the sky. 

Sunday Moment

Image Source: Steph Says Hello

I don't have much to say today except that Today is a Good Day! The sun is shining, everyone is healthy again at my house and most of the laundry is done. That is a very good thing. I hope everyone else is having a very good day too. 

Sunday Moment

My 6 a.m. workout is my time. It's the one time of the day that is solely for me. It is really the only time of the day that I am the star of my life. I've found that taking that one hour in the morning for me makes me a better Mom, better Wife, better person. 

What do you do to be the star of your life? 

Sunday Moment

If I could tell my younger self all the words above, I would go back in time and do so. But I can't. Instead I'll share these words with my daughters when they begin to worry about life. I know they won't listen. I know they will barely hear my words but they will be said. 

I spent so much time in my 20s worrying about getting married, having children, having a house and finding someone to love me. It all happened when I started to relax. The night before I met Scott, I decided to just relax about meeting someone while encouraging any guy who appeared interested in dating me. Scott says my encouragement meant it was easy to ask me out, he knew I'd say yes. The rest they say is history, beautiful history. 

Sunday Moment

Last week, my Mother fell and broke her hip. I've spent a lot of time at the hospital with her since her fall. I called in some emergency daycare and when I went to pick up the kids on Friday, the daycare owner had the nicest things to say to me. She was impressed that I had left the kids with her so I could be with my Mom at the hospital and told me that good karma would be coming back to me. I wanted to tell her that I wasn't doing anything special. I was just being there when someone needed me more.

I was reminded that sometimes we need to water others, to water ourselves. Though honestly I feel like I've been watering so many others lately that I'm becoming parched. I find myself asking myself, "How do you keep yourself watered when so many others need to be watered by you?" I'm still searching for the best balance but one way I keep myself watered is through exercise. I went to an amazing yoga class last week which helped soothe my exhaustion and plan to hit up a spin class later today. I'm still a barre3 addict too. Exercise waters my soul. 

Sunday Moment

I'm not sure if this is even a real Swedish proverb as I couldn't find anything about it online but I love it nonetheless. It reminds me to be patient with my children. They really need my love when they seem to least deserve it. They are just little with big emotions which means they sometimes (often) act out.

It reminds me to be patient with others because sometimes they are fighting their own battle, one I know nothing about, one that means I need to love them more because they need it.

It reminds me that sometimes I need more love because I'm acting out due to my own battles. Sometimes I need people to be more patient and loving with me.

Sunday Moment

I worry. I worry a lot. I worry about my Mom. I worry about my kids. I worry that maybe I'm not the best parent. I worry that I'm not eating the right stuff or exercising enough. I worry. 

Today I am reminded that if I give thanks more, I might worry less. I need to be thankful that I have such awesome kids. I need to be thankful that my parents were so prepared for their later years and my Mom is going to be taken care of. I need to be thankful for a body that moves and can work out.

I am thankful for all of this and more. I am thankful for the privilege I have been given to stay home with my kids. I am thankful that I have enough to eat (sometimes more than I should). I am thankful that I am capable of worrying about my parenting. I am thankful.

What are you thankful for? 

Sunday Moment

I like goals. I like checking in and seeing how I'm doing on my goals. One thing I want to get better at is asking myself if what I've done today is getting me closer to my goal. And if it isn't, how can I change my actions to help me achieve my goals.

How do you check in on your goals/plans? Do you make plans and let them go? Do you make goals and then stringently check off your accomplishments? 

Sunday Moment

I met a friend for a walk around Greenlake earlier this week. She arrived a few minutes before me and took note the plethora of people meeting up to exercise, chat and how simple their lives appeared on the outside. She then said, "Do you remember that time before kids when our biggest concern was if we were getting enough exercise not if we were getting any exercise?"

This poster reminded me of that time. And today, all I want to do is drink coffee, knit and watch the Superbowl. Go Hawks!

Sunday Moment

http://sayingbook.com/courage-does-not-always-roar.html

Some days your courage seems to fail you. Some days your courage rises up and roars out of you. Some days your courage whispers in your ear, saying You can do it. Some days your courage knows that today it can't be there for you but it can help you try again tomorrow. 

I like to remember that courage can be a quiet feeling. Courage does not always need to be a roaring lion blasting its voice toward everyone. Sometimes being courageous can mean keeping quiet until the right moment. This week, go forward with courage and know that if you don't have it right now, it could be that you don't need it right now and that it will appear when you need it. 

Sunday Moment

Grief finds you in the most unexpected places. You might be out walking when you smell a familiar scent and are confronted with your grief. You might think, "I just need to call Dad to ask him about this situation" when you remember that you can't call Dad anymore. You might be searching for peanut butter in the store when you are reminded of your Mom. It finds you when you least expect it. 

I have this app on my phone called, TimeHop and I love it. It shows you what you posted in previous years. Scott and I love seeing Baby Molly and Newborn Maggie. We marvel and gasp about how much they've grown in such a short time. We love seeing what we were doing just a few short years ago. 

Earlier this week, my TimeHop reminded me of my Dad. Five years ago, Scott and I were preparing to marry and my parents were so excited. My Mom was calling me every night to ask me wedding questions and my Dad was busy scanning in photos for our wedding video. 

Five years later, my Mom has anoxic brain injury and lives in Assisted Living. Five years later, my Dad is gone from pancreatic cancer. Five years later, I have two amazing little girls and a fantastic husband. Five years later, everything is different. 

Sunday Moment

I've been fighting a losing battle around my house. Everyday I get up and I start cleaning and everyday my girls get up and start making messes. The thing is they are having so much fun, they are experiencing life and learning through their messes. I'm just learning the fine art of futile frustration.

Photo Credit: A Holy Experience

What I really need to remember  (and possibly learn) is that we are building a close family - one that eats meals together, goes on adventures together, creates messes together and loves together. All of that is more important than having a clean house. You can not eat off the floors in my home (that doesn't stop the littlest one but she's building immunities or something) but you can feel the love and that is the most important thing in a home. And so this week I plan to clean less, play more and laugh as much as I can. 

Sunday Moment

Every Sunday, I want to take a moment to reflect, to recall, to redirect before the week starts again and life takes over again. 

Photo Credit: Hey Wanderer

I went searching for something to reflect on this week and I found this wonderful image from Hey Wanderer. It is a lyric from an Eli Young Band song called, Even If It Breaks Your Heart. It made me stop and think about what I want to teach my girls and one of the things I want them to know is that it is good to keep dreaming even if it doesn't work out or if you can't see where it is all going. Dreaming is important. Dreaming keeps you going.

Reminder! Tomorrow is 2015's first Day in the Life Challenge! I'd love for you to join in tomorrow (January 5th)! I can't wait to document my day and hopefully see your day too! More details in here.