This whole 18 summers thing…it stresses me out a teeny tiny bit when I think about it.
As a bonus mom, I got parts of summers with a child (now grown man) I fiercely love. And then just like that they were taken away.
I had 7 whole summers with my girl and now this one I will share.
Life changes in an instant.
We don’t get 18 summers with our children.
I am 38 and I am currently spending the summer with my mom. She gets this extra one with me.
A sweet mom friend of mine lost her child to cancer. She was robbed.
Every day we wake up is a gift and how we live that day ahead of us is based on what is living inside of us.
The days I dragged V around because I thought that I was supposed to be living a busy life, were miserable. I called it discipline.
The days I sat home doing nothing because I couldn’t muster up enough energy or spontaneity were also miserable. I called it grace.
Why?
Misery was living inside of me. Anxiety. Stress. Expectation. All of it adding up to one big craptastic feeling that I was able to squash down for bits at a time and smile for that moment.
Now there is a peace and hope and joy living inside of me and a wisdom to take the pulse of my life for what God has for me and not the expectation of the world around me.
Now I am learning how to embrace the moments when I need to slow my little family down and energize the moments when I need to put some fire into our life. I call it discernment.
Hot afternoon movie with my girl!
I listen to the heartbeat of my home and God’s little push and pull inside me to decide how do I best spend this moment. How can we live our best life now?
18 summers are not guaranteed. Next summer is not guaranteed.
This summer we will bike ride and beach it and camp and watch fireworks and sleep in and get up early and have busy days and lazy days.
We will snuggle and be with family and be alone and be with friends.
We will live our best moment in our home now, because now is all we are promised.
18 summers are great. But this moment is better. Keep taking the heartbeat of your family and keep making your house a love-filled home.
High five for home.
Kendra is a full time elementary teacher and mommy to a sweet and sassy 7 year old. She poured her heart and soul into her classroom and earning her graduate degree before becoming a mom and has spent motherhood trying to find a way to balance career and home and appreciate the journey while doing it. She’s a lake loving, ranch on pizza, pop can recycling, map on her hand Michigan girl! This momma never learned how to play euchre, but you can find her making a pretty long list, reading a book, or planning her next adventure in America’s high five! High five for home!
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