Take Notice: Spring

I've been bogged down with so much recently that Spring's arrival almost crept by me without my taking notice. My mind has been preoccupied with worry and my heart has been reeling for days on end trying to make sense of the world. I feel as though I've been walking around with blinders for months and this weekend, the beauty of Spring miraculously crept into my view, if only for a few hours.

When the bluebonnets come out in Texas, it's hard not to stop and revel in their beauty. They go on for miles and miles and blanket the ground in a wondrous bluish purple color. I couldn't resist taking a break from things to do as any good Texas mother would and take pictures of my boy in a field full of them. After all, it's tradition.

Tuck was a good sport. He looks happy in these pictures, but he's had a rough go of it, battling ear infections since January. And unbeknownst to me at the time of taking these pictures, he had wicked double ear infections AGAIN. I feel like a sorry excuse for a mother since I didn't know, but you guys, this kid is just so happy all the time, it's hard to tell when something really is bothering him. Woe is me, right?!

He's one tough kid, I tell you. And it's his toughness that inspires me everyday to keep on doing what I've got to do, face what must be met and above all know that life is full of hope even in its darkest days. I love this kid!

Wise Words

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.

Wise words from the wise lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.

photo by me

Inspiration: Life through my child's eyes

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” -A.A. Milne

Now that I have a child of my own, I’ve had the chance to revisit many of my favorite childhood books in anticipation of sharing them with Tuck one day soon. At his current age, he’s more interested in throwing books and laughing about it, putting them in his mouth, or crawling right over them to get to the next best place. But I eagerly await the day when we can read a bedtime story together, enjoying our favorite characters and sharing a good laugh during the funny parts. In revisiting some of my favorite stories, I realized how the simple, yet meaningful words that were written for a child’s ear are just the words that we, as adults, NEED to hear. Let’s be real, life as an adult can be complicated – it’s hard, unfair, stressful and cumbersome at times. Sometimes I think we’re guilty of making our lives more complicated than they really need to be, but sometimes things really are that difficult, with circumstances beyond your control.  It’s during those times that I find so much solace in Tuck – in seeing the world through his 9 month old eyes, where happiness lurks at every corner and life’s simplicity radiates in his smile. Lately, I’ve needed that reminder. I’ve needed to hear the words that I’m going to read to him again and again in his life: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

image by E.H. Shephard via here

One year, fifty three days and (I'm guessing) a few hours...

...that's how long it's been since I last posted here. Whoa, that's a long time! And sometimes it feels like a long time, but other times it feels like it's gone by in the blink of an eye. A lot has happened in the one year, fifty three days since I last shared my thoughts with you. Change has been ever present and constant and I've learned to make friends with him, even if it hasn't always been easy.

Our little guy came into the world last June, bringing with him a renewed breath of life to both N and me. Life, it seems, got that much sweeter and our hearts so full of love, we thought they just might burst. Almost 9 months later, I still find it unfathomable how my heart can continue to grow and make even more room for the love I have for this little boy. He's amazing and he's challenged me in ways I never thought possible. And if you don't believe me, you should see my instagram feed - it's documentation of how proud I am to be Tucker's mother!

As all mothers know, caring for a child is hard work - it's the hardest work I've ever known. I love every minute of it, but I've also found myself needing an outlet. BT (before Tucker), making jewelry was my outlet, photography was my outlet, this little blog was my outlet. AT (after Tucker), a lot of those things were shoved aside and now that I'm almost a year into motherhood, working mom motherhood, I've found myself needing this little space more and more. To release, to share, to cheer on...whatever it may be, I need a little corner of the world that's all mine.