Slow Down

Slow down—those weren’t the instructions I was looking for. “How much slower can we go…?” I wondered, and entering our fourth winter of forced curtailment, you can hardly blame me. But what I didn’t know, didn’t realize, is that the length of the list of your social engagements is not the only way to gauge a busy life or frantic mind. These things can also be measured in minutes on your phone, dollars in online purchases, scrambling to keep up on news, on people, on homework assignments. Sometimes they’re marked by the number of prayers over what you’re worried about… rather than all you are thankful for. Anxious energy bursting from every thought and glance. So much to think and do. I’ve become an expert at socially-distant hustle. Slow down.
Not that we always have the luxury of putting life on hold, or the forced annoyance of doing so, either. When the mandate comes, we balk: Slow down. I can’t, but I am. Because my thoughts are murky and my energy levels are shot and my symptoms are contagious. Weird things keep floating to the surface of this frozen lake of time… Humidifier mist curling in and out of bright light filtering through the blinds at 1 pm. The vibrant red of the new Christmas pajamas I’ve been wearing for two days straight. My daughter’s eyelashes brushing my cheek when I give her a hug—the only physical contact I’ve allowed myself with another human for over a week (because she’s sick, too). The healing music of her giggle from behind a chair. Voices floating in from other rooms—sometimes cheerful, sometimes stern, often just living. Color and contrast outside have faded now, and somehow the drab lifelessness of it feels cozy. Why do these things matter? I don’t know; but they do. Maybe because they’re all that exists in this moment. Maybe because they’re pure.
I read the sincere words of a dying woman, today, and they pierced my heart like living poetry—the simple, essential essence of life. And more than anything, those words, her observations, her art, testified that some things are more important than others, & it’s most often the stuff you take for granted or miss. The stuff you have to feel & see & know. Simple, simply, life. Slow down.

December!

We made it to December! Why does that feel like such a feat?! Since school started, Lydia has been on what appears to be a 5 days on, 10 days out sick preschool schedule. It’s been BRUTAL. Especially since each cold eventually makes its way through the rest of us. Is it bad that I am seriously considering a “no school December” just so we can be healthy for Christmas? 🤔😬 #bestgiftever

Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for this crew. If the world burned down (and, I mean, it kinda did these last couple years) and we were all we had left… it would still be everything. Love to you and yours this day. 💛

Sunshine

Just happy 😁

Isms

Fist full of hair. Always. 🤍

Timely

Big thanks to Taylor Swift & Adele for releasing new music during the same week. If we could do this every year during busy season while I’m buried in editing that would be great. K, thanks, bye.

Embracing Imperfection

I’ve had a lot of big feelings this weekend and knew I needed to get outside (that and it’s supposed to drop to the 40s next week 😭). I grabbed my #lensbabyedge35 (which is a creative lens) for some art therapy. The lens allows you to create blur with just a slice of focus. You have to focus manually and slow waaaaay down. It’s hard to get things in focus & you have to embrace imperfection, missed shots, color variation, and grain. In short, you have to embrace the mess. But oh how beautiful & unexpected the results can be!! I’ve been feeling messy and this was just what I needed—just what I always need—to see & remember the beautiful moments even when life gets messy.

Heavy

Feeling heavy today. The 7 yr old son of one of my best friends was hit by a car and life flighted to the children’s hospital yesterday. He sustained many serious injuries. He is stable but has a long road ahead of him. Feeling the trauma & heartache of those I love today. I keep looking at my boys and their little bodies and my little living miracle Lydie and thinking, “Life is so fragile.” It really is. And all we can do is pray and be there for the ones we love, moment by moment.

Playset Reno

Leaf pile jumping, but stress Mom out about it 😅
I realized that I never shared a real before/after of our playset reno. We found this cedar wood gem in the local classifieds for FREE… we just had to come pick it up! It was in rough shape (more pics in stories & highlights), but we saw the potential. Dan rebuilt the entire base using the original pieces as blueprints, but making some improvements. We added shingles on the roof, nixed a slide and moved pieces around to fit our yard & desired look for the front. We replaced the old plastic swings with hammock swings that are my favorite place to read in good weather, but have temporarily been stored for winter. And of course, a lot of paint. The boys play on this thing EVERY DAY and while the end project cost was NOT free by the time we were done 😅, it is exactly what we want and 1000x worth the effort. Dan who did all the hard labor even agrees! Haha. Happy the kids can enjoy it for years to come.

Happy Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day ❤️ My grandpa was a WWII Vet. He fought in the Air Force. He saw the bomb drop on Hiroshima 😢 He was both tender and brave and carried scars from his service all his life. I am so grateful for those who serve & sacrifice for our country. *** I took this picture on Jan 6–just grabbed my kids and some flags as I was feeling all the heartbreaking things. This shot will always be an emotional reminder to me. 🇺🇸

Leaf Pile

My oldest burst into the house one evening and called, “Mom! We have a picture opportunity for you! Hurry, before the sun sets!” 👀 The light was right and he knew it, and they were doing an activity they wanted to remember—dropping from the monkey bars into a pile of leaves. I love that they want to coordinate their interests with mine. Their appreciation for my camera started when we moved from state to state and I promised them a way to remember their special places. Thankfully the cooperation stuck. Sometimes it means I take pictures of weird stuff that meets their suggestions… 😅 but most of the time I get to just capture their childhood—my own window into favorite moments that fly by too fast and can never be recovered. Except like this. 🙏🏻 #am_twoboys

Buddies

This girl sure loves her Daddy! I’ll put a closeup in stories so you can see her cute expression 🥰 Also, I saw this color palette and thought, “Hello, November.” 😂

Winter Battle Plan

Alright lovelies. In spite of all our best efforts, daylight savings struck again. So now seems like the perfect time to share everyone’s “Ways to beat the winter blues” from my stories the other day. If you’ve got more, add them in the comments. Then save these ideas and use them liberally! 43 days until winter solstice. We got this 💪🏻✨

Beat the Winter Blues
* Buy lots of winter gear to be outside more
* Lots of candles & early Christmas decorations
* Yoga / exercise
* Comfort cooking & foods
* Soak up the holidays
* Good music playlists
* Light therapy
* Consciously create cozy spaces
* Plan your spring & summer yards
* Warm healthy foods—especially soups
* Bundling up & going outside anyway!
* Getting ready everyday & cute sweaters. When I feel cute I get more stuff done.
* Get out in the afternoon as much as possible for some sunshine
* Cocoa & herbal tea
* Watch favorite movie series
* Cry a lot & eat cookies
* Have a list of goals for the day & be intentional about meeting them
* Take a picture a day
* Sit in a warm pool of sunlight inside your house
* Plan a vacation to go on or look forward to
* Weighted blankets or cozy robes
* Indoor plants
* Warm showers/baths
* Read a good book alone or as a family
* Take a class or learn a new skill
* Intentionally plan days to get out & days to stay home
* Make something
* Window decals/prisms
* Decorations
* Start a gratitude list

Mom Views

If we are in the same room, she is either climbing on me or wrapped around my legs or regularly checking in for talks & hugs. She’s a mama’s girl and please let it always be so. 💛 #misslydiefaith