The Simplest Truth

Yes they do

Friends help each other

Yes they do

Even if you can do it by yourself

It's much more fun when friends can help

Friends help each other

It's much more fun when friends can help

Friends help each otherYes they do, it's true

We have become huge Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood fans around our house and this little nugget of truth in the song above has been sticking with me this week as I have watched my friends rally around me to help when I became a little stressed. 

Last week, was a hard week for me,  I had more than one person I love in the hospital,  a stressed Mom, a stressed MIL, a stressed husband, a teething baby and Brian was out of town.  I felt the pull of wanting to be there for all the people I love but needing to stay put for LL.  All of this came bubbling to a head when there was a sudden act of toddler violence at playgroup last Thursday. I finally just said through my tears  (by this time the toddlers were done crying and it was just me weeping) I am stressed and I have had a hard time.  All three of my friends standing there jumped in to hug me and offer ways that they could help.   I took LL to one of their houses and treated myself to a hour at a coffee house to catch up on work emails and update my calendar. 

Friends help each other

Yes they do

This week is the weird week where we don't have babysitters full time and school hasn't started my friend,  jumped in to watch LL today while I went to work and I'll watch her little boy this weekend so she can get her daughter ready for 1st grade.

Friends help each other

It's much more fun when friends can help

I love that God has placed women in my life that can demonstrate true friendship to LL and remind me of what real relationships look like.  I had been thinking about my hesitance in admitting that last week was hard when I mentioned it to another friend. She point blank asked me why I hadn't called and told her that I needed help.  This made me really look at myself and my pride,  Friends help each other....why is that so hard for me to accept and acknowledge?   I am not sure why I don't but I am thankful for people that are in my life that remind me of the truth in the little Daniel Tiger song.  

 

image from Pinterest

The signs are all there, this last week both of my babysitters left for college and tonight at Target the school supply lists were out and giant pencils were hanging from the ceiling.  School starts here in one week and Mothers day out starts in two weeks.  The warm weather will stick around a little longer (ok a lot longer)  but the summertime fun will be over very soon.  

Tonight as I was packing our bags for an afternoon at the pool tomorrow I was reflecting on the summer and how sad I am that it is almost over.   My toddler isn't in full time school but does go to Mothers Day Out 3 times a week.  So this summer she has been home a lot more than she will be this fall.  I loved every moment and while more time together has meant being more creative with work,  I think its worth every minute to start building summertime memories.

I have seen something in the blog world the last few weeks that really bothers me,  it seems that many mom bloggers are ready for school to start again and have written long posts on how ready they are for  for their kids to get back to their "jobs" of going to school.   This seems to follow the trend of recent posts extolling how its ok not to love to every minute of whatever stage of life you and your kids are in today.  And I get that,  the days are sometimes hard and long but I worry that by being so honest and focusing on our current feelings about that day we are diminishing the importance of truly savoring the moment.   Lets also remember that the Internet is forever,  someday your kids will read that post and their summer memories will forever be stained by your rant about needing to be alone. I also don't think that those mom's don't love every minute with their kids its just that I don't want to focus on the hard days.  I want to remember all the things that made this summer special.

• Trips to the "animal zoo" 
• Super hot days spent in the museum 
• pool days and splash parks 
• family trips to get "ice cones" with daddy on super warm nights 
• nice long naps after afternoons in the sun 
• lazy mornings of Disney Junior 
• the Library and the used book store 

I get that I may not always feel this way,  there may be a time where I long for the long summer days to end and for her to be back in school.  I have learned not to ever say "I will never...."  when it comes to parenting (hello,  Netflix at a restaurant)  but I do hope that I will stop to remember each and every summer and all the little things that made it so special.  I'll be honest...we need more structure that what we have had this summer but I am choosing to remember that this is a season and one that will end way sooner than I am ready for it to end and so today I am going to soak in the last two weeks of the only summer my baby will be two.

I just may be the worst blogger of all time.  But truthfully,  I have had a few things on my plate and I just couldn't fathom adding something else,  but I need to write and I want to write. I have so much always in my head so I think that I will be trying to write on a more consistent basis.  I know that a blog should have a theme but mine doesn't and I don't see having a consistent theme in the near future.  But here are some things in my head and on my heart that I am going to start writing about....

• Faith, feminism and living my life like Christ. 
• Mommy-hood and my life
• Life Lessons for Lillie...things that I want her to know about life and how to navigate the hard moments. 
• Pinterest...I have started Pinning again and I think it would be fun to share my finds 
• Healthy eating...I have recently revamped my diet and I have lots of fun healthy recipes to share. 
• Reading....I read online and books all the time. I want to share some of my finds and likes.