Reflections and Responses

This motherhood thing, y'all...whew. It's exhausting. I imagine that many of you are sick of me posting about Olivia and parenting, but that's the world I'm living in right now, so that's where my head is - morning, noon and night. I adore her and am incredibly grateful for this season (more on that below), but gah! This is the third morning this week she has woken up for the day before 5am, if that helps to paint the picture of my current reality. It takes a lot of energy to keep another person alive, much less foster her development and prepare her to be a thriving person. Mothering requires being awake physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. As soon as you have one phase, schedule or milestone figured out, your child is on to the next. That means that you have research, planning and training to do! Sure, a (young) child naps some, but moms typically need that time to accomplish things they cannot do with a child present. Oh, and there's...

Thank you, God for the things I have been a part of and the places that you have taken me. And thank you, God, for moving me forward. Thank you for shifting my focus and resetting the stepping stones on the path. Thank you for cleansing my mind. Thank you for reshaping my priorities, wiping the fog off of my lenses, widening my perspective, causing me to have so many questions, shredding my confidence because it was rooted in the wrong things, and allowing me to get uncomfortable... because that's when I grow. Thank you for beginning to restore peace. Thank you for straightening my slumped shoulders, lifting my eyes, brightening my view, reminding me of your unconditional goodness, beginning to reveal how the pieces might fit together one day, helping me trust you, patiently reminding me of my role versus yours and affirming that you are the source of all that's good. Thank you for your unwavering steadiness through it all. Thank you that nothing is too difficult for...