Month: February 2017

Happy Monday, Everyone!

You made it! I made it!

You may think that by the title, that this edition is about my daughter’s birthday…

You would be wrong.

We did celebrate Sophia this last week and weekend, but that’s not the reason for the title. There were cupcakes, soccer games, wins and losses, family time and family running all over the place. I remember when she about 3, this little girl got funny. Like, legitimately funny. Not little baby funny…but had this momma in tears laughing hysterically through HEB (God bless Texas, just google it). I can’t tell you how much I adore what makes up who Sophia is and what she loves. It’s the most fun combination of girl. She got a gift card and wanted shoes and shin guards. She played soccer this weekend and then gushed over pretty summer dresses. I LOVE IT!

I’m going somewhere with this…

Her friend Danica (daughter of @ridiculouskatie…who you should follow on all the things), is the total opposite. Danica does hiphop and is really good. Also, you can yell and cheer for hiphop like you can a soccer game so I am all for it.  Sophia has cleats, D does not. D can dance, Sophia will try along with her friend.

These two girls have been friends for most of their lives. They are different and I have watched them celebrate each other. Sophia has gone to see D perform, and is greeted by Danica with a big hug and “I have to introduce you to everyone”. Another mom looked at me knowing we were watching something special.

They celebrate each other.

Ladies, let’s let these girls show us a thing or two. They don’t know they are supposed to size up and compare. They don’t know that there differences are supposed to make them look at each other and talk down at their differences.

They don’t know because they haven’t seen it and my God, it will NOT be me that shows them.

I saw this meme on the internet.

 

I hate it. Like, I really hate it. Is it funny? Maybe a little bit. Then, I get to thinking about it for a whole 2 seconds and I call it a picture of what is actually a really huge problem.

We live in world where we can preach that we don’t judge…until someone has greener grass. You can literally put anything in place of “greener grass”. When someone is doing something really well, we don’t celebrate, we judge. We assume that that grass is fake or there is something/someway/somehow artificial about it.

Then we wonder why women get a bad wrap. It’s because we can be the worst towards each other. A few thoughts…

1. If it’s fake, who cares? Why are you spending so much time dwelling on it? Someone else’s strength doesn’t take away from you. And if they are fake they are probably miserable and need some good and healthy reality in their life. Come on, somebody
2. Maybe…just MAYBE she makes that grass a priority. Sometimes, people have really clean houses because they clean it. Or, they have a clean house because someone else does. Maybe ask how, instead of judging…
3. No one has it all together. They never did. It’s the illusion that has caused comparison, anxiety, depression, angry families and mean women.

Can we all agree to stop it?!

I have friends that are total rock stars and all at different areas of life. We celebrate each others strengths and thank God for the differences because we need them! We celebrate the different seasons and acknowledge the challenges brought on by change. We don’t have time to judge someone for their strengths if we are celebrating them.

I realize surrounded by girls linking arms after a soccer game loss and Sophia with her friends on a Sunday morning… there are a lot of eyes watching and we have an incredible opportunity to show them the way.

Not only that, we are better for it! Let’s celebrate!

 

I like this week ahead. Sophia turns 9.

Valentine’s Day was last week. 

I love how much this day has changed over the years. There will always be the large teddy bears, dudes buying flowers last minute and every cliche known to man. And thank God, there are couples doing what they do the way they do it. Picking up take-out, dinner at home and the perfect to them celebrations. 

And for the love, if you haven’t seen the movie Valentine’s Day, go watch every scene with Taylor Swift and thank me later. #itsfrommyboyfriend #shakeitoffbaby

Soccer season has officially begun (not that it ever really ends…and we are ok with that). Our Valentine’s Day consisted of soccer practice, Papa Murphy’s for dinner and half of my house fighting allergies. 

Ray does gift giving really well and he does the random gifts throughout the year.  This year, he surprised me. I have no place to store jewelry. I also think that my giant Noonday earrings are too pretty to put in a box. This is where having incredibly talented friends has an added bonus. I got a Michael Vogt original. It’s perfect.

Valentine’s Day, and much like showing love throughout the year has many faces. Different seasons can mean different expressions. What matters is that you do. 

We have learned that in every season of life, our time together is worth fighting for. It’s amazing what sitting on the couch for 15 minutes after I get home from work, just talking before getting into life’s other demands can do. That means asking the kids to go hang out for a few minutes so we can reconnect. We get to show them that we are better for them when we take care of us. Early mornings mean we get time together over coffee before the day gets going. We typically can see when we are burning the candle at both ends and thank God, we see it before it arrives…even in those seasons, we make time happen. I would love to have a date night every week. Right now, that is near impossible. They happen, but not every week. But lunch dates, early mornings over coffee, evenings after the kids have gone to bed and staying connected throughout the day…those things are totally possible and make all the difference. There are things that we say no to and there are unexpected things that we say yes to. Life rarely happens on a schedule. Leave room to roll with it and show each other grace when life happens and requires your time and attention. Even when our normal is totally crazy, I love getting back to it. 

Why the love rant?

We can get distracted by the grand gestures and neglect the every day things that makes the grand gestures icing on what is already a really great cake. 

This past week was our usual on-the-go. I’m grateful for it.

Wednesday night worship practice was one of those unexpected moments. Sometimes God shows up in ways that you didn’t ask for and in this case, as a team we were caught off guard. I love this team and I love how we all took the time, not wanting to miss anything.

I may not be the greatest hostess (no fancy table settings) but I LOVE having people around my kitchen table. I also love to cook, so this goes well for everyone. Even when life gets crazy, I love when we make time for that. We are grateful to have amazing friends who come over for what feels like the after-hours of life. For us, it’s the kids in bed (or they can show up while you are giving out end of day orders and getting little people fed and to bed) and friends who come over late. God is so good to give us these gifts. People you can laugh and cry with, gain wisdom, give insight, talk through what doesn’t make any sense and know that God is still God and He is enough. Also, thank God for friends that can come in and take a seat and not find your life strange. We all need to not feel so strange and like we are in good company.

After not running a half or full marathon this year, I’ve got my eyes set on 2018. I said it. Now you see it.

Sophia turns 9 this week. 9! I look back at 2008 like it wasn’t really all that long ago. I am wrong. That time flew by! I have one more year before I am freaking out over double digits. I love the incredibly funny and loving, sassy and athletic, sensitive and compassionate person that she is and the person she is becoming. She is so much like her dad. Then she says something or gives a look and she is totally me. Look out world, she doesn’t so much take no for an answer.