Hi everyone! I just really wanted to sit down and right a post about where we are at now in life & maybe encourage those who are in similar positions. If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know we have just added another little one to our family! While this new addition has us all “oohing” and “awing” it can be hard sometimes (or a lot of the time) to raise two kids, and find the balance in life without getting extremely overwhelmed.

My little summertime cuties!

We’ve had the little man for over a month now, and I can tell you even in this short amount of time it does get easier. I think as Moms and Dads we adapt and become what our children need, we miraculously stretch every part of oursleves to make it all work. In those couple of first weeks after giving birth via c-section, I felt as though I could never possibly “do it all”. And in a way I was right, but I’m learning it’s not about “doing it all” it’s about choosing what’s important.

For instance, having a clean home has always been important to me, but it’s not the MOST important thing, so if my kids need me… the dishes wait. That’s not to say we are living in a pigsty, but things aren’t always 100% and I have to live with that in this particular season. I never want to look back on the years of raising young kids with regret. I also don’t want to be living constantly stressed, so I think this is just a time of life were I’m not going to put much “extra” on my plate. If everyone is fed and happy, I’ll take that as a win!

I think it’s important to spend time on the things that we care about the most, and want to see thrive in our lives the most. Seems like a no brainer, but I think it is sometimes easy to take for granted the blessings we do have and focus on the millions of other things we want or need to do. For me God, my husband, and our kids are my most important relationships. So I need to go out of my way to take care of those relationships and love on them with all I am.

The things that are also important but aren’t as vital for me have to take back seat. I think quality over quantity applies here. I may not have the time to go on romantic dates with my husband all the time, but I can make that 20 minutes of chatting in the car while the kids nap meaningful if I take that oppurtunity. I also might not to get to spend as much time playing with my first born (since I am constantly nursing baby brother) but I can make our bedtime snuggles and prayer make her feel like the most loved little girl in the world. A compliment to my husband after a long day & just those little added bits of attention make our lives happier. When I remember this I feel like I’m no longer losing myself in the chaos in life, but I am riding the waves as they come.

This all goes to say, life is busy, motherhood isn’t always easy or straight forward… We all have expectations on us. But I believe we can do it graciously and wonderfully when we give up what is not important and go wholeheartedly after what is! There is only so many hours in the day and seemingly an endless list of things to do, but I am trying my best to breathe through it. I’m finding a new, slightly more hectic balance. So if you’re a new mom or an old mom, I hope that you know that what you are doing IS important. Don’t think for one second that there is somewhere else you should be, that you aren’t making a difference, that you’re insignificant.

What you do now will impact your family forever. So smile and relax a little, this is just a phase of life the good & bad.

Make memories. Drink coffee. Snuggle your babies. Do whatever you need to do to be present and to make your days count!

Hope this rambling encouraged somebody! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

-Caitlin