Monday, July 30, 2012

Wise Words for Mamas {& Daddys, too}

Jamie at Steady Mom recently published a post titled The Introverted Mom Strikes Back.  Some of you may be laughing, imagining me reading a post about introverted moms, because, while I do have my home-body tendencies from time to time, I'm truly not an introvert.

BUT all of you should go read her words....like now.  Because her wisdom speaks not only to introverts, but to anyone who has kids or spends any amount of time with kids.

Rocks a-flyin'...look at them splash!

Kids are kids.  They're loud all on their own.  Throw in pets and siblings and chaos quickly ensues.  And while it's our job as parents to instruct our children and help them learn to behave and get along with others...there are times when, despite our best efforts, they don't!  No matter how much we plan, they get bored and bicker {in my case it's bickering with the dog who just wants to be left alone}.  Or they get bored and get into everything that's off-limits.  It's hard feeling like a constant referee, constantly hearing ourselves say "No", constantly trying to redirect attention {constantly reaching for the Advil and praying for headaches to cease and naptime to come quickly}.

I think our society has placed so much importance on "productivity" that, for many of us, we get to the end of the day and feel like we haven't accomplished anything, because we have nothing tangible to show for our exhaustion.  Projects we undertake take a million times longer to complete...if they ever get finished at all!

The words Jamie quoted at the end of her post are freeing:
“So stay true to your own nature. If you like to do things in a slow and steady way, don't let others make you feel as if you have to race.
If you enjoy depth, don't force yourself to seek breadth.
If you prefer single-tasking to multi-tasking, stick to your guns."
Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking
It's freeing because it acknowledges the need to go slow...the need to eat our elephants one bite at a time, so to speak.  It's okay to not overextend ourselves by attending every library storytime and children's museum, or by putting our kids in every playgroup, when many times all the running around town is so exhausting to our kids as well as ourselves.  And while it's good for us to have projects and interests of our own to pursue, it's also okay when it takes a month {or two} to replant the planter boxes in the garden.  Or to only get one room in the house clean instead of the entire house in one sweep.  Or to only write 5 blog posts in 2012 {this is #6...I'm on a roll}.

Our to-do lists will get checked off slowly but surely.  All is grace.  :)

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Inspiring Words



"Once to Every Man and Nation" by James R. Lowell

Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide,
in the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
some great cause, some great decision, off'ring each the bloom or blight,
and the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
ere her cause bring fame and profit, and 'tis prosp'rous to be just;
then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track;
toiling up new Calv'ries ever with the cross that turns not back.
New occasions teach new duties; ancient values test our youth.
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.

Tho' the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
tho' her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong,
yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
standeth God, within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

For Your Weekend



London Calling::

Livin' La Vida London @ Apartment Therapy


For my fellow addicts::


Coffee Addicts: Unite!  Repurpose Cups @ The Happy Home


Thought provoking and well written {as always}::

Why I'm Not Reading Fifty Shades of Gray @ Life in Grace


Inspiring and poignant in the face of this tragedy::

So You Still Think God is a Merciful God?! @ A Miniature Clay Pot


Keep cool my friends!  Have a fabulous weekend.  :)

Monday, July 23, 2012

Pagosa Springs Adventure


I'm sitting, typing, and listening to the Texas locusts and cicadas sing their summer song.  It's peaceful and quiet {for now}, and while I love listening to nature's summer soundtrack, I'm pining for the cool, dry beauty of the Rockies.





My in-laws have a lovely little cabin in Pagosa Spring, CO.  And last week they generously offered to let us get away for a short vacation.  It was heavenly.


A couple of blocks down the street from their cabin is Pagosa Lake.  We walked here every morning and evening and watched afternoon thunderstorms roll in over the mountains and tourists take rides in hot air balloons.


The Kiddo didn't take too well to the dock...feeling the dock move under him was a little too much for him.  It didn't phase the Pupster one single bit, though.


He jumped right in...the cold water didn't phase him one bit!


I think he really wanted to chase down the kayak and make friends with the other pooch.


Downtown Pagosa Springs reminds me of Breckenridge.  It's easy to walk from one place to another and everything centers around the main attraction...the springs!


The springs are hot but the river is cold.  Kiddo had the time of his life tossing rock after rock into the river. 


There's a park down by the river which we couldn't pass up...




To swing or not to swing...that is the question. ;)


Not really.  He would never pass up a chance to swing!


Pretty flowers growing everywhere.  Are these hollyhocks?  I wish they grew in Texas!




My yard is begging for some pretty flowers like these.

Our time there was too short for sure.  There is so much more to do there than we realized.  And it was so lovely to get away from the sweltering heat, if only for a few days.  :)