3 out of 5 smiling is pretty darn good. =)

Dreams Come True

When I was about 21 years old I was aching to get married and have a family. I was about to graduate from college with no marriage prospects, and I felt like my chance to find someone was gone. I was really sad that I had not found someone to live my life with and even more sad that I wouldn’t have children anytime soon.

Skip ahead ten years, and I am happily married with three daughters. It really does feel surreal sometimes because I spent so much time thinking that it might not happen. Today I see that I am truly blessed, and I need to have more gratitude for what has happened and not dwell on what has not happened.

The Answer to my Problems

I walked Maurie up the stairs to tuck her into bed for the second time tonight. As she held my hand, she said, “I lub you.” I expressed my love in return and repeated most of the bedtime routine I had done ten minutes earlier. Normally, I would be a little irritated and impatient about having to tuck her in again, but tonight I just enjoyed a little more time to spend with my daughter. She is sweet and loving and with a little encouragement and more love, she is now sleeping soundly in her bed. Most of the time the answer to my problems is not to have less responsibility, but to have more love and patience. I wish I felt this calm and peaceful all the time. It is too easy to get distracted and miss special moments that I won’t get back.

My husband and children really are my dreams come true. I get overwhelmed with all that I need to do and keep up with, but at the end of the day I just need to ask myself, “Did the people I care about the most feel loved?” If I can answer yes, I need to count the day a victory despite the other things that may have gone undone.

I honor motherhood and all the mothers before me by doing a little better today than I did yesterday.

Best,
Lucy