On Being One and Showing Up

I have no photographs to post of Harps turning one.  I didn't pick up my camera once.  Sometimes to fully embrace and welcome a significant moment when we recognize it, we simply have to show up.  And show up we did.  Friends and family filling my home to celebrate one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed upon me is such a gift in and of itself.  Some of my favorite memories are of my own mother getting ready for a party in our home.  The smells of a clean home and homemade meals to greet our loved ones.  The anticipation that this day would be special, is special, and will remain so in future years and traditions.  The steadfast passing of celebratory torches between families and generations.  I don't have many pictures of those parties, either.  Sometimes living well just requires showing up.  And we showed up for you baby girl.  Time to welcome another year, Harper Grace.

Memorial Day

Taking a moment to reflect today. Thankful for the sacrifices too many have to make so that we can experience life free from the chaos of war and misery so many others must endure each day. Thankful to live in a place where little girls can just be little girls, with days filled with sidewalk chalk and pinwheels, when in so many other places, they can't.

A Hot Mess

So parenting, or maybe more specifically mothering....Basically at this point in the game I've decided parenting/mothering is a series of precious moments.  These moments consist of....

'I'm a hot mess'
'My children are a hot mess'
'My house is a hot mess'
'Sweet, baby, Jesus, please don't let my neighbor, friends, family, realize the depth of this mess'

I'm not touching parenting/fathering here, I don't have enough time between the hot messes.....

There is the rare event that my children, myself and my house are all in reasonably presentable shape, without any tears, nervous breakdowns or other such meltdowns in sight.  I consider this the Trifecta, the Triple Crown of Parenting.  Unfortunately, it doesn't happen very often. Thankfully for these tiny tyrants, there is such deep satisfaction in capturing the quiet time between all the hot messes going on.  High five for surviving another round of chaos this week and a few images to appreciate the quiet ones.

Letter to my daughter

Harper.  My daughter.  My baby.  The last little Quinn.  You came to us with such a calm, easygoing presence.  Easy pregnancy, easy labor, easy baby.  Such a bundle of peace and comfort.  But in like a lamb, with a lion heart.  You're almost a year now, almost baby girl!  And you've grown so much already.  I watch you stretch your limbs with new abilities and admire your tenacity, your stubborn streak and the way you've learned to stand your ground.  Nobody will ever count you out baby girl.  And we are forever in your corner.  Happy 'almost' birthday.

Bedtime Blessings

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
And when in the morning light I wake
Show me the path of love to take."

Church

Maggie's school uniform form came in the mail this week.  My baby is going off to school.  My baby.  To School.  Be still my heart.  We're sending her to Catholic school and I never would have thought I would see the day I sent my kids to Catholic school.  This has more to due with the fact that we love the principal and the curriculum and less to do with religion.  Because I can't, don't, believe that one religion can be better or more 'righteous' than any other.  Deep down, where 'God' touches us all we already know we are all worthy of love, that we are all equal, that we all belong and we are all enough.  It's the essence of grace to see our own humanity mirrored back in another human being.  And if we see others who feel less than, well then these are the human beings that need our love the most don't they?  Such a messy place religion can be.  To set up rules that break the essence of faith and make us believe if we act just so, that we will be more rewarding than someone else of grace.

So for now, this is church.  For me.