Serina asked in the comments, “you work, work some more, take care of the kids, take care of the house…when do you read?” Here’s my secret: I don’t take good care of the house, always, and sometimes I get behind on other things as well. In the midst of a busy and chaotic life, the things that make me feel accomplished, sane and fulfilled have to take precedence. For me, that’s reading, taking pictures and crafting/creating. I get creative and I find time, no matter what our family circumstances. Lately, I’ve been carving out time by making sure I go to the JCC once a week sometime between 4 and 6:30, putting the kids in the nursery, not to work out, but to get an hour and a half to read during an otherwise trying time of day.
I love my life, I have a remarkable husband and two delightful little girls. I am exceedingly thankful I get to spend so much time with them, but I am also thankful I have ten hours a week to work or clean or read while they are at nursery school. Unsurprisingly, I’m not a perfect parent, and they aren’t perfect children. We have moments of connectedness, love and joy I couldn’t begin to put into words. We also have moments where I wonder if I say “you get what you get and you don’t throw fits!” one more time, will I lose it? And I do lose it. And my children lose it. But there is grace, grace freely given for all of us.
Love keeps no record of wrong. This blog is a record of my life. Think of it as a highlight reel. It’s nothing but the truth, but it’s not the whole truth. Luckily, I have friends who do know the whole truth, who are walking through my life with its chaos with me. And they know I am not wonder woman, and they can advise me when I am lost or frustrated or hurt or I just don’t know what to do. The fact that I don’t often post about those things here doesn’t mean they don’t happen. I just like to remind my readers of that every year or so, of how blogging and real life intersect for our family.
I feel like I could have written this post, in many ways, other than no one has ever accused me of being wonder woman. ;)
I actually had that sort of conversation with someone at church this week. . . How what is online is true and transparent — but not completely transparent and when things are rough I’m not hiding it necessarily, but don’t have the wherewithal to post more than quotes and links and short blurbs.
Still, Kristen, you do inspire me. . . and Wonder Woman is not expected.
Right on, Kristen. I am reading your blog for the first time and I really dig it :)
i appreciate your thoughts, esp. the practical info on when you read. there are so many things a busy mom has to give up during certain seasons (oh, how i know), and it’s inspiring that reading is not one of the things you choose.
i read much more than my blog sidebar would indicate, but i struggle with always wanting more time and never finding it. like i said, it’s a season…
This post really touched me, thank you for sharing.
Some days my DH and I joke about the kind of day we’ve had as not being one that’s going to make it onto the blog, LOL.
This post is excellent, and your last paragraph is spot on.
Thank you, Kristen.