Making Memories Despite the Mess

Picnic set up in front yard 

Making memories despite the mess…As a mother I think I know for myself it is so easy to get caught up with how my house looks like with the current state of bottles piled up in the sink, loads of laundry just sitting in the living room waiting to be put back in the closet and toys scattered through various parts of the home. That it can be a really easy trap to say don’t come over for other mom friends. I know at times I get easily situated in that position. I saw a quote though recently “Come over despite the mess, come over if your child is having a rough day, come over if you’re having a rough day.” 

Yesterday was one of those days for me. I planned to have a picnic with some of my close mom friend’s yesterday and it was one of the best days outside! We just got our fence done in the front yard and it was so nice to just have a picnic and enjoy the simplicity of the beauty of the day. Despite the house being mess but I had a thought that children are not going to remember how many piles of laundry I didn’t get to, or the dishes in the sink. They are going to remember the moments of laughter the moments of riding in a wagon in the field or giving the dogs their leftover hot dogs these are the moments.

Toddler E enjoying the Picnic 

Yesterday brought me so much joy as a Stay at Home mom I know it can get tough and lonely in various moments. What if I told you though parenting is so much easier when you have a friend there with you. My good friend Aseaba was talking to me about this yesterday about how yes you are multiplying the amount of kids but meet anyways. Moms were never meant to do this journey alone and I think so many SHM feel so alone, alone in the mess, alone in the long days of parenting and alone in their mind. However you are never alone there are moms that are going through the same things you are going through maybe even right down the street! 

Yesterday was a moment to breathe in the beauty of simplicity…Picnic, bubbles, wagon rides and children’s laughter just floating in the spring time air. It was so nice to just sit and talk with Aseaba. We chatted for about 2.5 hours yesterday and it was beautiful. I actually met Aseaba online in a local mom’s group on Facebook. We have been friend’s for about a year now and what a beautiful year it has been. I remember telling Aseaba when I was pregnant with Baby E how thrilled and overjoyed she was to hear the news! 

Baby E snoozing in the sunshine

We need friends as Stay at Home Moms, we need people who we can say “hey my house is a mess come on over, Hey you’re struggling today with the mom load come on over, hey your kid is going through a sleep regression come on over.” I never want my table to be closed I want my table to be full. I saw a beautiful quote years ago stating “if God has blessed you don’t build a taller fence build a longer table.” One of my closest friend’s when I lived in Washington State had 10 kids and I remember just going over there to just have coffee together among the chaos, I would bring my nanny jobs there for play dates all the time. The amount of joy from the kids would just be such a blessing to watch. 

That’s what I aspire to be as a mom. I want my home to be full of memories among the simplicity. We have a pretty simple home just a 2 bedroom 1 bath home, but we are blessed to have land we have 5 acres here and that is amazing. Kids don’t need a lot to have a good time, they don’t need elaborate houses or the latest greatest toys, they thrive with simplicity. Maybe as a reminder to us that we can also thrive in simplicity. Thriving in simplicity what does that look like to you? It is something I want to work on more something that I need more of in my life. Yesterday I was a so overwhelmed by the state of the inside of my house I struggled at times to be in the simple moments, the simple moments of that Toddler E played outside for almost 7 hours yesterday with no screen time, the simple moments that Baby E slept so peacefully in the sunshine, ,the simple moments of watching Aseaba’s 5 children just play all so greatly and the simple moments of watching the rainbow bubbles glisten in the sunlight. 

All the kids enjoying the picnic 

I encourage you to start finding your beautiful moments in simplicity, the laundry will always be there, the dishes will always be there but this day won’t always be there. You never know when a moment will become a memory until you look back on it. You never know what core memories your child will make in those simple moments. 

It is so easy to not open your home up I get it I have been there, but in the midst of chaos beauty can be found. Fellowship, invite and go be with other moms. You are not alone… 

If you need a friend come on over, if you need some place for your kids to run come on over…

“You can hold my hand

When you need to let go

I can be your mountain 

When you’re feeling valley-low

I can be your streetlight 

Showing you the way home 

You can hold my hand 

When you need to let go 

I want a house with a crowded table 

And a place by the fire for everyone 

Let us take on the world while we are young and able 

And bring us back together when the day is done.”

-The Highwomen -“Crowded Table”

You are welcomed at my table…