Summer Snapshots and How My Girlfriends Make Me a Better Mom

Wow, sitting here at the laptop writing my first blog post in what feels like an eternity! Sorry for the silence on my end, but it’s been quite a summer.

I can’t even believe the sweet messages I’ve gotten from some of you – thank you for missing me! I thought maybe I’d share what’s been happening on this end to explain why the decorating has taken a bit of a hiatus…and consequently, how my girlfriends have taught me some things about parenthood.

So…

The kids were home from school for a week and we took a long weekend beach trip in June to Ocean City, Maryland. It was wonderful. I really am a happy lady with my toes in the sand. So is this kid…

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We came home and celebrated the 4th of July. In our town, it might as well be Christmas. I mean, really. It’s a humongous deal. And SO. MUCH. FUN.

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A few days later, one of my closest friends had a family beach house available last minute in Rehoboth. Her husband couldn’t go, so she asked some of us girlfriends if we could make it and have a Moms-and-Kids trip.

Ummmm, YES!

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The following week was my son’s 6th birthday. We celebrated with a pool party with his buddies and a baseball game. His birthday falls on the same day as our wedding anniversary, and we happened to get tickets for my dad as a  Father’s Day gift (you can’t buy this man ANYTHING, but a ballgame he’ll NEVER turn down!). So yes, that day we combined Father’s Day, a 6th birthday, AND a 12th anniversary. We’re nothing if not efficient!

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So it’s been a B-U-S-Y Summer so far. But fun, memory-making busy. The best kind.

I got to thinking how happy I am for my kids that they’ve had this summer. Their friends feel more like siblings and these friends’ parents are more like aunts and uncles. There’s a connection between all of us that runs deep. We’re so much the same, but so different, too. We lean on one another, we help one another, we laugh together, cry together, we know when we’ve had one of those days and a glass of wine and a vent session is mandatory. We’re a lucky, lucky bunch, and it’s never been clearer to me than right now.

Which was kinda the whole point of this post.

After spending those few days at the beach with my girlfriends, I left a better parent.

I’ll explain.

We all parent in very similar ways. But we’re not exactly the same, of course.

One of my friends has extremely independent children. I have learned from her that my children are capable of doing more than I think. I like to take care of people by nature – I enjoy doing these things – and I can rarely sit still. But I’m also taking away big lessons from my kids. It’s hard for me to know when they’re big enough to go off and do things alone, so this friend is so very good for me…and my kids.

Another friend has fearless children. She’s a Pediatric ER Nurse, so really, nothing rattles this girl. Take the EXACT opposite, and you’ve got me. Watching her children leap and fall and get back up and barely bat an eye has taught me that I need to take a step back more often than I do, and let them leap bigger and farther than ever before. Figuratively and literally. Because sometimes it’s NOT always better safe than sorry.

And another friend who went on this trip is so good at being fun and playing with her kids. I drove her and her two girls in our packed minivan, and on our drive home, all five kids were getting antsy at once, and instead of exploding on all of them to BE QUIET!!!! like I was seconds away from doing, she turned around and started playing this game of looking in her eyes and trying to guess what number she’s thinking of. All the kids became instantly happy and totally enthralled (and quiet!). Kids love when you get on their level and often times I forget this. She takes the smart way out of insanity, rather than adding to it. I want to be more like her next time I feel ready to blow. To remember that they are KIDS.

This trip was a really wonderful three days. I’m so happy for my kids that they have these relationships, these memories…and I’m so thankful that God has put these women in my life. I know it wasn’t coincidence. And I know I’m a better person and mom because of them.

And I know, without a doubt, we’re living the good ol’ days…right now.

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So that’s why it’s been quiet on the blog, but I promise I’ll be back in full swing when school starts back up again – we’ve only got 4 weeks left?!!! Oh Summer, you go far too quickly!

 

 

 

Comments

  1. There is nothing better than knowing you are currently in the good ol’ days, and living accordingly. I just had a mom/kids trip with some girlfriends last week, and my girls and are are much better for it. thanks for sharing. These are the times that make all the other times worth it!

  2. Love this post! Sounds like you have a great circle of friends. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

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