Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Inspiration

Two bits today......

From Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout:

But he wanted a whole bushel of them - grandchildren spilling everywhere. After all the years of broken collarbones, pimples, hockey sticks, and baseball bats, and ice skates getting lost, the bickering, schoolbooks everywhere, worrying about beer on their breath, waiting to hear the car pulling up in the middle of the night, the girlfriends, the two who'd had no girlfriends. All that had kept Bonnie and him in a state of continual confusion, as though there was always, always, some leak in the house that needed fixing, and there were plenty of times when he'd thought, God, let them just be grown.

And then they were.

I love this.

It spoke to me as a reminder that all of the craziness that we endure on a daily basis in our house will eventually not be so crazy. I feel like I'm a positive person most of the time.....but I often get stressed with the little ones. Always happy to find a little reminder like this to put things in perspective.

Another example:

In 2008, I took all 3 kids to The North Pole in Cascade, Colorado. We visited Santa's Workshop, rode the rides and walked the park. It was stressful. 2 kids were in diapers. I struggled to push my double stroller up the steep hills and if I wasn't struggling up one of those hills, I was chasing a toddler down another. Obviously, my frustration was showing. While stopped at one of the darling exhibits, a lady and I chatted about insignificant things......I mentioned how stressed I was.....and she said, "There are worse places you could be. Relax. Enjoy your kids."

It was a pretty brave statement, but after 3 seconds of reflecting on it, I thanked her. I needed to hear that. I embraced the rest of our day, slowed down and let the kids be kids.

Sometimes, out of no where, we get these little bits of inspiration. Often, when we least expect it. Even more often, when we need it most.

*****note: Don't think I'm going soft, ladies. I'll be back tomorrow with my usual dose of snarkiness. Promise.

20 comments:

SASS said...

BARFFFFFFF.

Pam Bowers said...

I'm the queen of stress. I go way above and beyond in my planning and I expect things to go just the way I planned them to. Sometimes I just need to let go! It helps to have a new perspective.

Kim said...

It took my best friend losing her child to cancer for me to realize I get upset over the littest things. Since I became acutely aware that they could be gone tomorrow it doesn't upset me anymore and I really do relish each day. It is very freeing. thanks for sharing your inpiration!

BNM said...

Thanks for sharing, i too have to often take a step back & remember to enjoy my little one b.c i know he will not always wont to be mommy's baby/follower/helper he'll grow up on me & ill miss it :)

Sara said...

So very true. I have to remind myself a lot that I'm not the one in control.

And I'll be looking forward to the snarkiness tomorrow.

The Soladay Family said...

I love this, Casey. We all can relate I'm sure. It is so easy to get caught up and say, 'I can't wait until..." Then you wake up one day, and your children no longer want to be hugged in front of their friends, or their papers from school no longer say, "I love Mom" but instead say, "I love Susie". Their childhood is gone in the blink of an eye, and we all need the reminder to stop and enjoy each moment.

Lauren W said...

Did you take Olive Kittredge from the book swap? I brought that one!! And I absolutely loved it. It was my favorite book last year.

starnes family said...

Lauren, I did!!!!!! Enjoying it. LOVED that quote.

merrilee said...

I SO love this post. A great reminder that those crazy, stressful days are also days to be treasured. We have ALL felt like this at some point and need to remember to support one another. Brave lady, though.

donatelli98 said...

Thanks for the reminder - it seems as if I need one on a daily basis! It's hard being a control freak and mom of young kids - it's like oil and water!

Yellow Beads said...

so true....thanks!!

Coco said...

So true. I have to remind myself of this every day!

Barbara Bush said it best:
Toddlerhood is the longest days of your life and the shortest years.

I have that on my mirror and it is so true.

Anonymous said...

my mom always says the best piece of advice her mother-in-law (my grandmother) ever gave her was to enjoy her children.

they are stressful, my wee ones, but the make me laugh so much. thanks for reminding me...

Clare said...

I love the soft side of people! Your reflection gave me chills. There are times when we, as moms, wish things away but it seems pretty easy in a world with sick kids,tragic losses, war, recession, etc. that we are able to know that we are blessed, even on days we want to pull our hair out!

Becca Jane said...

Funny, so I think I'll check out your book tab for ideas.

The Rand's said...

Always love to be reminded of that. It's so true. Makes me want to go hug my girls right now. :)

The Lenzers said...

you can be girly every once in a while. i am in love with coco's quote she shared one day....something about having toddlers is the longest days but shortest years of your life.

The Lenzers said...

ok, jsut read she put it in her comment...ha

AMY said...

Girl. I so needed to hear this today. I just spent some time blogging about the insanity and already being nostaglic for it and wanting it to end at the same time. Thanks for going soft, if only for a day!

Kristen said...

I don't think this is sappy at all. As an almost 30-year old single girl who would love a family more than anything in the world... I would give anything to be stressed out over kid-stuff. And if I'm lucky enough to have my own, when I question what I was thinking... I will pop back and read this :)