Friday, September 5, 2014

High Five for Friday: Motherhood + Marriage + Life Lessons

Our first week of "real life" comes to a close today. And what a week it has been. Adjusting to a new routine, mom moments that took my breath away, and the contemplation of my own future.

There was a lot to take in, but also a lot to celebrate. 

I'm welcoming Friday with open arms.

1// A coffee date with my husband. We used to enjoy these get-togethers on a semi-regular basis, but his work projects and conference calls have been all-encompassing lately. I've missed him. And although we are just sitting side-by-side in a coffee house, working on our respective digital projects, we're together

That's certainly something to celebrate.

2// With Kiddo back in school, I've been contemplating the next step in my journey. The struggle to find and attain fulfillment is a post in and of itself, but know that the last couple days have been spent guessing, second guessing, and doubting. 

In the end, I know I want to be a physician assistant. It's the sole reason I went back to college and the driving force behind my subsequent (successful) college career. Heck, it's the primary reason we moved from one coast to the other. But getting there is proving much harder than I had anticipated; a college degree isn't the golden ticket it once was. And so, I needed to stop flailing/agonizing and make a decision. 

This morning, I did. (Plan A and Plan B have been established.)

Upon walking into this coffee shop, already exuberant over the opportunity to work alongside Mario, I was faced with this quote:

What if I fall?
Oh, but my darling what if you fly?

The floor to ceiling blackboard in this particular shop changes regularly. So why, of all days, does it say something I so needed to hear? That's been happening to me a lot lately. 

(Like this quote, stumbled upon in Schoolhouse Electric, while I was in the midst of some serious self-doubt. This print now resides on my bedroom wall.)

To say that mere words, written on a chalkboard, helped me sort out a snarl I've been trying to untangle for weeks, seems a bit dramatic. But sometimes we are standing at a precipice, this close to knowing what the right decision really is. 

All we need is a nudge. 

I got mine.

 3// A shift has occurred, and it was both gradual and all at once: I woke up one morning this week and needed a sweater + close-toed shoes.

A crispness has entered the air and this girl is not complaining.

Since I'm still acclimating to cooking in a vastly different kitchen from the last, simple yet hearty one-dish dinners top the meal-planning list. Like this soup. It is always in circulation when the weather favors soup, and sometimes even when it doesn't. (Don't let the amateur photos deter you. It's awesome.)

The menu has been a mix of oldies but goodies + new discoveries. So far no duds! Kiddo ate a salad last night! (I'm still pinching myself.)

(Pictures and links to come! But high five for now!)

Now, what to cook on this hot September day... 

(While watching one of my all-time favorite movies, duh.)

4// It's safe to say our house is done. Not to suggest that decorating a home complete with running water and all the creature comforts one could ask for is a challenge per se. 

But adjusting to a whole new way of life is. So is making sure your kiddo is doing okay with all the changes and topsy turvy-ness that comes with starting over.

Things like an organized closet and home cooked meals go a long way toward finding normalcy, and I'm happy to report that we have. Having school start this week was the motivation we needed to put those last few things together.

5// This kid. Oh, this kid. Boy have I fretted over him lately. He was a rigid little tike, and although flexibility is a trait he has acquired over the last couple years, it's still relatively new to him. 

We've been throwing some curveballs at him lately, to say the least.

Worries swirled around my brain in a constant rotation: How was he going to do with the increased demands of high school? (Especially after attending a small, laid-back charter school for the last two years.) If that weren't enough, what about the added demands that come with being a member of the cross-country team with 6 day/week practices? He's never been on a competitive team before! Is he getting enough sleep? Enough to eat? Drinking enough water?  How is he doing emotionally?

Yet he came home from school Wednesday afternoon with a smile on his face. A big, bright smile and oodles of great things to say. It turns out, the traditional high school format suits him really well. He's already made friends and has people to sit with at lunch! His teachers inspire him! ("Mr. M gives the BEST lectures! He's amazing!") 

And while I know we will encounter hurdles along the way, as is expected, I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing he'll be just fine. Great, even.

Case in point: Yesterday, after a whole school day and a 3+ mile cross-country practice, he had to participate in a time trial to determine the JV/Varsity teams. He was tired, and his legs were cramping terribly, but he did it

He ran his little heart out. To see him push himself, perhaps the hardest he ever has, was incredible. It's proof we are raising a resilient kid. A young man with strength and perseverance. 

As a parent, that's all you hope for.

Still, I held my breath until he crossed that finish line. That's the life of a mom, though, I suppose. Always holding our breath until our kids cross those proverbial (and literal) finish lines.


{Linking up with Lauren}

1 comment:

  1. Love your last thought - still true when your kids are young adults and college diplomas and job hunting make successes seem so close yet so far. You just have to be there to listen when so much is out of your control :-)

