The Beauty of "Normal"

Sometimes the days can pass so quickly we don't even realize another week has gone by. I've been in different seasons where this has been a welcome feeling, and also where I have felt an urgency and a loss of time. They say that time speeds up once you have a child, and I would certainly agree - it seems like I blinked and Elliott started walking (ahem *running*) and I'm not exaggerating when I say he learns a new word almost every single day. (Today was "stinky" ha ha!)

I have this desire to make each day count, but I'm learning that it doesn't necessarily mean that it has to stand out from the others. There is something beautiful in normal. Something slow and methodical. We get up each morning and the first thing Elliott asks for is milk. It is not lost on me that this is a special time for the two of us - the closeness and cuddles in the quiet of the morning before the days starts. After he finishes nursing I ask him if we should go get ready and he jumps off the couch and squeals "ready!!" over and over as he runs to our room and when we get to the door he yells "Daddy!!" and "up?" If Chris is awake enough he'll pull him up for a hug, but usually I just tell him Daddy is sleeping (which doesn't stop him from attempting to climb the bed!)

Each morning is the same, but I think it gets more beautiful every day.

I've always thrived on routine and I think children do as well, so our day in the dayhome runs on a pretty set schedule. Breakfast, play, park, snack, outside, lunch, nap, and so on and so forth. Of course I am blessed with feeling like each day is different because with 4-6 kiddos running around it is always changing based on who is in a good mood and who needs a nap or a hug or a kiss on their boo boo. Once our work day is over Elliott and I come upstairs and start the evening routine, which, sure enough is quite often the same. Sure, there is room for monotony when it's dinner prep and eating, playtime, bath, bedtime and usually just enough time for one Netflix show before bed. There is room for feeling like you're going through the motions just so you can wake up and do it all over again. There is even room for exhaustion, dissatisfaction and boredom. But lately? It just doesn't feel that way. Lately it feels precious.

The other morning as I walked to the park with the kids I looked up in the sky and saw something in the clouds I haven't seen before. It's hard to describe a feeling, especially when you feel the Lord's presence, but it was so strong I was almost brought to tears. Heaven felt so close to me in that moment. As I have contemplated this over the past couple of days I haven't come up with any earth shattering revelations, just a deep appreciation for moments. Sometimes days feel busy and they pass quickly, but there are always moments of beauty waiting to be seen. I think I could spend the rest of my life on a treasure hunt for them and be perfectly content.

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Thanks for stopping by :)

-M