Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Looking Back and Forward | a series of pictures & words

A few stolen moments is all I have this morning. I'm wrapped in my obsession quilt right now listening to the monitor anticipating sounds from the littles.

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{Owen enjoying a cupcake from a family friend's bake sale to benefit children in Africa.}

Yesterday was a good day and had me running for my Canon 60D much of the day.

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{Travis' first bath with many helpers present, including one still finishing dinner.}
And as many days before while racing the clock to get dinner on the table chaos ensued. Our puppy ate blue model magic she swiped from my toddler who was running around the house with it because he was following the example of his older brother not staying at the kitchen table as instructed because he had to bounce the bouncy ball he made out of said blue model magic. There may have been a life line text to Mitch, "Home soon?"

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{Travis ready for bed.}
This morning while I waited for Travis to settle back into sleep after nursing at 4:30AM I read this and this by Tara Sophia Mohr  and several conversations spanning the last few weeks finally came together for me within those frameworks.

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{Travis' One Month Picture}

I am so proud of a dear friend answering her calling. I love how our friends have gathered around her to cheer her on in pursuit of it.

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{One of Garrett's many baseball games this summer.}
In the safest of places my heart is heavy because I feel I am not brave enough to answer my calling, the one whispering in my ear and taking root in my heart. In the safest of places my husband listens and gives life to the marriage of these whispers and our life. In the safest of places a friend's voice tells me that I am brave.

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{Owen "driving" Daddy's truck.}
In the quiet of the morning I challenge myself, maybe just maybe, there can be more than one calling. Perhaps you can be living in one while another, still in its infancy, takes root in your heart and grows stronger as time goes by.

Today I am doing the hardwork of nurturing the lives of my children and husband while feeding my creative soul and finishing the work that is still to be done in my professional life. This is the calling of today. Those whispers taking root in my heart will grow stronger in my dreams, in the safest of places and in love each passing day until tomorrow comes.

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{Mitch's 33rd Birthday}
Before I go, the courage to share these words this morning came from this quote by Martha Graham (also read this morning) shared as part of Brene Brown's inspiration interview series:

“There is vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost”
 
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{Bubbles with Garrett after school.}
Thanks for reading friends.
 
Monica

This post is a series of posts that highlights my reflections on maternity leave and my thoughts leading up to going back to work. You can read all of the posts in the series here.
 

1 comment:

Nicole said...

Beautiful words Monica! Loving this series. Hugs!! :)