Ahhh, nap time. It's such a lovely time of the day but I must hurry, you never know if this is just a cat nap or one of those glorious 2 hour naps.
6 months...I can't believe Annabelle is half a year old. I look through her earlier pictures and it's almost like I can't remember what she looked like or how she felt. I'm beginning to understand why some women go ahead and have baby number 2 so quickly. But at the same time I am so in love with this age and stage of her life that I look forward to waking each morning just to see what new things she will do. I had no idea I would love being a mom as much as I do
I've had to give myself a lot of grace in the past 6 months. I've had to forgive myself for being more selfish than I'd like to admit, I've had to ask for forgiveness from the Lord and those in my daily circle for not always being consistent in my communication or efforts to balance life as a daughter,mom, teacher, wife, and friend. I've learned to appreciate friends who are mothers and respect their amazing ability to finally find balance and I take silent notes on best practices. Sometimes I become extremely overwhelmed by the daunting task of being a mother and all the responsibility that comes with raising a daughter in the world today. Especially when I see teenage girls at the mall wearing their tiny skirts and carrying their flashy cell phones.
I feel more normal this month than ever before and it feels good. I am leading worship more often, I've joined the choir, I work out, and the beauty of it all is that I get to do it all with Annabelle. I now have this amazing little best friend who goes everywhere with me and it's so much fun. There are days during her long naps where I actually miss her and can't wait for her to wake up so we can play and read together and I love her more with each day she is in our lives. What amazes me is if I love her this much, how much greater is our Heavenly Father's love for us? No wonder He wants our constant attention, devotion, time...
I have loved every second of my summer break and when I look at Annabelle I know I am looking at a gift from God. I have no idea what the Lord is going to do with our family, what kinds of gifts and abilities He will give Annabelle, but I trust we are on the right path towards something great and exciting. In 6 short months I have been loved more than I could ever imagine and I've shown love in ways I've never known before. I am so thankful for the gift of motherhood, so grateful to be given such a beautiful responsibility.
