May We Choose Well, Mommas

I could’ve entertained her with independent playtime for just 5 minutes (which let's be honest...easily turns into 45) so I can send one more email, take one more call, order a few household necessities online, clean up a bit. I mean, feel free to fill in the blank with 20 good things that really needed to get done. I bet you have your own list weighing down on you right now. 

But I am so GRATEFUL that I didn’t do any of it. I’m SO grateful that we went outside instead and because of that small decision, my heart is all the more filled today...and so is hers. 

I was able to introduce my little girl to Hopscotch, one of my all-time favorite childhood games. We got to practice our numbers in English and Spanish (per her request), count forwards and backwards. My neighbors probably got a good laugh watching me hop around on one foot and pretending that balancing on one foot was just way "too hard," wobbling as if I was about to fall, looking like a total fool.

I got to make a memory with my 3 year old daughter that she will remember and I will lock away in my heart forever. 

Here’s the thing, ladies.

Next year when my Google Photos sends me a notification to look back on July 31, 2019, my heart will be filled. I won’t remember what was weighing me down that day, or what I accomplished, because, guess what? A whole new set of "urgent" feeling to-do’s will have me feeling like I’m climbing an uphill battle. But you know what I will remember? This little 3-year-old -Liv face right here. 

I’ll remember how her little voice squealed with excitement and how her big contagious belly laugh just exploded and made me belly laugh too.

It seems ironic that the good decision always seems like the hard decision until you're actually experiencing its goodness. It's like some kind of mom fog makes itself comfy in our minds, makes us forget how obvious the good decision is and sneakily convinces us that productivity trumps purpose. And here's the thing, I know I'm not the only one that this happens to.

I hope that for my sake (and for the generations behind me) that I continue to make small and life-impacting decisions like this one. I’m completely aware that I won’t always get it right, but that won’t keep me from chasing after it, hard. I hope that me sharing this moment with you serves us both as a reminder to press pause on all the things competing for our time and that we'd choose purpose. 

We need these precious moments with our kids just as much as they need them with us, whether they're 3 or 33.

Keep keeping on, momma. My prayer for us is that we may choose well as mommas. That we choose the things that will make a difference when we’re 80. May we look back with all the joy we’ve built up in our hearts throughout the years and mutter to ourselves, “I chose well.” 

XO,
Janelle