Busyish Day

We had a busyish couple of days.

Dance class Saturday morning for my daughter, which I brought my son to because my husband had a work event.

Then a several-hours-long birthday party I took both kids to.

This morning, I went to yoga and my husband made the kids breakfast. Then we played at the park, did laundry and ran errands.

This is my kitchen at the moment. A sky-high sink full of dishes that I’m putting off a couple of minutes longer by making this post, and towels on the floor to clean up the gallon jug of iced tea I fumbled and broke.

All it takes for ish to hit the fan is a not even that busy weekend. No one can be home cleaning all the time. There needs to be space for life to happen. And life is often amazing and always messy. 🤷‍♀️

10 Years

I was totally going to tell this 10-year challenge to shove it. But then I thought about the past 10 years.

Josh and I got married in 2009. We were a young, poor sports writer and crime reporter, taking a leap of faith before we really even knew ourselves.

Today, we are a family of four. Mom and Dad to a brilliant, compassionate son and daughter and an 11-year-old fur baby named Boo we apparently conceived out of wedlock.

Josh and I have become closer to the selves we’ve always wanted to be, and encourage each other along the way. Josh is the best dad ever, even though he’d never held a baby in 2009. A gourmet cook. Still with the killer dance moves. A smart, creative force to be reckoned with. Charismatic. The actual sexiest with gray flecks above his temples.

I accomplished my life-long dream of being a published writer. I took up yoga and stuck to it. Motherhood and my job in government communications suit me. Down and dirty like I like. I’ve found my voice and a confidence I can’t shake.

We’ve endured some tough times in these 10 years, but overall, it’s been an amazing decade. Here’s to the next.

Give Your Gift Already

I wanted to share a little secret with you I’ve come to realize recently.

No one is better than you. No, really. Not celebrities. Not Jenny from the block with the awesome cookie recipe. Not the prom king from high school.

You are not an ugly duckling. So what if you’ve kissed some frogs? You don’t need the prince because you are the queen. 👸👸🏾👸🏻

You are not destined for only this. Yoga leggings only have to be your jam if you want them to be.

You have a gift to give the world. You just need to figure out what that is.

Then, you grab your gift and run out of your house streaking naked with it, letting off fireworks all around you.

You don’t apologize. You don’t say, “I’m sorry. My gift isn’t very good. Your gift is better”. You say “Here’s my gift. It’s the shit”.

Whether that gift is loving people unconditionally, raising good kids, crunching numbers, writing a play, or changing your neighborhood or the country through activism, you have a gift people need. In fact, you have lots of gifts to give. Give them.

If there’s something you want to do and it helps instead of hinders, DO IT. Don’t wait. Opportunity comes to those who claw their way to the top of the hill or squeeze in under the barbed wire fence. Not always those who are prettier or richer or even smarter. Sure, these things help and privilege is real. But also, things come to those who want them most and try hardest.

So, let’s commit to looking at ourselves in the mirror each morning with mother effing “Eye of the Tiger” playing on repeat in our heads louder than the self doubt. You’ve got this in the gift bag.