thebrilliantmom

Yup. I got stood up. I was meant to meet a friend for coffee, but she forgot. It’s ok. We are almost even, I forgot our coffee dates the past two times. But this forgotten meeting has left me stranded downtown, at night, by myself, for a whole hour! What am I going to do with myself?

It is rare for a mother of a toddler to get to be by herself nearly anywhere. I lavish in those few times when my husband has agreed to let me abandon him after baby’s bedtime for a solo Target trip. Oh the glory of no toddler squirming out of those ridiculous cart seat belts (someone please redesign those!) while you swoon over the new oh-so-adorable birdy mugs. After years of never wanting to do anything without a friend by my side, this amazing thing happens after you have kids… The times you have alone, all to yourself, and outside of the home are like treasures. You better hold on tight to them and enjoy them while they are there because you never know when the next one is going to happen.

So I’m people watching and sipping on a Mexican mocha at the coolest coffee shop downtown. Not sure if I’m hip enough to hang out here, but my jeans have ripped knees and I’m wondering if that is considered hip anymore. I didn’t buy them this way, it’s from wear. Does that make a difference on the hipness thermometer? Self-proclaimed hipsters feel free to give your opinion.

Well my time is running short… But I thought I would allow you to giggle along with me at the silliest or strangest google search terms that have landed people here at The Brilliant Mom.

diapers boy sleep in bed. (what?)
baby pictures inside pumpkin. (yeah, I did that.)
making grown up decisions. (have I done that?)
how to put a baby in a pumpkin. (if anyone has a good tutorial out there, let me know because we just winged it and my baby hated it!)
pumpkins with babies inside. (are we seeing a trend?)
mom boots. (are these different than boots that you wear prior to being impregnated?)
girl pilgrim parka. (I must have forgotten that I wore one of those for my What I Wore Wednesday Amish Edition.)
ribbed yoga leggings. (do they make those?)
realizing your mother is crazy. (I hope this person found the therapy they were looking for.)
do you sleep in yoga pants. (why yes. Yes I do.)
And my personal favorite…
stepped in poop with flip flops. (sorry I wasn’t better help with your tragedy.)

“I wake to the discontent of life in my skin… To the wrestle to get it all done, the relentless anxiety that I am failing. Always, the failing. I yell at children, fester with bitterness, forget doctor appointments, lose library books, live selfishly, skip prayer, complain, go to bed too late, neglect cleaning the toilets. I live tired. Afraid. Anxious. Weary. Years, I feel it in the veins, the pulsing of ruptured hopes. Would I ever be enough, find enough, do enough? But this morning, I wake wildly want to live (fully).” – Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

If you are a woman. Please read this book. It is so good. So real. Forcing me to be real. Oh, how I need that. Oh, how we need this message as women, as mamas.

Have you read One Thousand Gifts already? How has the message of living fully in God’s grace affected your life?