^ sweet Maxwell at 5 weeks old
^ we decided last minute to go to San Diego last Saturday, and guess what? it was so fun!
Things have been a bit quieter than “normal” here on the blog, haven’t they? And it is different for me, that’s for sure. When I started this blog I posted often, sometimes multiple times a day. It was fun to have my blog serve as a visual notepad for my thoughts and dreams to grow my business and document our lives. Over time I found a more focused purpose for this space, so I slowly streamlined my posts to reflect that. A little bit more time passed and I once again my focus narrowed — naturally, my posts reflected that once more. Now it’s been almost five years since I started this blog and yep, my focus has changed again :)
Ready for the focus change?
It’s called… living life.
Yep, two short words yet two very weighted words.
It can be a very heavy process writing a blog and keeping up with everything social media related, dontcha think? The pressure to do it all has snuck up on me at times and suddenly it seems almost required to wake up and scroll through my iPhone instead of letting my eyes scroll through those red letter words.
[awkward silence]Do you ever feel that way? I’ve been making more of an effort to have the focus change translate to my life offline, too.
+ + +
Los Angeles has blessed me in areas I didn’t know were possible. I know I’ve said that before, but seriously, it’s so true. A few months before Maxwell was born I started meeting weekly with two girlfriends. We usually met at a coffee shop — an hour would pass and we were still talking. Two hours would pass, yep — still talking. Three hours would near before we quieted down and started gathering our things. I love how the three of us instantly connected to share life together.
Living life.
Just last week we started meeting again {yeow!} and this time there’s not only a baby boy who gets passed around but a new friend has joined us! Instead of meeting at a local cafe we’re meeting at each others homes and sharing a meal. But don’t worry, we’re still sipping our coffee :) We’re living life together and it makes me so, so happy.
+ + +
There’s a lot of quiet time during my day right now. It wraps me up throughout the afternoon while I’m holding Max, cooing over Max, nursing Max. And, this quietness keeps me company throughout the night, too. So often during this quiet time I think about how blessed I am to be at home with our son. Day after day I learn more about being Max’s mommy and I am stretched. It is challenging + rewarding, all at the same time.
Writing this blog and designing products for Gussy Sews has contributed to being able to be home — another huge, huge blessing to our family. But even with all the quiet time that surrounds me, all the blog purpose + post ideas I have, I still find myself a bit quieter than normal. Just this morning I told my coffee girls, “I feel like I have nothing to say.” And it’s not so much that I literally have nothing to say, just that I feel like I have nothing to say. The focus of Gussy Sews, it’s definitely changed. I shared last week how I want to share even more of my heart, I want to be more brave, have confidence in the inspiration I carry…
If being brave was so easy I think more of us would become it.
This precious life we all live — it’s a wild one at times. It can be stagnant, adventurous, loud, even painfully quiet at times. And like she said, “each day only happens once”, so that’s been the motto of my heart lately.
Just when I think I have something figured out, life drastically changes for me and it takes a few beats before I’m back on my feet. I recognize that, but I need to be better at accepting it.
I’m so thankful for this space where we can encourage each other with where we’re at with our lives.
I’m thankful to have more + more peace over living life.
I’m thankful that I am home with Maxwell.
I’m thankful that the quietness that’s surrounded me has helped me to live life in a totally new, intense way.
How about you? What are you thankful for right now?
Your blog is seriously, such a blessing to me. I am right there, in that season. I have 2 little ones, and while very chaotic, I am seeking to enjoy the quiet times, when they come. Bless you today!
@Ashley, This community is a huge blessing to me, too! xoxo
I’ve been following your blog quietly for a while now and can’t really remember how I found you. Unlike you who is just starting to fill your little nest, my nest is now almost empty. I have two beautiful daughters, my youngest studying in Chile right now. As my nest empties I find myself in the quiet too! Some days I wonder what I might do “when I grow up”. See, I am a mother. After almost twenty-four years I’ve finally, for the most part, figured that calling out. With this new season before me as I am surrounded with quiet, HE and I will figure out how to live the next chapter.
@Sandy, I’m so glad you came out of the shadow to comment :) It’s one of the best ways we can encourage one another. What an amazing way to wrap up all that you shared here, “HE and I will figure out how to live the next chapter.”
I’m going to hold on to that for a bit myself. Thank you for sharing… ♥
PS. My younger cousin moved to Chile about 5 years ago, she’s a teacher.
After Lilly was born, I felt like a completely different person. I, too, felt like I had nothing to say unless I was talking about Lilly’s day. I think exhaustion, stress, and maybe a little baby blues had a lot to do with it. I felt happy & blessed but not like myself. But then we settled into a routine, things got easier and I feel more normal now. And I have thoughts again- and things to say :) I’m thankful for my ‘new normal’ and that I get to watch my sweet baby grow and learn every day. I love the updates and pictures of your sweet Maxwell, so keep ’em coming when you have time ;)
@Paige Borda, It’s really caught me by surprise how much having a child can change your life. There is so much joy in celebrating the little things in life. I keep thinking about how we’ll never have a repeat day with Max. He’ll always only be 6 weeks 1 day old ONCE. Tomorrow he’ll be 6 weeks 2 days old. That has been a huge source of accountability for me, and peace. I have so much peace knowing each day only happens once and to know it’s 100% OK to fully embrace these days. They are such a gift from God.
I am currently overwhelmed with gratitude for the way God is loving me and our family of six. I am also simply overwhelmed at times too with all the painting, cleaning and paperwork that go along with moving and selling a home. I am then again thankful that God has answered so MANY prayers for us, and loved us SO well and that He continues to give me peace and joy even in the crazy long days of to-do lists and exhaustion.
I’m so glad to see how you are adjusting, and very proud of your for making your family your mission field, once we are moms, they ARE the field ripe with harvest.
Paige Whitley
@Paige Whitley, Peace and Joy are two absolutely precious gifts. They almost seem like new gifts because I have never experienced them in this way before… so so THANKFUL! :) xoxo
I’ve had an empty nest for a few years now. At first I enjoyed the quietness of our home and and waited for the Lord to send me the next new mission for my life. As one mission was completed, another was usually around the corner. But the past year has been a bit different and I’ve become uncomfortable with the quiet. I’m adrift right now and seem to be wandering. I know it’s just a phase that He’s telling me to be “quiet and know” for right now but I’m a doer and waiting for the emptiness to be filled. God bless you Maggie for your blog.
@Diana Foree, Can I just say how much I love that you called it a mission? That’s such a beautiful way to describe this season in our lives… And how amazing that we can encourage each other through the blogging community. I love it :) Happy Wednesday, Diana!
i raised my boys when blogging wasn’t even a word. my creativeness had not been found yet due to diapers, nursing & toddlers. i was in the trenches of raising kids. i was so blessed to be a stay at home mom. i eventually learned to enjoy being with them & just being. i learned to enjoy their sick days & lay low for a bit instead of constantly planning a play date.
now they are 13 & 10, and it has passed before my eyes. i could cry on some days because it went too fast. now i have kids at my house all the time. at least 7 boys. we aim to make out house the fun house where our kids want to hang out & their friends too. it’s fun times & i buy food in bulk because they are boys & so are their friends & i love to feed them!
i am so thankful for my neighborhood & all the friends that i have. we have girls nights often. we watch either others kids so others can go out for date night. we celebrate together & we cry together. the guys all get a long, they hang out & drink their beer. they are all loving fathers. it’s a blast.
i am so glad you are finding friends. they will be your lifeline.
@Katy (lil’ alice), Girlfriends are such a gift, they’re like little bits of affirmation that we’re doing a great job at mommyhood + life…
My Ava is now 7m old and in some ways I still feel like I’m in an intense, quiet, peaceful, soulful, baby-filled season. Nursing her, rocking her, making her smile, and watching her explore the world around her has been a privilege beyond compare. Enjoy your new love!
I am so excited you have friends to fellowship with! What wonderful news after searching. Looks like LA is perfect for your family.
When I first had kids, my friends and get togethers were my lifeline.
There is nothing better than knowing other people are going through the same thing.
You sharing your heart so openly is so inspiring:) Being a mommy right now SHOULD be the most important thing so things CAN be as quiet as they need to be ! I am thankful to be graduating college & having the freedom to chase my dreams!
@Elizabeth M, Thank you so much for writing these words of encouragement…
…ahh, and this speaks to me. My biz. These day with our kids are fleeting and its so hard to keep all the plates spinning. For me, I will find time when the little ones get bigger. I have a toy box in my sewing room and lots of kid comforts in there so we can be together. No job is more important than the one that is wife and mom, in my opinion. Xo
@Trish, I completely agree. Words like mission (in life), comfort, peace, quietness… they are such beautiful words now that mommy has been added to my title :)
I’m thankful for your comment, Trish…
This year has been emotional for me. Before last summer I knew that I had one more year before Joshua started kindergarten (my youngest). I was also taking charge and trying to get the information and the right help for him. See, Joshua has apraxia which includes oral motor planning issues. My husband and I decided that he needed to be in a special preschool program and that began a lot of testing for Joshua and paperwork for us. I was so afraid to leave him especially since he would jot be a le to tell me what he did that day or if anything happened. I took him to meet his teachers and to see the classroom and I ended up crying in the middle of this. His teacher came to me and hugged me and told me it was going to okay. We slowly transitioned him by me staying for a few days to me being somewhere in the building…. She ended up giving me her phone number and she would text me and send me pictures of him. She was amazing and I am so thankful for her and her assistant. I do not know anyone whose child has what Joshua has and sometimes I really feel alone, especially when your friends don’t understand and just don’t seem to listen to what you are saying. But this teacher hears me and we work through each situation together. I can only hope that his future teachers will be just as amazing as she has been.
@Karen,wow, what an amazing teacher. she loves your son, that’s for sure! so comforting to know he’s taken care of when you are not there!
@Karen, Simply amazing — how blessed you, your family, your son is to have this teacher in your life :)
Hi sweetie – I love love love this post. After the horrible events of last week in Boston (my home town), I needed to hear these words. LIFE. BREATHE. GRATITUDE. BLESSING. THANKFULNESS. These are the words that we need to focus on. We are all telling our story, living out our story, shaping it and letting it fall where it may. I never imagined that I would be a grieving mother who lost her only child a little over a year ago. But my son’s death at age 24 has brought to me BLESSINGS – so many friends who have reached out to me. My 3 sisters recently spent some major bucks to fly in for a weekend visit – because (and in their own words: “life is just too short”). I have spent the last year sealed up in a ball and watching life pass me by – but now it the time. Now is my chance to make my son proud of his mom. Tomorrow, April 25th, is his 26th birthday – and I know the tears and sadness will come. But I also will remember…and celebrate…and love my husband and hold him close……and we will honor his memory (and maybe eat some yummy cake too).
Sorry i rambled on a bit there – all this to say that I am grateful for my journey, for my own story, and for God’s grace that led to me this point.
Blessings to you Maggie – and your sweet baby boy :):):)
xxxooooo
@Diane Taylor, I am so sorry for your loss.
@Diane Taylor, Hey you :) Yes — I’m nodding my head in agreement while reading your comment. What huge progress you’ve made, not only to be able to seek joy daily but to be encouraging others by sharing your story. Thank you Lord for the promise of not only being about to meet you one day, but to be with our loved ones again, too.
beautiful post, friend. I’m so thankful for my friends and how supportive and encouraging they are. love to you!
I really loved this post. Motherhood really changes you in a way that’s hard to describe. You have a beautiful heart Gussy & I can’t wait to read more as you share more! xoxo
You…..Zack……Max & Bauer of course. Precious is what you are!
Praying for you in this new season. It is definitely a lot to navigate, but I know you will figure out a rhythm and your voice as a mama. Love you!
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful piece of your heart with us. That baby boy is precious! You are bringing me back to when my children (2 now that are teens-yikes!) were just little babies.
It happens too fast, so take all the time you need-you will never regret those quiet times of reflection as you drink up the moments of motherhood.
I’m thankful for Sunshine!
Thank you for your blog and for sharing your faith and journey in your business.
When I see your blog, I think anything is possible!!
I just love your blog! It’s been wonderful to follow you on your journey these past few years. Your little guy is SO precious and it’s wonderful that you can be home enjoying him. I hope that I can be that lucky when I have my own children:) It can be so overwhelming trying to keep up with all aspects of social media and having a baby on top of that must make it so much harder! I think you are right where you are supposed to be. Even if you aren’t posting everyday, your readers will still be here:): Look forward to reading what you have to share.
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