The days come and go pretty quickly. Work, school, homework, sports, dinner, bedtime routine and start all over. We are pulled thin and feeling full just by keeping things going. It’s a unique season in our family right now. Lots of routine to just maintain with not a lot of extras. Fun crafts, special meals, special outings etc. It’s just not happening much. It is enough to just make it to the end of the day all alive and semi-well.

Sometimes that ugly mom guilt washes over me because I don’t have the margin of energy to do the “little extra things”. I hate when I get on pinterest and see all the things I am NOT doing. Yep, the little Easter decorations we do have are still in the box in the garage. Sigh.

I was praying and thinking about this the other day and felt like God said “It’s ok, just be consistent. Be consistent.” 

And then I felt like I could let out a deep breath that I didn’t even know I was holding in. We’ve all had enough change and difficulties in the last 9 months. A special Easter craft or amazingly colored Easter eggs are not what is most important now and not what is going help our hearts. Grace, kind words, encouragement and love is what we need most, more than anything.

I’m sure my kids are going to remember fun, extra little things I did for them when they look back on their childhood. And that is great, I want that. Because I do enjoy doing those things. But more than anything I want them to know I was always here for them. Loving them, helping them makes sense of hard days and I want them to know I was in it with them. Not getting it perfect but always there. I want them to be able to count on my consistency.

So there is nothing really spectacular or pinterest worthy about our days recently but I’m okay with that. God is doing a great work in our family. It’s hard and messy but I know what is happening now is building a great foundation for each of us individually and as a family. That is worth it.

If you are feeling like you aren’t doing enough or keeping up with everyone else I just want to tell you it’s okay and you aren’t the only one. Be brave, stay the course and be consistent with your family. That speaks more than anything.