Waiting

Mine is a story familiar to many suburban mamas of school-aged children, I'm sure.

With three kids in three different schools, much of my life is spent waiting. Waiting for a school bus, waiting in car line, waiting for grades to come out, waiting for a kid or two to get ready or to finish their homework. Waiting for music lessons to start and finish, waiting in lines, waiting for our name to be called up on the "choice school" waiting list, waiting at red lights from one thing to the next.

We all need an abundance of downtime, so I am very intentional about our family not overextending ourselves. Each kiddo gets to pick one extra-curricular thing per season (if anything at all). Also, I try not to schedule more than one event per day for us, for the sake of my own sanity. Sometimes I'm great about that, but other times it can't be helped. However, there are still the end-of-school events and project presentations and honor roll assemblies, class programs and concerts and volunteer lunches to attend and field trips to chaperone.

Today, Parker had state testing for reading comprehension. Since he's in Virtual School, I had to bring him to the school board across town, to test in a classroom there. A couple hours of testing today, a couple more hours tomorrow, a few hours next week and again the week after that.

So. Many. Tests.

Is it summer yet??

Until then, I sit and wait for my kids. And wait a little more. I work in between dropoffs and pickups and lessons and dinnertime. I schedule sessions while I'm at bus stops and I plan my month out during the few hours of alone time I get each week. It's just the season we are in right now. Shifting tides, balancing acts.

Life is fluid like that. 

After Parker's testing ended today, we had lunch and then sat at a coffee shop to finish his school and my work. He wanted to sit in the sunshine, I wanted to sit in the shade. So we both got a bit of alone time. It was such a nice day and I almost wish that we could have stayed longer. 

But then again, we still have tomorrow to sit and wait. And next week. And the week after that.

Birthdays and Time to Rest

My birthday was this week. (Y'all, this is my last year in my thirties... how did that happen?!) Anyhow, I enjoyed my day. I have to say this time of year is usually the most stressful for me, but I was determined to REST and ENJOY my birthday this time.

So I did.

Birthdays (and terrible migraines and sickness the other days of the week) give you a big yellow permission slip to rest and just be still for one solid day, don't they?

Chris got me a Chemex and all of the fun things that go with it, so I made a beautiful, slow cup of pour-over coffee in my Momaw Bertie's cup, puttered around the house, and read a new book. I made a leisurely breakfast of eggs and greens and I listened to music that no one in my family likes except me. I went to Fresh Market and shopped for coffee and pretty food. Including chocolate birthday cake with ganache. My sweet babies made me lovely cards of all shapes and sizes, and sang to me probably eight or nine times throughout the day. The kids couldn't find a #3 candle in the kitchen drawer, so my birthday cake said "59." (Um, they could have been kind and just used a 1 or a 2, right?!) EVEN SO, I FORGAVE THEM. And most mysterious of all, I shut down my email and stayed away from social media the best I could (I'll thank you all for the birthday greetings eventually, I promise!)

Extroverted as I am during sessions... playing with your children and carrying on conversations, getting to know you and what you love about your family... oh, I can do that for a few hours or even days at a time, but I'm actually quite the introvert at heart. For me to recover from most sickness or even an overly busy week takes a great block of quiet time and solitude. So I hunkered down for the duration. 

Both a blessing and an inconvenience, but as Emily puts it, when your heartbeat feels more like a drumbeat, it's time to slow down and pay attention. 

Today I've attempted to re-enter the world again. My email is open. I've been editing, fueled by eggs and bacon and coffee and leftover birthday cake. I have beautiful sessions to share, families to surprise, and galleries to launch over the coming days. I'm so excited that I get to do this.

And that feels like the best birthday gift ever.

On Turning Four

"I'm faw-uh now! Dat means I can go to pweschool and stay aww by mysewf!" ~Charlotte

Four years old. Oh my word. Friends, it seems like I just brought our last baby home in my arms. Now she's a big girl, so fiercely independent in all of her "lemme do it mysewf" business. She is fearless and sweet and compassionate and kind. She's spunky and friendly and makes us laugh constantly. 

She loves to dress herself. Many times, actually, over the period of a day. Girlfriend creates more laundry than the other two kids combined. She is not afraid to scale the pantry shelves like rungs of a ladder and scare me half to death. She asks politely for "water ice" instead of ice water. She thinks poptarts are miraculous. She is so kind to animals, and Crookie and Ace (mostly) love her because she will fill their food bowls without prompting if she notices that they are empty. (Ace sticks close to her at lunchtime because he knows she will toss him her bread crusts.) She despises naps but loves storytime, and always asks for "two stories at nap, three stories at bedtime". She loves for me to paint her nails, and has ruined at least three pieces of furniture by opening bottles of my nail polish without permission. (Motherhood is sanctifying, amen?) She swears her baby teeth are getting loose because her sister's are.  She can play Minecraft like a boss, if it involves spawning hundreds of animals all over the place and dropping lava on her siblings' houses. She is our butterfly, flitting and skipping as she runs. She is our tiniest girl, at just 26 itty bitty pounds. 

But this "tiny girl" marched right into preschool this morning and hugged her teacher (we are so blessed to have Miss Cloutier again, for the third time!). She hung up her lunchbox inside her cubby, put away her naptime blanket, washed her tiny hands, and went to play with her new friends. She is a big girl, after all, and she is so ready.

As for me, well, I may or may not have cried all the way home. :) 

Maybe you're sad or "just sentimental" today, or maybe you're doing handsprings over having a quiet house for the first time in years! Or maybe you're just looking ahead at future school days while you still hold your little ones in your laps. 

No matter what stage of life we're in these days, we can be so thankful. Here's to being inspired by our kids. Let's all be brave, fearless, excited for what may come, ready to show the big world our gifts. Let us be compassionate and kind, open and willing, and ready with a smile for whatever life holds for us. Let's laugh and walk right in.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." -Proverbs 31:25

Endless Summer

This summer has flown by. I say that now, but then in the next moment it feels like we've done so many things and have spent so many mornings and afternoons and nights together.

I still don't want summer to end.

June held the end of school for the two older kids, a bit of finishing up for me, Lila's first ballet recital, her seventh birthday, the arrival of her long-awaited mermaid tail and then exciting pool days, lazy mornings together, all the peonies, playtime with neighbors, nighttime hide-and-seek (the boys call it Manhunt), and video games and Minecraft until I'd get frustrated and confiscate all the screens. (I know I'm not the only mama to do that!)

//

July brought a trip for Parker and Lila to North Carolina and Kentucky, and lots of one-on-one snuggle time for Charlotte. We hosted visits from both sets of the kids' grandparents, visits from neighbors and friends, and visits of fleas for Ace. July marked the start of gymnastics classes for the girls, and rain every day of the month except six. Honestly, we trekked through rain everywhere we went, and lightning scattered us from our neighborhood pool on several occasions.  We ate ice cream, played board games, watched movies, read books, went to the zoo and splashed in puddles. 

So far, August has rained every single day, and has flooded our little neighborhood as well. Our retention ponds overflowed, and our neighbors with full-to-the-brim pools had to drain them into the street to keep their homes from flooding. Parker saw a duck swimming across our street. Frogs and tadpoles were displaced onto the grass, the sidewalks, and everywhere you looked. Tadpoles swam down the sides of the road where the puddles were deepest. There were even catfish walking in the cul-de-sac. Crazy. Town.

Waiting for the sun to shine

My early bird. My happy girl. Charlotte is up with the sun, always cheerful and always hungry. 

This morning she opened our door and said she couldn't find Baby. So I stumbled around bleary-eyed, looking under her covers, under beds, in their closet... until I remembered that she had fallen asleep in my arms last night before our guests left. I had carried her to bed and covered her up, sweet girl, and pulled her mosquito net around her, without remembering to tuck Baby in with her. Luckily, I found Baby "playing hide and seek" behind a couch cushion, and we averted tears and a crisis. She even snuggled back in between Chris and me and we all dozed off for a few precious minutes. Hallelujah.

When Chris kissed us goodbye this morning, Charlotte was still snoozing. She woke up just a minute after he'd gone and immediately asked for him. I told her that Daddy had kissed her cheek before he left for work. Darling and literal as she is, she felt around for his kiss on her cheek but couldn't find it. :)

She saw light coming through the blinds and asked me to open them so she could watch the sunshine come up over our neighbor's house and the big oak tree out back. So we watched. And waited. In her beloved little orange polka dot dress (thank you, Laura) that she has worn for the past five days in a row. I choose my battles wisely, folks.

This girl is such a gift. Unexpected as can be, she is beautiful proof that God knows what He's doing, even when we do not. 

It is such a pleasure to have this bit of alone time with her this summer, while my older two sleep the morning away. I may not always be happy to be awaken before the sun rises, but this little gift of ours is just so darn sweet, that I can't help smiling at her every time she climbs into our bed. 

Have a wonderful weekend with the ones you love, my friends.

Pressing reset

We have been in a season of sickness lately. For the past 4-5 months (just typing that out made me realize how insanely long it's been), someone in our family has been under the weather. On a constant rotation. Viruses, earaches, allergies, colds, achiness and stuffiness and weariness all around. And when one kiddo recovers, a few short days pass and we find that he/she has passed around those germs and now someone else is down for the count. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

My heart aches for a reset. A clean slate. 

It seems to be running through my subconscious lately. I am seeking solace in precious quiet time in my home, puttering and straightening and moving things around. I am ever more strongly drawn to finishing projects around the house, wrapping up all print orders, purging the excess, clearing out the unnecessary, and scrubbing the house from top to bottom. I'm going through my home office and paring down what fills my shelves to only what I truly need to keep to bring me joy. I'm filling our home with succulents and houseplants to provide a fresh breath of air. We are starting a mini-garden of berries and tomatoes alongside the house. Terra cotta pots filled with basil and rosemary and mint are sunning in the kitchen window. Fresh. New. Life. 

And speaking of fresh starts... Parker and my dad were baptized last week. Together, side by side, in the Gulf of Mexico. You can't get a cleaner slate than that one, can you? :) I have to tell you, I've choked up every single time I've looked at this photo. It's worth many more than a thousand words to me.

Have you had a fresh start yet this spring? What have you done to reset and recharge lately? I'd love to know what changes you've made to your routine, what books you've read that may have inspired you, and what things bring you a little joy this time of year. And if you are in a slump or if it feels like you and your babies have been sick nonstop like the Woodses ;) then what do you say... let's reset together! 

Ace and Charlotte

From this morning... 

I walked into the kitchen to find Charlotte stooped down over Ace, giving him another hug. My office is just off the kitchen, so I doubled back and grabbed my camera. He was perfectly happy to lie there and let his littlest girl love on him. 

For those who have asked, Ace is a labradane. I didn't even know there was such a mix, but he has the friendliness and coat of a labrador, and the size and temperament of a great dane. We rescued him back in December from the Pinellas County Animal Shelter, and he had just turned four years old the week prior. I don't know his history, but I can't imagine why his previous owners would have given him up. He's a gentle, amazing friend to the kids and makes us laugh all day long. He doesn't really love to fetch; instead he'd much rather run down the street to chase squirrels. We have to watch the screened porch door (the kids are forever leaving it open!) because he slips out behind them and sprints down the street at lightning speed. (Have you ever tried to chase a 140-pound dog on a squirrel mission? Forget it.) His sheer size absolutely terrifies the small dogs in our neighborhood, and they all go to pieces yapping when they see him coming... but in all reality, he's the gentlest giant you could imagine and he only wants to sniff them. Not eat them. :)

If you want to keep up with our adventures with Ace, I'd love it if you followed me on Instagram. You can also click on the hashtag #rescuingAce to read our rescue story from the beginning! (Also, don't you cringe a bit when others hijack your hashtags? Bah.)

Rescuing Ace

If you follow me on social media, then you already know.... we got a dog. :) But not just any dog. We rescued a sweet boy from the Pinellas County Animal Shelter on Friday morning. He'd been there for a little over a month, and I know in my heart that he was just waiting for us to come get him and take him home. We visited him Thursday morning and Thursday evening, and the kids cried when we had to leave him there. So I went back first thing Friday morning and stood outside the doors for 30 minutes until the shelter opened. 

And I brought Ace home. 

He is our Clearance Puppy. He was $12 on sale during a promotion the Pinellas County Animal Shelter is having all month long. Twelve dollars... that is all it took to change his life. I've bought candles that cost more than that.

And he couldn't be more perfect for our family. He's about four years old, and seems to be a Labradane, a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Great Dane. He's massive, but he is a love. He wants to ride everywhere with us, and he lets the kids hug him a thousand times a day. Lila fell asleep in the floor with him, his first night home. He woke up but refused to move because he'd have to disturb Lila. He sleeps quietly by Parker's bed at night, knows basic manners and commands, and he walks really well on a leash. It amazes me that anyone ever let him go. 

But we are glad they did.

Prepare for an influx of dog photos here on the blog, and on Instagram and Facebook. And maybe even a hashtag. ;)

Road Trip Summer 2014 | iPhone Collection

The kids and I have been traveling this month, roadtripping to Kentucky to visit my family and then to North Carolina to visit Chris's. Thirty hours in the car with little ones? Yes, I am certifiably crazy. But we made memories. We saw my grandma who is very ill (it was hard leaving her house, knowing it's likely the last time I'll kiss her soft cheek this side of Heaven). Lila learned how to swim and Charlotte splashed and pretended she was a mermaid. Parker wanted to take home every dog he saw (bless his heart). We caught lots of bass and bluegill from the best little fishing hole ever, we sipped honeysuckle and picked blackberries and we ate yummy homemade country food. We visited my sisters and my kids' cousins and all three of my remaining grandparents. We met new friends and played with old ones, we fed bread to ducks and grilled hot dogs and paddled a boat on a pond in the twilight and touched lilypads. We watched a field of cows graze on grass and we climbed apple trees and ate fresh tomatoes and corn on the cob. We swung on porch swings and tire swings and rope swings. We caught "lightning bugs" and kept them in a jar, and we slept late and stayed up even later. We watched movies and played games and ate cake and celebrated two birthdays. We took lots and lots of photos, more than I can count. WE LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST. And it was beautiful.

So I thought I'd share some simple iPhone photos from our trip with you. I have a lot more from the "big camera" that I'll share soon too. I also had the honor of photographing some sweet folks from back home during my visit, so look for those to be featured on the blog in the next week or so.

“People, there's no such thing as, THE BEST CAMERA BRAND, but yes there will always be THE BEST CAMERA AT ANY GIVEN TIME. Technology will change, but not art.”  ― Ashraf Saharudin

///

I post a lot on Instagram these days, because it's easier than blogging and lets me post short, one-image entries rather quickly. Sometimes I post client work, sometimes you'll see more personal reflections and my kids' memories-in-process, but whatever you see will always come with a lot of heart. If you'd like to get to know me a little better and catch up with me more often than simply here on the blog, then I'd love for you to FOLLOW ME  @staceywoods on Instagram.

Have a wonderful Friday, my friends.

Sweet When They're Asleep | What I Love About Being a Mama

"God gives us kids so we'd know how He feels about us."  - Bob Goff

Do you ever wonder if God looks down on us throwing our "tantrums" and disobeying Him, and instead of getting angry with us, He just thinks, "but she looks so sweet when she sleeps."  And then He is merciful to us, and forgives us when we ask Him to.  He shows us grace instead of the justice we deserve.

I don't always show grace and mercy to my kids.  Sometimes consequences are necessary.  They do receive their fair share of discipline and guidance, and I am quick to throw out the "no screens for a week!" card when the rules are intentionally broken or one kid is picking on another.  But I yell too loudly, and too often.  I lose my patience more quickly than I'd like to.  Sometimes I forget to return a permission slip, or I have to break a promise.  I don't always have it all together; in fact it's a rare day when I actually CAN say that I have it all together.  I let them play electronics more than I probably should.  I nag them about their chores and I expect far more help around the house than they ever want to give me.  Sometimes we have to say, "sorry, no company today," or skip a class birthday party.  (Speaking of which, I did not send in cupcakes for Parker's birthday last month and we didn't throw him a big party, and I did not feel guilty about either one.)  I'm not always attentive, my iPhone is in my hand far too often, and I do not bathe them every single night.  Poor Lila has been asking for gymnastics classes for over a year now, and I've yet to sign her up.

But.  BUT.  I open my arms to them when they creep into my bed in the middle of the night, scared from a bad dream or that monster under the bed.  I hold her like a baby because she asks me to.  I show him how to stick up for himself and how to be polite and how to respect women and teachers and grandparents and adults.  I know each one of their unique love languages and use them to lavish affection upon them as often as I can.  I pray with them and for them and in front of them.  I read an extra chapter at bedtime just because.  I love their Daddy absolutely to pieces and try to set an example for them for how a strong marriage should be.  I teach them good manners 24/7 it seems (oh little boys, you are so gross).  I tell them about God's love for them and about Jesus' sacrifice and about Heaven waiting for us someday.  I encourage sharing and respectfulness and kindness and asking nicely and thinking of others and not spending your allowance all in one place.  I am real with them and show them that I am human as well, and I try very hard to explain truths to them in ways they can best understand them.  I chaperone field trips and help with homework and shuttle them to school and soccer practice and birthday parties.  I pack Lila's gluten-free school lunch every single day and I bake gluten-free brownies and buy gluten-free cookbooks and make homemade granola bars because they love them and eat them all up within a day.  I nurse fevers and administer Tylenol and hold cold washcloths on their foreheads and pour orange juice and hold their hands and say extra prayers.  I change wet sheets and find missing blankies and dolls and I French-braid hair over and over until it looks like Elsa's.  I "holdju" and help them clean up their messes, and I fix endless meals and snacks and cut off all the crusts.  And I love them, fiercely.  With all my heart and then some.

I'm not the perfect mama, because there is no such thing.  Repeat after me, THERE IS NO SUCH THING.

But I'm the perfect mama for my children.  And that is enough.  Because He says it is.

I'm convinced that Bob Goff had it right when he stated the quote above, and I am trying daily to view my children the way God sees them. I want to parent them the way God parents us.  He's not always gentle (after all, even natural consequences do sting), but He always cares for us and even His discipline comes from a place of love and protection and guidance.

Being a mama is a full-time, exhausting, rewarding job, no doubt.  And if I do all of those things above and more, can you just imagine all the little things that God does for us, day in and day out?  And even after we've been disobedient and rude and disrespectful, He still thinks we are worth saving.  That we still look sweet when we're asleep.

Just like our babies.

xoxo,

Stacey