If you’re new here, I thought I’d take a moment to introduce myself and explain why you probably won’t see me very often on social media.
My name is Tay. I’m a wife, a mother of two little girls, and one very spoiled dog. Most importantly, I’m someone who loves to write.
Writing has always felt like home to me. It’s where I process life, share what God is teaching me, reflect on motherhood, and connect with others in a way that feels genuine and meaningful. While many people enjoy showing up through stories, reels, and daily posts, I’ve discovered that my favorite way to show up is through words.
The truth is, social media has never really been my thing.
I have my accounts, and I enjoy keeping up with friends and family from time to time, but you won’t find me posting daily updates, sharing every moment of my life, or constantly showing up online. I’ve tried it before, and I realized it simply isn’t where I feel most comfortable.
Instead, you’ll find me here.
You’ll find me in these blog posts, sharing pieces of my heart, stories from motherhood, lessons God is teaching me, devotionals, encouragement, and sometimes simply the thoughts I’m trying to sort through myself.
You’ll also notice that I don’t share my children’s faces online. That is a personal choice my husband and I have made for our family. In a world where so much of our lives is shared publicly, we’ve chosen to keep some things private. You may occasionally see little glimpses of our life—a tiny hand, a backpack, a favorite toy, or a special family moment—but their faces will remain off the internet.
I hope you understand.
This blog is a slower space.
A quieter space.
A place where I can write from the heart without feeling pressured to keep up with algorithms, trends, or expectations.
Everything I share here comes from a real place. Sometimes it’s something I’m currently walking through. Sometimes it’s a lesson I’ve learned. Sometimes it’s encouragement I wish someone had shared with me. And sometimes it’s simply a reminder of God’s goodness in the middle of ordinary days.
If even one post helps another mama feel seen, encouraged, or a little less alone, then this little corner of the internet has done exactly what I hoped it would do.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading.
And if there’s ever something you’d like to share, ask, or simply say hello, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.
I’m not always present on social media, but I’ll always be present here, through my writing.
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22-23
There are days in motherhood that feel overwhelmingly heavy.
The laundry seems endless.
The dishes somehow multiply.
The house that you cleaned yesterday already looks messy again.
The meals still need to be planned, prepared, served, and cleaned up afterward.
The children need your attention, your guidance, your affection, and your patience.
And sometimes, if we’re honest, we simply run out.
We become tired. We become overwhelmed. We become stressed.
Then comes the guilt.
The guilt from speaking more sharply than we intended.
The guilt from losing patience.
The guilt from feeling frustrated when our children are simply acting like children.
We know they are little. We know they are learning. We know they are not responsible for the long list of responsibilities weighing on our shoulders.
Yet in our exhaustion, we sometimes respond in ways we wish we hadn’t.
And afterward, our hearts ache.
But this is where the beautiful truth of God’s Word meets us.
The book of Lamentations was not written during a season of comfort or ease. Jeremiah wrote these words in the middle of sorrow, grief, and hardship. Yet in the midst of his suffering, he remembered something greater than his circumstances:
“Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end.”
Not His mercies once a year.
Not His mercies when we get everything right.
Not His mercies only on our best days.
His mercies never end.
For the mother carrying guilt today, God’s mercy is available.
For the mother who raised her voice, God’s mercy is available.
For the mother who feels overwhelmed and inadequate, God’s mercy is available.
For the mother who feels like she is failing, God’s mercy is available.
The Lord does not ask us to carry yesterday’s failures into today.
Instead, He reminds us that His mercies are new every morning.
Every sunrise is a reminder of His faithfulness.
Every new day is an opportunity to begin again.
As mothers, we often wish we could have a reset button after a difficult day.
In God’s kindness, He gives us one.
The day eventually comes to an end.
The house grows quiet.
The children sleep.
The night allows our bodies and minds to rest.
And when morning comes, God has already prepared fresh mercy for that day.
Not because we earned it.
But because He is faithful.
Mama, if today was hard, remember this:
You are not defined by your hardest moment.
You are not defined by your worst day.
You are not defined by your lack of patience.
You are defined by the grace of a faithful God whose mercies never run dry.
Tomorrow morning, when the sun rises, His mercy will be waiting for you again.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for Your never-ending mercy. Thank You that when I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and discouraged, Your faithfulness remains unchanged.
Forgive me for the moments when I fail to reflect Your patience and gentleness. Help me to extend grace to my children and also to myself, remembering that Your mercies are new every morning.
Teach me to rest in Your love instead of striving for perfection. Remind me that You are present in both the beautiful moments and the difficult ones.
Thank You for being a faithful God who never leaves us and never runs out of mercy.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Reflection
What burden, failure, or guilty feeling do you need to leave at the feet of Jesus today instead of carrying into tomorrow?
Between endless laundry, a kitchen island that never stays clean, motherhood, and a million unfinished projects, I’ve found myself caught in a cycle of procrastination and feeling overwhelmed. Today, I’m sharing a little humor, a lot of honesty, and a reminder that sometimes we need to take the pressure off ourselves and simply start. Because we shouldn’t let procrastination steal our joy or the possibility of a little victory.
Hi friends, good morning. I hope you’re all doing well.
Today I’m coming back here to my favorite place after a good while, after a good break from writing. Partly because I was working on another project, partly because, honestly, I’ve been procrastinating so many things lately.
I have so many projects I want to get done. There is so much in my mind, so much I want to do, and then I push it away. Every single day. I even finished two Korean dramas in the meantime. Two!
It’s insane how much procrastination can take away from our lives. It really is. I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed with projects, income stuff, kids, house, photos, decorations. It feels endless.
And laundry, oh my gosh. I procrastinate that so much. Folding, putting clothes away, I just don’t enjoy it. Hate is strong, but it doesn’t bring me pleasure. Still, when I start, it’s fine. I feel good afterward. Starting is the problem.
And why does everything end up on the kitchen island? I clean it today, two days later, it’s full again. How?
I’ve been trying to meal prep, organize finances, do everything right, but it all piles up, and then even the things I love, like writing here, become something I avoid.
I wanted to record audio so you could listen instead of read, but editing felt huge. My last one was thirty minutes, and I thought, “Nope, I can’t.” So I didn’t share the post at all, even though it was full of faith and really heartfelt. It’s still there. Not because I didn’t want to share, but because I didn’t want to deal with editing.
Today I thought, I’m posting without the audio. Whenever I can record and edit, I will. Right now, I need to take some pressure off. I don’t want one thing that makes me procrastinate to steal the pleasure I have in writing.
Don’t let procrastination take away your victory, or the possibility of getting something done. Because the more we procrastinate, the worse it feels. Then we spiral.
Being a mom with so much going on can be a lot. I’ve been caught in it. I even think I need to go back to therapy, honestly.
I’m trying. I want to do better, be more present, be myself again, not lose myself in procrastination. I don’t have it figured out, but I’m trying.
I hope you don’t give up on me. Stay here with me, even when it’s messy.
Thank you so much for reading, for listening, for letting me share my thoughts and emotions. Have a blessed day.
Some mornings, you wake up and realize just how much God has done for your family. Today, I’m taking a moment to recognize His faithfulness, His provision, and all the little blessings that make this life so beautiful.
Sometimes, the most beautiful prayer we can say is simply, “Thank You, Lord.”
🎧 Don’t have time to read? Let’s listen together! ❤️
I know how busy life can get, especially as moms! So, if you’re folding laundry, making breakfast, enjoying your morning coffee, or just need a little encouragement while going about your day, you can listen to today’s post instead. Just press play and let’s spend a few minutes together! I hope these words bless your heart as much as writing them blessed mine. ❤️
Hi friends! Good morning! ❤️
I hope you’re all doing well and having a beautiful start to your day!
I know I’ve been a little quiet around here lately, but life has been quite busy!
My husband has been traveling for work, and honestly, trying to keep up with everything at home, the girls, our routines, and all the little responsibilities that come with motherhood has been a little overwhelming.
By the time the day is over, I barely have the energy to do anything else, let alone sit down and write. Haha!
But yesterday, we had the sweetest surprise!
My husband came home from his work trip earlier than expected, and he didn’t even tell us he was coming! He just showed up, and we were all so surprised and SO happy to have him back home. ❤️
And let me tell you, friends, last night was the first night in a while that I actually got to rest a little more.
Having him home and being able to share the responsibilities again made such a difference. Sometimes we don’t even realize how exhausted we are until we finally get a chance to rest a little, right?
So this morning, I woke up feeling a lot more like myself. A little more rested, a little less overwhelmed, and finally feeling inspired to sit down and write again.
I’m really hoping that over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be able to spend a little more time here, sharing my thoughts, little stories, and everything that’s been on my heart.
I’ve missed writing!
But anyways, enough about my little life update. Haha! Let’s get to today’s post, friends, because I woke up with something really special on my heart this morning.
Gratitude. ❤️
Not because everything in my life is perfect, because believe me, it’s not. Haha!
There are always things to figure out, responsibilities to take care of, bills to pay, plans that don’t go the way we expected, and a million little things happening all at once.
But today, I just feel incredibly thankful.
Thankful for my family, for our health, for our home, for my husband, for my girls, and for all the little blessings that sometimes we get so used to having that we forget just how special they are.
And most importantly, I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness.
You know, friends, sometimes life gets overwhelming. There are moments when we look at a situation and genuinely don’t know what to do next.
Maybe it’s something financial, maybe it’s something happening in our family, maybe it’s a door that closed unexpectedly, or a situation that seems to have absolutely no solution.
And if you’re anything like me, you probably spend a good amount of time trying to figure everything out yourself. Haha!
We make plans, we think about every possible solution, we worry, and sometimes we even lose sleep over things we simply cannot control.
But something I’ve been recognizing more and more in my life is that God always knows what we need, even when we have no idea how things are going to work out.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself in situations where I genuinely couldn’t see a way forward.
And then, somehow, a solution appeared.
An opportunity came along. Something worked out unexpectedly. A door opened that I didn’t even know existed.
And I find myself thinking, Lord, that was You.
Because I know it was.
I know that not everything happens the way we want, or when we want. And I’ve certainly had moments when I’ve wished God would answer my prayers a little faster. Haven’t we all?
But when I look back at everything we’ve experienced as a family, I can see how the Lord has been taking care of us through every season.
Even the difficult ones.
Especially the difficult ones.
And I don’t want to overlook that.
I don’t want to be so busy asking God for the next blessing that I forget to recognize the ones He’s already given me.
Sometimes, I look around our house and see the girls playing, hear their little voices, watch my husband spending time with them, or simply enjoy one of those rare quiet moments when everyone is sleeping.
And I think to myself, Wow, Lord. Look at everything You’ve given us.
A home filled with love. Two beautiful little girls. A family to share life with. Food on our table. A place to rest. Our health.
Of course, there are hard days. There are exhausting days. There are days when the house is a mess, the kids need me every five seconds, and I feel like I haven’t accomplished a single thing.
But even on those days, there’s so much to be thankful for.
Because the life that sometimes feels overwhelming is also the life I’ve prayed for.
And what a blessing that is.
There’s a beautiful verse in James 1:17 that reminds us:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” – James 1:17 (KJV)
I love that reminder.
Because everything we have, everything good in our lives, is a gift from the Lord.
And today, I don’t want to come to God with a list of things I need Him to fix.
I just want to say thank You.
Thank You, Lord, for our home.
Thank You for our health.
Thank You for my marriage and my children.
Thank You for providing when we didn’t know how we would make things work.
Thank You for opening doors, for protecting us from things we couldn’t see, and for carrying us through situations that once felt impossible.
And thank You for reminding me, over and over again, that we’re never walking through this life alone.
I know there will still be challenges ahead. There will be more worries, more uncertainties, and probably plenty of moments when I’ll find myself wondering how everything is going to work out.
But I want to remember what God has already done.
Because the same Lord who took care of us yesterday is the Lord who is taking care of us today.
And isn’t that such a beautiful reason to be thankful?
A Little Prayer for Today 🙏
Dear Heavenly Father,
Today, I don’t want to ask You for anything. I simply want to thank You.
Thank You for waking me up this morning, for giving me another day with my family, and for all the blessings You have placed in our lives.
Lord, thank You for our home. For the roof over our heads, for the food on our table, for our health, and for the everyday comforts that we sometimes take for granted.
Thank You for my husband and my children. Thank You for the privilege of being a wife and a mother, for the laughter that fills our home, for the little hugs, the sweet moments, and even the messy, exhausting days that are part of this beautiful life You’ve given us.
Father, I especially want to thank You for Your provision.
You know every struggle we’ve faced. Every worry, every uncertainty, every moment when we didn’t know what our next step should be.
And yet, Lord, You have continued to take care of us.
Sometimes in ways we never expected, and sometimes in ways we didn’t even recognize until much later.
But today, Father, I want to tell You that I see it.
I see Your hands in our lives. I see Your goodness in our home. I see Your love and Your faithfulness in the way You continue to guide and provide for our family.
Forgive me for the times when I’ve allowed my worries to become bigger than my trust in You.
Help me remember that even when I cannot see a solution, You are still working.
And Lord, please give me a heart that never becomes too busy, too distracted, or too worried to recognize Your blessings.
I don’t want to spend my days focusing only on what we don’t have or what hasn’t happened yet.
I want to appreciate the beautiful life You’ve already given us.
Thank You for loving us, for hearing our prayers, and for never leaving us alone.
I love You, Lord. And I am so incredibly grateful for everything You have done and continue to do for our family.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
One Last Thought, Mama… ❤️
If you’re reading this today, I want to encourage you to take just a little moment to look around.
Maybe your house isn’t perfectly clean. Maybe you have bills waiting to be paid. Maybe you’re in a season where so many things feel uncertain.
I understand.
But I hope you can still find something today that reminds you of God’s goodness.
Maybe it’s your little one sleeping peacefully beside you. Maybe it’s your morning coffee, your husband’s hug, or simply the fact that you woke up to another day.
And if you’re currently praying for a solution to something that feels impossible, I pray that God fills your heart with peace while you wait.
Not every prayer is answered the way we expect, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t listening.
Sometimes, we just need to look back and remember how far He’s already brought us.
“Thus far the LORD has helped us.” – 1 Samuel 7:12 (ESV)
And today, that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Just looking around, recognizing His goodness, and saying:
Even in the exhausting, overwhelming seasons of motherhood, God is still present. A reflection on trusting Him, finding strength when we have none left, and remembering that He is always taking care of us – even in ways we cannot yet see.
🎧 Listen to today’s post
Hi, friend. If reading isn’t convenient right now, you can listen instead. I recorded today’s post for you, so press play button and let’s spend these next few minutes together. 🤍
Hi friends. I hope you’re all doing well.
I’m so sorry I haven’t shown up here for the past several days. I was on such a good streak, right? I was posting every day, and then… life happened.
My youngest daughter got sick. My husband was traveling. I was home alone with both girls and our dog, taking care of everyone 24/7. My little one was waking up several times throughout the night, and I was so, so tired.
Honestly, I was exhausted.
I didn’t have the energy to be creative. I didn’t have much left in me to sit down and write. And I couldn’t really be present here because I needed to be fully present in my real life, with my girls.
Those days were a lot.
Having to find the energy to care for both of them all day after barely sleeping at night was not easy. There were moments when they both needed me at the same time, and I felt like I was trying to split myself in half just to comfort everyone.
And if I’m being completely transparent, there were moments when I wasn’t as patient as I wanted to be.
Sometimes my oldest daughter would become extra clingy or fussy at the exact moment I felt like I was already at my limit. And there were times when I reacted more strongly than I wish I had because I was just so incredibly tired.
I think that is important to admit too.
Motherhood is beautiful, but some days are really, really hard.
This honestly felt like one of the hardest stretches I have experienced since becoming a mom. Being alone, having sick little ones, barely sleeping, and still needing to somehow keep going was a lot.
But… we made it, friends.
We made it through.
And looking back now, I can see that God was with me through every single moment of it.
He gave me energy when I truly felt like I had none left.
He gave me patience when mine was running very thin.
He gave me strength to keep getting up, keep comforting, keep caring, keep loving, and keep doing the next thing in front of me.
And that is something I have been thinking about a lot lately: the ways God shows up in our lives.
Sometimes God shows up in the quietest ways.
Not always through something huge or dramatic. Sometimes it is through a door opening at exactly the right time. A prayer being answered in a way we never expected. A person reaching out when we needed encouragement. A little bit of provision when we were worried about how something would work out.
And sometimes, it is simply the strength to make it through a day we honestly did not think we had the strength for.
There have been so many moments in my life when I have worried about what comes next.
How will this work out?
What if things do not go the way I hoped?
What am I supposed to do now?
And somehow, over and over again, God gently reminds me:
I am already there.
Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure everything out that we forget we were never meant to carry everything by ourselves.
We make plans. We worry. We try to predict every possible outcome. But God sees the entire picture while we can only see the little piece right in front of us.
And I think one of the most beautiful parts of faith is learning to trust Him even before we understand what He is doing.
Sometimes something good happens when we least expect it, and it almost feels like God whispering, See? I have not forgotten you.
Sometimes the blessing looks completely different from what we prayed for, but later we realize it was exactly what we needed.
And sometimes nothing around us has changed yet, but somehow our hearts have.
There is peace.
There is hope.
There is this quiet confidence that says, God is still in control.
That does not mean we will never have difficult days. It does not mean we will never feel afraid, disappointed, confused, overwhelmed, or tired.
Faith does not remove every storm.
But it reminds us that we are never walking through the storm alone.
God is in the details we notice and the ones we do not. He is protecting us from things we may never even know about. He is preparing things we cannot see yet. He is guiding our steps, closing some doors, opening others, and working in places we cannot reach.
And maybe that is where real peace comes from.
Not from knowing exactly what tomorrow will look like, but from knowing Who is already there.
I am learning to loosen my grip a little more.
To pray instead of panic.
To trust instead of trying to control every detail.
To remember the many times God has already carried me through situations I once thought were impossible.
Because if He was faithful then, He will be faithful again.
So if you are in a season where you do not know exactly what comes next, I hope you remember this today:
God has not forgotten you.
He sees you.
He hears every prayer, even the ones you can barely find the words to pray.
He knows what you need before you even know how to ask for it.
And even when you cannot see what He is doing, you can trust that He is still working.
Sometimes the greatest peace comes when we finally say,
“God, I don’t know what happens next, but I know You do. And that is enough for me.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5
Today, I am choosing to trust that God is leading, providing, protecting, and taking care of the things I cannot control.
And somehow, knowing that makes my heart feel a little lighter. 🤍
Today was a little bit of a difficult day. My littlest one is sick, and there’s just something so heartbreaking about seeing your baby not feeling well.
They’re so little, and they can’t really tell us what hurts or exactly how they’re feeling yet. So we spend the day watching, checking temperatures, giving medicine when needed, offering extra cuddles, and trying to figure out what might make them feel just a little bit better.
And it can feel like a lot.
Sometimes I wish there could just be a rule that babies and little kids never get sick. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? They’re just so tiny, and I wish I could take every fever, every stuffy nose, every uncomfortable feeling and carry it for them instead.
Thankfully, even though she had a fever and a runny nose today, she still played so much and had such a good day for a sick little baby. She really did so well. 🤍
But as a mama, you still feel it. You just want your babies feeling good, laughing, playing, and being themselves.
So tonight we’re hoping and praying for a peaceful night, lots of rest, and a much better day tomorrow.
I just wanted to pop in and say hello. I hope your day was gentle with you today. And if you also have a little one who isn’t feeling well, I’m sending you a big hug tonight. 🤍
If you could start a new business right now, what would it be?
If I could open a new business, I think I would build the photography studio I’ve always dreamed of.
Not just a room with a backdrop and a camera, but a truly beautiful space designed around the entire experience. A studio that feels warm, elegant, peaceful, and intentional from the moment a family walks through the door.
I would love for it to be focused on luxury portraiture – beautiful maternity sessions, newborn portraits, motherhood, families, and all of those little seasons we wish we could somehow keep forever. I imagine gorgeous sets, timeless details, beautiful wardrobe options, comfortable spaces for families, and everything thoughtfully organized so the experience feels special from beginning to end.
The funny thing is, I technically could create something like that. I even have access to a space. But this season of my life has taught me that having the opportunity to do something doesn’t always mean it’s the right time to do it.
A studio requires presence. It needs someone who can truly be there, build it, manage it, photograph consistently, and give it the attention it deserves. And right now, I know I simply don’t have the time for that.
Maybe one day.
For now, I’m okay with letting that dream sit quietly in the “someday” folder.
Because sometimes a dream doesn’t disappear just because you’re not pursuing it right now. Sometimes it’s simply waiting for a different season.
And I think there’s something beautiful about that too.
With love & grace,
Tay
What are your best healthy eating habits?
My best healthy eating habit is honestly just being intentional about what we bring into our home. If we have cookies, sweets, or a bunch of highly processed snacks sitting around, chances are we’re going to eat them – so most of the time, I just don’t buy them. 😂
That doesn’t mean we never enjoy those things! If we’re really craving something, we’ll go get it and enjoy it without feeling bad about it. I just don’t like keeping a lot of it in the house all the time.
Instead, I try to keep our kitchen stocked with lots of fruits, vegetables, and simple ingredients, and we make most of our meals from scratch. We don’t buy a lot of frozen or ready-made meals either.
I think that’s what works best for us: make the healthier choices the easiest choices at home, while still leaving room to enjoy the fun stuff sometimes. 🤍
Healthy relationships should have grace, understanding, and effort from both sides. Sometimes choosing peace simply means stepping back, staying quiet, and trusting God with the rest.
Hi friends,
I’ve been thinking lately about healthy relationships and friendships, and how much peace there is in the ones that don’t have to be forced.
Healthy relationships have grace. They have understanding. They have effort from both sides. They don’t require us to constantly prove that we care, chase someone for attention, or carry the entire relationship by ourselves.
Of course, there are seasons when one person may be quieter, busier, more tired, or simply have less to give. Life happens. We all have responsibilities, families, work, and things going on behind the scenes.
But I also think there comes a point when we have to recognize when something is no longer bringing peace.
And sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply stay quiet.
Not out of anger.
Not to punish anyone.
Not to prove a point.
But because not everything needs another conversation, another explanation, or another attempt.
Sometimes we just need to step back.
Relationships should not feel like something we have to constantly chase. Friendship, love, and connection should have effort coming from both sides.
And when that stops happening, we don’t always need to react.
We don’t need to make a big statement or respond to everything.
We can simply be quiet.
The Bible says:
“A time to be silent and a time to speak.” – Ecclesiastes 3:7
I think there is a lot of wisdom in knowing which season we are in.
Sometimes silence is not weakness.
Sometimes stepping back is not giving up.
Sometimes it is simply choosing peace.
The Bible also reminds us:
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18
And I think that is such an important reminder.
We can choose peace without forcing a relationship.
We can care without chasing.
We can forgive without continuing to carry something that feels one-sided.
We can love people and still step back when we need to.
So I’m learning to let things be.
To stop forcing.
To stop overexplaining.
To stop carrying relationships that were never meant to be carried by one person alone.
And to trust that the people who truly want to be present in our lives will make room for us too.
Sometimes the most peaceful thing we can do is step back, stay quiet, and let God handle the rest.
Sometimes home exists in two places, and saying goodbye to the people we love never gets easier. A little reflection on distance, family, changing seasons, and trusting God to give us strength through every goodbye – and hope for the next hello.
Hi friends,
Today I’ve been thinking about goodbyes.
Not necessarily the forever kind of goodbye, but those goodbyes that come when a beautiful season reaches its end. When a visit is over. When someone packs their suitcase. When the guest room becomes empty again. When the house suddenly feels a little quieter than it did the day before.
A friend of mine has been going through this right now. Her parents came from Brazil to spend time with her after she had her baby. They stayed for about a month, loving on her, helping her, spending time with their grandchildren, and simply being together.
One of the sweet little memories from their visit is actually the photo I’m sharing with this post. My friend asked me if I could make a charcuterie board because her mom really loves cheese, and of course I said yes. 🙂 I went over for dinner, her mom made the most delicious creamy potato and chicken soup, I brought the charcuterie board, and we had bread with the soup. It was such a simple, cozy moment, but one of many really special moments we got to share while they were here.
And now it is time for them to go home.
I think there is something especially difficult about these goodbyes when you live far away from the people you love.
When you move to another country, the word home starts becoming a little complicated.
Home is where you grew up. Home is where your parents are. Home is the familiar food, the language you grew up speaking, the streets you remember, the people who knew you before you became the person you are today.
But then, somehow, home becomes somewhere else too.
Home becomes the place where your husband is. Where your babies sleep. Where your children are growing up. Where you have built your routines, your traditions, your friendships, and your little family.
And suddenly your heart belongs to two places.
You can miss Brazil while sitting inside the house you prayed for in America.
You can desperately want to visit your family and, at the same time, miss your own bed while you are there.
You can cry when your parents leave and still know that the life you have built here is exactly where you want to be.
Those feelings can exist together.
And I think sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to feel all of them.
Goodbyes are hard because they remind us how deeply we love.
If we didn’t care, leaving wouldn’t hurt.
If those weeks together hadn’t been special, the airport wouldn’t feel so heavy.
Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that there is a season for everything – a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. Life is filled with seasons. They begin, they grow, and eventually they change.
And no matter how much we know the goodbye is coming, somehow we are never completely ready for it.
We count the days.
“Three more weeks.”
“Ten more days.”
“Only two days left.”
And then suddenly it is tomorrow.
You can prepare the luggage. You can organize the documents. You can plan the ride to the airport. But preparing your heart is a completely different thing.
Sometimes there really isn’t a way to prepare it.
You simply walk through the moment when it comes.
You hug a little tighter. You cry. You say one more “I love you.” You watch them walk away.
And then you go home.
And somehow, life keeps moving.
The babies still need breakfast.
The laundry still needs to be folded.
The dishes are still waiting.
Someone needs a diaper change.
Someone wants a snack.
And little by little, the rhythm of everyday life carries you forward again.
The first day might feel strange.
The second might still feel quiet.
You may walk into a room and expect to see them sitting there.
But slowly, things begin to settle again.
That doesn’t mean you stop missing them. It simply means God gives us grace for the season we are standing in.
I love Psalm 34:18, which reminds us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Even in something as ordinary as saying goodbye after a family visit, God cares about the ache in our hearts.
He understands homesickness.
He understands longing.
He understands missing someone before they have even left.
And when our hearts feel divided between here and there, we can remember that our true security has never been found in a country, a house, or even in having everyone we love close to us.
Our security is in Him.
Isaiah 41:10 reminds us not to fear because God is with us. He strengthens us, helps us, and holds us.
So if you are saying goodbye to someone you love today, give yourself permission to cry.
Let the hug last a little longer.
Take the extra picture.
Say the things you want to say.
Don’t rush yourself through the sadness because you think you should be stronger.
You can be grateful for the time you had and sad that it is ending.
You can trust God and still cry at the airport.
Faith doesn’t mean we never feel heartbreak.
Faith means knowing that even while our hearts hurt, we are still being held.
And then tomorrow comes.
And the next day.
And slowly life finds its rhythm again.
Until another plane ticket is booked.
Another countdown begins.
Another airport hug happens – this time an arrival instead of a departure.
Maybe that is one of the strange and beautiful things about loving people who live far away.
There are so many goodbyes.
But there are also so many beautiful hellos.
And until the next one, may God give you peace for the distance, strength for the goodbye, and gratitude for every beautiful moment you were able to have together.
One season may be ending.
But the love remains.
And God is already waiting for you in the next one. 🤍
There are moments in motherhood when you would give anything to carry their pain for them. Teething nights are one of those moments – holding your baby close, wishing love could make every little ache disappear.
My baby has been waking up several times during the night, and this is the second night in a row that she’s been having such a hard time with teething.
I just wish I could take all of that pain away from her.
The soreness, the swollen little gums, the discomfort, the tears… I wish there were a way to transfer all of it to me so she wouldn’t have to feel it.
There is something so heartbreaking about holding your baby in the middle of the night, knowing they’re hurting, and wishing so badly that your love alone could make it all disappear.
If I could carry every little ache for her, I would. Every single one.
Growing up is such a beautiful blessing, but sometimes I wish our babies didn’t have to hurt along the way. 🤍
Sometimes the sweetest moments of motherhood are found in pretend cups of coffee, tiny cupcakes, and little voices asking us to sit and play. A gentle reminder to slow down, be present, and enjoy the little moments while they’re still little. 🤍
Hi friends,
Today I was reminded of one of the sweetest parts of this stage of motherhood: the little gifts our children give us when they play.
We went to a play studio we visit often, and my daughter kept calling me over. “Come here, Mama. Sit here.” She wanted me to have coffee with her. Or tea. It changes depending on the moment. 😂
She poured my pretend coffee, handed me my little cup, and wanted us to do cheers together. She just wanted me to sit there with her and enjoy that tiny little moment.
She does this all the time. She brings me coffee, milk, cheese, a cupcake – or, as she calls it in Portuguese, a bolinho. She pours things into my cup again and again. Sometimes we pretend we are grocery shopping, and she packs up her things, says, “Bye-bye, Mama,” walks away, and then comes right back.
And it is just the cutest thing.
But today it made me think about something deeper.
When our children ask us to sit down and have pretend coffee with them, they are really asking for us.
Our attention. Our eyes on them. Our laughter. Our participation.
They want to be seen by us.
And I know how easy it is to be distracted. Sometimes we’re at a playdate and want to talk to another mom. Sometimes we’re thinking about everything we need to get done. Sometimes we’re physically there, but our minds are somewhere else.
But every once in a while, put everything down.
Drink the pretend coffee.
Eat the pretend cupcake.
Let them pour the tea for the tenth time.
Listen to whatever little story they are trying to tell you, even when half of it doesn’t make sense.
Because I want my daughters to grow up knowing that Mama listens. That Mama cares about what they have to say. That Mama enjoys being with them.
And goodness, this stage goes so fast.
I feel like I blinked, and my little girl is already getting closer and closer to three.
Everything else can wait sometimes.
The laundry can wait. The phone can wait. The conversation can wait.
Because life isn’t something we’re waiting to live later.
Life is happening right now.
So sit down. Have the pretend coffee. Clink the tiny cups.
