Healing + Gratefulness

Last week June was sick, leaving us bedridden for days until our backs ached. It was the first time Sean and I had to parent a child with the stomach flu. We joked that parenting was like a video game where we had unlocked some secret level we didn’t know about and now we could advance to the next level. In reality, it was difficult watching June suffer and my mind went to dark places where children are much sicker than June. The next day a friend texted me that she was constantly worried about her son’s health and felt crazy. It was as if she had read my mind. I assured her this is normal. Being a mother literally tortures you with endless love. I think there is a cliche about a double edge sword that I could have written about here.

With June feeling (mostly) better on Friday, Sean took the afternoon off from work and we headed to our favorite farm. Agendaless, we followed June where she pleased, exploring the world through the eyes of our wild and free two-year-old. True to her character, she was more interested in the June-sized animal statues than the actual animals. It was the last animal we saw: the reindeer, that stole her heart. She stood outside their cage in complete awe. She has never seen a reindeer before (other than Stev on Frozen). It is magical and indescribable to watch your child wonder at the world around them.

This week the weather is set to change into something more true to our normal Midwestern fall. I will happily embrace the shift and create a list of autumn adventures. Lower temperatures always leave me feeling rushed to explore before (dare I say) the snow falls. But life with a two-year-old is quite literally always an adventure and today, I set my mind on gratefulness and health, ready to take on whatever comes our way. Happy