It begins...

A friend recently forwarded an email to me titled "The Invisible Mother," a short essay comparing the tireless and often thankless job of a mother to the builders of Europe's great cathedrals. Both give their whole lives for a work they will never see finished, both make sacrifices and expect no credit, and both are fueled in their passion by the faith that the eyes of God see every detail. The writer of the essay was inspired by the thought that our endless efforts in motherhood, invisible as they may seem, are worth it and can make an enriching life.


For many of us, the way we choose to hold our invisibility at bay is by creating something tangible. For me, my days often end with knitting - my love of fiber and the need to do something relaxing end up producing something I can hold and look at. Nobody will know how many times I swept under the high chair that day, or how many toys I picked up, or how many times I tried to coax a "please" or "more" or "sorry" out of my 5 year old. But a darling, handmade infant hat? That you can see.


I start new projects every day, and my 10 year old does the same. In this process of creating (and yes, often not finishing our projects!) we connect with each other and a bigger picture of ourselves in the process. My plan for this blog is to share the projects that excite me and bring some accessible proof of my existence in this invisible world of mothering!


So, this blog is dedicated to the mothers out there whose days are filled with the minutia of tasks that build our children and our families. I often tell people that I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. But for now, I am the builder of a great cathedral. With every shoelace tied, lunch packed, and forehead kissed, I build.


And I can hardly wait to create something new...


Monday, February 27, 2012

Keep On Keepin' On

One day at a time, enjoy each moment, take pleasure in the small things. These are my mantras right now. Despite all the unrest with Brad's job situation, I have had several of those wonderful "all is right with the world" moments in the last few days. (Then I remember the job thing and feel a little guilty, but not enough to weigh me down.)  So many things to be grateful for! Here are some of them...


Rowan modeling her handmade fingerless valentine mitts from Grandma...
Brynn getting off the bus after preschool today...
 and looking super cute in the driveway with Ernie.
My budding gardens of teeny yellow and purple crocus... 
 ...daffodils...
 tulips, iris, and hyacinth...
The finished valentine doll sweater, being modeled by Kanani...
And the finished baby hat (yay, I think the sizing is right!) and baby mitts, as well as a mitten started for big brother...
Oops, still need to trim the pompoms! So, almost finished.


It's sunny and almost warm today, my head cold is pretty much gone after only 5 days, and I've actually got a week that isn't jam packed with chaos! I'm going to keep on keepin' on, and life is good. :)

1 comment:

  1. Yes, life is indeed good. Your photos are so wonderful. I am glad Rowan's mitts fit her just right. Hope she likes them and they keep her hands warm now and then. Her Valentine doll sweater is really cute and bet the dolls and Rowan love it! The flowers are looking so springy, and the pictures of Brynn are adorable, like her. Those little cousins are going to LOVE the hats and mittens. Man those are cute! Well done and happy for your upbeat attitude. Love your mantras. They are good ones!
    XOXOX

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