Leaning in…

Does what I call “manic motherhood” (trying to do it all, then crashing and burning) consume joy from your days? On reflection, I find myself spending too much time looking backward regretting time lost (just trying to maintain!), or looking forward to things that still need doing.

I have to take a break… and spend more time LEANING IN … to the present. The moment.

Lucy Calkins writes about leaning in to stories we’re reading. Asking questions, wondering… My children are a story I am LIVING!

So I’m leaning in… to really SEE what my little boys are doing… imagine what they are thinking… wonder what happens next…

When A kicks a ball along the beach… will he develop an interest in soccer?

When he brings us The Jesus Storybook Bible begging to be read to… when he will learn to love Him?

When he shows me a leaf… does he consider this a treasure?

When he pats baby E’s hand, or leans back at the breakfast table to tell his brother, “Don’t cry,” … will they become best friends? (I hope so).

When baby E kicks his legs so hard he stands up on my lap (at four weeks!)… will he be an early walker?

When A pauses for long looong moments to inspect a dandelion… well, maybe sometimes kids are just enjoying the moment… I can take a lesson from that!

Every action, every moment is a part of their beautiful life story. I’m going to spend more time leaning in to make sure I don’t miss any part of it.

When you lean into your children’s life stories, what do you see and wonder?