A life less ordinary

What an incredibly eventful last week it’s been! We finally closed on our house and things are getting even more real than ever. Last Thursday, after our closing, Jesse and I snuck away for celebratory margaritas (it was Cinco de Mayo, after all) for an hour while my brother and his girlfriend (who surprised us with a whirlwind overnight Atlanta visit) babysat both kids. We were giddy with excitement knowing that we wouldn’t have to move again for a very long time. We then found out the following day that our general repair permit had gotten approved and our contractor would start work the following Monday! Our weekend was definitely cause for celebrating.
We normally have lazy Saturdays but this past Saturday, we took both kids to pick out new countertops for our kitchen. It all sounds so boring when I type it out, but it was really a very exciting time. Anaïs was in awe among the slabs of granite, marble and quartzite and Akira was nestled happily in the carrier as I walked him around.
It’s funny knowing that these kids don’t really have a firm grasp of what’s happening. Yet, Jesse and I are doing all of this for our family—not just for us, but for our kids, too. We are carefully curating every surface and corner of our home to create a harmonious and happy space for our children to live and thrive in. And while this might not be thrilling for them now, I have a feeling they’ll appreciate it down the line.
The following day was Mother’s Day, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Jesse took both kids in the morning, and I actually got to sleep in until 10 a.m. When I woke up, I was greeted with hugs and kisses from both kids and beautiful flowers and breakfast from Jesse. It was such an awesome start to the day. The High Museum was having free admission that day so we took a family trip to soak in some art. Watching Akira crawl among the art was probably one of the cutest things I got to see. Afterwards, we settled in for a late lunch with both kids and ended the day picking up paint swatches and turning a trip to the hardware store into an adventure for the kids. I call it a win of a weekend.
This crazy thing called motherhood is really something else. It has forced me to become an adult yet has also enabled me to take some time to really slow down and enjoy all of the small things kids find so amazing. It has opened me up to be more flexible and to roll with the punches and go with the flow. It has prepared me for anything that comes my way. And above all, I have grown so much as a woman and as a person; I’m becoming more of who I want to be, and I owe that to my kids.
To me, Mother’s Day isn’t just the day when families honor their moms. It’s also a time for moms to look at all they’ve accomplished, all they’re trying to do and all they want to do. It’s reflective and humbling while at the same time empowering. In this lifetime, I have to say, nothing we’ve ever done as a family has been ordinary. It’s always been an ever-evolving adventure that I am proud to encourage.