To All You Mommas Out There...Find Joy in Thankfulness

Pictures from Lily's first birthday party!!

"Joy is not based on our circumstances but is based on our ability to be thankful." 

-Finding Joy in the Ordinary, Brittany Rust.

I have to say, this first year bringing a new little one into this world has been far more challenging than could possibly be anticipated, but oh my goodness am I in awe of her each day that she breathes. The challenge of this season is definitely teething, the one year sleep regression, and one year separation anxiety all rolled into one! Who knew before having an infant that literally every month would hold new challenges to be figured out and worked through!! It's like constant problem solving.

When she wakes up twice through the night and early in the morning on those rough nights, or wakes up early from a nap screaming in pain the minute I finally sit down, or we have to cancel a flight because it just so happens to be her worst day of teething ever, I could just tear my hair straight out of my head. Yet still, when I go in to get her and she wraps her tiny arms around my neck, clinging on to me, sweet sobs slowly turning to sniffles in my ear, I feel so incredibly blessed to be her momma. I am so thankful we have gotten through this year with flying colors. We are surviving and thriving with a beautiful and healthy one year old, challenges and all. Though I must make this brief, because yet again she is just now waking from an ever so short nap, I will finish by saying I am so very grateful. To all of you mommas out there, you can do it. Through the spit up and loud screeches of the newborn months, the sleep-training or non sleep-training ;), through the nights you just don't think you can keep your eyes open and your skin feels like it will crawl right off your body you want to be in bed so badly, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Joy is found in our thankfulness of the twinkling eyes, the first smiles, the first laughs and thousands more to follow.