I’ve been absent from this space for far too long, and today is the day that it stops.

The truth is, my little family and I have had a difficult few weeks. I don’t plan to reveal all of what has transpired in our corner of the world, but as my mom always says, things come in sets of three, and these past few weeks, we’ve had our three – all medical woes, but all of us, thankfully, are doing well and are on the mend. But it’s been a rough time here.

Why is it that when the world slows its spinning, when you literally can feel God’s hand on your shoulder as you breathe in and out, in and out, in and out, do we as mamas withdraw from the world, hunker down, build imaginary forts over our parents and our children and our spouses and our loved ones, forts of feather-filled pillows and torn patchwork quilts stretched as far as can be, in hopes that this fort, this fortress, will protect us from what’s just out of our grasp, what’s out there lurking?

What’s to be gained from the act of hunkering down?

Clarity. Clarity, in the form of a little boy’s face.

And hope. Hunkering down, holding tightly to what matters most, gripping with all of our might onto the littles that forever changed us, to the loved ones whose fingerprints are cemented on our hearts – it always brings hope.

Hope is also found – it’s a guarantee – in the giggles of a baby.

And I know for certain that hope springs forth especially from the giggles of a baby who knows that something’s not right, but who trusts, always, in his parents to make it all better. A baby boy who knows what we all know, or knew at one point, when the spring and summer sun kissed the curve of our cheek for the first time, when the icy chill of the winter captured our breath, when the warm wisps of autumn wind pushed the fallen leaves around in tiny tornados on the tar of the cul de sac. He knows to trust, never to waver, never to worry, to always have faith in his parents.

What a reminder that we, as children – all of us – and as parents – some of us – should always remain steadfast in our trust in our heavenly Parent, our Father, our God.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Here’s to hunkering down, to building our forts, and to seeking a kind of trust that is eternal in measure.

Tina Fey and comedy.

An illuminating post on how a mama’s most important job is self-care.

On the importance of a family mission statement.

A fascinating take on sabbaticals from one of my former professors.

An honest post on the emotions that many women feel when they are newly pregnant.

Happy Friday, all!

Dear Little Lionel,

Last Monday, I woke up with you – you and I were snuggling in bed – and your little body was so, so warm. You had a fever, dear boy, but not like the little fevers that you’ve had before – this was a fever, of epic proportions. Your entire body was radiating heat, and Mama was scared. I took your temperature later that morning – your fever hadn’t disappeared – and your temperature was hovering around 103 degrees. Mama was SCARED – you’ve never, ever had a temperature that high. You and Mama spent the day nursing and cuddling – you just weren’t yourself, sweetheart. You wouldn’t play, you wanted to snuggle, you slept most of the day – you were sick.

Mama was scared, so you and I went to the doctor’s office, where the nurses drew blood from both of your arms – you were so, so brave – and tested you for RSV. We found out later that you didn’t have RSV – thankfully, we were just dealing with a virus, which was most likely a cold of some sort. Your fever had already started to descend by the evening on Monday, which Mama was so thankful for.

But, of course, this week, Mama caught Daddy’s cold, which you then caught from Mama over the weekend, so your poor little body has been dealing with the sniffles and a few real coughs (thrown in between the fake ones that you are so very famous for).

Between all of our discarded Kleenexes and our doctor’s appointments and our diagnoses, what I’ve learned is that when you, my sweet boy, are feeling under the weather, my mama heart bursts with pangs of wanting to take away your sickness, wanting you to only experience the goodness of life, the safe parts, the healthy parts, the joyful parts…not the sniffles, the blood tests – not any of the icky parts. Mama – and Daddy, too – wish so, so badly that we could take away your sickness, even when it’s just a measly cold, or a cranky day, or anything else. We wish that we could protect you from everything, that we could do something, anything to prevent you from experiencing life’s hiccups, life’s hardships. But what you never fail to teach us, sweet boy, is that through and through, you are our brave, strong boy, and you always make it through it all – even the toughest of coughs – with a smile on your face and a sweet glimmer in your eyes.

Oh, my sweet boy – being a mama is hard sometimes…but oh, how your little life creates so much beauty in the world, in my world.

Lots of love,

- Mama

Today’s Mama Must-Have is more of a baby’s must-have item. Etsy shop Gingiber, ran by shop owner Stacie, was showcased as a Featured Seller on Etsy back in 2011, which is how I learned about this creative mama and her adorable products. At the time when Stacie’s shop was featured, she was about to welcome a little sister for her daughter, Violet, to be named Lucy. Such adorable names!

This creative mama sells a wide variety of wares to, as her shop slogan states, “add zest to your nest,” and from her gorgeous tea towels to her animal pillows, I find myself adding item after item to my list of favorites.

Today’s Mama Must-Have is just a bit above my self-imposed price limit of $20.00, but I couldn’t resist showcasing this unbelievably charming giraffe wall decal, which would be perfect in a nursery or playroom for your little one! As a family of giraffe-lovers, my husband and I are definitely coveting this for our little guy’s room, and at $28.00, I think it’s a steal!

Visit the Gingiber shop here.

{NOTE: I wasn’t paid or perk’d to feature this seller or product; I’m just a mama who loves to share fun finds made by other mamas!}

The latest post in my favorite fashion series from one of my favorite bloggers.

An interesting take on making your bed.

Baby leggings customized with your little’s name!

Did you know that you could sell gift cards that you aren’t interested in for store credit somewhere else (like Amazon)?

A compelling article on high school…and if it ever ends.

An awe-inspiring series on motherhood at different ages – it wraps up next week with age 10. Click through for a list of the writers and their posts on mothering littles, ages one to nine.

For today’s Mama Must-Have feature, I’m showcasing ARMOMMY, which is headed up by Rae Friis, mama of four adorable kiddos! On the ARMOMMY blog, Rae shares fun DIYs, free printables, sewing tutorials, and yummy recipes, among other fun posts.

Rae’s shop motto has this to say about their product line: “ARMOMMY is a lifestyle company creating products that provide style, design & function for motherhood.” And, after looking into her wonderful products, I couldn’t agree more!

Today, I’m featuring ARMOMMY‘s adorable door bumper, which is listed for just $12.00 and is available in a variety of fabric styles. It’s a must-have for mamas who want to check on their sleeping babes without disturbing their slumber!

I learned about ARMOMMY through this lovely home tour, featured on Design Mom. It’s a must-read, not only for the beautiful pictures of Rae’s home’s effortless design, but also for Rae’s captivating words on motherhood!

{NOTE: I wasn’t paid or perk’d to feature this seller or product; I’m just a mama who loves to share fun finds made by other mamas!}