I'm having one of those mornings in bed with my coffee in one hand and my phone in the other, reading inspirational blog posts about coming alive, building a creative business, and transforming barns into office spaces. And almost everything within me wants to grab my planning journal and a pen, lock my door from all intrusion, and plan out this next stage of my creative life.
This next stage would involve expressing my art.....embracing my days with a focus beyond motherhood and home....experiencing a no-holds-barred intensity that is becoming more and more appealing in this lifetime journey of self.
It would involve throwing myself into DIY/home/blogging projects first thing in the morning, and working until family needs eventually won out because, after all, family is still at the core of my heart and soul.
It would involve more days of transforming things like these:
into things like this in, oh, one day rather than five.
It would involve continuing work on this family-friendly space and more regularly sharing it with you. Making it warm, inviting, and (because we have early-stage teens) maybe even a little bit quirky:
It would involve posting about the final details on this recent bathroom makeover (we had so much fun creating that wood art!)...
....and rubbing a last coat of wax on this beast which has taken me way too long to paint but which turned out so beautifully I've been trying to think of how I can possibly fit it in our home (pics coming soon!).
All of these things I'm dreaming about this morning as I sip my coffee. And not only these, but updating my blog and acquiring my first ever web host and learning about domain mapping and about plug-ins and better photography.
But the truth this morning is this: I have three children ages 8-14 who will be rising for breakfast in 15 minutes and I'm not even showered yet.
Three kids who will look to me for lessons I spent hours mapping out a few weeks ago when I planned our school for the rest of this year. Kids who will dive into studying the Renaissance next week, discovering the wonders of our Circulatory system, wrapping up our memorization of Romans 12, and begin swim lessons on Tuesdays/Thursdays.
Oh, and did I mention all the meals they will need in between all this reading/studying/playing/exercising/hanging out?
And the messes we will make and clean and ignore and clean again while we are living life together?
So this morning I will blog only one post, wash my face, put on something fresh and clean, and embrace every.single.moment with these charges in my life.
We will read the Bible over breakfast and learn about Heroes of the Faith.
We will snuggle with the dogs and crash on the couches and maybe even do some sledding outside since the sun is already highlighting the tops of the snowbanks near our driveway.
And my dreams will wait because they simply must.
Because I know I am still creating beauty and art today. And I hope my simple life lived will bring a smile to His face.
Jaimee
