That moment when you stop for a moment + all you can hear is life is buzzing noisily around you…
Do you ever have moments like that? And sometimes it’s loud enough that although you hear the buzzing, you aren’t sure which buzz to tackle first — perhaps you should just lay down for a bit?, let your body sink into the nearby fibers that are calling you to come rest.
And so you agree to rest in your living room, to take a half hour and quiet the buzzing.
It’s moments like this that connects us. That buzzing noise… I need to remember more often how many of us hear it. Because you hear it too, right?
* * *
Since our move to Los Angeles I have felt a little stuck. OK, a bit stuck. Not totally sure how to decorate… although I definitely have more moments of confidence than not ;) Sometimes I wonder if it’s the size of our home that is making me doubt my decorating skills? But then I think back to Minneapolis, how our home in that city was easily twice the size what our home is here in Los Angeles, and I remember how hard it was to decorate back then. I think my problem is wanting it to be perfect, when in fact it’s already perfect because it’s *our* home — filled with so much adventure + love, I’m sure the walls are about to burst.
But maybe if I shared with you that our “finish furnishing the home” cash envelope has been a little empty lately, that that’s why I feel stuck with decorating — would you encourage me by telling me you’ve been there, too? I bet you would :) And then you’d hear me breathe a sigh of relief.
We’d continue sharing our hearts and it would be so so great.
* * *
This is good for me :) How about if I share another area I’ve felt stuck? This time it’s creatively. Our home may have shrunk 50% when we moved, but my studio/office space shrunk like 80%. Yikes! Some days I feel like it’s just a mean joke, how is a gal supposed to run a handmade business from 1 desk + 1 wardrobe {hello, storage!}, tucked aside in a not totally furnished living room? And then I think, “I can totally do this! C’mon Gus, just get a little bit creative.”
Some days I feel like I can tackle the world, other days I feel getting just two things done is something worth celebrating.
And then I think of that fabulous quote, the one that I keep saying aloud: Just do the next thing, and then do the next thing.
One step at a time. Use the resources you have. Reach out. Plan extra margin. Rest.
Rinse, wash, repeat. Right?
* * *
God is really preparing me for on mamahood.
It feels like I’m juggling so much right now, mainly it’s an internal juggle to stop over-scheduling and instead say “no” a little more often. You know the feeling when you get to the root of a problem, suddenly the solution is staring you in the face and all you want to do is shout, HEY, GORGEOUS to it?ย All of this preparing for mamahood/juggling has made being creative seem super challenging…
…until recently :)
I’ve made a few changes to my schedule, re-prioritized my energy, and have been talking to God more. It feels so good to have more clarity in my life. I know all of this is normal as we get ready for Baby to arrive — especially considering ALL of the huge life changes we’ve gone through these last 6 months {finding out we’re pregnant, moving to Los Angeles, finding a new church, re-structuring the business/adding to our team, Christmas festivities without our extended families [so sad!], and the latest: health insurance drama [ugh!]}.
But seriously, it is so refreshing to be able to step away from that buzzing noise.
Do you need to step away from the buzzing, too? Here are 3 things that have helped me so much:
And already we both feel so much better…
*sigh* So much better ;)
Truly, I felt a physical change come over me just from reading your post. You are going to be such a great mama and mentor to other mamas! xoxo
@Melissa @ A Time for Everything, Thank you so much Melissa!!!!! Those are both two amazing “things” of accomplishment :) xoxo
Gussy, we decided to move from LA to So. Oregon one Labor Day weekend, sold the house that Monday, arrived here the weekend before Thanksgiving. We lived with my husband’s parents (lovely people – loved it) for a year until we got jobs and built our home. We were 29 yo. Yikes, when I look back, I know that God directed us to this place. It wasn’t all easy but we survived it all. You have dealt with so much change in just 6 months and more on the horizon. All your needs will be provided for and change is sometimes a good thing. You’ll find your rhythm again and soar. Isaiah 40:31 Hugs
@Diana Foree, — Ohhhhh, one of my favorite verses!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for the encouragement!!!!!!!
Yes! Great tips for slowing down and recharging!
I was in your shoes this time last year…about to burst with our baby girl…and felt ALL of these things even though my circumstances were different. I felt like my patience, creativity, energy and ability to bounce back from hard things all ran away with each other. Looking back, I can see how some of the tiredness and slowness were God’s kind way of helping my body and heart prepare for the much more important task of being momma to another little one. And now, a year gone, she’s here lighting up my world with her smile and the creativity is back (still waiting on that energy…ha!). I think it’s just really hard on us girls who are used to being in charge of ourselves and feeling productive. Maybe productive has to be redefined for awhile? Hang in there and thanks for sweet encouragement today. :)
@Dana (Happy Little Lovelies), Oh I am so relieved you know what I’m going through :) And your shop? Just darling. So that’s like the bonus round for me to be reading your comment. I have been so surprised how much change has come even after our move… like with setting up our home or shop stuff. It is stretching me in ways that I know are great. But only after a little rest do I realize they are great ;D xoxo
Those three things will be SUPER helpful when you are figuring out how to balance being a mama and running GS – as a mama to three myself, I’m finding I need to actually force myself to take a break! After a few minutes for coffee, this mama is much more relaxed and ready to tackle whatever God brings today (potty training? That takes an extra
POT of coffee to keep up with!). Something I have a really hard time remembering is that I’m a better mama after I take a break – that sometimes my kiddos and husband need me to let some things go in order to be more present with them and enjoy them more.
All that to say, you’re doing awesome!
@Elizabeth Smillie, haha! Your comment about potty training + an entire pot of coffee. I’m sure I won’t be laughing in a couple years, but for now I giggle. xoxo
I am “there” right now! We have a couch that I hate, HATE! We both hate it, the color is just awful and it’s not comfortable at all, so I just have it covered with blankets. We could probably afford a new one, but it wouldn’t be the smartest idea to do that right now, sooo we have a couch that we hate. But then I think about things and I say to myself that it’s just a couch, and that we have a couch, a nice living room, a coffee table, a big TV… you know? And I dream of a perfect living room that I’ll have someday, but really, it’s only perfect if it’s filled with love.
Anyways, those 3 steps are great, I have to do that more often. Just stop for a minute or two.
And you’ll be a great mom,, I know it.
xo,
Alice
@Alice, When we moved to Los Angeles we didn’t bring a single piece of furniture with us from Minneapolis. Everything we now have has come from craigslist, thrift stores, new stores or flea markets. Craigslist has been our life savor… our current couch had been used for 1 month before we bought it. It’s first owner decided after a month it didn’t match the rest of his living room. So we bought it from him at 50% off retail. I know, sometimes I think it’s impossible to finish furnishing our home. But once or twice a month we find another piece, at a totally great price, and we’re slowly making it happen. Try to enjoy the process :) And if your ugly couch needs to be covered with blankets for just a little bit more then I say you have the right attitude and it’s totally OK :) xoxo
I need to learn to take time to take time our for me and not actually do anything. Just to eat lunch somewhere or get coffee somewhere iwth no agenda. No going because I have to write, or I have to get anything done. Just enjoy eating or drinking my coffee.
Sar
http://www.etsy.com/shop/owleyevintage
@sarah, Let’s both commit to that, OK? :)
I definitely understand what you are going through! I have been filling stuck lately. But, God has also been teaching me to have more “margin” in my life, and to also have more of a “Mary” heart in a “Martha” world. Thank you so much for writing this post, it is encouraging for me…
Great post! I feel the same way right now, 900 square feet, my husband and I, two little ones, our cat, and my handmade business, everything stuck in any and all available spaces. Quiet time with God and keeping that relationship strong is truly the only thing that helps me stay focused and calm:) I have to read Matthew 6:25-34 often, to remind myself that I need to trust God in everything.
Maggie, you do realize that by moving to LA, you also moved to flea market/swap meet mecca right? Rose Bowl Flea Market, Santa Monica Airport, Pasadena City College Flea Market (my personal fave), Long Beach Veterans Stadium, John Muir Outdoor Fair, just to name a few. I’ll bet you could find some super-cute furniture for a song at any of these venues. Oh, and everything you are feeling is normal…relax sister, you are in the nesting phase of pregnancy. :)
@Angela Eaton, OH I am so glad you commented, we’ll have to check out more of those places!!!! Thank you Angela!!! Our favorite so far is the Melrose Trading Post…
LOVE that Pen & Paint print!
We moved just a couple weeks after you made the trek to LA so I can sympathize with ALL of your posts. We are in a really beautiful apartment but I have struggled with decorating and in some ways it feels so unfinished which makes me uneasy. I was a disorganized mess for weeks, I have two preschoolers and my little business to run. I was a WRECK. I started doing the things that I KNOW make my life more sane, with just a little extra effort. So now I am finally finding some peace and even the time to just play legos on the floor with my kids and that extra time with HIM. What helps me is waking up early to work out, have coffee, filling my home with worship music as much as possible, and limiting computer time if possible. It’s a struggle, but the days where it clicks, I can feel the peace extending even to my kids. Blessings lovely!