“Life is an adventure, and there is no script. I see something in ordinary moments. I believe that perfection comes not when you are dressed perfectly and wearing lipstick – but in little moments and interactions that make up our days and build and sustain our relationships. Let me show you the beauty in your unscripted moments…” – Karen Jacot, photographer
After teaching for 13 years, I am in my 2nd year of being a stay at home mom. There is nothing like it in the world. The highs/the lows, the stress/the freedom, the pure JOY and the heartache of watching my kids grow. Sometimes it’s the easiest job I’ve ever had, and some days I just wanna throw in the towel. But I know these years will pass by in the blink of an eye, so I’m just trying to do everything I can to BE with my kids. I can’t bring myself to do school or MDO with my just-turned 3 and almost 2 year old. I just want them with me. {I think it has a LOT to do with my infertility and adoption journey to get to these precious ones I’ve been blessed with.} I have a shift-worker husband, and for the most part, we love his schedule because of the time it affords us together. Some days he has to sleep, some days he’ll stay awake a few hours when he’s supposed to be asleep just to make us smile, but we LIVE for those non-crowded, week day stretches when daddy is OFF to do all the fun stuff with us. Most days I make up a schedule a day or two in advance involving a local park, the zoo, the children’s museum, the library, or our own backyard even, and just see if it works for us. If not, I don’t stress. We just roll with it, according to weather, moods, etc.
Here’s a typical morning with me and my “littles” captured by the amazing, Karen Jacot…
Karen pulled up to my house as I was on my driveway exercising, baby monitors nearby. I usually try to get up BEFORE the kids. My goal is to pray, read scripture, and exercise. Sometimes ALL three get done, sometimes NONE. My day ALWAYS goes much smoother if I make time for those three things. Plain and simple.
As soon as I hear stirring on one of the monitors, I know to stop what I’m doing and head on up. Levi is always the first one up, I know that for sure. But he keeps me guessing as to what I’ll find him doing when I walk in. Sometimes he’s already playing with toys in the middle of the floor, other mornings he’s sitting with a book in bed wanting me to hop in and read with him. This particular morning it was hide-n-seek. Silly boy. He makes me laugh.
We’re almost potty trained. Whew. But we don’t go without that nightly pull-up just yet. A high-light of his morning is getting to pick out which big-boy undies he’ll wear for the day. Superman was today’s choice.
Then we head to make breakfast. A pop-tart and oatmeal combo is the breakfast of champions, right?
Sweet, groggy, shift-working kisses from a daddy who loves fiercely. Sweetest man I know.
The first person up the stairs when we hear the baby sister start to stir? Yep….the big brother. I love it.
She’s a sleeper. It usually takes my Kate a little while to fully wake up.
We usually hang out in her room for a little while. She chooses a book or dolls that she wants us to play with, and we do whatever she says.
I love this picture of them before we head downstairs. They had just tried to wake up the big sis. No such luck today. She still had 1 hour left of her beauty rest and didn’t budge.
Breakfast usually includes all three of us eating on one chair, watching something fun on TV.
It doesn’t take long after everyone is up and running and fed for there to be SOME issue that needs resolving. This particular day it was a brother who didn’t want to share with his sister, so he spit food on the ground out of frustration. Someone had to get to cleaning…and it wasn’t mommy!
We brush and potty.
I clean up so as to avoid my house becoming a disaster zone. It gets that way FAST.
We read, snuggle, and head out to start our day.
I think that Karen’s photo shoot was one of the best gifts I’ve ever been given. {I’ve already hinted to my husband that a great gift in a couple years would be to do this again with her!} I have looked at each picture a million times. They are treasures that capture beauty in the ordinary. And I love that. And speaking of LOVE, did you get a chance to see Jana’s morning captured by Karen? The rest of the HMB team will be coming up soon, as well! SO neat!
To read more from Karen’s perspective and to see even more of the pictures she captured, be sure to check out her blog post. And be sure to take a peek at the rest of the posts within this amazing series as well!
