let it roll...

This past weekend, we had my daughter's first birthday party.  I cannot believe she is 1 already!  As any mother does, I spent the morning of her birthday recalling every painstaking and joyful minute of her labor.  From the moment my water broke while watching hockey playoffs (have I mentioned we're hockey fans??), to the chilling silence when the doctors attempted to unwrap the cord from her tiny, brittle neck, and the moment I got to hold her for the first time--so tiny, so vulnerable, so loved.  It is incredible how babies and children change you! 

But enough of that...onto the celebrating!  We got together with some of our closest family and a few friends and partied all night long!  It was AWESOME!  At the end of the party, one of my nearest and dearest friends thanked us for inviting them and commented on how enjoyable the celebration was.  I thanked her quietly and then came up with some reason why it went so well...the stars aligned that night, or maybe it's a calm before the sugar-high storm!  You know, total avoidance of a compliment.

Later that night, after all the cake was cleaned off the furniture and the kids' sugar highs became exhausted lows, I started thinking about that compliment.  I started thinking about how much fun I had at the party and how great it was to just be with the ones I love.  Two years ago--when my son turned one, this was not the case.  I was a basketcase...so stressed out that everything for the party needed to be perfect.  I even snapped at my mother-in-law for giving my son a present out of turn...definitely not my proudest moment. 

 Ayden's 1st Birthday!  Cupcake Face.

Laney's 1st Birthday Cupcake...a little more timid.  

So, what's changed since then?  A LOT.  But mostly, I've given up trying to please everyone.  It's just not possible, nor is it necessary.  In other words, I just let it roll.  And ya know what, I'm a whole lot less stressed than I ever was before.  Let's face it, friends, life is too damn short to worry about what everyone else is thinking about you!  I have learned to define my priorities and forget about the rest.  Instead of spending my evenings glued to the tv or wrestling with copious amounts of house work, I spend my time loving up my family.  Most nights, you can find us playing together, eating together, snuggling together...anything we need to do...together.  I am fully aware that I will never get those moments back when the kids are a little older and want nothing to do with my husband and I...I am not going to let any minute pass me by.  And yeah, I realize this means that I may have to stay up late some nights to prep lunches for the next day or collect the garbage on "Oh Shit Night" (my dad's endearing name for Garbage Pick Up Eve), but it's okay with me because my son and my daughter...and even my husband...know that they are my top priority. 

Once I realized what my priorities were, life just seemed to come together.  Now, I know that my priorities will change over the years...and that is okay.  At that time, I will reassemble my priority list and make sure I'm doing what it is I need to do to let it roll! 

What are your priorities in life?  Do you live for those priorities or do you let other things get in the way?  Are you able to do what you need for yourself without pleasing others or is the control in someone else's court? 

Wondering how to prioritize your life...here's a great way to start...

Think about your personal goals for the next 5 years.  Is what you're doing NOW leading you to accomplish those goals?  If not, what needs to change?

I'd like to leave you with a few pictures that align with my priorities and goals...I hope they inspire you to think about letting it roll...

 Giving my kids every opportunity to love one another and life (I always want my kids to be close...it hurts my heart when I hear siblings aren't friends)

 Exploring my Faith each and every day (please note, I said explore...I think it is really important to explore and question...it's the only way we grow). 

 Make our house a home by simplifying it and aligning it with my priorities (simplification is very much a work in progress)