List Maker

I am a lucky lady to be home with my three girls. Our days are blank slates, filled with whichever whim we choose to follow. Some days are rather full, with play dates, play groups, or the bounce house (always a favorite!). When my husband has a day off, a trip to Portland to the Children's Museum and Trader Joe's is not uncommon. Other days are quiet and cozy stay-at-home days with craft projects, Mary Poppins, and popcorn. Because the twins are so young, and the weather is so uninviting in January in Maine, the quiet days at home have become more regular.


I love how full our life together is. I love waking up each morning knowing that the day will be whatever we make it. Because we have chosen to unschool (more on that later!), life will continue to be this way. We will not be governed by schedules or rules that have been put in place for the masses. We are free to live our lives the way we choose, on our terms. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that we all will be allowed to follow our own paths.


Life has slowed down over the last few months, and the quiet days and nights at home have given me time to reflect on how my life and my attitudes have changed since becoming a mother. The days are passing quickly, and I fear I am not taking the time to appreciate the moments that make each day so special. I am learning to take even the most challenging days in stride - remembering that each day is merely a collection of moments; some good, some wonderful, others not so much. Some days I struggle not to write off an entire day as a bad day because of a few difficult moments. So I have been making lists...


I love making lists. Grocery lists, lists of recipes I want to try, project ideas, dream vacations, how to organize Lula's craft supplies, goals for the near and distant future, books I want to read, vegetables I want to grow in this year's garden (this one is getting rather extensive!) lists for lists I want to make... you get the idea.  I make lists for the sake of making them, to organize my thoughts, not necessarily for the lists to be completed. Something about writing these lists, seeing the words on paper, calms me, helps me organize my internal dialogue. 
I have started this blog as a sort of extended, more detailed list; a way to practice gratitude and mindfulness in my daily life; to remind myself that beauty lies in imperfection; and most importantly, to celebrate my family by recording our journey together.