If Christmas is for the joy, then Advent is for the longing. As I learned in particular through our lost babies, one after another after another, the joy born out of suffering and longing is more beautiful for its very complexity. The joy doesn’t erase the longing and the sadness that came before but it does redeem it, it may even stain backwards changing how we look at those days or years. But the joy is made more real, richer and deeper perhaps, because we longed for it with all our hearts for so many days.
Sometimes the only thing left to do is simply hold on to each other and dance in the darkness, waiting for the light.
Little girls, get up! Get up and eat! @ Momastery
Then she added: “Everyone at my table wrote ‘I want my mommy to be happy!’”
Holy crap, you guys. We’ve got to get our joy back. We think it’s love to allow our roles – mother, wife, volunteer, career woman – to consume us like a fire until we can’t even be seen anymore – but that’s not love. I think our kids want to really see us. They want us to leave a part of ourselves unconsumed so they can see us. I think our kids want to see us come alive sometimes. Our kids never asked for martyrs. It is not love to allow yourself – your spirit – to be buried and then fade away.
Every gift for children this year is terrifying — a walk over the Thin Pink Line in Target
But that was what struck me about these toys. Pretty much everything in the pink aisle was designed in a way that limited the number of stories you could tell with it. In the blue aisle, accessories vary. There’s a Batman with a submarine. There’s a ninja with a castle. Not in the pink aisle. Everybody just had hairbrushes. Merida’s bow didn’t work for archery; it was just a hair accessory like countless other hair accessories. Lego girls didn’t get attacked by pirates. If you wanted pirates in the pink aisle, you had to bring them yourself.
In conclusion, here’s a Hot New Barbie Set.
You will be relieved to know that this beautiful doll can be contained entirely inside her closet.
Of course she can.
They just don't do that anymore @ Steady Mom
I don't want to minimize the stage you're in. I don't want to tell you "Enjoy these days, they go by so fast." I don't want to patronize you.
Instead let me pour a little encouragement your way:
Go ahead and grumble, or be patient. You don't have to handle all the issues perfectly.
Go ahead and cry, and wonder if it's all worth it.
Go ahead and pray, for strength to make it through the next five minutes.
Because one day--often when you least expect it--often when you've come to peace with the imperfections and decided to be happy anyway--you'll wake up, look around and realize:
They just don't do that anymore.
And a video: Hackschooling Makes Me Happy by 13-year-old Logan LaPlante at TEDx University of Nevada
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