Dr. Seuss once said, “You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” What stunning and poignant words. I’m trying desperately to catch each one, and hold on to it just long enough for an imprint to stay behind. To grasp all of the beautiful and wretched like my favorite old polaroids which always remain in my head, and never fade with the passing of time. There’s been so much life swirling inside this living of mine, and all I’ve been begging of myself is to write it down and remember. For too long. So here goes!
Some long sentiments, some short. Some light, some dark. Some weightless as a feather and some heavy as a wrecking ball. But I’d like to preserve it all in this form. And look back on it when I need to, when I want to. To show my babies. And tell a few stories. I hope you will find a little something here to stir up your head and heart, with a splash of solace and a dollop of joy on the side...
Thank you for being here!
motherhood
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Georgia Grace is TWO!!! She is the healing salve for all of our beat up and withered hearts, and her joy knows no bounds. She can bring a smile on a sidewalk out of even the most stern demeanors. Oh Georgia! I never dreamed of a love this wild and vast-covering every terrain this family has ever known. Even the dreadfully bleak ones we never thought we would recover from. How did we get so lucky? I will never know. Every night the girls ask Jesus if they can please have a Down syndrome baby when they grow up 😥❤️ The most precious prayer I’ve ever heard in my life. Thank God I threw caution to the wind and wasn’t worried about being an “old” mom having you at 41. You are the sunshine of our lives, as Stevie Wonder so beautifully sings. I can’t believe we get to watch you bloom from dawn to dusk, over and over and over. September 25, 2022 was a life changing day for us. My darling delicious dumpling toodlebugs girl, you are deeply and immensely loved… #theupsideofdowns #downsyndromeawareness
It is very hard to process the unfathomable devastation that has occurred. Mountain communities have quite literally been wiped off the map with no phones to call for help, no food, water, gas, wifi, or any hope of rescue coming to them in many areas. They are alone in the dark with no communication infrastructure working. Homes, businesses, roads, hotels, everything washed away in a few hours of completely unexpected flooding.
I have heard friends speak of children walking around naked looking for parents, people watching their neighbors on top of roofs all get washed away when it crumbles in, as this is the most tragic weather event there since 1916. Hundreds still unaccounted for. I started honing in on the North Carolina stories because a family member still has not heard from her father. The way these mountain towns are set up if roads are gone they are gone, you can’t just hop to the next town and find cell service, food, supplies, etc.
Desperation is rampant.
Many have said “Once a town is now a river”. I know there is also absolutely awful devastation through South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. My deepest condolences to all who are suffering through this nightmare, and who have lost loved ones or are surviving agonizing hours of a waiting game. Thousands have lost everything their family worked so hard on for generations-many farms, historic businesses, produce stands, restaurants, tourist attractions, everything just gone in an instant.
My favorite places to donate who have boots on the ground and are trying desperately via helicopters to rescue people are @globalempowermentmission and @samaritanspurse, while delivering critical supplies wherever they can get in. Please also consider @mercychefs providing homemade meals. Leave any links you can for localized efforts or go fund me pages etc so we can all dig in however we are able. Sometimes the media is only focused on the bigger places and I know multiple towns have disappeared. These harrowing pictures are from East Tennessee and North Carolina, to my knowledge ❤️ May God be near you all…
The BEST way to start a morning is with these Georgia Grace giggles ❤️ #babygiggles #theluckyfew #angelsamongus #downsyndromeawareness #healing
Today is our first day in the Coleman household that they are 9,8,7 and 1 since Arlo’s birthday fell on Mother’s Day this year💫 I am too tired for many words, as I always am and you probably are too. Isn’t it funny all the things we dream of doing when the last one has finally been lulled to sleep, only to get about 8 minutes of brain productivity before completely passing out and waking up to do it all over again. Of course this greatly depends on which season of parenthood you are navigating and which ages you are leading. I don’t want less children, I do want more time though. I dream of hours full of wide open margin to take all of this in. It’s incredible all that can occur in a 24 hour period-so much wonder, so many questions, so many fights, so much laughter, so many plans, so many opinions, so much bargaining and begging, so many hugs and kisses and tears, so much to process and learn and lose and grieve as each day they are a teeny bit bigger, so much yet to discover. I want to drown in their childhood. It is by far the most relentless, most beautiful and awe inducing season of my life. I know they know how hard I’m trying, even when all goes completely awry. They hear me ask Jesus everynight to help me be the best Mommy I can and to help them be the best that they can. To fill our hearts with peace and kindness, love and joy, to forgive us when we all completely fail. I can’t fathom life any different than it is right here, right now. Oh what wild and wondrous hours and days we are living in, for they are little for so very little ❤️ Happy Mother’s Day
