Most days it seems like time is my mortal enemy. No matter how late the sun sets, there just isn’t enough daylight to get everything done. While my to-do list keeps growing, my mental status gets a little more… questionable. Now that I’ve kicked the working-all-night habit, I’ve started a new one – getting up with the sun to greet the day with open arms. It’s then that I workout, pray and mentally prepare for the day. I have to tell myself to only expect progress, not perfection. It’s one of those phrases that I picked up during last year’s Making Things Happen Intensive that stuck with me and I believe applies to all areas of life. Take motherhood for instance…
When I was pregnant I had all these ideas for how I would raise my daughter and what kind of mother I would be. I took the breastfeeding courses and childbirth courses and all those fun courses that scare you and make you giggle at really inappropriate times (or was that just me?). I read every book out there and KNEW exactly how things would go down from that moment on until my daughter went to college. Boy, was I wrong! Pregnancy and motherhood have taken me for a fun-filled, love-filled, joyful ride that I never would have scripted. And everytime I see a first-time mother I am reminded of this and can’t help but ask them their most ridiculous stories (I love funny stories!)
Recently we had the joy of photographing one of our wedding graduates, Carla and Frank, who are now expecting their first child. I couldn’t resist asking all about the childbirth course (which made Patrick cringe) – “Soooo…. how did that go?” I seriously almost fell down laughing when they said that the instructor asked them to blow into a bag to simulate contractions (I think I have this correct?). I was imagining a room full of mommies blowing into a bag and was just tickled beyond words.
Becoming a parent is one of the most amazing things in the world. But it can also be a bit terrifying at times, like when they send you home from the hospital (“You’re going to leave me alone with this little person?”) or your child is up all night with a 104 fever. Something tells me that the love, trust, and sense of humor shared by Carla and Frank will serve to strengthen their relationship as they share many sleepless nights together. And that they will act with grace together as a family, no matter what life throws at them…
p.s. – We’d love to hear your funny pregnancy/parenting stories. Just comment on this blog with your true stories and whoever makes us laugh the hardest will win a little something special! 
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