May I call you Bridg? Okay, thanks. :)
I am beyond excited to introduce this week's MWMW. She is somebody whom I only know through the blog world, but her blog has been a continuing inspiration, motivation, and guilty pleasure or mine. She's a fashionista, fabulous writer, style icon, and a mother of 4. Meet Bridget.
Hi there. When Ashlee asked me to share a guest post on her delightful blog--something on motherhood--I wasn't totally sure what I'd do. I could blog about how the kids fighting over the remote is music to my ears. I could blog about how I just want to smooch my kids' cheeks when they don't like the dinner I prepared. I could blog about how good teenagers' socks smell. But, when all is said and done, I wouldn't be telling the truth. You probably got that though, huh? I first met my kids when I was their nanny. You read that right. I guess I should say
I first met my future-kids when I was their nanny. Their Dad was sinking fast after losing his wife the previous year and he needed some help. I became Maria VonTrapp just short of moving in, singing Do-Re-Mi, and sewing them clothes that were previously drapes. So, really, nothing like her. Though I did fall in love with their Dad, so I guess a little like her. Just go with it.
So, I was a good babysitter, even a great one. They liked me and I liked them. When their father and I fell for each other, it seemed like a natural next step. We eventually got married and I went from babysitter to Mom of four in a hot second. I'm moving fast through the details here. There was romance. And really, a lot of it.
We were pretty smitten with one another and I knew he was the one. I just never knew "the one" for me would be "five for the price of one." Such is life.
Now, I'm going to paint you the real picture because I think being an open book is really good, really healthy. Authenticity is everything. The first year, really the first two years, of marriage were hard. So hard. It was sort of the perfect storm: The oldest was just entering teenage years (didn't you know, teenagers are a barrel of monkeys), my friends were all living single lives footloose and fancy-free (truly like none of them were married yet and they definitely didn't have children), my parents lived 6+ hours away, I was entirely insecure about my role as wife and mother and knew that the shoes I was filling were big shoes and those of a woman well-seasoned mother of four (a pressure that was only put on me by myself) and a wife of 14 years. I had dark days, those days eventually turned into dark hours and finally, those hours turned are continuing to turn into moments. Alleluia.
One thing I've learned, not necessarily the most important but certainly up there, is that girlfriends are key. Husbands are wonderful, amazing, precious. But they are limited. I think I believed that I would find all in my husband. That my feelings would all be validated, my questions all be answered, that I would feel entirely loved and understood at all times. I married a seriously great guy and I am head-over-heels in love with him, don't get me wrong. But he cannot and will not meet every need. Nor should he, really. Show me the girl who says all her needs are met by her husband alone (and I'll tell her she just hasn't met the right friend yet). Let me tell you, I have some amazing girlfriends. The kind that should go down in record books for the amount of time they heard me out. They're altogether necessary and I am so grateful for them (and seriously, so is my husband).
So that's that. To be a mom, you've got to have a good friend and you've got to be a good friend. Your husband will thank you. Your kids will thank you! Your sanity will be in check and your life will be better. That is all. Who's with me?!
Isn't she great?! I sure think so. Thanks so much Bridget-I owe you. :)
P.S. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!
Happy Wednesday.
Hi there. When Ashlee asked me to share a guest post on her delightful blog--something on motherhood--I wasn't totally sure what I'd do. I could blog about how the kids fighting over the remote is music to my ears. I could blog about how I just want to smooch my kids' cheeks when they don't like the dinner I prepared. I could blog about how good teenagers' socks smell. But, when all is said and done, I wouldn't be telling the truth. You probably got that though, huh? I first met my kids when I was their nanny. You read that right. I guess I should say
I first met my future-kids when I was their nanny. Their Dad was sinking fast after losing his wife the previous year and he needed some help. I became Maria VonTrapp just short of moving in, singing Do-Re-Mi, and sewing them clothes that were previously drapes. So, really, nothing like her. Though I did fall in love with their Dad, so I guess a little like her. Just go with it.
So, I was a good babysitter, even a great one. They liked me and I liked them. When their father and I fell for each other, it seemed like a natural next step. We eventually got married and I went from babysitter to Mom of four in a hot second. I'm moving fast through the details here. There was romance. And really, a lot of it.
We were pretty smitten with one another and I knew he was the one. I just never knew "the one" for me would be "five for the price of one." Such is life.
Now, I'm going to paint you the real picture because I think being an open book is really good, really healthy. Authenticity is everything. The first year, really the first two years, of marriage were hard. So hard. It was sort of the perfect storm: The oldest was just entering teenage years (didn't you know, teenagers are a barrel of monkeys), my friends were all living single lives footloose and fancy-free (truly like none of them were married yet and they definitely didn't have children), my parents lived 6+ hours away, I was entirely insecure about my role as wife and mother and knew that the shoes I was filling were big shoes and those of a woman well-seasoned mother of four (a pressure that was only put on me by myself) and a wife of 14 years. I had dark days, those days eventually turned into dark hours and finally, those hours turned are continuing to turn into moments. Alleluia.
One thing I've learned, not necessarily the most important but certainly up there, is that girlfriends are key. Husbands are wonderful, amazing, precious. But they are limited. I think I believed that I would find all in my husband. That my feelings would all be validated, my questions all be answered, that I would feel entirely loved and understood at all times. I married a seriously great guy and I am head-over-heels in love with him, don't get me wrong. But he cannot and will not meet every need. Nor should he, really. Show me the girl who says all her needs are met by her husband alone (and I'll tell her she just hasn't met the right friend yet). Let me tell you, I have some amazing girlfriends. The kind that should go down in record books for the amount of time they heard me out. They're altogether necessary and I am so grateful for them (and seriously, so is my husband).
So that's that. To be a mom, you've got to have a good friend and you've got to be a good friend. Your husband will thank you. Your kids will thank you! Your sanity will be in check and your life will be better. That is all. Who's with me?!
Isn't she great?! I sure think so. Thanks so much Bridget-I owe you. :)
P.S. Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!
Happy Wednesday.
