As a special needs parent, holidays often feel less than holy. Do you agree? For me, it could be our daughter’s self control rupturing at the seams. Or it could be the immense fatigue from doing-all-the-things only to continue to be “on” on the Sabbath/weekend, too. But God. We are met here.

I would love to reflect on the last year of motherhood and chronic disease and homeschool and say our days were organized and we flowed from task to task with ease. That I took breaks when I needed them and we loved one another well every day. But instead, I can say this - we survived. And - we thrive.

Who cleans up the messes in your life? Have you ever thought about this before? While soaking soiled shirts and kissing injured knees and re-washing kitchen floors or counters or tables… while mending the errors in your colleagues work - or your own - and begging for relationships to be in a better place and space… Who is cleaning up? Who is nurturing you, nourishing you, tending to the flame of your spirit and soul?

What does it mean to be an expert in living with chronic disease? And why must we be experts in anything that feels (at times) so unholy? Hint: maybe it's okay to resist this space. Maybe it's okay to honor and resist.

Noticing beauty - mindfulness or gratitude - can make such a difference in our mental health and that of our precious kids! I have found that over the last decade of parenting, I have spent much time pondering daily grace. Daily grace as in heavenly winks that prove God exists and good is present now and also, He is there (in the next). I give thanks for such grace! It keeps me afloat.

A Love Note for your wild motherhood. Go slow into everything. Let life unfold as it will. Accept and affirm what you can while stepping into your power. If needed you can create change here. You can.

I get to do life with a child who battles with and for her mental health daily. Sometimes, I thrive parenting a child with OCD. And sometimes, I just survive. Yet I couldn’t do either without Jesus.