Little Moments of Love {Bigger Picture Moments}

Welcome to Bigger Picture Moments, a place where we step back and take in life. There are moments where we're so caught up in it all, the hectic mind boggling pace of the day. We encourage you to take this opportunity to take a moment and view the Bigger Picture. Whatever that means to you. A moment where you recognized the role your faith plays in your every day life. A moment where you take note of motherhood and the importance of what you are doing. A moment that made you stop and smell breathe in the bigness of it all. The hugeness that is life and the small moments adding up to one huge Bigger Picture. 

We hope you'll join us. Take a few moments. Think about your week, and pour however little or much onto a page. Then share. Tell us your moment. Link up this week at Corinne's, grab our button (over there in the side bar;), and share your Bigger Picture Moment. And while you're at it, share the love and check out at least one other participant's moment.

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It's been a busy and stressful week I have deadlines to meet, a house that is messier than I think it has ever been and oh lets throw in there a tonsillectomy. So I've been a little off balanced and singularly focused this week. Namely on my son, and making sure he is drinking and recovering from his surgery. 

Today we decided to venture out The doctors said as long as my son wasn't running around, playing rough, jumping, or contact sports for two weeks he could resume normal activity as soon as he felt like it. (Yes I realize that the previously mentioned activities are all "normal" activity for a 5yr old boy, we are all having a problem with that!). So today we ventured out so his sister could go to her gymnastics class. Now, due to a story for another time, we go to gymnastics at 9am. 

We are no longer morning people. August (back to school) is going to hit this family like a rhino hitting a brick wall (it won't be pretty). We have been in afternoon preschool for a year. When we need to be somewhere before 10:00 10:30 it's stressful for everyone. On top of that, today I was busy fielding e-mails about a project, taking care of a little boy with two earaches (residual pain from surgery) and the said gymnast decided to sleep until 7:45. Remember how I said she didn't sleep? 

So now it's 8:30 and instead of heading to the car I am still trying to get every one's things together and my stress level is rising. By the time we got there all I wanted to do was sit down and relax, which was of course not going to happen. She struggled with drop off, he couldn't wait for me to do his puzzle book with him. Deep breathes, deep breathes. We're getting into a groove and things are starting to relax when she comes running out. POTTY!

I sigh. We do this almost every week and 9 times out of 10 she never goes, ever. But I take her, strip her of her shorts and her leotard and wait, and wait, and wait. Yep nothing. I feel myself getting frustrated again. Shes dancing around talking a hundred miles a minute in her own language I don't understand and I just want her to put her legs in the right holes when she throws herself on me and hugs me. Tight. Lets go a little and then hugs me again. Tighter. 

I smile and relax.

I tell her thank you, it was just what I needed and we go on with our class.

That stolen little moment in the bathroom stall was just what I needed to gear myself up to accept the inevitable dragging of feet, messes, running late and constant talking of toddlers. It's what go me through the day accepting that things were left undone. It fueled me until our evening routine when I was again wrapped in those chubby little arms and squeezed so tight, and kissed all over my face.

Sometimes all we need is a little moment of pure love to remind us of what's important. To recharge our batteries and lift us up.

So long farewell, auf weidersehen good-bye

I don't do good-bye well. I don't like change, or loosing things so I tend to ignore the loss, the change, the thing leaving (worked great for getting over old boyfriends, other things not so much). For as good with words you all seem to think I am (thank you!) finalizing and good bye is not something I'm great with.

Today the last posts go up at Chicago Mom's Blog.

It's filled with sadness and a sense of loss that is surprised even me. It's not even the fame and fortune I received in my short time writing for them (I jest!).

Chicago Mom's Blog was the first blog I read. It introduce me to Stephanie, among others, as well as blogging. It made me realize that I could do something from home, that I could write and I did have a voice.

I applies to write for Chicago Moms in December or January and totally forgot about it. Assuming I was passed over. The have a ton of very talented writers and they tend to lean towards the opinionated and the political, I was afraid I wouldn't fit in. 

The second week in February my phone rang. I was still not taking calls, not ready to talk to anyone about what happened. It was an non local area code though so I had my husband answer it. He came in as was like, it's a Jill Asher from Silicon Valley Moms Group. Um, what?

I remember being genuinely excited and happy for the first time in two weeks. I am sure i sounded like a giddy school girl. I was astounded that a) I was chosen and b) that they took the time for a phone call! How retro! How personable! How awesome!

I may not have been a writer with them for long, but Jill and the amazing team of writers and editors she put together gave me a purpose/ A reason to write about something other than our loss. They gave me an external focus that I needed. 

I have had some amazing experiences and meet some amazing people. I am doing things today that I would not be doing if it were not for CMB and the connections I made. 

I am truly going to miss writing and working with them. I am going to miss reading them more. I was also blown away by the talent that the had brought together in one place and was honored to be a part of it. 

I know that Jill and the other founders (who I don't mean to leave out, Beth and Tekla are great too!) have made the best decision for them as hard as it may be for us to understand. That takes courage to jump out when your ahead to focus on things that are more important, family, life, etc.  

While there will be a hole in the blogosphere for long time with the closing of this community, they filled a whole in my heart and I will forever be grateful for that.