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thankful.

August 31, 2015 Sara Smith
thankful

When I get overwhelmed, it's easy for me to glaze over life, kind of like I'm coasting along with my finger on the fast forward button.  I tend to focus on big picture things in each day without noticing or enjoying the details.  And as I've had to learn over and over again, there is so much blessing, so much to be thankful for in the details.  In those moments we just trample over to check accomplishments off our to-do list.

Sometimes, I just have to choose to deliberately stop long enough to appreciate the tiny wildflowers in my chaotic garden of life.  

Or, you know, actually notice the actual wildflowers attempting to grow in my parched backyard.

I don't do this nearly enough, and it is way overdue.  

So, here's a list of things I'm thankful for right now:

-date night at home with my husband after Evie goes to bed, drinking margaritas and watching Dear Frankie on Netflix

-family trip to the park so I could complete my one hour of exercise this week.  Sad, I know.  Baby steps...

running with the family

-how Evie only needs one of my fingers for support as she walks her toddle walk all stumbly around the house

-the view of a beautifully pink and purple sunset at a rest stop on our way home from Gainesville

-getting to spend the day with a friend I don't see often, just having honest, deep conversations in her living room while her daughter shares her toys with mine

- this face:

sleeping baby face

-the hilarious and wise book called Women are Scary by Melanie Dale.  Because, it's true, women can be scary.

-being introduced to authentic, fresh, homemade ramen noodles in a restaurant.  I didn't even know this was a thing.  But it is, and it is delish.

authentic ramen

-thunder storms 

-watching Evie expecting a grape in her mouth, like, right now

baby eating grapes

-Mike being a great dad

dad and baby at the beach

-snuggling with Evie under her star light

What are you thankful for?  I'd love for you to share with me!

In giving thanks, gaining wisdom Tags thanks, giving thanks, being thankful, counting your blessings
← when connecting is a struggle.an apology to the floors of my house. →
Feathers & Roots | blog about motherhood and faith

Hi there, I'm Sara!  

Mama bird to 2 little ladies + Wife + Saved by grace.

This is where I share my stories of  motherhood and faith. 

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@sarasmith1021

This is what happens when I try to get a nice photo with both of my daughters...๐Ÿ˜ฉ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜˜ #threenager
โค๏ธโค๏ธ
Happy 30th birthday to this guy! Weโ€™ve known each other since we were 18, and itโ€™s amazing to think back on all the life weโ€™ve lived together since then. Who knew this boy I๏ธ happened to sit next to on a park bench my freshman year in college was going to be my husband, best friend and father of my children. Happy birthday, love, I๏ธโ€™m so excited to see what this year will hold. โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
P.s.- I๏ธ wanted to throw him a Thirty, Flirty and Thriving party but he didnโ€™t share my enthusiasm for that idea...๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ฌ(Major ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ™Œ to you if you get my reference. ๐Ÿ˜˜) P.p.s.- I๏ธ know Iโ€™ve taken a lot of time away from here, and I๏ธ would like to share about that at some point...Iโ€™m very much still figuring out how I๏ธ feel about being here in a healthy way. But for now I๏ธ thought it would be okay to share this sweet photo and take a minute to celebrate my hubby. ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐ŸŽ‰
A very, very belated birthday photo. Can't believe my first baby is 3 already, and in one year I'll be 30... ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ญโค๏ธ๐ŸŽ‰
I debated over posting this but decided that the perspectives and wisdom in this book are way too good not to share, and so here I am. I've been pretty absent on here lately, and I'd like to be really honest with why in the hope that if any of you share my struggles, you will find encouragement and peace in what's true and also in knowing that you aren't alone. 
I've struggled badly, in every way possible I think, as a result of using this little app in an unhealthy way. Insecurity, comparison, envy, loneliness, rejection, obsessing over growing a following, depression, confusion over what true community looks like here(and if it's even possible), checking my phone over and over again to see my comments and likes, snapping at my kids for interrupting me, ignoring my husband, anxiety over which photo to post...the list goes on. You name it, I've felt it. And I'm really tired. I've experienced firsthand that life can be lonely and tedious, and sometimes we feel like our lives won't matter or be seen unless they're recorded here and lots of people like and comment on them. And I've also experienced firsthand that this way of seeking validation has not in any way been worth the amount of energy I have put into it. It's never given me the peace and satisfaction I've been looking for because our worth as human beings was never meant to be reduced to such levels when there is a God who gives us a worth and meaning beyond words. 
So I've decided to take a huge step back from social media...not sure for how long...but I want to figure out how to be here in a way that is healthy and meaningful, that brings joy to myself and others, that maintains authenticity and ultimately points to the One who brings true peace and satisfaction to all our desires. Instagram will never fill us. It will never validate us. No human praise or affection ever will.  No amount of followers or brand collabs or photo features or free stuff or complimentary comments or Follow Fridays ever will. If these words hit a nerve with you, I can't recommend this book enough. Thank you @tonyreinke for allowing God to speak wisdom through you. (Post continued in comments....๐Ÿ‘‡)
Now that Nora is walking, she's been feeling pretty good about herself (lots of increased levels of exuberance and feistiness going on over here๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ™ˆ ) And so I call this the power stance. โœŠ๏ธ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ˜œ

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