coffee + comrades {a mom-friend post}

A friend & I just started reading through a book together. (I like doing this with friends - I am going through a different book with a different friend and it’s wonderful. It gives you something deeper to talk about & helps focus a conversation instead of having tons of time for me to just talk - which can end badly, I’ve found lately.)
Anyway, this particular book is about motherhood - the ups & downs but mostly about how Jesus changes you. About how all of this - the messy, the beautiful, the hard - is all for His glory. That’s a difficult thing to wrap my head around. How I can change a diaper & give glory to God. How I can wake up - again - in the middle of the night to administer Tylenol & soothe someone back to sleep after a bad dream to glorify God. It doesn’t seem like the kind of Kingdom work I had imagined as a follower of Christ. But it is. And even if it doesn’t always seem like it - it’s important. I read through this book once already in the fall but it has proved to be one that I can keep coming back to & be refreshed and spurred on. I wanted to bring a friend along for the ride and when I asked - she was quick to jump right in! Woo!
So, I rolled up this morning after school drop-off, we sat at her kitchen table, she poured me an enormous cup of fresh coffee and we chatted about what we liked in the first chapter, what challenged us, how we see this playing out (or having had played out) in our day to day lives. My daughter had two dirty diapers throughout the course of the morning, our boys wanted snacks and we had to fight to keep ourselves on track. But we did it! We got through our first “book club” meeting and had a good conversation (as far as mom conversations go)! We were able to challenge and encourage one another and I was just so dang proud of us for DOING it. Sometimes it feels like having deeper friendships is close to impossible when your kids are little. But man. It’s important. I don’t know what I would do without my friends - mom and not - in these years of wiping noses, diapers and LEGO creations. All the stereotypes are real but I’m so thankful for a community around me who does not settle for commiseration but pushes for Christlikeness as we persevere together.
Really, what I’m trying to say is that I’m just thankful. For friends, for Jesus, and for coffee. It’s a wild ride but it’s teaching & growing me and I am grateful that God gives me comrades on the journey.

This is the book I’m talking about.
Go to their website here.
They also have a podcast!
(This is not an ad - I just REALLY love their ministry to moms!)

donuts + dad-birthdays {a “secret”celebration post}

Today was Jordan’s birthday.
He doesn’t like to be celebrated.
I ignore his wishes pretty much every year.
I mean, it’s probably just a facade that he’s putting on. I’d bet anything. That he, my quiet, introverted husband actually secretly LOVES being the center of attention and is just so delighted when I make a fuss over him for his birthday. Even though he says “it’s just another day”. Don’t believe that for a second.
At least ... that’s what I tell myself when I not-so-secretly try to surprise him for his birthday. I’m sure he’s just overjoyed ...
His birthday weekend also happens to fall on Super Bowl weekend and I forget this pretty much every year as well. So confused about why his friends aren’t able to come hang out with us until one of them clues me in. “I have super bowl plans, sorry!” Riiiiight. I TOTALLY knew that. I usually forge ahead and plan one thing or another.
But ... I worked today & the boys had their once a week sports class so we rolled up to the house right before bedtime & I presented Jordan with Everyday Kitchen donuts as a humble birthday offering. (If you live where I live and don’t know about The Everyday Kitchen or haven’t tried their donuts - drop everything. Go now. Your life will change. I’m serious.) (Ranking from today’s donuts: 3 - Nutella, 2 - Salted Caramel, 1 - Strawberry Cheesecake) (See what I mean? They’re better than they sound.)
We split three between the five of us and it was a perfect little birthday celebration before the kids hit the hay (sugaaarrr craaaashhh).
Now we are watching NCIS & eating chips & that’s probably Jordan’s dream birthday anyway.
Cheers to being in our 30’s & truly loving  low-key birthdays!! We know how to party! 🎉🍩