When I wake up on Monday morning I'll walk into a kitchen with a counter and sink full of dishes. In my office I'll find a partially completed layout I'd planned to finish and post. On my computer l'll find emails I've not yet answered. In my closet and laundry room I'll find hampers filled with clothes to be washed.
When I wake up on Monday morning, instead of finding a clean house and an organized work space, I'll find a heart full of great memories from this past weekend.
As I begin that process of cleaning up the kitchen and getting the laundry going I'll be thankful that Chris and I got to spend a full weekend just with Simon while Anna had her first weekend at Grandma & Grandpa Camp (what we call going to the beach with my parents). We let him choose his own adventures with our full attention: swimming on both Saturday & Sunday, Toy Story 3, the park, chocolate ice cream, dinners of his favorite foods, cuddling with me on the couch.
When I wake up on Monday morning I'll hear Simon's words in my ear from Saturday night, "thank you for spending the day with me."
When I wake up on Monday morning I'll begin my day with a very thankful heart.
So sweet! Ill take a thankful heart and happy kid over clean dishes any day
As I get ready to have my next baby (in a few weeks), I will remind myself to take some private time with each of my older kids as often as I can!
What a very sweet post! Reminds me that tomorrow I need to play more and work less. I can’t do that every day, but I *can* do that tomorrow!
Oh Ali, this post made me tear up. Thank you for sharing it, what a sweet weekend of memories.
How wonderful for your whole family. I have all the same things waiting for me on Monday morning but instead a memory of “thanks for spending the day with me” I’ll probably feel guilty that I didn’t get it all done. Your post reminds me that I need to be present in the moment and not so hard on myself when I fail to meet my own expectations.
You will be so glad you took this special time out for Simon!!! Dishes never seem to end, but childhood does. Enjoy it when you can.
That’s just beautiful Ali. Thanks for sharing.
Isn’t being a mother wonderful!!! Thanks for the reminder as to what is important!
Just reading this made MY heart happy! We are just back from 2 weeks on our boat in Puget Sound, and to just UNPLUG and BE- just the 3 of us- was so great- a bit of a recharge of ourselves!
Thanks for the constant inspiration, and the very sweet reminders of how great each day can be!
Perfectly and Simply Blessed!
Wow, I totally agree. Sounds like a great weekend! I had the majority of Sat and Sun with my little one while my husband spent time with our oldest. I love one on ones.
That is fantastic! It’s so amazing to be able to live in the moment and put aside the chores and tasks that take up our daily lives and take our focus away from what really matters. Thank you for posting that.
I love it, and what a great way to look at a messy house on Monday morning. I’ll remember this great perspective.
Oh, that’s so beautiful! Thank you for filling MY heart with warm and fuzzy feelings on a grey Monday morning.
That sounds lovely : )
that sounds like a great week end
That is beautiful!
A beautiful heart. And a wonderful reminder, thank you…
Thank you for such posts, Ali! They make me think though I don’t have children yet. Have a great day!
What a lovely post, and a beautiful way to look at life. Your optimism inspires me, and reminds me that there’s always a positive way to look at things. Thank you
This is such a wonderful post. The most important “thing” was NOT left undone! Awesome times/awesome memories!
Thankyou so much for reminding us to be grateful for the everyday miracles of our lives.
Hi Katie! I have an idea of how you feel…I am the same way…your “being present in the moment” comment struck a cord in me! I have a hard time with that, too!
What a wonderful gift to Simon! He’s a lucky boy…
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
it’s good to be here, reassuring look on, things that happened and not only see this mess, but all that lived. Thank you for helping me look like that! kisses, Ali ..
sigh…
this made my heart full…
ali, you’re such an amazing storyteller!
thank you for sharing this moments with us.
This was so lovely and totally shifted my thoughts as I look around our messy home this morning! Thank you, Ali!
Moments like that are the most important…kids are only young once…and there will always be dishes and laundry. Thanks for the reminder to not stress about the unimportant things…
Love this post…it reminds me that i need to be more present in the moment with my daughter. Instead of worrying about what needs to get done, i need to stop and play when my daughter asks me to because she will only be this ge once.
Thanks for the reminder to play more, worry less.
we spent a wonderful day with the kids yesterday while many things went undone but i agree the tradeoff is worth it! off to tidy up! have a beautiful day, susan
What a beautiful post! It is peaceful to be grateful for the mess and remember our blessings.
good for you Ali! Simon will appreciate both his parents and sister a little more after a weekend just about him. I always tell my oldest he had me all to himself before his sister and brother were born!
you are so lucky to have your parents and be able to dedicate time to Simon. I wish I could do it sometimes too. but the best thing is that you do it and enjoyed the day. There are so many people with family and relatives close to them and they do not see the treasure they have.
Good for you! I have many more regrets about the moments I did not give my kids my full attention than I do proud memories of my house being clean and orderly! When you get to the point where they are leaving for college or moving out for good, you don’t want to have that, “could I have a do-over sensation.” Happy for you!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post. Sounds like the truly important things got done
Thank you for the poignant reminder of the little things.
I couldn’t agree more! I was also lucky enough to have my oldest to myself this weekend. My heart is full of gratitude and my sink full of dishes as well…and I wouldn’t want it any other way! Thanks for sharing.
love this
what an awesome reminder that the tedium of undone chores is actually a reminder of great memories!
Awesome. How right you are.
what a great way to embrace a Monday morning. Thanks – you just started mine out in a more positive light
And, when Simon turns 25 years old, as my son, Scott does today…he WON’T remember if there were dirty dishes in the sink after the weekend or if the laundry is caught up. He WILL remember, that he had a fun weekend with his parents’ and that he had their undivided attention AND…He will remember how special and safe and loved he felt. As my son and I discussed last night, time goes by so quickly…We need to invest our time in relationships that last a lifetime!
fabulous post Ali! Simon is such a precious boy!
wonderful post…just what i need this monday morning!
This almost made me cry. thanks for the reminder that moments with family are so much more important than dishes or other chores. Chores will keep while family moments will pass us by if we don’t take advantage of them. Thanks again!
i love how you turned what could be chaos ( dishes, clothes, etc., etc.) into something positive and memorable and a heart full of great memories!!
sue
your post brought tears to my eyes…i can’t tell you how much i needed to read this today
thanks! now up off the couch (after a wonderful weekend with my family) to get the house put back together!
Beautiful. You’ll all remember that weekend for a long time to come.
Awesome. Love it.