Wading Through Motherhood: One Year Later

Last year at this time, our tight-knit blogging community lost one of our own.

Melissa from Wading through Motherhood was a mother of two, a wife, a gifted writer, and an amazingly supportive friend. Her death was sudden and devastating to so many of us who were used to seeing her face on Periscope, her comments on our latest work, and her words of encouragement in our news feeds.

As news of her passing spread, it was profoundly evident how much she had impacted our small community of fellow writers. Always positive, upbeat, and intensely supportive, Melissa’s death left a gaping hole in our hearts and was difficult to grapple with the hard fact that she was no longer with us.

One year later, we want to take the time to honor her legacy again with some of our favorite posts. Please take a moment and read through a few. I promise it will be worth the investment of your time…

The Best of Wading Through Motherhood

 

5 Things to Teach Your Kids About Love

“Sending flowers or saying “I Love You,” are ways we express our love. However, love is more than just an outward expression of words that we might see on some conversation hearts. I believe love is best revealed through actions. As a parent, I want my children to know what love looks like.”

For the New Mom

“Between the midnight feedings, rapid-fire of unsolicited parenting advice from others, and piles of laundry, it may be hard to catch your breath. But when you do, breathe in their loveliness. Soak in their wide-eyed wonder.”

 

When Your Emotions Take Over: Just Breathe

“When everyone else has gone to sleep, breathe in the quiet night air. Breathe out all the negativity. Exhale and remember you can’t control everything. Remember that  it’s okay to feel anxiety, frustration, sadness,….it means you’re human. Breathe in, breathe out, deep, deliberate breaths, you’re doing just fine!”

 

Because I’m Not Perfect

“Because sometimes you have to push aside some of the chores and the allure of perfection to savor the moments with your family.  Sometimes, the workout gets skipped in favor of coffee and laughs with your friends.  Sometimes, you realize that certain things are more important than others.”

 

4 Things Parents Can Learn from Mary Poppins

“Use Your Imagination: From jumping into a chalk drawing to making up fun words (Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious anyone?), the fantasy elements in Mary Poppins are plentiful.  This reminds me to tap into my children’s imaginative spirit. From cloud watching to making up songs, kids are always ready for some creative fun!”

 

And from her very first post….

“When I was about 16, we took a family trip to Hawaii. In Waikiki, the water was warm and shallow; I felt as if I could wade for miles through the clear water. It was then that I cut my ankle on some coral reef. Now, in my mid-30s, I still have a few faint scars on my ankle. The scars are a reminder of the fun I had that day but also remind me that even wonderful things have their drawbacks.

Motherhood is often like wading through unknown waters. You don’t always know what lies beneath the surface, however you keep going. One day, the water may be clear and warm. Other days, it may be frigid and rough. And, sometimes, you may get hurt or even scarred from a bad parenting experience.

Living in Southern California, I’m often wading through the shallows at the beach. My daughter is getting older and venturing out further into the ocean. My toddler son, still timid,  likes to splash in the wet, muddy sand. I love experiencing all these firsts with them. As I “wade” through motherhood with my children by my side, I realize there will be highs with the lows, just like the rise and fall of the tides.” 

May you leave today a little more encouraged than the last. The legacy of her words certainly live on within all of those who knew her best.

XO The Good Enuf Mommy