she melted me.

She awoke shortly after I returned from work, and I just couldn't help myself. I carried her down the stairs, whispering for her to stay quiet. These moments are few and far between. They are forbidden in a world of multiples and chaos and structure. As I reached the bottom, I glanced over at our reflection in the big old mirror that sits in the hall.

There she was... a two year old whom I thought would be the last to ever exit my body, nurse at my breast, and sit in my lap. A passionate spitfire who fully embraces her position as baby of the family. As she snuggled against my neck, legs spread over my swollen pregnant belly, I breathed her in for just a few extra seconds. She melted me.

This little lady has been refusing her pacifier and user her big brothers' proper names lately, and we're all a bit bittersweet about it. We've never shared a baby like this before, and nobody's not quite ready to let her grow yet.

there's room enough.

Early this week, a friend & coworker lost the love of her life. He died suddenly, practically in front of her and their nine month-old son. On his birthday, of all days. I can't imagine the pain she's experiencing even as I type this, but what I've seen come from this girl has been otherworldly. She's been full of shock and grace. Pain and peace. Strength and tears. Vulnerability and numbness. It's all so heavy.

In the days since, our community has responded in the most beautiful way. Chris & I prayed for her heart, washed her laundry, dreamed big things for her future, and picked up her mail. My church's small group aborted plans to meet at our house one night, opting instead to clean her house. My coworkers stocked her kitchen and diapered her baby and encouraged her to eat. Plans are in place to support her as needed, when the days turn to weeks and months. Chris has already volunteered to expand his daddy daycare services and reworked the layout of our house to make room for her, if she ever wants a place to stay. We've all stayed busy with work and family and the day to day, but there's been room enough for our girl. This week has served as a reminder, that there is always room enough.

In our schedules.
At our tables.
In our wallets.
On our hearts.

savvy space: master dresser

Not much to show in this room yet, but I'm sure it'll come together just in time. We'll Christopher will paint and hang curtains soon, and that's about all I asked for pre-baby. A few months ago, my mother-in-law asked if we wanted "this old beat-up dresser" of hers. It spent a few decades in my husband's old bedroom, and I squealed with delight when the boys unloaded it at the farmhouse.

These days, I'm trying to be intentional about maintaining a bedroom free of clutter. Walking into a peaceful, clean space does wonders for my mood! This dresser holds me accountable, as I only allow my daily jewelry to live on top. I reserved the top drawer for my other pieces, as well as wayward hair accessories and other junk that make their way into a mother's possession throughout the day.

Someday, I'd like to have the two armoires in our room stained to match this piece. But I hear wood staining is a beast of an art, and we've already established that an artist I am not. For now, I'll just pretend that everything else in the room is as beautiful as Grandma's dresser!