The Unexpected Ever Afters is taking a brief break to soak in the summer sunshine and will return shortly! In the meantime, enjoy some throwback posts from our 2025 Summer Destination Shoutouts: An aMOOsing North Dakota Stop Trolls in the Woods Spend the Day on the Water in North Dakota National Park Junior Ranger Program …
I wish I could wrap up my daughter’s confidence, protect her joy and ability to celebrate her successes, so she can always keep her self-esteem the way it is right now. I am inspired by her. As I considered her moments of self-assurance and how I want to better incorporate similar qualities in my own life.
So here I am, still navigating the maze of this challenging season; still dealing with dead ends, struggling to be patient with the process, and trying to choose to feel it all.
Life is full of both: it is hard and it is full of joy. There are painful accidents and there are also New Year’s Eve cookies and conversations. There are feelings of helplessness and fear and also feelings of gratitude and connection. Life is full of complexity. Life often has an and.
Spring brings new growth as well as a sense of fresh beginnings. Ideas and goals that hibernated during the winter months slowly peek back out as the days get longer and the sunshine and fresh air provides much needed mental rejuvenation. As I reflected on my spring season, I have found that helpful, small reminders accompany the feeling of new beginnings in this season.
I cannot pour from an empty cup and neither can you. Remember who you are, remember what is good, remember to take care of yourself, and then do what you can
As I prepared to write my 2025 post, I thought to myself, this year is going to be different, I am going to write about slowing down and living in the moment. Except as I re-read my past New Years posts, I realized that in essence this has been my theme all along. It is a reminder of how easy it is for me throughout the year to get pulled into the hustle culture and catch phrases on how to successfully do it all, that I forget to remember that I previously decided not to buy into it. Nevertheless, this New Year I am recommitting to continuing the journey of enjoying the day-to-day life I live.
I just wanted to share this post for all the mamas that are also drowning in worry. A soft landing spot on the internet for the middle-of-the-night “Am I worrying too much?” or “Will my anxieties ruin my kids?” searches. You’re not alone.
I enjoyed soaking up the start of summer with some extra time to spend with my family as well as additional time to relax. I found myself reading more, laughing more, and even sleeping more soundly. In the blink of an eye, the month was over. As I transitioned into July, I thought about a reflection practice that I learned from a favorite author of mine, Emily P. Freeman.
The Unexpected Ever Afters will be taking an early summer break so we can spend time with our families. We look forward to returning with a new post Monday, July 15. Happy Summer! -Wendi & Jessica
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