Before maternity leave I expected the first message I would share upon return would be magical; full of happy pictures and anecdotes about life with a newborn.
(In case you didn’t know, Mason Atlas, born 8-16-20 is our first child!)
Instead, I return humbled – and floored – from the unexpected challenges we’ve navigated…
…struggles with weight gain, posterior tongue tie, latch and milk supply, food sensitivities, infant headaches and colic from birth trauma.
We’ve overcome A LOT. As you have in your life, I know.
And it has given me a new awareness. One I hadn’t experienced before this phase of life.
My heart tank dropped to empty.
At a time when I thought my heart would be fullest it got extremely taxed. It doesn’t mean there aren’t wonderful moments (there certainly are!!) but I was stretched to capacity in learning to care for this tiny being.
What I know about you is that you’ve navigated major challenges this year too. With Covid restrictions and distance learning and cancelled holiday gatherings you have tried new ways to be happy.
But the truth is, sometimes happy is hard.
You look carefully within yourself for a solution. And when that doesn’t produce answers you look at the surrounding “problem.”
Even then, we can be at a loss. This leads to feelings of sadness, which for some of us can turn to anger.
So today I write a message of acknowledgment. I see you. I FEEL you.
Sometimes, we do not have an answer on how to fill our hearts after hardship. And that’s ok. YOU don’t have to find all the answers.
Life will show us a path.
Life will give us hints.
Life allows us to be imperfect.
You are allowed to be human. And have a journey that involves struggle.
If you want to watch a 5-minute video on our imperfect parenting path you can watch it here on Facebook:
I won’t be returning to email until January, 2021 but I’d love to communicate with you more personally. Send me a message through one of my personal accounts: Facebook—Samantha Moe; Instagram—iamsamanthamoe
Just for fun…here are ways I’ve recently spent my time online:
- Lady Gaga’s album Chromatica
- The Speed Cubers on Netflix
Sending my love,
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