a day in HER life - Laura Wifler

Hi friends! My name is Laura Wifler. I’m the co-founder and Executive Director of Risen Motherhood, a nonprofit ministry that brings gospel-hope to moms. I’m a wife to Mike and momma to three young children, Eli (6), Colette (4), and Eden (21 months) and we live in middle of the cornfields of central Iowa.

My days start pretty early—I typically wake up around 4:30 a.m. I get dressed, but don’t do my hair or makeup. I just shuffle downstairs to grab a cup of coffee. I bring the entire coffee carafe with me into the library as I camp out for nearly three hours each morning, and I’m too lazy to go back to the kitchen for refills. I always start with Bible study. Right now I’m in Precepts at my local church, which means I’m sitting at the table, rather than the big overstuffed chair in the corner. I spread out my papers and pens and start underlining and researching.

After about 30-45 minutes, I switch to work. As the ED of R|M, I do a bit of everything. Most people know me as the co-host of the weekly Risen Motherhood podcast, but that’s only a small part of my job. This morning, I answer emails, create a new webpage for our new book releasing in September, rework and edit the content calendar, look over contracts and tax forms, and edit a few documents.

By 7:15 a.m. my kids are up and we start moving to get ready for school. I finish getting ready while my older kiddos get dressed and brush their teeth. I like to keep breakfast as easy as possible, so today we have left over biscuits. My sister-in-law, Becca, is also my neighbor and she brought them over for dinner last night. To my children’s delight, we slather them in raspberry jam and they gobble them up. Each morning we do a family devotional together during breakfast. Right now we’re working though “What Every Child Should Know About Prayer,” by Nancy Guthrie. We talk through 3-4 pages at a time and my kids love it.

From there we leave for school. My son is in kindergarten and my middle daughter is in preschool for three hours, two mornings a week. My youngest, Eden has special needs, but I have a rare day where she has no therapy, so we head out on some errands. I drop off tax documents at the account (I’m writing this in March, so I have an unusual amount of tax work—thank goodness that’s not normal!), swing through Target for a birthday present, and pick up some groceries.

Eventually, we’re back at the school to pick up Colette, then we head home for lunch. Afterward, the girls and I play for a bit together. I try to make this intentional time, so I put my phone on silent in a drawer so I’m not tempted to look at it. We read, play pretend farm animals and princesses, and chase the balls from Eden’s favorite toy, her ball popper.

(I promise they don’t normally play with bike helmets on. We recently received them as hand-me-downs, so the girls are very into them today.)

Soon, both girls go down for a nap. While I like to maximize this time as much as possible, I also try to read 20 minutes or so of a book at the very beginning of nap time. Slowing down is hard for me in every area of life, and this practice reminds me that I don’t need to move so fast. So most days, in the middle of the toys and mess, I sit and read.

 

Next, it’s back to work. But before I do, I pull some dough out of the fridge to make crusty bread for dinner tonight. It’s an easy thing to make while I work, and it gives me a few forced mental breaks as I keep it moving through the rising and baking process. When I sit back down to the computer in the library, I do all sorts of things. Today I’m working on outlining a new video project to promote the book, writing a blog post for our upcoming pledge drive in April, and outlining the next show for the podcast that my sister-in-law, Emily, and I will record in a couple weeks. Side note: A lot of people wonder if our shows are scripted. They’re not, but they are heavily outlined. We never practice before we record, but we have thought through the material ahead of time and written the main points down. Which means the show really is a conversation, just like it sounds.

Soon the girls wake up. Colette changes her outfit (she gets one outfit change a day) and I give my youngest daughter her medication. Quickly, we’re out the door to pick up my son from school. When we’re all back home again, I start soup for dinner while the three kids play together. Today Eli and Colette have rediscovered their boogie boards, so I’m enjoying a few minutes actually hearing the music I’m playing while I cook. (And no, I didn’t pose them like this.)

 

My husband gets home around 5:45 p.m. and we have dinner soon after. We typically clean up the kitchen together, then he goes upstairs to wrestle with and read to the kids. Eden goes down first around 6:30 p.m., then the bigs go down a bit after 7 p.m. I prep coffee for the morning and make lunches for Mike and Eli, then head to the couch.

Typically I do something more “personal” in the evening, and tonight it’s finally making Eden’s one year photo album, which is nearly a year overdue. When my husband comes down, we chat for a little bit about our days, swapping stories and talking schedules. Then we watch a few episodes of the Office. We’re rewatching it as we haven't seen it since our college days—which means it’s basically all brand-new to us! I forgot how funny it is! At 9:30 p.m. we head upstairs. I read a chapter of another book, we pray together, and it’s lights out for the day.

It’s a crazy life, but I love it. Everyday is different, but I’m thankful for the flexibility my job affords and the gift it is to be able to do what I love, while still be home with my children most of the day. If you’d like to follow along and see more peeks of my life, check out www.laurawifler.com, or on Instagram, @laurawifler.

a day in HER life - Tabitha Osler

My name is Tabitha Osler and I am the designer and director behind Faire Child, a new sustainable children’s outerwear company. My husband’s name is Nic and together we have Charli who, at 2.5 years old is a very adventurous and curious little creature. We live close to the ocean in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Starting a new business has been a lot like having another child but I am very passionate about making positive change in the Fashion Industry and leaving Charli with a better world to live in. I really see it as a privilege to be able to work for myself and be doing something that I believe in. 

These days Charli is our alarm clock and we get up when she does, usually between 6-7. Charli’s outfits are a morning highlight. She chooses her own clothes and I would describe her style as Make Believe. She is always dressing as a prince or princess – pure royalty, every day. Today she put on a blue striped ‘nightie’ – that’s what she calls all dresses – with a sage Stella McCartney tutu accessorized with oversized blue sunglasses. Needless to say, she is a pretty independent dresser and only really needs help putting on her shoes.

We bike to work and school once the weather allows. Charli rides in her Yepp seat and has her only little bell to ring. We all bike together to drop Charli off at her daycare to see her sweet petits amies. Her school subscribes to the Emilio Reggio educational philosophy. I love how they provide a great environment for her to play and do her work. Everything is at her height, things like sinks and tables are low. This accessibility allows her to play care free and I think it is very empowering for her to feel in control of her space.

After we have dropped Charli off, Nic and I bike to the Halifax ferry terminal and take it across the Halifax Harbour over to Dartmouth. The morning bike ride and ferry commute is my time. Being a mom and a new business owner means I don’t have much down time and this time in my morning schedule is precious. Nic and I work in the same building which has been incredible because we actually get to see each other and eat lunch together. It’s like a little mini date and it’s transformed our relationship since having Charli.

When I get to my studio office I am greeted by Beth and Alissa who help me with the ever- increasing responsibilities with Faire Child. It’s so great that they are there when I arrive and we can jump right into the work.  Beth also has a toddler and it’s a relief to be in the same boat as someone else. It helps me feel understand and it’s great that we can relate to each other in that way.

My approach is to work as efficiently and as quickly as I can. There is always too much to do and my hours are numbered. This is such a huge contrast from before I had Charli when I could work for hours on end and not worry about not having enough time to do it all. I cherish my time with Charli and try to maximize it by keeping regular work hours.

My average day usually involves a trip to Climate Technical Gear to manage production, do quality control and pick up stock. It’s so great to have our product made locally - it’s a 10-minute drive away and I love that. There is a minutia of detail in production that can easily be lost in translation. Being able to have face to face conversations makes a world of difference. My production team at CTG shares Faire Child’s values of creating eco-friendly products and they are passionate about improving their own system to reduce waste.

Nic and I head home around 4pm to pick up Charli from school. When we get home Nic starts preparing dinner. He worked for 8 years as a chef and he makes the best food. During this time Charli and I have a snuggle and she has some milk. This is such an important time for us to reconnect after a day apart. We all eat dinner together and often read books together at the table. Charli likes to play with her food and most of her dinner ends up in her water glass and then she eats it with a spoon. Kids! 

After dinner is family time. We have dance parties, listen to Peter and the Wolf, do some yoga or just play with toys. Charli’s favourite thing to play with lately is this natural play dough made of corn starch that we picked up at the farmer’s market. Sometimes we transition from play time to bed time with a bath. Charli adores water and pretends she a mermaid swimming around. She could spend all day in the bath is we let her.

Then we get Charli in her nighttime nightie – because there are daytime nighties now! – and get through the struggle of teeth brushing. Finally, it’s some snuggles in bed together while we read a few books although lately Charli has preferred us to tell her stories from our imagination.

Once Charli is in bed Nic and I usually have some work to finish. Nic does design work on the side and I also teach Fashion at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. I make this time feel more special by setting myself up with some sparkling water and playing classical music. We pack it in at 10 so we can have an hour to hang out together before we go to bed. 

Life is really full these days. There are so many things to be thankful for. Parenthood has reignited my childlike creative soul. What had become a dormant creative spirit after entering into the work force, has been welcomed back and has greatly impacted my work. Charli has reminded me that there is no right or wrong way to do something, my admiration of her willingness to try, her altered my once crippling view of perfection, and made me more accepting of failure, thus allowing me to be more creative. From the moment my daughter arrived, I felt as though I could reach any goal I desired and I started making choices that supported my true passion and goals, without inhibition and insecurity. Within a year of having my daughter, I was here, on my path to having the business I had always wanted.

Thank you Tabitha!

Shop - Faire Child 

Instagram - @fairechild

a day in HER life - Holly Crabtree

What is true “rest”? I believe this is a question that many of us wrestle with, or will, ultimately. For the past 4 ½ years, I have taken one full day each week to rest and not work, i.e. to Sabbath. This means that one day a week, I do nothing but participate in things that fill me up spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Over the years my Sabbath schedule has been tweaked, mended, and altered to fit a mold that truly brings my soul rest. There are many people I love being with and things that I absolutely love to do, but finding the balance on my Sabbath has been a challenge. For example, even though I absolutely love people, I am also an introvert, and I can be easily “drained” by interacting with people. I remember my pastor in Texas saying once that although he undeniably loves preaching, it is still a “drain” for him. He must find ways to be “filled up” after preaching. That is how I feel on my Sabbath.

First and foremost, what I have found over the years is that the only way I truly feel my soul find rest is in reading the Bible. As a follower of Jesus, I believe that the Bible is God’s very Word. When I read the Bible I feel His Words enter into my soul and give me rest. For me, the words are alive and active and they bring life to my weary soul.

In the past I have tried doing a lot of things that I enjoy doing on my Sabbath like: being in nature, going to a coffee shop, watching a movie, or being with friends. These are all things that I love to do, and they give my body physical rest, but, I can still leave all of those activities and still feel weary, or tired.

I haven’t always done Sabbath well, and I am still learning how to have a “successful” Sabbath, but my prayer on my Sabbath is always this, “God, be my dearest friend today. Even if I spend this whole day ‘alone’, help me to recognize your Presence with me. Thank you for this day to rest with You.”

I recently moved from Austin, Texas to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and I have had to shift my Sabbath routine to a whole new part of the world. I had to find a new routine and it took a few trial and error’s, but I am happily content with my new routine and I would love to share what works for me. I hold my Sabbath as a sacred day and I will always guard it and protect it – it has become my favorite day of the week!

My Sabbath day:

Here in Dubai I Sabbath on Saturday’s so I like to sleep in until around 9:00am. I put my phone on the “Do Not Disturb” mode for the entire day (this is so freeing for me!), make my bed, and then I walk down my stairs to the kitchen where I make a cup of coffee. I have a comfortable chair in my room where I like to sit and read my Bible and spend time with Jesus alone for one to two hours. I read, journal, and pray while instrumental music plays through my blue tooth speaker on my windowsill. After this, I head back down to the kitchen to whip up eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Sweet and savory – best of both worlds! I typically have peaceful music playing while I cook and I let the stillness of the home sweep over me. I then walk my full plate of breakfast over to my kitchen table where I open my laptop to watch one episode of Gilmore Girls (my new obsession) and laugh for a full 45 minutes. After this, I clean up the kitchen and head upstairs to get ready to head to my favorite Dubai café. On the way to the café I listen to a podcast in the car since it’s a 30 minute drive and I really love to listen and think about what is discussed. The café is located inside a garden center and I sit within an air-conditioned green house. I know, dreamy! I sip on a flat white while I read a good book for about two-three hours. I typically read a Christian fiction or Christian autobiography because I love learning about God from a different vantage point. When I have read until my parking meter time has run out, I grab my bag and head out. In Austin I always loved going to Chick Fil-A on my Sabbath, but since that doesn’t exist in Dubai (such a shame!), I have enjoyed driving to a hip food truck area in Dubai where I can drive my car thru. I then grab a burger and some sweet potato fries, sit in my car and eat, while watching one episode of my favourite vlogger on YouTube. Lastly, I drive home and end my day by listening to a sermon online from my church back in Austin, Texas and reflect upon it as I head to sleep before the week begins once more. 

There you have it! This day is a cherished day for me and I hope you are inspired to find a day to Sabbath in your own lives. I am a single 27 year old girl, so I recognize that I have more uninterrupted time to spend like this, but I know many marrieds and families who take a Sabbath day, as well. It might take you a few weeks to figure out a good routine, but you will and it will be worth the hard work! I wholeheartedly believe that God has created us to find our true rest in Him - He is full of Hope, Joy, Peace and Rest. Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.

Thank you so much, Emily, for inviting me to write about a day in my life. What a joy this was!

Warmly,

Holly

a day in HER Life - Manuela

 

Hi! 

 

I'm Manuela, a mother of two little wild beings, Luna  (a 20-month-old) and Pablo (a 3-year-old) and the soon-to-be wife of my kids dad and the love of my life. We live in a small apartment in the Plateau neighborhood in Montreal, Canada and we live a very happy and simple life. When we became parents, it was instinctively clear to us that we wanted to prioritize the time we spent with our kids so we decided I was only going to work part time doing something I love (taking pictures of kids and families) and that I was going to be with our kids and in our home as much as I could so we could have a peaceful and unhurried life. 

 

 

We are also very lucky to have my mom's daycare only a ten-minute walk from our place. They go there part-time and they love being with their grandmother and playing with their friends. I'm there very often too and I love being able to share all those beautiful moments with them. My boyfriend is an amazing portrait and advertising photographer and he's a living example of what hard work, faith and creativity can accomplish. I was born in Colombia so Pablo and Luna are half Colombian and half Canadian. I speak to them only in Spanish and their dad speaks to them in French. It is very important to me that they understand their roots. We've been to Colombia 3 times in the last 3 years and it is fantastic to see how much they learn and enjoy every trip. Being a mom is simply the most eye-opening, overwhelming and exciting adventure! 

 

 

Our morning routine is pretty similar every day. Pablo and Luna always wake up before the both of us at 7 a.m. We let them play with their toys and with each other and sometimes they do it for a bit but they always end up in our bed smiling and giving us hugs and kisses which is the BEST way to get up, really! Then I go make breakfast and while I do that they often make a fruit smoothie with dad (they love it!). We have breakfast together and then my boyfriend makes me the most important thing to start the day right, COFFEE! At that point I let them play again while I clean the kitchen a little bit and then dad goes to work and we shower and get dressed for the day! That's the part that's very similar each day but once that is done, the rest is always different. 

 

 

On the days they both go to their grandma's daycare, we walk together and get there around 9-10 am. I go back home and work for a while and then I go back around 3-4 p.m. and sometimes I stay for a little bit and do some kind of activity with them. On the days we stay home, we go play outside in the morning and we get back around 11 a.m. to start making dinner. Most of the time they're somewhere in the kitchen (they're never too far from me) and when it's ready, we eat and then we go to their room and we read stories until it's time for their nap. Pablo isn't napping everyday now, but we still lay down and if he doesn't want to sleep we knows he has to wait until Luna falls asleep and then he can go back to reading books or just resting for a bit. After their nap, around 3 p.m., they play again! They used to each have their separate room but it wasn't working well with both of them still waking up most nights so we decided they would share a room and it has been going very well! They now have a small playroom and a bedroom where they can rest and sleep. They're starting to play together a little bit more and they both love playing with their toys and making up stories.  We've moved a lot of furniture and the beds around since we moved but I think we finally found a way that works well for us. 

 

 

Once a week I have a day just with Pablo and on those days we often go for a croissant at a café in our neighborhood, we go play outside and we play a lot with LEGOs. We also go to the supermarket and/or the pharmacy together which is something I think is great to do with him and we talk, a lot! I also have one day just with Luna and we mostly play while doing the laundry and cleaning. We also play with dolls because it's her favourite game or with a spiderman figurine which she loves! Those days I get to spend with each of them are very special to me because I know it is an incredible opportunity and it's amazing how many good things come out from one-on-one time with your kids. 

That's what our different week days look like. Our week nights are pretty similar though.  Their dad gets home around 5h30 p.m. and their faces light up when he arrives! We always welcome him with kisses and we often talk way too much to him before he even gets the chance to take off his coat! After that I finish supper if I haven't already and we eat together around 6 p.m. We then run a bath for the kids and let them play there for a little bit. Around 7 p.m. it's story time! Pablo LOVES books, I could read 15 stories straight and he would still be listening!  After a couple of stories, we turn off the light and I stay with them until they fall asleep. I love that time with them. We hug and they often say beautiful things to me!

The weekends are their favourite time with dad! We visit our family or have friends over and it's always about enjoying our time together as a family. 

I've never been more tired, I often feel lost or scared but being a mom is best thing that ever happened to me. When I look at my kids, everything seems possible, life makes perfect sense and time slows down. I feel more present, whole and at peace than ever and that's the whole point, isn't it?  :)

Thanks Manuela! I'm so glad we're neighbours!
Instagram - @lelagomez

a day in HER life - Julia Flowers

Hi! 

 

My name is Julia Flowers from Julia & Child. I am a stay at home momma to a very spunky 3 year old Nova and we live Chicago, Illinois. Before becoming a mom and food blogger I sold wine to restaurants and wine shops and started a small catering business in my kitchen. I've always had a love of food and entertaining and more recently found my passion for teaching others how to cook on Instagram stories where 3-4 nights a week I cook step by step through a weekly meal plan that I post on the blog. It's been a lot of fun and what actually got me to start the blog this January. 

 

Like most families that live with substantial seasonal weather fluctuations our day to day shifts with the season and what we are able to do inside or out. Chicago winters are long and cold and so you really have to get creative or you will go stir crazy especially through the toddler stages. Our winter rhythm has gone something like this...

6:20 am I like to wake up at least a half hour but ideally an hour before Nova wakes up. I've been a morning person most of my adult life but I'm also an introvert and just need some quality me time before the day begins. The past couple of months my goal is to drink two large glasses of water before I drink my coffee or tea and most days this happens. I've noticed how much better I feel overall when I keep this habit. I either make a Bulletproof Coffee or Matcha latte depending on my mood that morning. With coffee in hand I also like to start my day in prayer and some scripture reading. I follow the Book of Common Prayer which guides my daily readings and devotions. 

6:45-7 am Nova wakes up! It's always with a boisterous "Moooooooommm I'm awake!" She usually wants something to eat right off the bat like a banana or some rice cakes with butter. She either runs to her play room paw patrol pups in hand or asks to watch a show. Even though I'm a morning person I like to ease into the day so I don't mind having her watch a show. 

9 am About this time I'm typically ready for some breakfast and that's either some reworked leftovers or eggs and greens. Nova likes eggs and gluten free toast or some yogurt with granola. 

10 am This is a pretty typical time for us to leave the house where we are off to meet up with other mom friends at someones apartment, coffee shop, indoor play space or indoor park district event. We also love love love our conservatories. If all else fails you can find us soaking up all the green plants and humidity that we can possibly muster.     

 

 

12:30 pm It's either lunch at home or lunch at the grocery store because I shop twice a week around this time. 

1:30-2:pm Nova takes a nap or has quiet time in her room. At this point she still naps on most days which I am super thankful for. I use this time to clean,read, catch up on podcasts, recipe develop, or cook and film dinner.  I also tend to have a cup a tea at some point. 

4 pm Nova is up or done with quiet time and she's ready for a snack and some play time. If I didn't start dinner early I will usually start around 4 and she'll play in the kitchen while I cook. She does enjoy helping on most nights but doesn't always eat exactly what I'm making. I like to take out the components that I know she'll eat but overall I cook the food I want to eat. Her tastes have ranged from eating everything to super picky to eating more variety as of late. 

 

5:-5:30pm I know, we eat early compared to most! 

7:30-8 pm Bedtime falls between this time with a typical routine of a bath every other night, bedtime stories, prayers and a song. 

 

 

My evening routine varies but I try and get in bed at 10 and lights out by 10:30. In the winter months I really enjoy taking baths with epsom salts and essential oils like lavender or cedar wood. And I try and remember to face mask at least once a week. This past summer I took the phone out of my room and got an old fashioned alarm clock so that I wasn't going to sleep and waking up first thing to a screen. It's been the best way for me to end the day with a book and not endlessly scrolling. I am so thankful for these days at home together. They have stretched me and taught me so much about life and the work of love that each of us is called to live. These are the days! 

Thanks so much Julia!

Instagram - @julia_and_child

Blog - Julia and Child

a day in HER life - Olivia Hewetson

Hi! I’m Olivia, or Liv for short. I’m a 29 year old stay at home mum to Beau (2.5) and Leo (8 months), step mum to Christian and wife to Matt. Outnumbered? Very much so. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Beau is my little fire cracker, he is always on the go and that’s what I love about him. He is a constant source of entertainment. He is also the most loving little boy I’ve ever met. The amount of kisses and cuddles I receive daily is uncountable. And he is the BEST big brother. The age that he is at now is quickly becoming a favourite of mine (minus the two year old tantrums!). Leo is the most loved little baby. He has the softest tuft of blonde hair and the bluest eyes. His smile is just to die for and his giggles are something else. I want to bottle them up forever. He is strong and determined and loves attention. And he just happens to have been born with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism.

In my previous life (before the kids) I worked in advertising sales in the big city. These days I’m living a more simple life in a smaller city, closer to the beach, spending my days making memories with my boys, preaching kindness and encouraging acceptance. All while adjusting to our new normal. Life is busy and often hard, but the joy that these little boys bring me is out of this world.

Each day is different for us, so I’m going to tell you about today, Tuesday, for no reason in particular other than because its fresh in my mind. It just so happens to be my husbands birthday today. February is a busy month for us. Anniversary, hubbys birthday, valentines day, my birthday. All in the space of two weeks. We don’t celebrate Valentines Day for obvious overkill reasons! Also, it’s not a huge thing here in New Zealand. Anywho, back to today. Our day started at 6am when Beau came in to our bedroom babbling about trains and Peppa Pig. We try to enforce a rule of no getting out of bed until 6.30 so I sent him back, but his babbles had woken Leo (who sleeps in our room) and I knew that there was no going back from there. I accepted the fact that our day had started half an hour earlier than I would have liked and brought the boys out to the lounge. I used this extra time to dig out a couple of ‘Happy Birthday’ banners to hang up for when Matt woke and to encourage Beau to repeat after me with “Happy Birthday Daddy!”

The couple of hours between 7am and 9am are spent sorting breakfast, a bath for Leo, getting the boys dressed and playing with trains or watching trains on Youtube. Tuesday is a daycare day (Beau goes there three days a week) so at 8.50am we are out the door. Matt works from home which makes things a lot easier when it comes to daycare drop off because I don’t have to drag Leo along with me and disrupt his nap routine. It also means that I can fit in a class at the gym next door to daycare. Todays class was BAT (Bums Abs Thighs), my favourite. It works me hard and it’s all over in 30 minutes. On the way home I stop off at the French bakery to pick up a couple of takeaway coffees and a cream donut. Not for me, why undo all my hard work in a matter of minutes after the class?! It’s for the hubby because it’s not every day it’s your birthday, and YOLO.

Back home and Leo is awake. He has been catnapping lately so naps aren’t really lasting longer than 20-30 minutes. Anyone know a good baby whisperer? Send her over! He’s just chilling out with Dad at his computer when I walk in the door. The weather is incredibly average today. I’m really not sure where summer has got to! I was supposed to be photographing a friend down at the beach today to document the final stages of her pregnancy, but the rain has meant that we have had to post pone until later in the week. I am definitely no professional when it comes to taking photos, but we figure that a good quality camera and picturesque scenery is a step up from the mirror selfies that she’s been taking so far!

I jump in the shower before Leo gets hungry again. There is nothing worse than having to breast feed your baby after a sweaty gym session! Once out, I feed Leo and then set to work in the kitchen whipping up some birthday desert for later tonight. After that I sit with Leo on the floor and practice his sitting up. Because his body is disproportionate, achieving milestones such as this take a little longer and he has to work that much harder to get there. So we encourage tummy time as much as possible to strengthen his neck and core.

Leo has a feed of solids in his new specialized highchair that we have just received from his developmental therapist and then I spend some time doing household chores while Leo goes down for his second nap. I figure I have approximately 25 minutes to get some things done before he’s awake again. You never realise how much you appreciate the midday nap until its almost nonexistent!

Once Leo is awake I pop him in the pram for a walk. The rain has stopped briefly so I want to make the most of it! Of course while we are out and about it starts up again, but it’s actually quite refreshing in the humid heat we’ve been having. We get home, play around for a while and then he’s off to sleep again. This catnapping means he’s tired more often. I take this as an opportunity to get 20 minutes of sleep for myself. Not something I would normally do during the day but I’m feeling particulary worn out this week and Leos night sleeping (or lack of) is really wearing me down.

I wake up and it’s time to go and pick Beau up from daycare. He has painted a birthday card for his dad and is extremely proud. We get home and he runs in excitedly to give it to him. We have dinner plans to celebrate his birthday at the restaurant down the road so we head there at 5pm for an early meal. We order Beau a kids size pizza but he’s not interested. Sometimes I wonder if he really is my kid! I tell him that if he doesn’t eat his dinner then there will be no ice cream for desert. He doesn’t eat it. Then the waitress brings out the complimentary ice cream and hands it to him anyway. I could have taken it from him but why risk the meltdown? So yes, my child was rewarded with cookies and cream icecream for not eating his dinner. That’ll teach him right?!

Back home to begin the bedtime process. Bath, pyjamas, reading and then bed by 7pm. Beau has had a big day and he’s knackered so he goes down well. Leo is quick to go to sleep too. Because of his obstructive sleep apnea, which is not uncommon with his type of dwarfism, he sleeps with a nasal canula (little prongs up his nose) which is connected to a machine that generates a high flow of air. This helps to reduce the number of apneas he has and allows him get a better sleep. At first it was quite a daunting machine to use. He disliked it which made me feel anxious when bedtime rolled around, but now he has been using it for two months and it is so much a part of his routine that as soon as he feels the air up his nose his eyelids droop and he’s out within seconds. He will be using this machine until he is big enough to have his tonsils and adenoids removed.

With both boys asleep I sit down with my homemade desert (a disgustingly rich but absolutely delicious chocolate mousse!) to get started on this piece of writing. Writing is very therapeutic for me, so this is the perfect end to my day.

So there you have it, a day in the life of me and my fam. It hasn’t been the most interesting day, but not every day is full of excitement. That’s just life. Tomorrow is Wednesday which is my day with both of my boys at home. Perhaps we will go to the beach if the sun is shining? Unlikely, given that summer has taken a hiatus, but one can hope!

Thank you Olivia!
Instagram - @olivia_hewetson
Blog - Our Little Lion Blog

a day in HER life - Lore Wilbert

Hello friends,

My name is Lore Ferguson Wilbert. I’m a writer who currently lives in the Dallas metro area, but I hail from about two hours from Montreal and miss the northern climate and people deeply. When Em asked if I would do A Day in HER Life post for her, my first thought was, “My life is so simple, who would want a running story on that?” But I found when I picked up my camera to document my day, it was actually the series of little things, the everyday things, the ordinary that bring me the most joy. I really love Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, “Live a quiet life and work with your hands,” and have tried hard to be faithful to that way of living. A print by Dana Tanamachi greets everyone who comes through our front door with those words and it’s been such a good constant for me, especially on days when it seems like everyone’s life is more glamorous than mine.

Our days start early. My husband, Nate, wakes around 4:45am and rolls quietly out of bed. As soon as he does, our two year old puppy Harper (who sleeps dutifully at our feet all night) inches her way up to his spot and stares at me until I get up too. As a rule I ignore her until 6am when Nate turns on our lights, opens our curtains, sits on my side of the bed, and prays for me before he leaves for the day. He thrives on discipline and his steadiness has been a gift to my right brained, procrastination-prone self. I get up when he leaves. I used to stay in my pajamas for a few hours (at least), but we have a male housemate so I get dressed before leaving our bedroom. This has also been a good discipline for me.

I head to the kitchen, make coffee and a green smoothie. I prep smoothie packs every week for the two of us, so they’re ready to just pull out of the freezer every morning. We just add a bit of juice, a couple handfuls of spinach, and some protein powder, and blend it in the Vitamix. Then I sit down with my Bible and journal. My regular Bible reading is fairly simple. I read one chapter, make 3-4 observations about the chapter (about God, man, me, etc.), and then write a prayer of confession, praise, or help. I’ve found this to be a very simple way of keeping me engaged in the text, while not being such a complicated study that I put it off (procrastination is my nemesis).

After reading Scripture, I catch up on some reading. My full-time job is to write, coach writers, edit, and think, so I consider reading to be one of the most important things I do. I read or listen to a poem (Poem a Day) and then I read all the pieces I bookmarked from the day before while I was on social media or feed reader. Some places I frequently read are Image Journal. Plough Quarterly. Fathom Magazine. The Hedgehog Review. The Rabbit Room. But I also will bookmark one or two current event news sites to glance at. After I spend about an hour reading, I’ll check into social media. I pursue pretty quickly, bookmark some things to read later, share a link or three from what I read, and respond to comments others have directed to me. Then I get into my work email. I keep my inbox really shallow, no more than 10-12 messages in there at a time. So my aim is to attack it with a vengeance everytime I get in there. I rarely check my blog email because it’s more like 10-12 hundred deep and ain’t nobody got time for that. After that, I will do a bit of personal writing, usually the sort that shows up on Sayable.net.

When 10am rolls around I take Harper (our puppy) for a walk. We live in a quiet neighborhood with a great trail across the street. I call it the Enchanted Forest Trail because we live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and we have to take our enchantment wherever we can. That’s a joke and if you’re from DFW, you get it. If not, well, it’s a concrete jungle here with very little natural beauty—which can kill a soul if you’re not careful. I’m back by 11 and then I get to work.
 
I usually write/edit/coach between 3-6 hours a day, depending on the day of the week. Each day I try to do two of each kinds of writing. For instance, today’s a Monday, so I do some personal writing for Sayable.net and then I work on a big writing project on my plate right now. Tuesdays, I edit in the morning and work on the project in the afternoon. Wednesdays, more of the same. Thursdays, I coach writers in the morning and meet with folks in the afternoon. Fridays are home days, where I give myself entirely to caring for our home, our menu, errands, etc. On writing days, my aim is usually to write or edit 2-3000 words total. That’s a faithful day for me.

I generally take a fifteen minute break every hour or so to just get up and get a quick thing done. Today I went out to the front yard and messed a bit in the garden for a few minutes. Then I took another break a bit later and folded some laundry. I also take pretty regular breaks in the day to discipline/train our puppy who thinks barking at passersby is something we enjoy and for which we ought to be proud of her. We do not and are not.

My workday is finished by 4:30 and I start dinner prep then. We mostly eat at home, everything from scratch and in season, and because it’s March, the pickin’s are slim. I make a batch of whole wheat pizza dough, sauté some mushrooms and spinach, use some leftover meat sauce from last week, and the end of the goat cheese and call it “Leftover Pizza.” Everyone seems to like it though. We have a pretty scheduled life and Mondays are generally the night we’re all home (my husband, our housemate, and me), so we try to eat dinner together then. It gives us a good opportunity to talk with our housemate, catch up on his life and things he’s thinking through. After dinner the guys do the dishes. Nate has done the dishes every night of our marriage (It’s his thing and I’m not complaining.) and I take a bath (That’s my thing and also, not complaining.).

We’re in bed pretty early on Mondays, usually by 8:30 or 9pm (most other nights we have things that keep us up later). We will often read (currently Wendell Berry for him and Kathleen Norris for me) or watch an episode of something (we’re really into spy shows). Nate is usually falling asleep by 9:30, so he prays for us, thanks God for his faithfulness, and prays we would sleep well and be faithful tomorrow and we turn the lights out.

That’s my day. It really is very small and very simple, but I’m deeply grateful for it. There were a lot of years I longed for this kind of simplicity and just didn’t see it ever happening for me. I also know that because God hasn’t given us children (not for lack of trying!), our lives are much more quiet and simple than other couples in their late thirties. I’m learning to not resent that, though, and just trust God has numbered our days according to his perfect will for each of them, and to be grateful. Thank you for joining me in this little glimpse of our day.

If you’re interested in reading more or following more of my daily goings on, you can read Sayable.net, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @lorewilbert or find me on Facebook by searching for Lore Ferguson Wilbert.

Thank you so much, Lore!
Incredibly grateful for your words, your ministry, and the time you took to share here.