Do you ever simply just survive your mama days? You wonder how you made it out in one piece? You did your best, gave your all, and yet, it still didn’t feel like enough? You strive to do all the things and have the most fun with the tiny humans you brought into this world, and you still stumbled all over the place. You got angry. You expected too much. You yelled. You did the things you said you would never do. In your mama eyes, you failed. In your (way too hard on yourself) mind, you didn’t do enough.

Now, your tiny humans are finally in bed sleeping, after twelve thousand books, a million “huggies,” and twice that many kisses. Do you ever wonder if you made a difference? Do you worry that you’ve somehow ruined the little lives you have such an impact on, day in and day out? I know I do. My mama brain runs a million miles an hour, recounting my day, looking for ways I could have done better, things I would change.

But here recently I got to thinking....what if I just pick one thing, and try to make that change? I find myself thinking about what I want my girls to remember. What I want them to think about their mama when they aren’t with me. What I want them to see or hear in their mind when they’re faced with a challenge, trouble, or a life decision. Maybe this will be a time when they’re an adolescent, and a friend hurts their feelings. Or maybe it will be a time once their mama is no longer here with them. (I know, super morbid...but this is how I think).

I have always loved the song by Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope you Dance.” Just a few of the lyrics include, “...I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean...I hope you never lose your sense of wonder...may you never take one single breath for granted...never settle for the path of least resistance...when you come close to sellin’ out, reconsider...And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance...”

More than anything, I honestly hope and pray my kids choose to dance. Both literally and figuratively. I hope for SO many things for my kids. But this week, in the thick of life, in the hard days, through the tears, I am singing this sweet song to my three children. Whether it’s riding in the car, or rocking them to sleep. And maybe one day, when life is staring them in the face, when it all feels too heavy, they will hear their mama’s voice, remember those lyrics...that they will keep their wonder, never settle, reconsider, and DANCE.

What is one simple thing, action, or song you can choose this week to change? Maybe it’s something you say, something you do, or something you sing. Just pick. Make the change. And do better tomorrow. You’ve got this, mama.

Magical Words written by: Tiffany Blackwood

Adorable Photos by: Grey Day Photography