On Seasons

I have been thinking a lot lately about seasons (and not just because we are in full-on fall mode in New England with this lovely nor'easter blowing through) and specifically about the seasons of our lives. I would say we are in a serious "check that off the life to-do list" season with our first home purchase, one kiddo growing up and another growing in my belly, Matt plowing his way through school and both of us really trying to grow in our careers. 

It is a busy, busy season and one that can be considered a little stressful. Our expendable income and savings does not exist; we owe a lot of money from buying our home both to the mortgage company, people that helped us out, and the credit cards companies that we had to utilize to get us through that time. Add in to that a mortgage, paying for school and paying our nanny to help us raise such an awesome little girl and there is not much leftover for the rest of life. Right now most of my income goes to childcare, which is more than worth it and should really be a lot more than what we pay (Lord knows she deserves every cent times a hundred!). Sometimes this keeps me up at night with stress, especially with a new baby on the way and a largely unpaid maternity leave, but I know that this is just a season, Raises will come from the time and money we put into our careers and educations, some day our children will be older and the cost of their care will be significantly less and surely one of these days we will pay off some of our debt. 

Sometimes I wish we could travel more, spend more on new things for our home and splurge on some fancy things I have been wanting forever (like a computer for home to blog on!) but then I think of this season and all that it gives me at this moment, and I feel in such a better place. We are so lucky to have a home we own, to have careers that we love and want to thrive in, to have a super happy little one who is in such loving hands every single day. We are working to make a happy, successful life, and not just in an income sense, but in the sense that we want to be present for our kids, to show them what loving what you do looks like and to role model healthy, respectful relationships. And despite how busy we are, I think we are doing a pretty swell job. When I hear Maddie playing pretend with her animals it is amazing to hear the scenes she plays out having them share, go to races to cheer each other on (no, seriously, the giraffes are avid marathoners) or make each other pancakes for breakfast. That says an awful lot about what she sees around her, not only from us but also from her extended family of caregivers, friends and family. 

This season may be poor in one sense, but it is so, so rich in another and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in my life.

Her pick at the pumpkin patch - the smallest, least orange one she could find. 

Now that is a happy kiddo.

Making friends, wherever she goes. 

Maddie took this! I added the filter, but a pretty good shot for someone that doesn't stop moving.

Oh, Maddie.