Field Trips & Momma Dreams

Normally a blog post stirs in my heart for at least a full day or two, and often sits in my “drafts” for more than 24 hours. This one is hot off the press and straight from my heart tonight because I am SO passionate about it.
Today I attended a field trip with my niece and some of our family. My sister in law told us she was going on the kinder field trip to the zoo, and asked if we would like to join them. Cheyenne is at a PERFECT age for the zoo. She had so much fun seeing all of the animals and with the cooler weather, a lot of the animals were very active and playful. Trip to the zoo plus your fave toddler bff cousins, is a no brainer for us to tag along on this field trip.

Living in such a small town, you run into multiple people you know. I was met with a few confused faces today as to what the heck I was exactly doing there. A few friends were like “WHAT are you doing here?” Haha, it’s almost like they could have said, “you are here by your own choice?” I realize sometimes that I am in the minority in loving school events like this. I am not judging you if you hate to see the permission slips coming home, but I am also going to be real with you and say, I don’t relate to that feeling.
From the moment that I found out I was pregnant with Taylor, I was looking forward to the days that my baby girl, and future kids after her would be in school and I could go on field trips with them. This dream of mine comes from my own childhood.
My mom was at EVERY. SINGLE. field trip with my sister and I. My parents were at every single basketball game, track meet, cross country meet, soccer game, etc. etc. It shaped so much of my childhood to have them so involved, and I knew immediately in my heart that it was the same legacy I wanted to pass on to my kids.
Before you ask and wonder if my parents “worked” and still had all that time to spend with us, let me share a little bit about that side. My Mom & Dad own their own Chiropractic office, it was less than a mile from our school at the time. Through most of my kinder through eighth grade years my mom (who worked in the office with my dad) would pick us up from school and we would go to the office from 3:30 to 6:30ish. My sister and I spent much of our life playing in the “kid area” in the back of the office, doing homework under the therapy tables, and pretending to answer the phones and schedule patients. They worked hard to provide for us, but also found a way to still be there in the events that mattered. As we got into our high school years, my grandparents took over the role of picking us up from school since we started going to school out closer to our house in the hill country (30 minutes from my parents office). They would pick us up from school, drive us by Sonic for a treat, or hang around waiting for us to be done with after school sports practices.
I share all of this to say, FAMILY is all I have known. Regardless of how hectic or busy or chaotic life was, my family was constant. I realize this is not everyone’s legacy to pass on. Your childhood may not echo mine, and that is OKAY. Why not make YOUR OWN NEW legacy? Traditions, and values can start with you. All your kids will have one day is your memory and experiences you spent with them. And please momma, allow yourself some grace. Don’t let missed events make you decide that you are a failure as a mom, or just not cut out for it. Those are lies straight from the enemy, the Lord gave those children YOU as their momma. Make the most of what YOU CAN DO!
I realize this is a bold blog post, and it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But I am ok with that, and like I said, I don’t love you any less or judge you in any way. I am simply a momma who has this fierce passion in my heart, and I am using this post as a reminder just as much for myself, life passes in such fleeting moments. Let’s make the most of every day.