LIFE AS A FAMILY OF 8

So life as a family of 8 might be the one that has felt the most tiring (except for that time when we had 3 babies under the age of one)! It's probably the adjusting to a lot of things all at once this year that has made our days feel mostly like a blur, I mean we're officially school parents now and waking up before the sun comes up is no joke! While the overall feeling of life right now feels tiring and so full, I think this season more than ever I've wanted to be purposeful and intentional with our time and remembering to still see beauty.

We had the privilege of my sweet friend Karen (Elan Photographie/Fortitude + Finn) come into our home to snap some moments in time of what life is like for us right now. It made me teary looking through them seeing how she was able to grab snippets that say so much about our story. It made me look at the mundane details that usually are our days in a new light. I wanted to write down the little things that mostly get forgotten among the chaos so I always remember these little things that add up to the bigger picture as we're raising these precious hearts. 

A few things that are giving me life:

-a crowded couch of little ones snuggled up next to each other

-the sound of little feet running, jumping, and playing around on our dirty tile floor

-special treats and Shane making coffee for us in the morning 

-a back porch/patio with tiny tricycles racing around the table

-the girls playing coffee shop and restaurant in their playhouse and decorating it like it was their own home

-blocks spread across the floor from hours of sibling play and imagination happening 

-giggles on top of giggle on top of loud giggles!

-Dash always playing with or throwing around balls

-late night conversations with Shane connecting with each other

-snuggles from Penny in my arms

-constant coloring at the art table

-the pure love and delight Penny's siblings feel for her

I believe taking time like this to look a little closer allows gratitude to sink in deeper. And in turn, it changes my perspective when life feels hard and exhausting. I want to come back to these moments when the exhaustion hits and remind myself why I really love being a mama and why it's all worth it in the end.

I hope this inspires you to do the same. Maybe grab a journal or pull out the notes on your phone and jot down a few things in your day that you're loving right now. I guarantee it will be a heart changer for you when you need to pull it out again on the days that feel draining. And when it does feel hard and tiring for you, know that I'm right there with you. You're not alone mama.

All photos taken by Élan Photographie Studio