Dear Sierra,
Thank you for this summer. You didn’t realize how much you needed it until you were knee-deep in. By the end of spring, stress and anxiety were mounting. You were on the cusp of burnout. The mental load of motherhood was becoming too much to bear. Your energy was so scattered that no one was getting the best version of you. Something had to give. For you, that was work, so you made the hard decision to resign. At the end of May, you cleaned out your desk, turned in your equipment, and embarked on a new journey. This summer brought so much change to your life, but it was necessary. I want to take this time to say thank you for this summer. You’re a better person for it.
Thank you for being patient as I pulled you from the life you knew as normal, completely upending your family routine to build something new. Adjusting to stay-at-home mom life has been just that, an adjustment. So much of your life was dictated by your work schedule, but you are finding a new rhythm to live by. Throughout the summer months, you have constantly reminded your kids to “please, just be patient with me.” Still, more often than not, you need that reminder for yourself as you battled unrealistic expectations and sought to define what stay-at-home mom life looks like for you. Keep reminding yourself to be patient. You will continue to figure things out as you go.
Thank you for this summer. The days have often been long and hard; sometimes tempers flared, your energy waned, and there were no plans. On those days, thank you for giving yourself grace. You and your family are not perfect. And that’s the way it should be. In the not-so-easy moments, you’ve given each other so many opportunities to learn and grow.
Thank you for this summer. Leaving a stable, well-paying job in the middle of a pandemic was one of the hardest decisions you’ve ever made. Thank you for taking a leap of faith. Thank you for choosing yourself and your family over what was comfortable and familiar. Your health and happiness are far more important than anything a job can offer.
Thank you for this summer. For the first time in a long time, you permitted yourself to rest, to find time for the things that ignite your heart and inspire your mind. In the first weeks of being home, you napped almost every day. Sometimes not even intentionally; sleep just overtook you. But I believe you needed that rest more than you know. The quiet time, the home manicures, reading, movies, doing nothing at all, it was much needed. For once, you finally felt in control of the pace of your life.
As the summer comes to a close and you prepare for yet another transition (kindergarten here we come), I’ll say it one more time; thank you for this summer. It’s been life-changing, and it’s one that you will look back on and cherish forever.
With love,
Your grateful heart
