Encouragement · Inspirational

Is This Really Your Life, Momma?

Sasha

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Is this what has become of me, of my life? Sweeping up cereal? So. Much. Cereal. . . 

My last post went viral–viral! I often sit in complete shock as I watch the page views spiraling upward. It was featured on the New York Observer. Cloud nine–cloud nine hundred if there is one.

A cloud bumped up right next to reality. . .

I glance at my rising stats before stooping down to wipe the spilled cereal and milk now plastering itself to my kitchen floor. I make my way over to attempt a tackle at the never ending pile of laundry. I hear happy squeals coming from the kitchen and smile. This is the first time today the two of them haven’t been fighting. I go to see the merriment. It is my daughter taking handfuls of cereal out of the box, tossing it like confetti across the room, my son buckled over in laughter.

I use one eye to look around at the disaster. Perhaps if I use one eye the mess will only be half as bad? I grab a breathe as well as a broom.

The last crumb is finally swept and I turn on the music. Loud. The kid tunes begin to blare, and I start to dance–foolishly dance. I let myself go as I leap and twirl and swing my loves in the air. I feel my worries, my stresses, fade into the background. My children squeal and laugh, catching me with their smiling eyes.

I am suddenly out of breath in awe of them.

Of this. Of life. Ordinary, everyday, cereal overloaded life.

I catch a glimpse of my computer out of the corner of my eye–the computer with the rising stats. I continue to dance, for I realize this moment, right now, is my true cloud nine.

Life has its fleeting occasions of thrill and excitement, of dreams becoming reality, your “lucky break” shining through. Mostly though, it is full with the ordinary moments of the everyday–the miraculous, beautiful everyday. If only we stop to realize.

It is grabbing us by the cheeks between two sticky hands. It is in kissing those hands’ boo boos and holding them tight to cross the street. It is in days of laughter and nights of crying; crayon covered walls and yogurt flavored hair. It is in pulling out this same hair and reminding ourselves to take one more deep breathe.

It is whispering its beauty in our ear, “I love you momma.”

Do you hear it?

We may not win the Nobel Prize, or shake the president’s hand. We have been given the miraculous to hold each day. If only we stop to realize.

This is my forever cloud nine: everyday, ordinary life with my loves. I am never climbing down.

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95 thoughts on “Is This Really Your Life, Momma?”

  3. Congrats!!! I tear up every time I read your post. It was just so beautifully written. I am holding on to this one forever. Thanks!

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  4. I love this! Cloud nine is right here, in our kitchens, sweeping up piles of cereal. But…a post going viral is pretty awesome! 🙂 I feel pretty cool being able to say, “Yeah, I read Sasha’s blog before she became famous.” 😉

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  6. Congrats on your booming stats and more so on your beautiful ability to see the divine gift of ordinary moments. It’s this ability that makes happiness last forever, despite all the ups and downs! And dance parties with the kids are always a great idea…

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  7. This is very close to my heart. I wrote recently about ordinary life and how it was greatest blessing. This is a permanent ‘cloud 9’, like you said. Great blog. And congratulations on the previous post!

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  11. I just attended the Oprah Live Your Best Life Tour and it sounds like you’re living your best life right now, in the moment. This motherhood journey is your epic quest and you’re nailing it! We don’t get a paycheck and we don’t get that feeling of accomplishment like something is complete and done, but we get this. We get to be. Perfectly imperfect and dancing in cereal crumbs! Love this story and so glad your stats are booming!! Thanks for the inspiration!! xo

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  16. I used to cry on the floor, in the middle of all the crumbs, and wonder how my life had amounted to this. At the time, it frustrated and saddened me even though I loved my kids more than anything. Nowadays, those years are coming now because I realize how soon these crumbs will be gone. I just want to swim in the crumbs forever with my little loves. Thank you as always for a beautiful post.

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    1. Rebekah, I am definitely going to steal this and start swimming in the crumbs too! 🙂 Thank you for sharing these raw details of your beautiful heart. It can be such an emotional ride, this whole motherhood thing. When we stop to really see what we have though, it the most glorious of emotions.

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  19. Nicely said!!!! Being a Momma is a blessing and those silly kids with their silly ways do make the world in our lives a much happier place. Blogging wouldn’t be as fun if we didn’t have our crazy parenting Mommy Moments to share. Love your post and thanks for writing it. It made me smile.

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  21. Beautiful, Sasha!! Those moments of motherhood are like heaven–the highest of all cloud 9’s! And seriously, I’m so happy for all your success! I can only imagine it feels so surreal and exciting!! ☺ so happy for you!

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  26. Oh my sweet friend! Tears in my eyes as I read your blog and all the comments from mothers at home and loving those moments. From one of the “elder” mothers with grown children…I PROMISE you will not be stepping on cereal forever…it is gone when you blink your eye. Then you will be like me, and “mother” everyone you come in contact with!!! Congratulations on the viral blog…you will never know whose hearts you touched. Blessings to you and those lovely babies!!

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    1. Thank you so much for this!! You really are a “mother” to so many. I always love to read your words of wisdom and encouragement! Thanks for the reminder to soak up the time as it is, knowing it will be gone before I know it.

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  27. Congrats, Sasha!! So happy for you… and for the many more people who will be reading your awesome stuff. Also, I love that your real mom happy moment started with sweeping up cereal. So relatable. There are Cheerios everywhere in my world, and I’m going to do a little dance tomorrow morning as I sweep them up. (Who am I kidding. I won’t get to it until afternoon.)

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  28. Great job on going viral. Loved the post. Also, just an fyi, it’s “breath” not breathe. Ie) I’m taking a breath. Vs. Breathe in deep. Might want to update those. And I love reading your blog 🙂

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    1. Ah, I always do that!! I just get so wrapped up in my writing I tend to overlook those pesky little errors! Thanks for pointing this out! And thanks for reading!!! 🙂

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  32. It really is those moments, isn’t it? I’m coming off a solo parenting gig while my husband was traveling for a week and much of it felt harder than I expected but I also got to watch my three year old and ten month old actually attempt to play together for the first time and my heart completely melted.

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    1. I don’t think there is anything sweeter in all of life than to watch them playing together! Although mine fight like cats and dogs, they have just recently become the best of friends and my heart is a big pile of mush! 🙂

      Glad your hubby is back though!

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  33. This is beautifully written! I was nodding while reading. 🙂 I just started my blog and every notification of an activity –a Follow here, a Like there– can easily make my day. I can’t imagine what it must feel like when it goes viral, like your post. But I couldn’t agree more with you –the Cloud Nine is in the ordinary moments of everyday. It is in the unexpected moments when a kid shows me a newly-discovered talent “look, mama!”. It is in the magical moment when in the middle of coloring with my toddler, she tells me “i love you, mama”. It is in that moment at dinnertime when the 2-year old tells me “thank you for making the food, mama”. I cannot get over those feelings. Such a high! That said, it also feels great when someone like you checks out my blog. thanks! 🙂

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    1. I am always happy to connect with another blogger, and am equally as glad you have stopped by here! 🙂 LOVE your examples–cloud nine hundred for sure! 😉

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  35. Congrats Sasha! I’m so excited for you! 🙂 ..and yes, I agree! If we take a moment to consider the things that bring true joy to our lives, we find it’s usually rooted in the simple things we can so easily take for granted. Thanks for this reminder!

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  36. So sweet! Congrats on the viral post. Last night, my daughter had sand in her socks and someone dropped honey all over the ground. But the messes are really worth the love!

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    2. Haha, I too was thinking of what a bad combo those two make!! Glad you were able to see the positive Melissa. Cereal is much easier to sweep up than honey covered sand! 😉 🙂

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  38. Congratulations, Sasha! Your posts are always amazing and never fail to stir various thoughts and emotions in me. It’s great to hear that there are so many people who obviously agree 🙂

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  41. Sasha you have a beautiful insight, truly God’s gift, and I appreciate you sharing it. Have you thought about creating a workshop or instructional guide that puts together your principles, stories, and teachings of experiencing authentic joy with your children? I would be interested in that!

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    1. First off, I am overwhelmed with your kind words of encouragement!! I have never thought of doing something like this before, but it sounds like something I would love to put together! Thanks for starting my wheels turning. 🙂

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