When Summer Plans Change: Choosing Family, Grace, and Moments that Matter

This past week has not gone how I imagined.

We had summer plans- sunshine, adventures with the kids, backyard projects, maybe even a few moments to catch my breath. But sometimes life has other plans.

My oldest fractured her elbow. We’ve been in and out of appointments, navigating discomfort, frustration, and a new kind of slowness in our summer. On top of that, we’ve been dealing with severe constipation (the kind that leaves both kid and parent feeling overwhelmed). It’s been hard physically, emotionally, and mentally.

I haven’t worked on the blog. I haven’t touched a single DIY project. And for a few days, I haven’t even really wanted to. But here’s the thing: I’ve realized that supporting my family is my most important “project” right now. 

Finding Calm yesterday outdoors after a hard week

This week, I’ve tried to lean into what matters most. Holding space for my daughter. Managing pain. Encouraging her through hard moments. Finding bits of calm in the chaos. And reminding myself, again and again, that it’s okay to press pause. To find peace in the unproductive. To be okay with my house being untidy (a huge struggle for me that I often fail at).

Summer may look different than I imagined. Less progress. More snuggles. Fewer checklists. It’s been hard and draining but it is where I need to be. 

But there's still beauty here.

And when I’m ready creativity will come back. The blog will be here. My projects will wait. But these tiny, hard, precious family moments? They won’t. And that’s where I need to be right now.