12.15.2011

the most important thing

I've had a lot of failures recently.
Deciding to make a Christmas card using this collage with 81 pictures.
81 photos on a 5x7 card? Fail.

I decided to give myself a break this year and not send out cards.
But as the cards came rolling in...so did the guilt.
Now I’m having to address and send out photoless cards that I hate. Fail.

At first my disorganization was endearing.
Now it’s downright obnoxious.

I just started Christmas shopping for my kids yesterday.
I forgot to take Drew to his first day of basketball clinic.
I forgot a chiropractor appointment. Again.
I took Drew to a birthday party one week early.
I waited too long to order the super amazing fantabulous crystal ornaments from Pottery Barn, and now they’re sold out.
Failures #11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Our Advent calendar got started on December 6th...

Our Elf on a Shelf has forgotten to fly on several occasions...

...and we still haven’t done our Thankful Tree. Fail.

But... I’m trying not to let my kids feel my stress.
I have great kids. I have easy kids. They disappear together for hours playing. Their laughter rings through our house.

I remember a saying I heard last year:
“Act as if what you do matters. It does.”

I try to do that with my kids. Speak to them kindly even when my brain is overloaded. Listen when they're telling me something when all I need is quiet.

Do I always succeed?
*snorts Diet Coke out nose*
Of course not. I have yucky mom moments like everyone else.
But I try hard not to.

My kids are happy.

My kids are healthy.

We’re trying to raise them to love and serve God.



And isn’t that the most important thing?

18 comments:

SarahinSC said...

Why yes, it truly is the most important thing and I forget it all the time too. I do have lots of left over ritalin if you want me to mail you some! ;) That would surely help with some of the mishaps!

Love TT's jelly shoes! Do they even call them that anymore?

Kristal said...

Oh girl... we all fall short. I don't even do cards.... too much stress.

I just started shopping Monday... so not much earlier than you.

Unknown said...

Yes, yes it is.

I've been trying to do a "Jesse tree" with my kids... and I just remembered that I forgot to do it today. Again.

You're starting your Christmas shopping BEFORE Christmas Eve?? How organized of you! :D

Yay for kids that play together! One of my favourite things. :)

stacey said...

Oh Karli...you mean you're not perfect? ;-)

YES. It is the most important thing.

You and I are so alike. More than you know.

And I adore the photo.

Karen said...

Karli, no need for guilt when you are letting the Main Thing be the main thing (serving & loving HIM!)
I've been missing you. I know I've been bad (haven't been around much)! Have a wonderful Christmas.

Unknown said...

tonight i want to leave you with this...

you are not alone!
you are doing a great job!
your children are blessed!

all that did not get done is OK!
all that got done has eternal value! nothing here on earth can touch that!

keep pressing in and on towards the goal of our Savior! He is worth failing all the things you think you failed this month.

big hugs and love that photo of TT's feet!

xoxo

Natalie said...

Having your priorities straight: success.

Taking 81 pictures (and then some!)good enough for a Christmas card: success

Keeping it real: success

Making me realize I'm not the only one who had convinced herself to skip cards and then started feeling guilty every day at the mailbox: success.

Melanie said...

Oh Karli... Girlfriend, this was perfect to me. We are mommy's but we are also human beings. The most perfect part of you is how much you love and adore your kiddos. AND you LOVE your babies! Everything else is going to fall apart every once in a while... I say big whoopdeeeDOOO!

You are so crazy talented, it's really not even funny. You are a sweet sweet mama. That sounds pretty great to me! I hope a little bit of this made sense?! Lol!!! Xo

Andrea said...

Even if you feel like you fall short, I think you have nailed down the more important things in your life. That's all that really matters. :)

Jess said...

Ah, Karli. We should start a club. ;)

Discovery School at First Baptist Heath said...

i love how transparent you are....and that you put it out there... cause you know me.. I would not even admit to the diet coke flyin out my nose...LOL

My Honor Choir kid missed practice, not once but twice this week....I a such a mess right now

Anonymous said...

Oh Karli, You are so not failing. You are awesome and an amazing mom. :) I love how much you show of yourself. Love that photo too!

Casey Martinez said...

I can so relate to everything you said here. I am forgetting things like crazy this year for some reason and that is with one kiddo....hardly seems excusable but, with 3...oh yes, that is totally okay my dear! And we too had to rush out and get extra cards when I started to get so many from people and felt bad. oye! lol. You are a good momma!

Ashley Sisk said...

Yes - that's really all that matters. Who cares about the other stuff.

happy me said...

See now?
Those aren't 'fails'.
They're just 'life'.
I know how disappointed you were over your cards, but one of your 'photo-less' cards came to my house today and turned a really stinky day completely around!
I'm not exaggerating.
Little sisters can squeeze your heart like that.

That shot of Livi's Cinderella on the hardwoods? Gorgeous.

Michelle R said...

Ok, so I'm late to the party... and I totally diddo what everyone else said!! Lovin's, huggin's and all that!!

Yes, OYE! sounds like this last week has been crazy "real life" for you!! And you know what... that's ok!! We all have bad days, weeks, months (um, hello???) years, decades even!! But like you said, when it's all said and done, what does it all boil down to? And that, my friend, is something that you mark mark off as a total SUCCESS!!!

xoxo
Chell

P.S. Really, um, your princess is a total princess!! *love* those tiny toes in those tiny slippers!!!

Unknown said...

Oh how I identify with this post!! I don't have any amazing words of wisdom for you... just that reassurance that you are not alone! :) Hugs!

Lori Allberry said...

Wow Karli. So touching, so beautiful. ♥ ♥ ♥