good life with sarah bargo
Part of cultivating a good life is embracing the evidence.
A little while ago I read this awesome photo tip from Becky, which said:
PHOTO TIP: DOCUMENT THE EVIDENCE
“Next time you come across 'evidence' of a loved one’s existence . . . don’t even hesitate. Take that picture. Tell that story. These bits & pieces add to the fabric of our lives. The details of our personalities are often found in the little things we leave sitting around.”
Having two boys, this has always been one of my favorite things to do because I loved capturing the little details and cute things like LEGO guys or Hot Wheel cars, but I didn’t realize exactly how special it would be to me until it hit me like a ton of bricks last summer.
Once upon a time, my two boys and I relocated our lives from a big old farmhouse to a teeny 2 bedroom apartment back in my hometown. I’m not by any means a “clean freak,” but I knew that if we wanted to enjoy our new little nest, we would have to be somewhat neat, right? Well, we did really great for a long time, but as some of you parents out there know, when our little darlings turn into teenagers, they all of a sudden become SO BUSY that you hardly ever see them! They can fly through the front door, switch their clothes, eat, change a tire, clean their ears, write an essay, and throw a fresh coat of paint on their bedroom walls in like 30 seconds flat. I’m talking teenage tornadoes here -- in and out like a flash!
I started seeing a pattern here; I could tell you exactly when Kyle was home because he would LITERALLY leave a trail of goodies for me alllll throughout the nest. Shirts, pants, boxers, wrappers, socks, hats, books, protein bars, you name it. I was always saying, "Honey, please pick up after yourself. Sweetie, please try to be more neat. You know you can’t be a slob when you go off and share a dorm with someone." Blah, blah, blah . . . the typical mom stuff.
He’d just smile at me and say, “Mom, you know you’re gonna miss this someday! Mom, you know when I leave for college you’re gonna miss my messes! I’m really just doing it to kinda help you out -- it’s a public service really.” And then he’d just start giggling! Grrrr! Finally, it started to get to the point where I would walk in and just start belly laughing because I mean what else could I do?! I mean good thing they're cute because I swear this is why tigers eat their young! ;)
So the day had come. The moment I had been dreading every single day, all summer long. The day I had been dreading since he walked across that stage and received that coveted high school diploma. The countless hours of homework assignments and essays and projects he did the night before they were due -- it all had paid off. And he left for college.
We made the long drive there. After many hugs & tears, tissues & Tums, we got him all moved in, then I made the long drive back. I walked into my apartment, collapsed onto the couch, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Silence.
No more messes. No more trails. He was gone. And I sobbed. And sobbed. And sobbed. WOW, how the time flies. Wasn’t I just putting him on the bus for kindergarten with his new backpack and his little lunch box?! Instantly I became SO grateful for the tons of photographs and scrapbooks and memories, the newspaper clippings, the hospital ID bracelets from times that proved God's goodness, the messes, the trails. Those are the things in life that you just can’t replace.
So I urge you, when your little ones are stressing you out and your house is a wreck. When there are LEGO pieces strewn about and your fridge handle is sticky from those grubby little hands and the dishes are piling up. Enjoy it. Embrace the mess. Embrace the trails. Embrace the evidence. It all goes so fast! But now when I walk in the door and see a big basket of stinky laundry, a heap of a flannel shirt, a hat, and chains that belong to Mr. T’s fan club? I can rejoice, for he has come home.
Sarah Bargo is a part of our Creative Team using the physical product. She currently resides in the Chicago area with her two teenage sons and a crazy cat.