We spent nearly 10 days at the lake with our whole family. My parents, my sister’s family, my brother’s family, and our crew. 

By the way, if you can’t keep track anymore of the James crew… I get it! That’s 18 total people for those who lost count! 

Now listen, this lake house is tiny! (And half of it was under construction)

But somehow all 18 of us lived in about 1,500 square feet for over a week!! 

It was loud. It was crowded. But it was surprisingly peaceful!

The Gift of Being Together (Even in Chaos)

Something about being at the lake shifts the dynamic of our everyday life.

At home, we’re juggling toys that belong to one kid or were gifted to another. 

At the lake? 

Every toy is a hand-me-down from our childhood! No one owns anything, and no one argues over it.

The competition between siblings eases up. 

The pressure of being “in charge” of everything fades, because we’re all pitching in.

Everyone dumps their laundry in a pile by the stairs.

Someone (usually my sister or my dad!) runs a load.

Someone else cooks breakfast while others are folding the clean laundry.

And somehow, it just works!!

It made me think: Maybe the minimalist life has a point. 

Or maybe what I’m really craving is the rhythm of working together, where everyone carries a little and no one carries it all.

The Danger of the Trenches: When Motherhood Steals Your Joy

I won’t lie, coming home from the lake was jarring after such a peaceful 10 days!

The dishes were still out.

The pantry was a mess.

Laundry was everywhere.

And as I looked around at the chaos, one phrase came to mind:

The danger of being in the trenches is that it can steal your delight.

Motherhood is full of small, repeated challenges that wear on us. 

And if we’re not careful, they become the lens through which we see our entire life. 

I don’t want that.

So this week, I made a decision:

I will delight in my kids, even when it’s hard.

Choosing Delight in a Messy Season

Real talk: some days, it’s hard. 

It’s hard to delight in your children every moment.

But this week, I started doing something with one of my kids just to have something between us. 

I don’t even know where it came from but we have this thing where we hold up two crossed fingers to each other. 

We could be across the dock or across the table and I’ll cross my fingers and look at him, and he does the same to me…and we have this little connection.

It’s silly. It looks like it means nothing to the outside. But to us it means everything.

I don’t want to miss it. At the lake, so many of his typical struggles disappeared, and I just enjoyed being near him.

With Evy, I’ve been delighting in our night time conversations. After bedtime we’ll snuggle together and just talk through the day.

The other night, I wished I could have recorded the whole thing! It was one of those conversations you want to bottle up and keep forever.

My mindset used to be “Ugh, it’s late and I have a lot to do!” And now I’m choosing to delight in these moments that are going to go away so fast.

Delighting in Life Before the Season Changes

But really, it’s not just about delighting in your kids.

It’s about not waiting for life to feel calm or ideal before you enjoy it.

Because how many of us say:

“When this season is over…”

“When it’s less chaotic…”

“When I finally catch up…”

But what if this is the season you’ll look back on and wish you’d enjoyed more?

I don’t want to arrive at the teen years and realize I survived, but didn’t delight.

So this week, I’m asking God to help me reframe the chaos. 

To slow down enough to see the joy that’s already here. 

To stop measuring my day by how productive I was, and instead ask: 

Did I show up with love? 

Did I choose connection over control?

Professionally: A Week That “Got Nothing Done”

This week was one of those where nothing got crossed off the list.

One child was in urgent care.

Another had a specialty dentist appointment.

I had my own health call.

Groceries? Not ordered.

Suitcase? Still unpacked.

Check-in for flights tomorrow? Not at all!

Work? Barely touched.

And yet, I’m learning to be okay with that.

Because choosing joy in motherhood doesn’t come after the to-do list is done.

It comes in the middle of it.

Why Am I Telling You This?

Because I know I’m not the only one trying to do life differently.

Trying to slow down.

Trying to see the beauty in the mess.

If you’re constantly frustrated… 

If your only quiet time is after you reset the kitchen and you’re already too exhausted to enjoy it… 

If you feel like you’re missing something in the middle of raising your family…

You’re not alone.

You can find delight again. Even in the trenches.

And it starts with choosing to see what’s already good, already present, already here.

Thanks for reading, friend. This is where I am.