Inspirational Mama

Here is the lovely mama jumpingbean with her littlest squishy bean. Today, she painted my bump. She spoke empowering words over me as she worked:

"Imagine yourself as a huge tree in the centre of your family. You are strong, stable and calm. Your children sometimes need to come to you in joy and excitement, sometimes in sadness, sometimes in rage. They may dance round you, collapse at your roots sobbing, or beat on your trunk with their fists. In each case your job is the same, to be a strong, safe, presence, who isn't buffeted or knocked over by their feelings. Your branches give them shelter and love, and a safe place to be in the intensity of their feelings, whatever they are."

Not sure where the words are from, but they are words I needed to hear! She painted the word 'radical', which apparently has it's origin in the word 'rooted'. Who'd have thought? It reminded me of that quote (Alexander hamilton perhaps?) "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything", which in turn reminded me of my one and only new-year's resolution of 2012 - to honour my convictions and to stop appologising to people for my carefully considered parenting choices. I really needed this affirmation today - baby nerves have been setting in and Jeni's encouragement came at the perfect time. I need to feel grounded and rooted before baby arrives; in God, in Love, in my family and our values, in our relationships, in everything. I've been feeling wobbly these last few weeks, and I am choosing now to stand firm and be who I was created to be... And breath.

Later on, I painted Boo as a lion, which Jeni captured perfectly. It took quite some pursuading to wash off his little lionface at bed time. "I want to STAY a lion, Mummy!"

'Twas a beautiful day - I only wish Katie's Mummy had been able to share it with us too. We missed you, lovely! I will meet you one day, promise :o)