grace-filled friends

Well, we've officially entered the season of Cancelled Plans. This is a tricky season to adjust to in motherhood.  I can plan all the playdates I want, but it's a real gamble if those gatherings will come to pass. Between kid's illness, mama exhaustion and bad weather life is a little less predictable than the rest of the year.

The night before Ivar's birthday I had tables set for 26. I had six pounds of hamburger. I had two birthday cakes. I had presents wrapped and party games. And then in the middle of the night, I had a little birthday boy with the flu. And a cancelled birthday party.

The next weekend I was set to celebrate Annika's birthday with her and my mom with a nice lunch and later was supposed to go to a mom's conference with church friends. But that morning I woke up with vertigo so extreme that I couldn't lift my head off the couch. And I was so sorry for myself!

And this past week I took the kids to a class in town and didn't realize until later that I had also told a friend I'd meet her at the ymca for a water weights class. I totally stood her up. So I left her a crazy-apologetic voicemail telling her how badly I felt. But when we connected next, her response stopped me in my tracks.

She wrote the nicest, most grace-filled, understanding reply, reminding me of the season of life we're in, that between sick kids and off days and bad weather and keeping all the plates spinning, we just have to do our best.

I was so grateful. It was the exact grace-filled encouragement that my mom-heart needed to hear. And I'm so glad to have heard that right on the onset of this stay-flexible season. Last year my friend Rachel and I tried to meet up six times throughout the winter, and always one of our kids was sick or the roads were bad. It never failed. We'll try again this year, but be ready to give a lot of grace too when our plans fall through.

So here's to putting things on the calendar and hoping they happen. And for grace to give and receive when they don't.