📅 Before the Calendar Changes

I have a feeling that question might quietly shape everything that follows

Photo by Aaron Burden

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Hi Love,

This morning, there was a notebook open on the kitchen table.

A stack of books waiting to be shelved.

A planner with a few penciled-in dates.

The evidence that another season is beginning.

I made a cup of tea and stood there for a minute longer than I needed to, looking around the room.

The house was still.

Outside, the cicadas were already singing, even though the sun hadn’t climbed very high yet.

Summer hasn’t quite packed its bags.

And yet…

I could feel myself leaving it.

Not because anything had changed.

But because my mind already had.

It started making lists.

Remember to order those books.

Don’t forget the dentist appointment.

We should probably decide on extracurriculars.

What are we doing for science this year?

Should I reorganize the homeschool shelves before Monday?

I hadn’t even finished my tea.

I’ve noticed this about myself over the years.

Sometimes my body begins rushing before my life actually does.

I’ll catch myself walking through the house a little faster.

Holding my breath without realizing it.

Thinking three conversations ahead.

Planning meals for a week that hasn’t arrived yet.

In those moments, my nervous system is on overdrive.

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience?

Whether your children are heading back to school, beginning another year of homeschooling, or have long since grown, I think there is something about this time of year that invites us to brace ourselves.

As though we’re standing at the edge of a river, watching the current pick up.

I used to think preparing for a new season meant getting the house ready.

Cleaning the closets.

Buying supplies.

Organizing the calendar.

Checking off every box I could think of.

Those things still matter.

But lately I’ve been wondering if they matter less than another kind of preparation.

Preparing my heart. 💗

My husband and I have been talking a lot lately about this coming year.

This year we’ve found ourselves asking different questions.

Who do we hope to become together this year?

What kind of home do we want to create?

How do we want our girls to feel when they wake up in the morning?

Safe?

Welcomed?

Unhurried?

Known?

We’re letting those questions linger a little longer than the practical ones.

They don’t always come with immediate answers.

But they change the way I look at the practical details.

Because if I want our home to feel peaceful…

I probably don’t need to carry panic into it before the season even starts.

The other morning, I noticed myself standing at the kitchen counter with one hand resting against the edge of it.

I stopped.

Placed my other hand over my heart.

Took one slow breath in through my nose.

And instead of letting the exhale disappear, I let it become a quiet hum.

Not because humming fixes everything.

But because my body needed someone to tell it, “You’re safe.”

That simple moment helped me pause.

The books still needed to be organized.

Meals still needed to be planned.

Laundry still waited patiently in the basket.

But I changed.

Just enough.

Enough to notice the breeze coming through the screen door.

Enough to hear laughter drifting down the hallway.

Enough to remember that this late-summer morning was still mine to live.

I’ve been thinking lately that maybe presence isn’t something we stumble into once life settles down.

It’s something we can intentionally practice, especially when life begins asking us to speed up.

And maybe our children won’t remember whether every lunch was perfectly packed.

Or every lesson went exactly as planned.

But maybe they’ll remember...

A mother who paused before she reacted.

Who laughed more than she hurried.

Who came home to herself, again and again.

The calendar will fill.

It always does.

But this year, before I ask what needs to get done…

I’m asking something else.

How do I want this season to feel?

I have a feeling that question might just shape everything that follows.

I’d love for you to press play and soak in this episode of the Soul Care Mom Podcast

🎙️ Listen Here →How Do I Stay Calm When Life Speeds Up Again?

And I would love to hear how you would answer the question… How do I want this season to feel?

With Love,

Catherine 🤍✨

P.S. If you’re still gathering supplies for the new season, I recently organized a few of our family’s favorite Amazon lists—from homeschool resources and art supplies to calm morning favorites and back-to-school essentials.

They’re simply collections of things we’ve genuinely used and loved over the years, and I hope they make preparing for this season feel just a little easier.

🤍 →You can browse them here

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💖 Join the conversation...

Here’s the question I’m reflecting on:

I would love to hear how you would answer the question…

How do I want this season to feel?

👇 Drop your reflections in the comments, or hit reply and share. I would love to hear from you!

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Everything shared is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. I share in the hope that it will help you feel empowered and inspired. Always seek the guidance of a trusted health professional for your unique journey.

You are loved. 💖