Ohhhhhhhhhh man 2015. I had the absolute greatest moment of my life (THIS), and one or two moments that might take the cake as the worst of my life (that I am not fully ready to share on the internet, but hopefully one day).
Becoming a parent this year has taught me countless lessons. To name a few: The selflessness of the “parentdigm shift“, the value in adventure, the necessity of a dance party, the joy of stillness, and the capacity for my heart to feel emotions beyond what I ever thought possible (basically how to feel ALL THE FEELINGS).
But when reflecting on this transformative year for us, Chris and I both agreed hands down that the greatest lesson we have learned is the value of community. We are not sure we would have made it to where we are today without the following:
Our dear pals who brought us food the first month Georgia was born, and who without we would have probably starved.
The mom’s I met in my prenatal class who I rely on a daily basis for laughs and sanity, and who I’ve received texts of “you got this mamma!” more than I can count.
The wonderful cashiers at our IGA grocery store that we see on a daily basis, and always try to make Georgia laugh.
The amazing baristas at our coffee shop JJ Bean who have seen Georgia every day since she was born, and still comment on how cute she is.
The incredible bartender Tanya at our local watering hole, Uncle Abe’s, who embraces us for “parent hour”(between 5 pm and 6 pm), and calls Georgia by name when we enter (because even as a baby who doesn’t want to go to a bar where everybody knows your name!?).
The mom’s at the Mount Pleasant Community Center open play gym who I know their baby’s names, but not theirs.
The random people on the street who stop and chat with me, especially on days when I’m feeling lonely.
We’ve discovered new depths of community in this great city and neighborhood we call home. Yes the people we already know and love, but also all the kindness of strangers, for when we have a glass slipper moment with Georgia in the grocery store and they help us find that one shoe that fell off, or that woman at the coffee shop who brightened my day when she said “your baby’s eyes are so beautiful it made me spill my coffee” (true story!).
Community is a powerful force. It needs to be nurtured, but also one must take the time to appreciate it. So thank you 2015 (and Georgia) for teaching us how much we truly need community in our lives.
And as a small way of showing gratitude and giving back to our community, we have purchased the 2016 Hope in Shadows Calendar and December issue of Megaphone, which this year has the extra bonus of really awesome wrapping paper inside of it (and which you can see Georgia chowing down on above)! When you give someone a Hope in Shadows calendar or use Megaphone wrapping paper, you’re directly supporting homeless and low-income people. So not only can we give gifts with meaning this holiday season thanks to Megaphone, the calendar will also remind us of the value of community all year long.
And here are the super festive and sweet wrapping paper designs that you can find in the December issue of Megaphone:
