Nothing Good Ever Happens After Midnight...Except...

Hey Kanakuk Friends,
I remember growing up and hearing my mom and dad always say, "Nothing good ever happens after midnight." Maybe it was a southern baptist preacher and high school teacher parenting thing. But I remember it. For the most part they are 100% true...especially if you are reading this and you are a beautiful teenage sweetie and your hormonal boyfriend wants to hang out till 3 am...this statement is very true for you.

But for the new anxious mommy...
     mommy of 1 tween, 1 toddler and 1 brand new baby...
          mommy of 4 kids under 5 years old...
               any mommy who is ever up past midnight rocking a little one because of a storm, nursing for the 5th time in 7 hours, snuggling a feverish little bug or just up with the morning light with an energy ball of love...

Whatever the reason...AMAZING, Magical things can happen after midnight...What if we captured these moments? It's amazing as much as I have been in the little, newborn stage in the past 5 years of life I already am forgetting...forgetting their breath on my chest. Forgetting who woke up the most or was the hungriest. Who switched day time and night time around (that was a hard season) and who slept through the night first. I'm forgetting...and I don't want to.

So hold on my sweet mommy...hold on to little coo's. Rock peacefully while you nurse knowing that you will make it...sleep deprived and all. You will...why...because God loves these moments. Think about it. It's still. It's quiet. It's total surrender to another life. Hmmm...I wonder if God knows anything about that? Caring about someone so much you would do anything, anything for them. Feeling so much love for that little being that your heart may explode. Hmm...I wonder if He knows anything about that at all?

You can do this mommy world! You can...remember their breath. remember their nails that can scratch your neck skin like no other even though their are no nails on their fingers. remember their bald heads. remember their chubby rolls or chicken legs. just remember...not with your phone, but with your heart.

Adventure and Wonder,
a

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
Camp! It's awesome!

Minivan Moments...

Hey Kanakuk Friends,

Oh the joys of minivans. Let me be the first to say I LOVE OUR SWAGGER WAGON! Seriously I love it. I was never that girl totally opposed, or even slighlty opposed, to the life of minivans. Minivans can say a lot about your life...what matters, what state it's in and probably so much more. Good things minivans can't talk...oh the stories they would tell.

So let's get real...here is my minivan. It honestly shows my heart and life right now. It's a bit in disarray but yet perfectly imperfect all at the same time. It shows that the son, referred to as the beast, never AND I MEAN NEVER keeps shoes on. It tells you Belle love dolls and taking care of little ones. Books are devoured in our house...our firstborn loves the adventures of Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy! (Thank you free books from Dolly Parton!). It also shows you we are never without snacks and sippy cups. And funny enough it shows my peaceful space of yoga, the blue mat in the corner. Yep, I'm a yoga girl! I'm still new. It's a splurge for our family but the hunter (my husband) says it's all worth it b/c I love it so much! I do! It's an hour where I get told what to do, sweat like I just pounded the pavement for 10 miles, and stretch all the stress away. I pray or try and think about nothing or just try and do the crazy move the teacher is doing. No plug for you all to do yoga...just showing you my minivan.

So there is a piece of me...well, a piece of my minivan. Which to me equals a piece of my heart...

This is the trunk...my husband is always ready to shoot something. So much camo!

Oh and we have toilet paper. Why you ask yourself? Because this family went camping with all 4 children in one tent, overnight! It was hysterical! And Memorable! And perfect! And chaotic! And sleepless...

Look at your car...what's it say about your heart?

Adventure and Wonder,

kanakuk ashley robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com
BEST SUMMER CAMP EVER! Here!