A letter to my 2021 Self,

Right now you’re in the middle of newborn life, crying through painful breastfeeding latches, navigating raising 3 children and still trying to fully heal from postpartum complications. It’s a lot. No one expects you to breeze through this transition. Give yourself a little grace. You will figure it out.

I promise that the baby learns to latch and breastfeeding becomes second nature to you both. While he still doesn’t sleep completely through the night, you get longer stretches and start to feel human again. You won’t believe how close he is to walking, the number of words he can say, or how full of joy he is!

Soon school will start back up. Yes, you have a 4th grader now and he’s at another new school, but his teacher is amazing and he is going to thrive this year. Just wait till you see how far he has come! Soccer also starts again soon and watching him chase his passions will spark a desire to chase your own.

The preschooler finally gets to go back to school too. Wait till you see her learn to count, make new friends and thrive. She will become a mini Mama to the baby (which is both helpful and stressful at times.) Unfortunately, she is still in your bed a year later but does sleep all night. You win some, you lose some.

As for you, I know the overwhelm, exhaustion and anxiety feel never ending…but you will experience the absolute goodness of God this year. Lean into Him, listen for His whispers and trust that He is going to meet you right there in the sleepless nights and over the sink of dirty dishes. I can’t wait for you to experience Him! You will also grow deeper in your marriage, learn how to lean on your husband more and watch yourselves grow into an incredible team. Being his wife is still your very favorite role (it’s even better now!)

My last bit of advice: take a break and ask for help when you need it. The house doesn’t always have to be spotless and you don’t need to be superwoman. Read the book, write all the words, start the puzzle, plant those seeds, bake the bread, kiss your husband “too much”, dance to Taylor Swift, read the books with silly voices and be silly with your kids. Life is hard, it always will be. But you’ve got a great one and I hope you trust me enough to see for yourself. You’ve got this, Mama ❤️