Before we go any further, I feel like I owe some of my newer subscribers a teeny bit of a warning.
Because, apparently there are enough of you here now that I can no longer assume you know what you signed up for by subscribing to my weekly blog posts.
In short, some weeks we talk about all things home and decorating, such as how to make a foraged Fall arch or hydrangea wreath for your front door or how to transform your living room with gorgeous wall paper.
And other weeks?
We talk about the heart.
The tiny unfoldings of life happening just inside the hydrangea adorned front door and the small shifts happening in my heart, during whatever flavor the current season of life is bringing.
So…
I asked Chat GPT to describe me as a warning to someone who was about to spend a lot of time with me 😬
Just so you know what you’re dealing with, here are a few possible side effects from hanging out with me.
Consider yourself warned.
Here is what Chat had to say –
warning:
Spending time with Heather may result in an unexpected urge to rearrange your furniture, plant a limelight hydrangea bush, wake up for the sunrise, reconsider the paint color in your kitchen and have a slightly deeper conversation about your life than you intended.
Guilty I suppose.
Here’s what else you should know about me according to Chat GPT.
Heather is warm, perceptive, and way more ambitious than she initially lets on. She is also a dangerous combination of creative + sentimental + capable. And don’t be fooled by the decorating. Her real obsession is people. Home, writing, motherhood, faith, encouragement, connection—those are the things underneath everything else. The biggest warning: she cares deeply. Probably deeper than is always convenient. She can overthink because she wants to get things right, especially when something matters to her. And if she lets you into her world, she will remember the little things you told her six months ago.
And there you go.
You’ve been warned about the side effects of hanging out with me.
In case I haven’t said it lately.
I am so glad you are here.
(Especially despite the warned side effects. ) 😂
I’ve been thinking about our Home with Heather community so much this Fall and the one thing I keep landing back on is this –
A deeply grateful heart.
I’ve been blogging for over 6 years now, which is crazy typing, because I can still clearly remember sitting and my desk and bossing my scared brain into hitting publish on this first post
And here we are.
The space where we bounce between the book ends of home and heart and all the things in between.
And right now…in this slice of time…there happens to be a lot bouncing around in this heart of mine.
In case you didn’t know, we are in the beginning of the school year that I have heard others refer to as –
SENIOR YEAR.
In the past, when I would hear my Mom friends refer to their child as being in their “senior year” I would feel my heart exhale a soft sigh of relief…because thankfully –
We weren’t there yet.
Deep breath – we still have more time.
Until now.
Yes, our oldest daughter Eve is in her capital S, Senior Year in high school this year.
It’s officially our turn.
Just this past week, Eve started an internship at the very same preschool that she attended…with the same exact teachers that taught her the alphabet and how to sit criss-cross applesauce on the circle carpet.
Speaking of that pre-school carpet?
It holds some pretty fond memories, like Eve’s special day when she got to sit in the special rocking chair and brought her precious “blankie” to show and tell.
Yes, there is something about witnessing your oldest child inch toward the edge of childhood that makes you look at time differently.
And this preschool full circle moment, knitting together 2 year old Eve to almost 18 year old Eve, has me feeling this season and the tender days of past and and the blurry days ahead – deeply right now.
Which brings me to Fall.
It has become a practice around here, that every year around this time, I share the handful of things that are saving my life in Fall.
Wireless Wall Sconces // Aluminum Round Tray
Not in the dramatic sense, but in the sense of, here’s what is helping me to feel like me – in this right now minute.
So if you’re like me, feeling a bit like the emotional volume in your head is too high…I see you, come sit by me.
Maybe this post will help you – remember how to be you, by watching me remember how to be me.
And on the topic of what is saving my life in Fall – as usual, some are practical, some are silly, and some have surprised me.
But like every other time I share about what is saving my life in the season we are in –
It all counts.
Today on the blog, I’m sharing the tiny practices and pieces of daily life that are saving my life in this Fall season…
And yes.
In this senior year, Fall season.
Because, this my friend is uncharted territory for me…
And also?
Oddly familiar territory at the same time.
And I have words to say about it all.
Come find out what I mean.
Follow me friend.
What Is Saving My Life In Fall
At the risk of stating the obvious, Eve is a senior.
I know you know.
But I am also forcing myself to type that sentence again in an attempt to connect what my brain knows to what my heart is gradually grasping…as to help my head and heart keep up with a walking pace together…
Versus the alternative of – my brain dragging my heart through the season like a toddler who doesn’t want to leave the amusement park when it’s time to go home.
You see, I am learning to stop resisting the tension of time in this threshold season.
The season where it really does feel like we were just in that preschool classroom…
And yet, here we are…learning to let go of what was and hold gently to what is true for right now…
A beautiful wrinkle in time –
Which leads me to the first thing that is saving my life in this Fall season…
holding loosely with open hands
We are just at the beginning of this senior year season and yet I am sensing a shift in my heart.
I have spent a lot of my mothering years holding on to how it is right now and savoring it. Tucking it into my heart and trying hard to not lose it.
It – being the feelings, the senses, the joy, the laughter, and even the hard and the tears..it all counts.
All of the growing up stages, the big milestone moments and the small bed time kisses in between that we tend to take for granted…
Because as I have written before…I know that – the way it is right now – is only for right now.
Life is always changing which is why I tend to personally pause and reflect in attempt to mark the fleeting moment in my heart…and know –
It’s ok to grow into the time.
It’s why I wrote this letter to Eve “3 Things I Want Our Daughter To Know Before She Turns 13,” on the day before she turned thirteen and we officially had our first teenager in the house.
Over the years, I’ve been learning that a mother’s love is a lesson in letting go…
And – that there is a difference between treasuring something and trying to keep it the way it was.
One holds time gently, protectively, even still with a soft grip…and the other clenches it with tight fists wrapped around it, desperate not to lose it.
But no matter the grip?
The time still slips through the cracks.
Time always finds a way to leave.
The seconds slip through your fingers like sand…the difference in what I’m learning in this new to me season is this –
Once the sands slips through – you don’t lose the sand.
You just hold the collection of fine treasure in a different place.
Your heart.
Because?
Your heart will always hold what your hands no longer can – the same.
So yes, I’m holding a lot in my life right now – more loosely.
I’m holding…
Time more loosely.
The plans for the future more loosely.
My ideas of how a situation should unfold more loosely.
Pretty much anything that is special and sacred…breathes better when there is actually room to breathe.
In other words?
Clenched fists are not recommended for best results.
I’m learning to let a season be just that – a beautiful season without needing it to stay.
….To be continued.
foraging & Decorating With hydrangeas everywhere
I have always loved clipping the stems from our hydrangea flower bush to use throughout the Fall season and into Christmas.
Last year you might remember, I used some of my hydrangea clippings to decorate our Christmas tree.
(Craving a little Christmas decorating inspo? HERE are my Christmas tree decorating ideas from last year)
This year, my clippers have been getting a work out as my love for decorating with hydrangeas is in over drive.
Earlier in the Fall season, I had so much fun making this DIY Fall Hydrangea wreath and last week I incorporated the hydrangea stems into the foraged Fall arch for our front door.
I honestly can’t get enough of decorating with these dried hydrangea stems.
I love placing them in vases around the house, in planter pots on the floor and even baskets.
Pro Tip: Once you clip the branches, tear off all the leaves and fill a vase with a few inches of water, place the stems in the vase for a little drink and let the water evaporate and the stems dry our naturally – SO EASY!
Getting outside & moving my body
I know I may sound like a broken record.
But this rhythm of getting outside and moving my body is so critical to my personal mental health – it bears repeating.
Taking a walk on the local trail behind our house is a version of therapy for me.
Because – when the emotional volume in my head is too high and my thoughts are all tangled?
Walking always has a way of working it out.
And recently?
Recently I met a tree that looked the way I felt…
This tree might actually be what inspired me to lean into holding time and all that is precious to me –
More Loosely.
Because as I stopped and stared…my eyes eventually were drawn UP.
As far as the tree reached toward the sun…the vines around it twisted more tightly…
Eventually choking the tree out, stunting it – so it could no longer…
Reach for the sun.
That tree felt like a gentle whisper…
Hold loosely and grow with the time.
If you’re not in the routine of taking walks friend…can I just encourage you to try a walk around the block.
Leave your phone at home and show it who’s boss.
Take notes from nature and let your mind be renewed by the creation surrounding you – I promise it helps.
And on the days when I am feeling a little more ambitious?
I go for my mental health jog…
Which leads me to the next thing saving my Life in Fall.
widening my perspective vs a narrow lens
In case you didn’t know – I take my mental health jog on a route that I embraced a few years ago, that leads me through a cemetery.
Now, before you stop reading because you think I am officially weird – READ THIS POST: “Where are you finding yourself lately?”
Once you read the post, you will understand the backstory of who, what, when, where and WHY I jog through the cemetery.
Now, here’s how this mental health jog through the cemetery is helping me in this Fall season.
Every time, I jog through, there is always a new grave being dug and prepared.
And this week…this empty tent had also been set up in funeral preparation.
And honestly?
Just staring at it straight on at eye level…it reminded me of how limited our time and our perspective is here on Earth.
As I’ve heard Pastor Rick Warren say in the past, our life here is simply put – temporary.
Our time here is training ground for eternal life.
“This life is preparation for eternity. We are in preschool. This is the warm up phase. We will spend more of our life on the other side of heaven.” – Pastor Rick Warren
Our decisions are often as only as good as the information we have at the time…which often feels and is limited.
And so?
Instead of continuing to force decisions with a narrowed view…I am choosing to get lower.
Change my perspective…and look at the same scene from a wider perspective…
One that makes room for the blue sky above and the unknown, unseen and unmistakable bigger plan that is always at work, even when we don’t understand.
So friend, if life feels chaotic, noisy, confusing, disappointing, defeating or just down right sad right now?
Know that, changing where you stand, crouching low, squatting or even laying down to look up…can help give you a glimpse and gentle reminder that often – choosing to look at life from a wider perspective…
Well it feels a lot like love – for yourself.
And one thing I know for sure is –
Love now prepares us for heaven later.
look up
I wake up early.
Before anyone else in the house stirs…
Not because it’s easy…but because it’s worth it to me…
To start my day like this…
Looking UP.
Of course Winnie and Willa give me two reasons to go outside…but even if they didn’t?
I would still go outside to let the breath of inky sky wake me up from the inside out.
There is something vital in the morning sky that reminds me – however big my problems may feel that day…
My God is bigger.
If my problems feel too big…it’s not because the problem is big…
It’s because I have made my God too small in the midst of it.
And even if the early morning sky leaves me still wrestling with unbelief?
Sometimes He paints a new sky an hour later just to show off…
Friend, I don’t know all that you may have on your plate right now.
Chances are?
It’s a lot.
I pray that this note helps to encourage you where you are right now…take a walk, look up, widen your perspective, loosen the grip, cut some fresh stems…and take a deep breath.
And if all else fails?
Light that Fall candle and just sit with yourself in the quiet for a moment longer.
This sea salt caramel candle I picked up at our local Marshall’s sitting in a favorite thrifted glass dish, is also one of the things that is currently saving my life in Fall. 🙃
(And in case you didn’t know? This 🙃 is also my favorite emoji in this right now current season.)
Because, sometimes we feel upside down…but even if we’re feeling upside down…
There’s still a lot to love…
And love prepares us for HOME.
Living on a prayer,
Heather
