Hey there! I’m Mikala—a family doctor, wife, mother of 5, well-being advocate, and author of the books Ordinary on Purpose and Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife. Each month my writing reaches millions of women, but I am thrilled to be connecting with YOU. I’m truly grateful to have you here!
Sometimes watching you change right before my eyes absolutely breaks my heart. And sometimes I still want to slow time.
Over and over and over we get all caught up in life’s pain. Consumed by how far we have yet to go. And sometimes we lose sight of our blessings.
It will be hard. SO HARD. And eight out of ten times you’ll forget and say exactly the wrong thing. But when you do remember this hack…I promise it will be worth it.
And because I love them SO MUCH, I try to make the best decisions I can which means…so often I say NO. I create boundaries and dole out chores and enforce consequences and follow through. What a Bad Guy!!
I try to be the one place in the whole world where my child doesn’t ever have to pretend. I try to be the safe, loving place he can softly sink into and feel seen. I try to be the person he can always, always come to…
It means fun and laughter and connection. And giving WHATEVER it is I have to offer without stopping to worry if it’s enough.
These next few days are usually when I get a little overwhelmed and start to think I might be over it all.
But this is CHRISTMAS! The season of perpetual Hope!!! And I don’t want to be ‘over it’ at all!
I never imagined anything could fill my heart like chubby little cheeks and diapered little bottoms and drooly little smiles and teeny little feet covered in footed pajamas.
You gave your kids the most Magical Holiday Memories you possibly could…and the gift of an unstressed, present mom who enjoyed the moment.
For I know one day very soon, my teenager will be gone. And my baby will walk through the door a grown man. Still the love of my life. What a gift! I never knew this kind of LOVE existed.
Sometimes I stare across the room at him when he doesn’t know I’m watching and think, “When exactly did he GROW UP??”
I’m reminded why year after year we drag out the boxes and put out all the stuff and vacuum those little green artificial needles and dust the mantel (for once) and hang all their little stockings in a row.
I make the hard decisions. I follow through. And it sucks. They whine and complain and their faces turn into little scowls. They tell me it isn’t fair. Apparently, NO ONE ELSE has parents like this!!!
I never imagined I’d be a mom who yells sometimes. But I do. More than I care to admit. Oh, and my kids have seen me cry.
When Mom is overly tired and grumpy and stressed out and short-tempered… The kids are sure to be whiny and clingy and fussy and bickering and needy.
Most of my life is a series of ordinary moments strung together day after day and week after week and year after year…
No one told me I’d want to fast-forward, pause, and rewind all within the span of about thirty minutes. It is all so hard. The good, the bad, the ordinary.
All the things I’ve so carefully and painstakingly added to my life’s resume to prove I am ‘good’ will be erased. Gone in an instant.
