Pretty much every week.
Archive for February 2016 – Page 2
That moment when she’s pretty sure something’s funny and she decides to test it out on you. The twinkle in her eye. The grin on her face. The pause. And then it hangs in the air… “Pish Posh” I think it was in response to “you might need your jacket today,” and after I got over the surprise, I laughed out loud. Which made her repeat it seventeen times between the house and school.
I wrote it down for you today, Baby Girl, so we could remember that time something you said made Mommy laugh until noon. Again.
Something I’m trying to learn myself. It’s comfortable to be part of a chorus. We like to belong and to be part of something big and loud. But, I want Baby Girl to know that her voice and her thoughts and her passions (when she figures them out) are strong and powerful even if she’s speaking them alone. Even if she’s singing to the wind or to speaking to the sound of only crickets, her voice matters.
Today’s letter is a big brother edition. My third grader is starting the process of preparing for end-of-year required tests, and it’s producing a lot of worry — a fear he won’t do well. Every now and then this happens, and I try to remind him that there’s never been a challenge he hasn’t met when he’s put his mind to it. “You can do this!” Don’t we all need to hear this sometimes? For all those challenges, big and small. From video game levels to classroom tests to gamete skills. When the worries creep in, I want them to hear this. And, until they have the confidence and experience to say it to themselves, I want them to hear it from me.
My heart on a sick day… when Baby Girl still wants me to take care of her. And I realize how much I love these days in spite of the medicines. It’s in these days I’m so thankful. I’m acutely aware of how blessed we are. And I remember that everything I do, all my design and work endeavors, every opportunity… it’s all weighed against this. And my ability to be right here. Where she needs me.
Hello & welcome! I’m Haley Montgomery, and I’m the designer and owner of Small Pond Graphics. I sometimes fancy myself a frog kisser— a documentarian coaxing poignant moments from unexpected places. This blog has evolved from those moments.
The small Pond FIELD GUIDE is part diary, part sketchbook, and part wish list – an archive of ordinary wonders. For years, this space has housed my stories – creative ideas, vintage inspiration, our forays into curious places, and the simple artifacts of quiet of conscious living. Through watercolor, photography, and illustrated tales, these pages uncover the blessing of ordinary days and the wonder found in authentic places and pursuits.
I invite you to open the boxes.
Peek into the drawers.
Rustle through the pages.
I’m honored to have you here.
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