Church of the Small Things: Today's Lackluster Stop on the Blog Tour

The world tells us we have to do it all, be it all, and achieve it all.  We need to do big, important things to leave a legacy. All while looking fabulous and being a size four and raising kids who are fluent in at least two languages and in gifted classes.  Our houses have to be straight out of Pinterest, our dinners need to be clean and healthy, and our Instagram accounts should be full of beautifully filtered photos that capture every single moment of our kids' live or they'll end up in therapy wondering why they don't have an Instagram book like all the other kids.  

We are a generation of women who have never worked harder to have it all, yet go to bed most nights worrying that we aren't enough.

-Melanie Shankle, Church of the Small Things

These wise words are in the last chapter of Melanie Shankle's latest book, Church of the Small Things.  This was a book that had me nodding or laughing or reading out loud to my family on every page.  It's good stuff, y'all.  This book came into my life during a busy, crazy season:  I switched careers at 42, right out of the blue.  It's not the stuff of Lifetime movies, but for this girl who craves order and routine, it's been a stretch.  

I was going to back out of the blog tour, actually, because my new website isn't finished.  This is what I posted on Instagram this morning (and why lie, I shared to Facebook, too, because I'm too lazy to do both), once I decided to put on my big girl panties and follow through, even though this stop on the blog tour didn't turn out the way I'd planned:

I’m dusting off the old blog today for my stop on the #churchofthesmallthings blog tour. I applied for the launch team months ago, thinking my new website would be up and running by now...but, it’s not. I thought about telling the Admin I’m sorry, but I didn’t get my website ready—but that’s like saying I can’t have a party until my house is...(fill in the blank: bigger, cleaner, decorated...). That just didn’t feel very ME. So, come visit me at adventuresofmommygirl.blogspot.com later today and read about the next book you’re gonna buy. 📚

My friend Tara reminded me what she reminds all of us:  the most important thing to do is just show up. Tara rocks at showing up--here she is at a book signing she hosted recently for Melanie Shankle.  (For the record, I was totally cool when I showed up and I didn't ask to touch Melanie's fabulous hair at all.  Or ask about her boots.  Or tell her I like Magnolia, too. Or remind her that once I went all the way to Nashville just to hear her speak with BooMama and I may have stood there a bit too long after she signed my book and took the obligatory photo.  Cool as a cucumber, I tell ya.) 

I don't have any words of wisdom today.  I haven't slaved over the perfect blog post that's the right blend of sweet and sassy, like Melanie Shankle's book.  (By the way, she also goes by BigMama if you like to read blogs.  I highly recommend hers.)

Here's what I know:  someone who reads this post needs to know that I fell short today.  I'm cool with that--it will happen again, but I may or may not post about it on social media.  (I try not to make it a highlight reel, but when things are rough I'm too tired to pick up my phone to post anything.)

Someone who reads this post will buy this book (I just click right over to Amazon because I have a problem like that) and read something that will click at just the right time.  Whether it's a message from Melanie or God, it'll be exactly what they need.

Someone needs to hear that other women wonder about being enough, too. (For the record, my overachieving self also spends way too much time worrying that I'm simultaneously not enough AND too much.  What kind of crazy is that?)

Read the book, girls.  Share it with a friend.  And if you haven't, pick up Melanie's other books--she's written about parenting, marriage and friendship in her unforgettable voice.  Each book made me laugh and think, and I cried some, too.

If you aren't familiar with Melanie Shankle, check out her blog.  She's a Texas girl (mostly Houston and now San Antonio, with an unforgettable stop at A&M), and reading her words is like sitting down with your favorite friend.  (Which may explain the trip to Nashville.  Quit judging me.)

I've got to get back to work, but here it is.  I showed up.

What brave thing will you do today?

Love you big,
:) kcp