Last night, life threw one of those curveballs at me.
It started with a storm. Not just any storm, but the kind that dumps 100mm of rain in what feels like an instant. Our water tanks overflowed, and for a while, I was making plans to turn our shed doors into water rafts.
Then the shed—our temporary home as we build our more “stable” home—started leaking. Not a like a drip-drip situation but puddles forming on the floor from a busted seal in the concrete and panels. The chaos had me running in circles, unplugging power cords and mounding up make shift bath towel “sandbags” to keep us safe.
Somehow, Matilda, my youngest, slept through it all. Billie, my eldest, wasn’t so lucky, joining me in the whirlwind of stress. And let’s just say, waking my partner for backup didn’t exactly bring “calm” to the situation.
All the while, in the back of my mind, I was mentally preparing for Matilda’s 8th birthday sleepover this Friday while still feeling raw about her encounter with concussion on Sunday arvo (a whole other story, but yes…let’s just remind ourselves why the one at a time on a trampoline is important!!)
Back to the party bit… It’s no ordinary party when you’re an allergy parent. Every detail has to be planned, from the snacks to the activities, ensuring it’s fun but completely safe for her and her friends. Allergy awareness is second nature to us now, but it doesn’t make the emotional load any lighter.
The menu is set, but that doesn’t stop my mind from overthinking. I catch myself mentally re-reading labels that aren’t even in front of me. Sure, I practice meditation and self care, but in moments like these, my brain has other plans. You’d think I could focus on just one storm at a time, but the trampoline incident, lack of sleep, and the chaos of last night’s weather have a way of hijacking clarity.
The storm finally passed. I got a bit of sleep. I checked in with my support buddy (totally recommend one… the sanity checks and wise words that have the power to ground you are gold!) Then, I stepped outside and surveyed the scene. The garden, glistening and fresh – resilient. Credit to my partner and all the YouTube videos and books he has sunk his teeth into on permaculture. And there, amongst the soggy clay they were—our growing stump farm.
It’s a strange thing to find joy in a bunch of hand fabricated, hand sunk, steel posts sticking out of the ground, but for me, it’s a symbol of what we’re building: a home. Learning a hell of a lot along the way. Walking step by step towards a future. A place where storms will still come and go. There is no way to shield ourselves from what life does and will throw our way.
Some moments feel overwhelming. The water. The leaks. The party prep. The constant vigilance of managing food allergies. Navigating a creative and mental health “career” focus. It’s a lot. But as I looked at those stumps, I reminded myself why I do it.
We weather the storms because the bigger picture—the dream—is worth it. And when Matilda blows out her candles this weekend, surrounded by friends and safe food, I know the hard work will pay off.
Here’s to the chaos, the challenges, and the beauty in every puddle and every storm.