thankful for my village

I've raised my daughter with my village from day one.  many of our friends do not have children of their own, and the way they have loved everly like she was theirs, literally melts my heart every time. I've worked full time since everly was four months old - a transition that was one of the greatest challenges of my life.  however, as time passes, I have clarity on a situation that seemed so unfair and gloomy at the time.  I wanted to be there for my daughter every second of every day.  and I couldn't be.  at first, my village was small, mostly my husband and myself.  and then my village grew, bit my bit, month by month, the pieces just fell into place.  everly's nona is a driving force in her life, and me being a working mom has developed this relationship in a way that is unique and special beyond words.  because her nona is more than a great-grandma, she's a part of everly's everyday village.

I'm thankful for those who are building everly into the person that she is going to become one day. I'm thankful that everly gets to live just blocks away from two very important family matriarchs. I'm thankful for every water balloon fight, fort building, tag playing game that our friends play with everly, because having only one kid in a giant group of adults is not always easy to manage. but these little games, the focus they give her to play and just be a kid, means the world to me.

this summer we took everly camping for the first time. these little moments reminded me of how lucky I am to have the support I do when it comes to raising my daughter.
salt point ca 2017 from Lyndsay Lewis on Vimeo.