Congratulations, Ellen! Blessings to you and your growing family. I found you through your Piranesi article, which I read and loved. I have also been contemplating the idea of moving to monthly posts instead of weekly. I love the creative community here, but I am endeavoring to be on Substack less in 2026, and I am still looking for that balance. Your post made me think about the different seasons of mothering and what they ask of us, our bodies, certainly, but also mind and spirit. It is all consuming to bring these little ones into the world. This year my youngest is in kindergartner, and my oldest is in twelfth grade. I marvel that it could indeed have gone as fast as everyone said it would. Our immortal souls just can't get used to the passage of time!
Thank you, Abigail! Balance is elusive--but worth pursuing, I think! It is encouraging to me to think that it might look different in different seasons, and that maybe there isn't some static goal of perfection to achieve. Speaking of encouraging, that last sentence is a balm to me as I sit here with a new baby who looks just like my other babies, who somehow are not babies?? Thank you for the reminder.
I also lose a lot of my writerly creativity when pregnant! I don’t think I read a single book in my first year of motherhood. Congratulations and I look forward to your monthly posts.
Congratulations, Ellen! Blessings to you and your growing family. I found you through your Piranesi article, which I read and loved. I have also been contemplating the idea of moving to monthly posts instead of weekly. I love the creative community here, but I am endeavoring to be on Substack less in 2026, and I am still looking for that balance. Your post made me think about the different seasons of mothering and what they ask of us, our bodies, certainly, but also mind and spirit. It is all consuming to bring these little ones into the world. This year my youngest is in kindergartner, and my oldest is in twelfth grade. I marvel that it could indeed have gone as fast as everyone said it would. Our immortal souls just can't get used to the passage of time!
Thank you, Abigail! Balance is elusive--but worth pursuing, I think! It is encouraging to me to think that it might look different in different seasons, and that maybe there isn't some static goal of perfection to achieve. Speaking of encouraging, that last sentence is a balm to me as I sit here with a new baby who looks just like my other babies, who somehow are not babies?? Thank you for the reminder.
I also lose a lot of my writerly creativity when pregnant! I don’t think I read a single book in my first year of motherhood. Congratulations and I look forward to your monthly posts.
Thanks, Stephanie! Glad to know I'm not alone. :)
I did buy Piranesi after reading your review, but still haven’t read it!
Good to hear all of your news!!! We wish you well~
Thanks Auntie! Piranesi is one of my faves--if you read it, I'm curious to know if you like it!