I almost didn’t do You Capture this time around. I had some good ideas for the topic of “looking in” — which we actually had two weeks to complete thanks to some horrible hackers who have once again targeted Beth’s blog. But there has just been so much going on, that I wasn’t really able to get it done.

But today, Mackenzie asked me to take a picture of the Skittles she had me open yesterday. It was her first taste of them and she’s definitely hooked. I mean one of them is more or less purple (the blackberry flavored ones) so obviously they’re just some of the best candy EVER! 😉

ISO 800 | 50mm | f2.8 | 1/50 sec.

She also started preschool a few weeks ago, which has been an on again/off again thing after dealing with colds and her just not wanting to go at all. But today, I snuck in to her classroom before she noticed I was there, and took a photo of her in their super cool playhouse.

ISO 800 | 46mm | f2.8 | 1/25 sec.

“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” ~~Anna Freud

I’ve really had to focus on this quote the last couple of weeks while Mack is going off to school each morning. I treasure being able to work uninterrupted for a couple of hours while she’s gone, but man is it difficult to see her so upset when I leave each morning, as well as constantly telling me how scared she is there and that she doesn’t like going. I know that we must both persevere, because she obviously can’t just stay at home forever…nor would I want her to. But when it’s your little girl who’s standing there and seems to be suffering, your heart breaks into a million pieces. So I’m being strong for her and trying not to let her tears get me crying as well. And soon enough, I’m sure she’ll be running through the doors to play with everyone without even pausing to kiss me goodbye.

It can be so much easier to recognize the strength and confidence in others rather than ourselves. And being a work-at-home-mom often comes with a lot of guilt that you are not being the best mother you could be because you’re working. But you’re trying to make a better life for your family — and you still have an amazing ability to see your kids while you are working. It’s just a matter of trying to ration your time and keep your working hours concrete so you get your job done while also getting to spend lots of time with your family.

“Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” ~~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

With Valentine’s Day shortly behind us, and new ideas floating around in our lives here, I’m once again reminded of just how like-minded my husband and I tend to be. And even when we have crazy notions, we’re able to bounce them off each other and know that if it’s a good idea, we can put it together. Perhaps I need to learn to be just as strong and confident about my daughter as I am about our businesses… 😉