Feeding Yourself When Life is Groundhog Day
“My life is Groundhog Day. Every day is exactly the same.” Her baby crawled around her feet as her toddler played close by. I remember those days when all my children were young, and it felt like all I could report about each day was feeding my children and changing their diapers. Nap time and bedtime needed to be routine, meaning we were tethered to the house every day at the same times. We went on a daily walk, but even that followed the same route at the same time every day. The days were often long, indeed, and the memory of one was blurred into the memory of many others.
Now that most of my children are no longer small, I see how beautiful those simple days were. Snuggling with children who needed me, giving them nourishing food, reading books with simple rhyme, singing and clapping and dancing, delighting in clover and dandelions. I also remember how my husband was the only adult I spoke with most days. I wanted to read a book that had more than two sentences on a page. And I wanted to go outside to enjoy nature without a quarrel breaking out over who got the best stick. They were beautiful days, but as I tended to the children, I forgot to feed myself. For the mother struggling to feed her heart and mind in the midst of repetitive days, here are a few recommendations to add even more beauty to her life and her home.
Visual Art:
Lore Pemberton’s beautiful art makes me feel all sorts of things: thankfulness, wonder, nostalgia, happiness, contentment. Her artwork centers around the home, nature, and books: three of my favorite things in this life. She often portrays the beautiful mess of a busy family working and living alongside each other. A print of her painting “Snowed In” hangs in my bedroom, reminding me of glad days when I read to my children for hours. I also have her 2025 calendar hanging in my kitchen to give me something beautiful to gaze upon and think about. The next print I purchase will probably be “A Bit of Earth,” inspired by A Secret Garden or perhaps one of her Narnia-themed works.
Nature:
The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, the nature notes for 1906 by Edith B Holden, sits open on a book stand in my living room, reminding me year-round that there is something beautiful to see outside. I especially appreciate it when I’m struggling with winter’s cold barrenness or summer’s heat. The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady is the nature journal I aspire to keep, full of poems, sketches, sayings, and observations from nature for each month of the year. There are over ten pages for each month, so I turn the page every couple of days for something new to read and inspiration to be observant as I go outside.
Books:
I absolutely love children’s books, but if you need a book a little meatier than The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Frog and Toad, A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles would be a great book to choose. Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to live in Moscow’s Metropolitan Hotel the rest of his days. His freedom and status are taken from him, but Rostov keeps his dignity and seeks to make the hotel a place where he can live a full life. He develops rich relationships and enjoys the beauty found in his small world. Towles gave us a lovely story with many beautiful sentences you’ll want to remember.
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is a beautifully written book I didn’t want to put down. You’ll contemplate justice and loyalty as you read this story about a son in trouble and his family who loves fiercely. Here’s a small taste: “Real miracles bother people, like strange sudden pains unknown in medical literature. It’s true: They rebut every rule all we good citizens take comfort in… A miracle contradicts the will of earth.”
Music:
My friend Jonathan Solomon writes my family’s favorite music. Being able to do life with Jonathan makes his music extra special to us, but that’s not why we like it. He’s an incredibly gifted musician and songwriter who has written many songs for the church to sing corporately, in addition to other albums. My favorites are “Filled it Up” and “Look at the Cloud.” You can find him here on Spotify.
When my husband first heard Eric Genuis perform at a conference, he cried. When he got home, he emailed Mr. Genuis to see if he could arrange a local performance so our whole family could experience him live. Years later, my husband was able to make it happen, and I’m thankful he did. Genuis is a world-class composer and pianist who spends much of his time performing in jails and prisons because he believes the beauty of music can awaken the soul. If you want to listen to beautiful music, listen to the songs of Eric Genuis. His album Redemption is a favorite I frequently play in my car.
The Burkes lived overseas for three years and have been to almost 20 countries together, surviving some adventures they will never speak of to the grandparents.
She writes regularly at Familiar Glories.
- Stomping the Grounds - October 8, 2025
- Feeding Yourself When Life is Groundhog Day - September 17, 2025
- Lois Lenski’s Little Books - June 2, 2025
