Tiny Stitches

I love my purse, you guys. I showed it to you all when I first made it and it was squeaky-clean and brand new {post is found HERE} :




It's roughly the size of a small country and holds about as much stuff. I deliberately made it big so that I could have it work as a diaper bag and a purse.

But the problem with that is . . . I just keep putting crap in there. If I don't periodically clean it out, it ends up being, like, 5 pounds.

You see, I have to have spare diapers and wipes for both kids, a rattle for Curtis, a book and toy car for Hannah, a doodle pad for emergency-toddler-melt-downs, two different kinds of snacks, a sippy of water/juice, a nursing cover, a pen, a pencil for the doodle pad {because a pen and a 2 year old don't mix}, my massive wallet and checkbook, wet wipes, spare panties and shorts for Hannah, a spare outfit for Curtis (he's fond of public blowouts, see}, a shopping list, my phone, hand sanitizer, lotion, contact re-wetting drops, chap stick. . . you get the idea.

That poor purse takes a beating every single time we leave the house.

One day, it decided it was under-appreciated and the stitches connecting the straps to the purse started to pop. It's hard work being a massive Mary Poppins purse, after all.

I took a look at the busted stitching and thought to myself, "Whoa! Wait a minute. These stitches are so small! I put a boat-load of stuff in this purse and lug it around everywhere. How can they hold that much weight all the time? It's a miracle my straps don't break every time I pick up the bag. . . "

But then I remembered. Tiny things can be strong when they work together {all the straps needed was a little reinforcing}.

I mean, imagine a big 'ol chunk of rope.

{photo source}

If you've ever taken the time to look closely, you know that rope {and yarn and all sorts of cool stuff} is actually made by winding a whole bunch of itty-bitty threads together. If you took one of those threads and asked it to hold up a tire swing, it wouldn't go over so well. In fact, it would probably file a restraining order. But if that single strand was able to call on its buddies to help out, it wouldn't be a problem. It could hold up a tire swing all day long.

A thread then becomes a rope.

Fragile things can be strong if they stick together.

. . .

I often feel like a tiny piece of thread muddling its way through life hefting tire swings, and the only way I haven't snapped is that YOU {yes, you} make me a rope.

My support system is epic and you're a part of that. Really and truly. Whenever I feel lonely, I have a friend that cheers me up. Whenever I have a question, I have a sibling that can answer it. Whenever I need help, I have an awesome mom that would do anything for me. Whenever I need a hug, I have a stellar husband that gives them to me for free! ;)

You all take turns giving me exactly what I need and I couldn't make it without you. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

And then there's my ward peeps. We can't forget them! They are like my big extended family and they've taught me so much about true selfless service and compassion. We moved into the area and they welcomed us with open arms. I had Curtis and they brought over so many amazing meals and offered me endless support. They make me a rope, too.

So this post is for you. Pat yourself on the back and take it from me -- you're doing a great job. Thank you for being so darn cool. And thank you for reading my oftentimes crazy blog posts. And just remember, when you feel like a thin thread hoisting a ton of bricks or a tiny stitch struggling to hold together a massive purse, you're not alone. Reach out to those around you and take comfort from their strength.

The end.