Shayla Bruce

When thinking about 2023, all I could think about was what we’ve experienced with Wrigley over the last year compared to the years before.

We’ve learned a lot from Wrigs, but I think my favorite thing about being a parent is actually watching Wrigley learn.

It’s the same feeling I got when I saw a student truly understand a lesson.

It’s the same feeling I got when the team made the play and kept the momentum.

It’s the same feeling I get when a kid decides to believe in themselves and keep trying even after they’ve made mistakes.

But it’s more than that with Wrigley. Probably because I carried him for 9 months… but it’s BIGGER.

I hate when Wrigley gets hurt… but most of the time he’s only been hurt by something once. He doesn’t keep getting hurt the same way.

I love when I can see something “click.” The other day he looked me in the eye and said a full sentence telling me exactly what he wanted. I could see in his eyes that he was thinking about what he was saying and he smiled when it all came out the right way.

I wonder if this is how God feels when we are learning more about life and our faith.

God gives us the freedom to learn. That’s where the free will comes in. We make choices and there’s consequences to those choices. Consequences aren’t always negative, a consequence is simply an outcome.

I know the struggles are real. I know that sometimes the struggles feel unfair. The choices we make in the midst of the struggles are where the best learning happens.

Learning also happens in the quiet. You’d be amazed with what God can tell you when there’s no noise.

The way I feel about Wrigley - I think God feels that way about us… but BIGGER. He wants to teach. Let Him.

https://1prayeratatime.wordpress.com/2023/09/12/heart-of-a-lion/

Heart of a Lion I’m not sure how to say this other than to just say it…. but you gotta figure out how to do both. You have to figure out how to be as bold as a lion and as gentle as a lamb. That sounds…

The big boy bed. What an adventure.
I’m sitting here in the glider next to the bed because I’m afraid he’s going to wake up and need his safety net - mom.
When you look up the word safe, one definition is, “free from hurt, injury, danger, or risk” another is under the word Baseball “making it possible to reach a base.”

I am and always will be Wrigley’s safe space. There’s some people that will roll their eyes or laugh at me when I say that. There are people in the world who will tell mom’s that think like me to, “cut the cord.”

To them I say this:
1. If I could’ve cut the cord sooner, I would’ve. That cord stopped his breathing and his heart. Quit using that phrase - it’s derogatory and triggering.

2. I can’t keep Wrigley from harm like the definition of “safe” says, but I can make it possible for him to reach a base like the baseball definition says.

As a mom, my goal is to get him on base. He has to make the choices to get there, but I am allowed to coach the baseline.

Today’s base was the big boy bed. He has to sleep in that bed, but I can watch from the chair next to him.

As he grows up, he’s gonna miss some bases. Someone or something will get him out… and we’ll have to try again in the next inning.

I can’t keep him from being scared of the dark, but I can help him learn how to work through that fear.

I can’t keep him from getting his feelings hurt at pre school, but I can teach him how to show kindness through the hurt.

I can’t keep him from failing his Algebra test, but I can teach him how to set goals and improve.

I can’t keep him from a hurt pitching arm, but I can teach him he’s more than the speed of his pitch.

I can’t keep him from getting his heart broken, but I can teach him how to treat his better half and what’s healthy to expect in return.

I can’t keep him from making mistakes, but I can teach him that Jesus’ love is unconditional.

I can’t keep someone from getting that out against Wrigley, but I can coach him on how to steal the next base.

My job is to always help him reach the next base - even if he didn’t make it to the one in the inning before.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here's the first post for 2023!!

Pick a word…any word! When I was teaching 11th grade, I encouraged my students to pick a word to reflect on for the upcoming year instead of a resolution. I’ve seen many people choose words to reflect on for the y…

https://1prayeratatime.wordpress.com/2022/09/06/god-shows-up/

God Shows Up When I think about God showing up in our journey, I can’t remember one time when I wondered if He was hearing us. I knew He was hearing us- we just weren’t always getting the answers we thought we …

https://1prayeratatime.wordpress.com/2022/07/26/the-first-week/

The First Week November 8th: Induction Day. I remember making plans to get up early and eat breakfast. We were asked to be at the hospital by 6am. Did you know that McDonald’s quit being open 24 hours after…

https://1prayeratatime.wordpress.com/2022/05/02/i-wonder/

I Wonder “There’s joy and wonder everywhere when you see the world through the eyes of a child.” Won-der – as defined by Webster Noun: a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, …

✨Hey friends✨

Starting a new adventure, and shaking to my core as I type this first post.

Writing has always been special to me - I’ve just been too scared to really dive in.

👏🏻Not anymore👏🏻
🤍God has a hand in this one for sure 🤍

I’ve written a few different blogs about our birth story. This platform will allow me to continue to write about our story, and share even more with you guys.

Many of you have encouraged me to continue to write and share.
Thank you.

The first few posts will be what I’ve already written. The new posts will come twice a month for now as we’re just getting started 😉

Thanks for supporting me in this hobby/journey - we’ll have some smiles, laughs and staying true to myself - we’ll probably have some tears because there’s NOTHING wrong with tears.

- Shay ❤️