Have you ever noticed that sometimes the unplanned, unexpected moments of life are the most wonderful? That cherished memories are formed around the things you never saw coming and couldn’t have planned if you had tried.
I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for AVEENO. I received product samples as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”
I love days like that, the imperfect moments in the middle of a chaotic day that show what true beauty is all about. That’s why I was excited when AVEENO reached out to me to help them talk about their Unscripted Beauty challenge.
If you are ever on social media, I’m sure you’ve noticed that most of us are only giving our best there. You’ll see the staged perfection, or the 30th picture in a long line of attempts to get that “effortless” look that we want to convey.
Nothing is wrong with perfection, and I love a good smiling shot of my kids or a weekend that goes exactly to plan.
But oh those unexpected weeks. . . There is so much joy and beauty there, they are truly my favorite.
This entire week has been unscripted. 3:30 am in Saturday I got a text saying my best friend/sister in law was in labor (4 weeks early).
That meant getting up the next morning and rushing an hour across town so my godmother could take her to the hospital while her husband (my childhood best friend/”brother”) and I watched all 9 kids (3 cousins, 4 of his, 2 of mine) for 24+ hours.
Unscripted beauty is the two of us getting NINE kids to bed (on time!) and then staying up til 3am watching movies with my godfather just like we did when we were kids, but this time waiting for the text that baby is born… It’s crashing on the couch and getting back up at 6 to see pictures of the new baby and start getting breakfast on the table for all the kids.
It’s the privilege of spending the next night at the hospital to cuddle that new baby while my best friend slept. It’s running on no sleep, with swollen eyes, and hair that won’t stay down, because miracles are happening at every turn…because new life has entered the world and there’s nothing more important.
It’s squeezing in moments of work between playing with nieces and nephews and laughing as all the little ones squeeze together on the couch to watch a show or wiggle into cardboard boxes to make a train.
It’s seeing that new baby come home from the hospital on time, despite being 4 weeks early and having to fight to keep his glucose up all night and respect his mom’s wish to nurse him, the day he was born.
It’s seeing family come together in the most beautiful of ways, in the most extraordinary of times, and in most ways just doing the ordinary together. Like running a fifth load of dishes, wiping down the table for the eleventh time that day, giving littles ones baths (with AVEENO baby products, of course!) or sharing a joke when things get stressful because you still know just how to make each other smile.
It’s changing 15 diapers a day and breaking up too many toddler spats to mention. It’s wondering how every one is still awake after sleeping about 5 hours out of every 40, but not wanting to miss a moment of this joy for all the sleep in the world.
It’s knowing that family can go beyond blood and can sometimes be found in the most unexpected of places.
My entire week has been unscripted. Yet, it will be one that I’ll always remember as wonderful. As perfect memories were made with family that was chosen 19 years ago.
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Do you have favorite memories that were unscripted and beautiful? Times that you never expected something amazing to happen? Share about them in the comments! I’d love to hear your story of surprises, or the little pieces of beautiful found in a day that was nothing short of chaos.
I love that AVEENO is doing this challenge. That they are encouraging parents to take the time to notice the unscripted and call it beautiful. Whether it is entire weeks, like mine has been or just the tiniest snippets of moments throughout your day. Unscripted beauty is all around us, we just have to take the time to see it!
We started using AVEENO awhile back when I realized my daughter had very sensitive skin. It’s so gentle with her and exactly what she needs. I love that it doesn’t smell too strong but has a gentle scent to it as well.
During this #unscriptedbeauty challenge you can post your own pictures on social media using that hashtag and #contest to be entered to win a photo-shoot with acclaimed photographer, Danielle Guenther and a lot of AVEENO products! Share yours so I can see them and you have a chance to win!
Let’s celebrate unscripted beauty together! I can’t wait to hear your stories and see your pictures!!!
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