Entry No. 1 // the day plan
Hello friend!
Welcome to the first entry of Rooted and Renew! Today, I'm excited to share about a recent daily habit that John and I have implemented and I hope it helps you as much as it's helped me!
☀️ The Morning Check-In and Day Plan ☀️
Being a first time mom has been a beautiful opportunity to transition into a new flow. Being someone who thrives on structure, naturally I jumped into creating a routine very quickly after having Sophie - I'm talking like 2 weeks in. I wanted to get back to teaching piano, doing the things I love, and establish a new schedule that worked for our family. But instead of finding order, I felt chaotic and scattered. I underestimated how much my mind, body and soul needed to adjust to the new responsibility of being a mom, letting my body heal from birth, and learning how to communicate with John and my family in a new way. Both John and I were trying to work while simultaneously caring for Sophie, I was learning how to feed her (and still learning every day on the ever-changing rythmn) which left me feeling like I was never fully present for anything I was doing.
Then, we made a small change that has become a staple in our morning: a simple morning check-in.
How our Morning Check-In Works
Every morning, while I feed Sophie, John and I start our day praying together, using both traditional prayers and the daily Gospel followed by a spontaneous prayer. Then we share our schedules, discussing when he needs uninterrupted work time and when I need dedicated time for myself to accomplish work, go to mass, or exercise. Instead of both of us trying to do everything at once, we created clear time blocks where one of us is fully present with Sophie while the other can completely focus on to-do's and other daily tasks.
Knowing that I have designated work time helps me be fully present when I am with Sophie. It also strengthened my relationship with John—we have become more in sync, supporting each other's daily goals.
More Than Just Schedules: Meal Planning & Communication
This check-in also made meal planning easier. On Sundays, we now plan our meals for the week, writing them down so there’s no last-minute stress about what to cook. Each morning, we check in on what needs to be prepped, making dinnertime a smooth process rather than another source of overwhelm. We add our plan into our shared Apple Calendar and call it our ☀️Day Plan ☀️. I've included a screenshot of one of our days!
If you’re a new mom navigating this season with me, reach out and say hi! I would love to learn some of your methods for finding balance in this new season!
I highly recommend implementing a daily check-in with your spouse (or your support system). Whether your husband works from home or outside the house, this habit can help bring clarity, structure, and a sense of peace to your day. And if you don’t have your spouse at home during the day, an evening check-in can be just as helpful to set up for the next day.
Knowing that I have dedicated time for myself—whether it’s to work, rest, or just take a moment has helped me be more present to Sophie and John. For me, this simple practice has been the key to finding a little more balance, feeling more like myself, and embracing this new chapter with joy.
This Week's Focus
🙏 Prayer Intention
I am praying for a deeper grace to improve communication with family and friends and to recognize the importance of the Body of Christ as a community to thrive with.
📚What I'm currently reading
I am currently reading Saint Maria Faustina's Diary and just committing to two pages a day during Lent.
For fun, I've been re-reading Harry Potter to just give my mind a little mental break without having to work too hard!
🍳What I'm cookin'
Being a nursing mom, I've read the importance of eating oats - so that is exactly what I'm doing! However, I'm focusing on my protien intake so I make my oats with this protien powder and this protien granola, blueberries, a banana, some cinnamon, coconut milk, very little honey and some Swerve! It keeps me full, keeps my milk comin' in strong and it is very yummy!
🌻 What’s Bringing me Joy
I know this might seem super silly, but these hair clips are AMAZING and they have helped me feel beautiful and put together! I highly recommend getting just one to add to your daily getting ready ritual!
Until next time, let's stay rooted in Christ and renewed by His Mercy
Molly
