This post is a collaboration with Kelly Moore Bag. I've been a customer of theirs for years. We owned a messenger style from them as our first diaper bag as well as a backpack style (The Pilot). I reached out to them because I wanted review their Austin Bag (a vegan leather bucket-style purse/camera bag) and they graciously agreed to send one over. This post is my review of it.
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Let's talk about being grown up.
What does that feel like exactly?
I read a quote once that went something like this: "Nothing will ruin your twenties like thinking you need to have your entire life figured out in your twenties." I don't know who said that originally (if you do, please let me know!) but, my goodness, it resonates strongly with me right now.
I'll be twenty-nine this June. And guess what, it's a rare thing for me to feel like I've got everything mapped out, to feel grown-up.
As silly as you may think it is, this bag from Kelly Moore, helps me feel like more of an adult on those days when I get down about still having such a long way to go. Yes, I'm serious.
I've never been a "carry a purse" kind of woman. For whatever reason, I just don't. But having used this bag for awhile now, I'm really in love with idea of having something that carries just my things. But let's be real, I can still throw snacks and diapers in this thing if I really need to.
Why I love this bag:
- The compact, easy to access design. I can fit our DSLR camera, my phone, a small notebook and pen, as well as all the baby necessities if the situation calls for it. Everything inside can be gotten to quickly or secured safely with the drawstring and snap closure.
- The material. Let's be honest, this season of motherhood comes with every imaginable spill, stain and form of spit ups. I've had this bag for months now and it still looks almost brand new. Anything that happens to splash on the outside simply wipes off.
- The versatility. I use it primarily as a camera bag because of the padded insert (with dividers!) But the insert is completely removable if I wanted to use this has just a simple purse. It also comes with a longer shoulder strap if I want to wear it messenger style.
We made a visit over the weekend to our favorite local coffee roasters, Carabello Coffee. Inside, they have a wall where people leave little notes and jotted thoughts in the cracks of the exposed brick. While Jonathan was ordering our drinks I tucked into this cozy booth with the kids. Behr was completely caught up in pulling out different scraps of paper from the wall and insisting I read them aloud.
Eventually, we unfolded the one pictured below.
"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes. But when you look back, everything is different." -C.S. Lewis
In this season of life, my days can become monotonous. Raising two babies who can't even feed themselves or go to the bathroom unassisted can all start running together. Add in a regular routine or irregular sleep and sometimes I can hardly differentiate one week from another.
But, every so often I do "look back". I think of who I was ten years ago, five years ago, last year. That's when I realize how much I've changed. It's strange though, because at every milestone, I never felt like I was grown up yet. I just felt like I was making it up as I went along.
Maybe I'll stop trying to call myself a grown adult, and instead make my peace with always being a growing adult.
I mention this often, but I'm still very much in "figuring it out" mode. I'm ok with that. I've come to understand that I don't want to ever get to a point in my life where I think: "I'm done. This is it. I have nothing left to learn."
But at the same time, I want to walk confidently in the woman God has made me to be thus far. This is an honest struggle for me. As with most things in life, it's about accepting the dance of living with both emotions.
Here's to loving where I'm at while still expectantly hopeful for who I'm know I can become in the future.
And for those days when I'm needing a secret, "Yes, I actually am an adult woman." confidence boost, I'll have this pretty little bag slung over my shoulder.