When summer turns out differently than you’d hoped

For my family and me, summer is usually filled with slip and slides, watermelon, and vacations. 

Fun things. Life-giving things. 

But this year has looked very different.

A few months ago, I lost my mom. And just as summer began and life started to feel a bit lighter  again, my dad’s health began to unravel. 

What I thought would be a season of rest quickly turned into one of hospital visits, prescription lists, and the weight of caregiving—caring not only for my dad, but for my kids, too.

One day, I found myself brushing both my dad’s and son’s teeth—a 65-year age gap separating them and sandwiching me in the middle. 

There have been so many moments this summer when I’ve said to myself, “I can’t do this. It’s too much for one person.” 

And the truth is—it is. But that’s where grace walks in.

In a season I never saw coming, when I’ve felt stretched thinner than ever, God’s grace has never been more necessary—or more near. Grace for my family. Grace for those depending on me. And most of all, grace for myself.

Grace has also shown up in the sweetest and smallest reminders—like the trail of Otter Pops scattered across our pool deck, the laughter of slightly sunburned kids mid–chicken fight, and the joy of my boys wrestling on the couch. In those loud, ordinary moments, I’m reminded: He is near. He cares. 

If your summer hasn’t looked the way you hoped—whether caring for an aging parent, navigating a difficult toddler, or just feeling overwhelmed—you’re not alone. 

God’s grace is enough. He is always near, ready to be our comfort and strength.

And we’re also here to support you, on this beautiful but stretching parenting journey. 

If you haven’t, check out our Blueprints Pathway, a video series to discover all God has for parents like you.

Along with our resources, we’d love to know how we can be praying for you.

Send us a note at family@gracebased.com. We’d love to lift your family in prayer.

With you in the mess and the mercy,

Michelle