I’m doing something extra special to thank my village today (sponsored by thredUP!!)

OMG, I can remember it like it was yesterday. Sitting on my couch with my newborn in my lap and the tears just wouldn’t stop coming. I’d wipe them. They’d well up again. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up. And there was nothing anyone could say or do to help me feel better. I mean look at this face. How on earth could I be so sad when I have this to be thankful for? But I was.

And then suddenly my phone rang. I pushed the button to silence it. I wasn’t about to pick it up, not while I was sitting there silently crying. I looked at the caller i.d. Oh wait, it’s Angela, my best friend from home. I’ll pick up. And thank God I did.

Because even though she was hundreds of miles away, she helped dry my tears. Not with a tissue. With her friendship. She’d already been a mom for a few years. She’d already felt the feelings I was feeling. She knew what to say.

She was the first person in my village.

Three weeks later, something happened. I went to my first new moms class and we’re all sitting there in a circle with our new tiny babies.

And I looked across the circle and there was a woman sitting across from me. I didn’t recognize her but I recognized the look on her face. It was the same look I’d had back on the couch in my apartment. The tears were welling up, and I could see she was trying to hold them in. But she couldn’t. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up.

So of course when I looked at her, my eyes started to well up too. And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. We were a roomful of brand new moms with brand new babies and a boatload of brand new hormones. If one of us started crying, the rest of us were there to join right in.

A village.

And over the years my village has changed— sometimes it grows bigger and sometimes it shrinks smaller, but it’s always full of amazing moms who help me through every stage of parenthood.

It’s almost Mother’s Day, and I’ve decided that this year I’m going to thank my village for helping me be the best mother I can be. And one of my favorite sponsors is helping me thank them—thredUP.

If you don’t know what thredUP is, it’s the most kickass online consignment store ever with up to 90% off estimated retail. thredUP made it super easy and fun for me to find awesome items I knew my friends would love, and I’m leaving them on their doorsteps as a surprise today.

And last but not least… I swear I was only shopping for my friends. These things just “accidentally” fell into my shopping cart.

Adorable, right?!! thredUP has clothes, shoes and accessories for women and kids from over 35,000 brands, and you can search and filter for exactly what you want.

The Special Offer

Ready for the best part?!! Whether you’re buying a gift for your mom, your village, or just for yourself, thredUP is giving the first 100 readers an extra 30% off your first order. That’s on top of their already kickass prices!! Just click here to shop and use the promo code SIDEBURNS30 at checkout (applies to new U.S. and Canadian customers only, items under $150).

I’m so excited to think about my friends all coming home from work today to find their amazing gifts on their doorsteps. Awww, just the thought of surprising them brings tears to my eyes. Shoot, here we go again. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up. Wipe. Well up. Oh well, at least they’re happy tears this time.

If you liked this, please don’t forget to like and share it! Thank you!! 

And thank you for supporting a sponsored post that helps me do things like put food on my table and clothes on my back… or sometimes my friend’s back!!