We are SO excited to have our first guest writer for The Well Community, Lacy Myers. Wife of one and mom of two, Lacy struggles with the same things many working moms do: work/home balance and figuring out what’s for dinner. She works in ministry equipping local churches and is launching her own blog next month. We hope you’ll enjoy her insight into being a mom that preserves the memories for your family.

– The Women of The Well

A few years ago, I read a statement on a mom blog that really stuck with me: “As moms, we’re the memory keepers for our families.”

As I read it, this thought simultaneously excited and exhausted me.

“What an honor to record my kids memories; they’ll treasure them forever!” I said to myself.

But, that sappy thought was quickly followed by, “But, how? A scrapbook? Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

Rest assured, being a memory keeper doesn’t have to mean having a fancy acid-free, sticker-ladened scrapbook filled to the brim with everything each kid ever said, did, or ate. Here are a few ways I attempt to preserve my family’s memories while keeping my sanity—and time to binge watch Netflix.

1. Photos 

I take a lot of ‘em, especially on my phone. Apps like Chatbooks now make it so easy to turn these photos into printed photobooks. Just select the photos you want to print, add a few captions, and order for $8. Easy peasy.

2. Quotes

My kids say some pretty cute things, and I’m sure yours do too. I use a variety of ways to capture these. Social media has been handy for me. I can quickly fire off a tweet or post recording the moment while also sharing with family and friends. There’s also an app for that. Little Hoots allows parents to document all those cute things that come out of the mouths of babes.

3. Our Family History

I’ve often heard that the days go slow, but the years go fast, and as a parent, I’ve found this to be true. I want to record what happens in our everyday life, but I’m not the “Dear Diary” type. One easy way I document this history is in a five-year journal. Each day, you’re given a couple of lines to quickly jot down a memory. I use this to record our outings, lost teeth, shows/characters the kids are into, etc. It doesn’t take a ton of time, and it’s fun to go back and read previous entries.

4. The Mushy Stuff

We all have hopes and dreams for our kids. When those things pop up and I have time to document them, I email them. That’s right, I send my kids an email. I set up a family email account where we can send the kids an email and attach pictures and videos. It’s not something I keep up with on a regular basis, but I love going back and reading all the things I documented for kids: their birth stories, when they accepted Jesus in their hearts, etc. Plus, I can write them a love letter explaining all the things I love about them—which is a lot!

5. All the Papers

My kids bring home so many papers from school! If you’re struggling with what to do with all of their “art” let me reassure you that you aren’t a bad mom if you throw it away. I’d need a shipping container on site to keep everything that comes home! I choose what I want to keep physically and digitally. Some projects I snap a picture of before tossing in the recycle bin. Others I do want to keep. For these, I keep them organized by using scrapbook folders organized by year.

Being a memory keeper doesn’t have to be hard. Find a few methods that work for you, and stick with it. I’d love to know, what are some creative ways you serve as your family’s memory keeper?

Connect with Lacy on Instagram: @lacyd22