Double Birthday Party...

The kids celebrated their 5th and 2nd birthdays at our house today, and we had a blast! It was a bit challenging to blend two party themes, but I found the common denominator and went with that: dirt. Courtney had a gardening party theme, Matthew had a construction zone theme.

We played "pin the bug on the flower" and had a timed game to see who could build a marshmallow tower fastest. We even had a pinata. I used corn husks died in French Vanilla flavored coffee on the cake, and used roses I made from gum paste. I used crushed Oreos as the "dirt". We had a build-your-own-trailmix bar and fresh fruits and veggies. The pom- poms were made from tissue paper, and I printed the signs using my computer. Check out the pics below:)

 Getting ready to build marshmallow towers

Pin the bug on the flower game.

Pinata

 The final blow!

Home Depot aprons to go home with our guests.

A Timely Word...

I have to admit: Sometimes I feel like a really bad mom. I'm sure we all do from time to time. Yesterday was one of those days. I'll spare you the details and just let you know that my 5 yr old thinks she's 30 and my toddler is getting his canines in. (Some of you are laughing to yourselves because you know JUST how it feels!)

Long story short, when I went to bed last night I felt so drained. I was emotionally spent. I had given and given and given, only to be met with complaints, tears, and stinky attitudes from my children. I kept thinking of 2 Corinthians 12:15, which says, "I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." Have you ever felt that way? Now I know my children don't love me any less than they did yesterday, but sometimes it feels like the more we moms give, the less we're appreciated. Naturally, I was also bombarded with negative thoughts throughout the day, which I'm sure came from the devil as they were meant to get me off-focus from what God has called me to do: to be a loving mother to these two beautiful children, even on the hard days.

(That's when we need to work on the first part of that verse: Gladly spending ourselves and all we have for those God has entrusted to us, namely our children.)

But in the midst of all of the hardships, it's all worth it. Motherhood is so discouraging at times, but it's worth it. It's lonely, but worth it. Frustrating, but worth it. Messy, but worth it. How do I know that? Because I know from the Bible and from experience that God is with me and that He has a greater purpose for my kids than I do. I know that the processes He leads us moms through is a good one- it cleans out all of the selfishness, pride and bad habits. I know that He sees me. I know that He watches as I fold the laundry for the ump-teenth time and I hear Him encouraging me. Sometimes it's so quiet and gentle- just thoughts running through my head, or Bible verses coming to mind. Other times, it's bold and obvious.

I heard God whisper some reassuring words as I folded laundry yesterday, then my husband took time to tell me how much he believes in me. I went to bed feeling better, but still lacked confidence to start the day this morning. So, as we were running errands today God took time to make sure I got the extra encouragement I needed to renew my perspective.

My children were not on their best behavior, nor were they acting like little monkeys in the grocery store. We were just shopping. Everything was normal. As I rounded a corner, a man looked up and said with enthusiasm, "You have inCREDible children!" I thanked him, wondering what on earth he was talking about. In the past 5 minutes I hadn't heard a "yes ma'am" a "please" or an "excuse me." I did however have to swat a hand, apologize to the victim of a shopping cart drive-by and stop a bit of begging.

The man leaned forward and corrected me, saying, "It's in their spirits."

BAM! It hit me. God was speaking through that man to remind me that He is at work in their lives even when I don't see it. Even when they're being ungrateful. Even when they're whining. God is working. God sees the stuff I can't. So often I pay more attention to their behavior than their hearts- but  as 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I was blown away. I decided to take the kids to Wendy's and think about this for a while. While we were eating, a woman asked how old Matthew was. She then went on to pour out encouragements to me, saying "I don't know what you're doing, but whatever it is, keep doing it!" She called my kids things like "awesome" and "so good." That was a far cry from what I wanted to call them yesterday!

Time to repent. Time to praise God. Time to hug my kids and climb out of the rut with them clinging to my back. (Because don't you realize that our being in a rut doesn't just effect us- it effects everyone around us?)

It's amazing what a kind word can do to a weary and anxious heart. I wonder how I'd be feeling right now if those strangers had kept their thoughts to themselves? They had no idea I was struggling. It's not like I was wearing a T-shirt that said "Hug Me- I'm Discouraged!" or "I'm with Cranky ==>." 

Have you been meaning to say something to someone that could potentially lift them up? Say it! You may never know what your co-workers, neighbors or even family members are going through when you're not around. A kind word doesn't have to be elaborate or eloquent... just from the heart.

Remember Hebrews 3:13 today: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." You never know who has been struggling to get free from the deceitfulness of sin. Your kind word may be just what it takes to soften their heart again toward the Lord.

The Satisfaction of a Job Well Done...

I have a confession to make: I struggle with comparison. I know! Shocker, right? Ok, in all seriousness, I think we all do to some degree. I usually brush it off and call it "my competitive nature," and then feed it, cuddle it and encourage it; as if it were a pet or something.

I've come to realize lately that comparison truly is the greatest enemy to joy in our lives. God knows it. Theodore Roosevelt knew it. I'm beginning to understand it... a little. 

I ran across this verse a few days ago, and I can't get it out of my mind:

"Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct." -Galatians 6:4-5

"Pay CAREFUL attention". Responsibility. Intentionality. Diligence. "Your OWN work".

Honestly, sometimes I skip that part. Instead of being diligent in the things I deem important, I just scoot through life hoping that they get done. I assume that if I believe they're important, then I will do them. But that's not always the case.

If I don't PLAN to have time with Jesus, I won't.

If I don't PLAN to read with my kids, I won't.

If I don't PLAN to work out, I won't.

I love all of those things- but simply loving something doesn't make me do it. They're all high on my list of priorities, but I tend to do what is right in front of me first. I go to the kitchen for a glass of water and stop to put the cups in the dishwasher. Then I walk to the office, see the computer and sit down to balance the checkbook. I head to my bedroom to get stamps and stop to make my bed. Before long, the day is half gone and I am spent. I've done my chores but missed out on great opportunities with my God and my kids. I've accomplished much, but none of the things I was hoping to accomplish.

Then, when I get on Facebook and see friends who have finished their laundry, lost 10 lbs, completed the potty training process or taught their children to memorize the Bill of Rights, I feel defeated. Comparison (or "competition" as I like to call it) steals my joy. Not because I'm mad at them for doing all of those things- I think those things are great! But because I'm disappointed in myself for not paying careful attention to my own work. I'm discouraged because I'm actually paying more attention to THEIR work than my own. I commend their conduct while shucking responsibility for my own with excuses like "I was too ____________" (busy, tired, stressed, whatever).


So how do I get out of that rut? I don't have all the answers. I'm still working on it, but here are some things I know:

Number 1: I've got to get in God's Word. The Bible clearly tells us how to prioritize our lives in order to live well and please God. I was so encouraged to find Philippians 2:13, which says "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." I'm blown away by this verse. God is working in us to help us get our priorities in line with His will! And, as Romans 8:31 says, "What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" God is on our side!

Number 2: I have to plan for my priorities. I'm a task-oriented person, a planner by nature. I've come to realize that in order to walk in intentionality, I have to plan more than my "to-do" list. I have to plan my "to-be" list. Here is a great saying that I heard from one of our college pastors while I was at Baylor:

"Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance."

So what does that look like in my life? An example: Last week I was quite discouraged at the end of the day over some things I wanted to do but didn't. So I made a list of things I did well and things I could improve upon. I talked to God about this list and decided to try something:

 The next day, I read both lists and did my best to improve on the "not-so-greats." I ordered my tasks in such a way as to help me become the person God is making me to be.  And do you know what? I spent time with Jesus. I played more with my kids. I even did my workout AND got my chores done. I had a better attitude and didn't feel so rushed or exhausted at the end of the day. Being intentional made a huge difference. I planned to be more instead of just wandering through my day, doing whatever task showed up in front of me.

I was joyful.

I was confident.

When I put my head on my pillow that night, I felt "the satisfaction of a job well done." And that is a great feeling.

Have any of you ever been there with me? We all have good days and bad days. Remember on the bad days that God is working in you. He allows us to see our faults so that we can see His mercy and goodness and love toward us. Comparison will steal your joy so quickly. Trust in God and focus on what He wants you to do today instead of what everyone else has accomplished. You can do it! God's grace is so plentiful and available whenever you need it. May God bless you today:)



A Makeover and a Birthday Girl...

Mama is a Verb got a bit of a makeover today. I'm sure you're all getting tired of me changing things up, right?  I've been learning tons on Photoshop lately and made my own heading bar. I love it, so maybe I'll stick with it for a while, haha! (...we'll see...)

I've also added more ways to follow my blog, so check the right side bar. Also, if you'd like to get emails every time I update my blog (don't worry- I don't find time to do it often, so your inbox won't be slammed!), you can sign up for email updates as well.

We've been pretty busy around here lately- out of town visits, the Fourth of July in South Arkansas, helping my mom with a minor remodel, and two birthdays only 13 days apart. The party for both of my kiddos is Saturday, so I've been swamped with plans and pinatas and tiny toy bull dozers. I'll be sure to post pictures- it's going to be C-U-T-E!! A dual-themed party as my daughter celebrates her 5th with flowers and gardening fun and my son celebrates his second with full-blown construction zone goodness.


Courtney had a great 5th birthday yesterday. We celebrated at home by making cookies and giving her a new bike. She's really looking forward to all of the party fun this weekend. I posted some of these on Facebook, but here are a re-cap and a few pics for those who missed them.

She was so happy to find a balloon garland on her door when she woke up- thank goodness for Pinterest, where I found the idea!

 

happy to be the birthday girl!

She made birthday cookies and said, "Why don't you take my picture with the beaters?"
(that's my girl!!)

  

She loved her new bike!

 

Learning to ride with Daddy

 

We went to the park today and she had already gotten the hang of it! She'll be a pro before we know it!

Faith Like Shopping Carts...

(My sweet kiddos, the first time Matthew rode in the front without a baby carrier!)

When I go shopping, the most pressing matter on my mind is not which brand of diapers to buy, the sale price of green beans, or even where to park so that I create that perfect triangle between my car, the store and the shopping cart return. No, what I'm thinking about is how to place my children into the cart in order to maximize my time, space and patience for the hour or so that we'll be inside. Usually, Matthew (almost two) sits up front in the seat while Courtney (nearly 5) sits inside of the cart or rides on the end, or walks beside me. It all depends on how long we'll be there and whether or not I'm buying the big pack of toilet paper.

When Courtney sits inside the basket, she's busy. VERY busy. She builds towers from cans of corn, pokes sponges through the tiny "castle windows" that make up the cart's frame, and becomes the narrator for amazing stories full of complex characters. Naturally, this makes it hard for her to hear me. I have to raise my voice, or sometimes even stop the cart and tap her shoulder to bring her out of this creative trance.

And then there's the end of the cart. When Courtney rides here, she's hanging on for dear life! Every stop, turn and bump send her flailing to one side or another- what an adventure!! This often stresses her out a bit, though, so she climbs along the side of the cart, nearly pulling me into a pyramid of Oreos or something (gasp!) breakable. She eventually makes her way to the front of the cart, walking between me and the front wheels. This inevitably leads to some sort of accident, usually caused by my size tens stepping on her little piggies. Tears. Words. Hugs. Back to the end of the cart.

All this time, Matthew sits in the seat as happy as a clam. It's tempting for him to try to follow his sister and jump into the cart, but for the most part he's focused on me. I talk to him, tickle his feet and make silly faces. He gives me high fives and smiles.

As I push the cart up and down the isles, my kiddos always end up exactly where I want them. The journey always leads to the checkout line. The difference in the level of joy we experience is dependent upon where they're sitting. I got to thinking about this. It's a lot like faith.

On the journey of life, we have a choice in where we ride as Jesus guides us:

1) We can "sit in the cart." We can go through life distracted by all of the things around us, barely paying attention to Jesus except when He stops life, taps us on the shoulder, and (like I do with my daughter) says "Look at My eyes- I'm talking to you!"

2) We can "hang on for dear life." We live in a false sense of faith because we're just hanging on, hoping we somehow end up where we're supposed to be. We cringe at every turn, terrified of getting hurt or thrown off the wagon. We yell to Jesus, "Hey! Do you have this thing under control? Because I'm not feelin' it here!" We're far from God, but still His. We convince ourselves that it's all faith, but we're really the ones trying to lean the cart from one side or the other, hoping not to run into something. We try to get up at the front so we can drive, but end up getting our toes stepped on by a very big, very sovereign God.

3) We can sit at the front, facing Jesus, instead of our destination. We can experience our relationship with Him- hear His voice, see the love in His eyes, and respond to His correction when we're tempted to jump into the cart with our friends who are so distracted by the things around them. We don't worry about where we're going- we just enjoy Jesus and trust Him to get us there. THAT is real faith.

So the question is this: Where are you sitting today? Where will you sit tomorrow? Because you do have a choice. Let's all climb up into the baby seat today, respond to Jesus, and let Him get us to the end with joy and delight.

A Picture of a Pitcher..

I read a blog post from Beth Moore at Living Proof Ministries this morning at about 5am, after putting my kids back to bed after the thunder woke them up. I would encourage all of you to read it- it's all about throwing our burdens onto the Lord instead of hauling them around by ourselves. Click the link below to read it.

"Throw Your Burden"- By Beth Moore


I posted a comment, which (naturally) turned into a full page. So I thought I'd share it here. It will make sense if you don't read Beth Moore's post, but I really, really encourage you to read it first. It was soooo good! I hope this comes as an encouragement to someone- it has definitely changed my perspective on a few things.

My response:

 "This was such a great read after putting my kids back to bed (again) during last night’s storms. I know there are a few things I’ve been holding too tightly to and need to throw to Jesus.

As I lied in my bed, listening to the pounding rain, I couldn’t help but imagine myself throwing my cares to the Lord, like a little girl playing catch with her Daddy. Some I threw with full force- like an all star pitcher- right into Jesus’ powerful, loving arms. Others, it seemed, were harder to throw. Perhaps because I had been so worn down by them and couldn’t find my strength, or maybe because in my heart of hearts I was still to scared to let them go.

I pictured myself much like my almost 2 yr old son, winding up for the pitch, then flinging my arm with all of my might, only to have the ball drop straight to my feet or (more often than not) completely behind me. I was met with frustration as I looked to my feet, exhausted by my efforts; or with an illusion of joy, followed by confusion as I realized I had not, in fact, thrown the ball of my burdens. I had merely flung it, letting it land in my past, only to be tripped upon during another part of my journey.

As I prayed, I heard God lovingly speaking about a pitcher. He starts out just like every other two year old, throwing the ball behind him or off into the bushes. His dad joyfully fetches the ball every time and gives his son another chance. Eventually, the boy becomes more accurate in his throws. He builds strength and skill. As he trains, he learns from his mistakes and his successes. He learns to look into his catcher’s eyes rather than at his glove. They build a relationship through the process, even coming up with non-verbal cues that, though subtle to some, communicate pages and pages of information.

I was encouraged to realize that although I feel like that little two year old most days, my Heavenly Father is FAITHFUL to fetch those foul balls, give me another chance, and encourage me along. As I toss and fling and lob the ball of my burdens at Him, He is training me- ever so gently, but with such intentionality. All I have to do is trust Him- to look into His eyes and stay on the field. If I give in to frustration and turn in my glove, I will inevitably walk around with the weight of the world on my shoulders- a weight I was never intended to carry.

Thank you for posting- I will be chewing on this for a few days:)"

The Pooper Blooper...

Potty training. Ugh. It's not something I have been looking forward to. I had heard that boys usually seem to train a little later than girls, so I happily assumed Matthew would start at around two and a half or so... not at twenty months. The problem is that we live in a rent house with brand new carpet. I really hoped he would wait until he could communicate and follow instructions better, but he's such a fast learner... a visual learner... a task master. He gets things quickly and wants to try everything his big sister does.

And so, we retrieved the "froggy potty" from the attic... bought the Pull-Ups... and all boarded the Potty Train (as my daughter used to call it).

It's gone well so far. He's used the potty twice, and only had one accident in his clothes. We had a small poo-mishap in the hallway, but Resolve did the trick. I was reminded of why I hate Pull-Ups. They're terrible when toddlers poo and then decide to take them off. Naturally, they always run off and hide to go poop. That particular day, I didn't even know it had happened until he toddled into the kitchen to throw his Pull-Up in the trash, then turned and ran. The evidence was clear. It led to a horrific "crime scene" in the hallway.

Not too bad, though, overall. Today was tough. He refused to wear the Pull-Up most of the day. I found him naked several times, and had to clean up a few "spills" this afternoon.

But then we experienced what I like to call "The Pooper Blooper." No beating around the bush here. It's going to get dirty. If you're squeemish, don't continue. If you're curious and need a good laugh, read on. Hard to believe this all really happened, but I assure you, it did- and I have the spic n' span bathroom to prove it.

Here's how it all went down: Hubs and I were in the office. He was checking his email while I put tiny Thomas the Train Engines into their plastic bin. Matthew brought his potty chair into the office, which was no big deal. He carries it around sometimes (don't worry, I disinfect it constantly). We could see the kids out of the corners of our eyes, but didn't turn to really pay attention until Courtney said, "EEWWW!!! Matthew POOPED!"

To my horror, I turned to see my son sitting beside his potty chair with poo in his hand, smeared all over his foot, and scattered around him in little clumps. Poor guy was trying to take off his Pull-Up to sit on the potty, but he didn't make it in time.

I scooped him up, holding him face out with his legs in a V, somehow pinning his poopy hand down with my thumb- and I sprinted for the bathroom. Something warm hit my toe. Poop. It had fallen from him and lodged between my big toe and my second toe. I froze in my tracks and yelled in disgust. "AH! EWWW!! It's on my toe! Grooooooossssss!!!" Hubs ran to my aid with toilet paper and wiped my toe clean (My hero!). We all rushed to into the bathroom together to tackle Mr. Pooper. Hubs flushed the toilet paper while I looked for the baby wipes. "Get me towels!" he suddenly yelled.

The toilet was overflowing.

*SOMEBODY* had flushed a ton of TP down the toilet before we'd gone in there, so when Hubs flushed, water ran everywhere! The towel cabinet was empty, since we'd been swimming, so I put Matthew down and told him, "Don't move!" as water flooded the bathroom floor.

He held onto the cabinet with his clean hand, and held his poop-covered left foot up in the air, with a tiny piece of toilet paper stuck to his heel. The poor little naked boy looked up at me with those big blue eyes like an orphan being left out in the cold. I could read his face: "What? You're just going to leave me here like this???" I took a deep breath, swallowed my guilt, and ran to the dryer to fetch towels anyway.

After handing the towels to Hubs, I scooped Matthew back up and began wiping him down with wipes. Once he was somewhat clean, I put him down again and ran to the kitchen to get the Clorox Wipes so that I could start disinfecting as soon as possible. Hubs started the bath water.

Upon returning to the bathroom, I heard my husband's voice: "No, Buddy!" He plunked Matthew into the bath and informed me that our male child had, after all of this, decided to pee in the floor as he watched the tub filling with water. (I don't blame him- you know how it is.)

Poor Matthew looked stunned as I washed him (and washed him, and washed him) over the next 15 minutes or so. Thankfully, we got everything cleaned, disinfected and unclogged. I spent 20 minutes washing the tub, counters and floor once it was all over. Thankfully, the rest of the night went off without a hitch.

After his bath, I wrapped Matthew in a clean towel and handed him to his dad. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. Really? Had all of that just happened? Potty training is tough. It's frustrating, embarrassing, challenging and downright disgusting. But it's so worth it. I am reminded of this every time my four year old comes out of the bathroom, having pottied, flushed, and washed her hands without my help. Ahhhhhh. That gives me hope.

And so, I board the Potty Train once again for another day of great adventures. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Serving our families...

I went to a Ladies' Brunch at Christ Fellowship this morning featuring Judie Byrd. She is the host of "Judie Byrd's Kitchen", the founder of The Culinary School of Ft. Worth, and food editor of Ft. Worth, Texas Magazine. You can find her website here. She's an amazing woman, full of life and beaming with love for Jesus. She shared some great recipes, made biscuits right in front of us, and encouraged us as the managers of our homes to do everything we do for God, knowing that He is really the only One who will ever truly know and appreciate how much we stay-at-home moms do during our days.

She admonished us to step it up and stop just surviving through the days, but embrace the calling God has placed on us as caretakers to the precious families He has entrusted to us. She also reminded us that it's not our job to become a Martha Stewart clone, but to become the best of ourselves. It will look different for all of us- it doesn't make it wrong or right, because we're all wired differently- and that's a beautiful thing.

Judie gave us  a great Bible verse to think about as we go throughout our days: 1 Corinthians 15:58. It says, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

I was thinking about that. What if I'm laboring all day for my husband? Trying to please him, to gain "points" per se with a clean house, home-cooked meal and happy children? My labor would be in vain. There is nothing wrong with cooking, cleaning or keeping the kids happy, but where is my heart in it all? Hubs can't reward me on the other side of eternity.

What if I'm laboring for my children? Trying to make home a fun place to be, somehow hoping that one day they'll brag to their friends that they had the greatest mom in the world, and working with all my strength to bring them happiness instead of disappointment? My labor would be in vain. My children aren't capable of bringing me glory in heaven.

What if I'm laboring to impress my parents? my inlaws? my *ah-hem!* blog readers? It's all in vain. When I stand before God on Judgement Day, and He asks what I've done with the life He gave me, He won't ask my parents, or my children, or my husband what kind of woman I was at home, or how I fulfilled the calling He gave me... He'll ask Jesus. And I want the eternal rewards that Jesus can give so much more than the temporary bliss of seeing all of the peole who click "LIKE" when I post my blog to Facebook.

And so I am reminded again today that all of the laundry, the toilet cleaning, the cooking and other chores that seem to depress me throughout the week are simply ways to serve and bless my family while obeying God. Even if no one ever steps up with a "thank you" (although I'm so glad that my hubs is great at saying Thanks when he notices the work I've done), I will bring God glory, pleasure and joy as I walk in obedience with a happy heart, doing what He's called me to do- to "bloom where I'm planted" (or so I've heard it put). So I'm on a mission to be more purposeful (note: purposeful does not mean perfect!) in taking care of my home- not just making it clean, but making it a great place to be, because when I worship God, the fragrance of His presence fills my home. And what better way to worship God than to obey Him with a cheerful and thankful heart?

So.... I had a little fun today as I thought of the different hats I wear as a stay-at-home wife & mom. There are so many more, but these are the few I could fit into my backyard, haha! Check out the pic below, You'll see Cooking Mom, Grocery Mom (although my re-usable "go-green" grocery bag is hidden), Cleaning Mom, Laundry mom, Dr. Mom, Teacher Mom, and Fun Mom. Thought for the week: How can you glorify God as you go about your day to day responsibilities?


By the way, have I ever mentioned how much I heart Photoshop?

A Letter of Thanks to Church Childcare Workers...

If you spend your Sunday mornings in the church nursery,                                                 
                                   or at the kiddie drop-off booth,
                                                              or playing Red-Rover with sixteen four-year-olds,
                                                                                  Thank you.

If you have fed my teething, slobbery baby animal crackers to soothe him until the Worship Service was over,
                or searched for twenty minutes to find his lost pacifier in the toy box,
                                or prayed with my daughter after she's been rejected by the other kids,
                                              or (bless your heart) answered her favorite question a hundred and fifty times, "WHY??"
                                                                                                              Thank you.
 

If you have ever cleaned up my son's blow-out diapers,
          If you have listened to him scream for the entire hour and a half while he was under your care,
                        If you have ever been clonked on the head by his flailing arms or smiled as he tore at your hair in curiosity,
                                            or been the victim of a full on spit-up assault,
                                                                                Thank you.

I try to remember to give a heart-felt thank you, but let's face it: In the midst of the masses coming to collect their children, it often goes unsaid. Or amongst all of the "Mommy! Look what I colored!!" and "I wasn't done playing!" and "What's for lunch?!?" coming from my offspring, it often goes unheard, bouncing away on the tops of the noises that fill the halls.

I know it's tough. I've been there. Nursery workers are not cowards- this job is not for the faint of heart. And the older the kids, the tougher the job. You have to be on your toes... or you'll get tackled by a herd of three year old boys! You pour out love until you feel completely empty, but then, suddenly, you feel full again- God's grace, no doubt.

What you may or may not realize, is how important your job is. You sit with my children and keep them safe. You keep them happy- or busy, at least. But it's more than that.

You provide me, as their mother, an opportunity I rarely experience during the week- an hour or two to sit in God's presence, learn from His Word, and worship Him without distraction.
                                                                                     Thank you.

I have no worries during that time. No fears. I can completely let go of my maternal distractions for a little while and focus on Jesus- because I know that you are taking good care of my children. I know this because they don't want to leave the nursery when church is over. They can't stop talking about what they've learned, what they played and what they sang. During the week my daughter will say something completely profound and full of love and truth. She says she learned it at church. That was something you said.
                                                                                                  Thank you.

I love the way you invest in my children- you're not a babysitter. You're changing the world by loving on kids, one Sunday morning at a time. You reinforce the truths and values I try to set at home. You show my kids a piece of Jesus every time you hug them, serve them, or teach them.
                                                                               Thank you.

Thank you for the time, energy and love you pour into my kids every time the church doors are open. Thank you for greeting me with a smile that says, "Go, enjoy God today. I've got this under control." Thank you for giving up so much- in that, you are giving my family more than you know. I appreciate you. Every one of you.

On Combining Hobbies and Motherhood...

What is your hobby? What do you spend a large portion of your week doing or thinking about, aside from taking care of your kiddos? Is it watching old movies? Photography? Bible study? Song writing? Crafting? Sewing? Blogging? Landscaping? Facebooking? Whatever it is, your kids know it's important to you. They see you sitting at the computer or drooling at Home Depot as you walk through the rose bushes. They notice that you always seem to stop off at Hobby Lobby but rarely get anything. Naturally, we all have things we love, or things we loved before we had kids but simply just don't have time for anymore. It doesn't mean we've lost our passion for the hobbies we've held dear, it just means that some of us have put them on hold for a while until our little ones are self-sustaining enough, napping long enough, or old enough to spend a day at school. I'll bet, however, that if you're really passionate about something you find time for it now and then, even in 10 or 15 minute spurts before the kids wake up in the morning, or while they're at the table with a couple of Go-gurt tubes. "I'll clean up whatever mess they make," you convince yourself, "because it's worth it to me to fit in just a few moments of me-time."

Let me suggest that there is a way to combine your children with your hobby. Maybe you can't take them sky-diving or shark-hunting, if those are your passions, but you can include them in little ways. My hobby is photography. I am still an amateur, but I love (LOVE) it. I read everything I can get my hands on, I try fifteten angles for every shot, I get terribly under and over exposed pictures because I love to experiment with the aperture and ISO functions on my camera. I'm slowly but surely improving... SLOWLY, but surely. I bought an external hard drive in April of 2009. In three years, I have created 722 folders with over 24,000 files (namely, picture and video files with a small handful of documents). Crazy, right? 24,000! But I just love documenting life. One day I'll go through and delete the bad pics- blurry, grainy and what-not. For now, I will just keep taking pictures of the things I love, stealing away a few minutes during the day to edit them. My kids know how much I love taking pictures. They know not to touch my camera, and they know that if I get the camera out I'm more than likely going to point it at them. They're fine with this.

Today I decided to combine motherhood and photography- not taking pictures OF my kids, but taking pictures FOR them. I've read a few "How to photograph newborns" articles lately, since they've been on my Facebook Timeline. My daughter is absolutely in love with the idea of motherhood, telling me often that she wants to be a stay-at-home mom just like me when she grows up (*awwww!*). Her "daughter" (my grand-daughter) is Baby Granna. She was a gift to Courtney at Christmas, just before she turned two. Baby G goes all over town with us, across state lines, to church (although she usually naps in the car while we worship) and more. I mentioned to Courtney that we could take newborn pics of her baby doll, and she was SUPER excited! So we had a spontaneous little newborn photo shoot. It was so fun:) Courtney and I had a great time. She chose the outfits, several poses, and blankets. She was just like a real mom- "I want her to look like an angel! Let's make angel wings for her!" She even pulled out a toy camera and started taking pictures of her own:

She had a blast, and we had a great bonding experience... while my 1 yr old son took off his diaper and climbed into the bathroom sink. (A word of advice, if you're crazy about your hobby, like I am, stay alert and make sure all kids are accounted for at all times, haha!)

So what's your hobby, and how can you share it with your kiddo? Can she help you write a silly song? Could he be your assistant in the kitchen? Could you sew a quilt with his favorite sports teams on it? Perhaps she can help you plan your next shark-hunting trip by pointing out the kinds of sharks she would like you to find, or by helping you choose your new goggles? Here are the results of our little photo shoot. Maybe I'll print them and put together a little photo album for Mother's Day? I know, this may seem creepy to some- taking pictures of a doll, but it meant the world to my little girl. What a wonderful memory. I encourage you to think outside of the box now, and make some great memories of your own! :)


I used free (FREE!!) Photoshop actions from thecoffeeshopblog.com and MCP Actions. Click on their names to get your free actions and presets. They are a-mazing time savers, and work with old editions of Photoshop as well as new, including Lightroom!