What I learned in February & what's to come in March...

What I learned in February...

 - snow skiing is still as thrilling as when I was 8 years old and brings an entirely new dimension with your 4 year old between your legs.

 - traveling with my children is and will continue to be one of my favorite parts of life.  Their passports will become their greatest textbooks.

 - my 10 year old does not have a birth certificate!  Discovered this at our local post office trying to get their passports.  We thought that her hospital certificate was her birth certificate for the past 10 years!  This was quickly remedied.

 - I love my best friend more now than ever!  Traveling on youth trips with him, taking time to date him when we can squeeze it in, living life:  the good and the bad with him.  I wouldn't trade him for anything!

 - Even though I love the winter months (& my sweet girls), I crave alone time, whether it's a hour at our local coffee shop or just in my kitchen fixing supper with a podcast going.

 - God is teaching me patience through my girls wanting to help in the kitchen.  The perfectionist in me really comes out!  Mold me, Lord because I can't do it in my own strength.

  - Purging stuff is hard.  I have done horribly at my 40 bags in 40 days.  I don't even know what day I'm on.  I could blame it on the snow/ice and the laziness that comes with days like that in NC or that we had a quick stomach bug with one of our girls, but it just comes down to the fact that it's hard.  I'm not giving up though.  

Now for what's to come in March...

1.  Get ready for bed when my nightly alarm goes off.  I NEED TO GO TO BED EARLIER!!!  I have been working on this for years.

2.  Finish Notes from a Blue Bike, read Love & Respect, and pick up where I left off on The Happiness Project.  I finished The Best Yes last month.  Phenomenal book that I'm still taking notes on. Will share more in another post.

3.  Order plane tickets (once tax money comes in...), train tickets, and arrange lodging (already have some tentative arrangements made.  Yay!) for Japan.

4.  Continue 40 bags in 40 days...

5.  Celebrate birthdays well.  Two of my favorite people are turning another year older and celebrations will be quiet, but special. My littlest informed me last night that she is no longer 4, but already 5.  I turned weepy at the thought of my baby being 5 soon, but she quickly assured me that she would still be my baby when she was 5, and 6, and 7...   

Finding the Blessings in the Busyness

It's already one third of the way into December and I'm still trying to catch my breath.  Even before Thanksgiving, I knew that December would be busy.  I knew that we would have something every single evening from December 1 until the week of Christmas. My insides fought it hard.  Some of scheduling could have been avoided, but once a commitment is made there is no turning back.  

So instead of focusing on the busyness, I want to focus on the blessings in the busyness.  

As we rushed to and from ballet yesterday, I glanced over to see a grandfather and small boy standing in the rain without an umbrella as they tried to cross the street to the store.  My heart broke and I was humbled by my grumbling heart.  I have a running vehicle that is warm and dry.  My girls are all healthy and we are so fortunate to have a close, affordable, and fun ballet studio for all three girls to participate in.  Count the blessings...

The simple pleasures of clean laundry, coffee every morning, Christmas lights, baking cookies with my girls, an amazing church family, friends who not only watch my girls, but make it fun...

The list could go on, and I pray it does.  I've neglected counting His ways.  I'm so quick to focus on the stress, to get overwhelmed, and to lose sight of what this season is all about.  May we all find the blessings whether busy or not.

Summer Dates

"Where do you want to go on our date?" 

"McDonald's!" says my vegetarian bred girl

Thus, a meatless hamburger kid's meal was ordered and savored by my sweet four year old who even shared a fry or two with her mama.

Not much was accomplished on our summer bucket list, but taking each of my girls on a date was not only checked off, but thoroughly enjoyed.  Marty does an amazing job taking the girls on monthly dates throughout the year, but for some reason, it's harder for me to make the time for such individual attention.  

Waffle House would not have been my first pick, but seeing my little middle's face as her chocolate chip waffle was laid in front of her could not have made that breakfast anymore special.  Having that time to listen to her dreams and fears was priceless.

Since our summer is rapidly approaching its finale, my oldest accompanied me on my weekly retreat to one of my favorite coffee shops for our special date.  Being early risers, we arrived soon after it opened, enjoyed our pastries and hot drinks while reading through our devotions.  Not much planning occurred on my part, but it was fun just sitting together working on our own agendas. 

How I pray that in years to come they will still want to spend time with me, that french fries, waffles, and hot tea will always be treats for them, and that their hearts will feel freedom to open and share, knowing we will always listen and love unconditionally. 

Day 16 - Coffee & Rest

"In a culture where busyness is fetish and stillness is laziness, rest is slothful.  But without rest, we miss the rest of God:  the rest He invites us to enter more fully so that we might know Him more deeply.  'Be still and know that I am God...'  Sabbath is both a day and an attitude to nurture such stillness.  It is both time on a calendar and a disposition of the heart.  It is a day we enter, but just as much a way we see." - Mark Buchanan

Three and half years ago, I gave birth to my sweet baby girl #3.  I loved being a mommy to girls.  I loved homeschooling and training our girls at home.  But I slowly felt myself becoming depleted.  I was giving all of my energy to these sweet girls, trying to support my husband in his ministry, mentoring high school girls each Sunday, yet not finding some time to rest and refill.  

With the support of my husband, I began to take one morning a week to slip away in the early morning hours to a local coffee shop for some time of rest.  To be able to slowly sip on my coffee, enjoy a tasty treat, pop in my ear buds, and have uninterrupted time to read my Bible and devotional became a time of Sabbath for me.  As a homeschool/stay-at-home mom, this time away became balm to my frazzled soul.  

 

 

Getting away once a week may not be possible for every mom.  It doesn't always happen here.  As a introvert, I crave alone time.  I love being with people and sharing conversations, but it exhausts me over time.  

"We have great freedom to live within the confines of our own personalities.  The more we learn to accept our own limitations, and the limitations and vulnerabilities of our children, the more able we will be to give to our children from our strengths, rather than our weaknesses." - Sally Clarkson  

For some, going for a run or sitting on your back porch may be just as pleasurable and restful.  For others, just lighting a candle during rest time and devoting that hour or so to just focus on the Lord, plan for the upcoming week, and pray over your family may be all you're able to do at this point.  But I do encourage moms (working, stay-at-home, homeschool) to make time to rest, not just surfing Pinterest (that I am guilty of doing), 

- but making that time of respite count for something, 

- make it beneficial for your family, 

- be a better mom and wife because you took that time to refocus. 

"There is a desperate need for us to hit pause, sit with God, and ask Him to reveal some things to us...  The Sabbath isn't just a time to be observed; it's a time to be preserved.  The observer remembers to rest.  The preserver rests to remember - remember that it's all about God." - Lysa Terkeurst