Motherhood can make us feel that we are in a juggling act. We try to seek balance and be joyful, but kids, husband, house, our needs and wants all pull us in different directions. We worry that if we drop one ball they all will come crashing down! We are busy and yet not feeling productive many days as the line between needs and wants become blurred. Attempting to keep it … [Read more...]
Fighting Depression as a Mom
{Post by Lisa} Our four-day hospital stay with our first born was spent holding our happy infant almost every minute. That filled our time with peace. We were so content to just rest together. My husband and I were glad to go home, of course, but on the way out of the hospital door we both became aware that we were alone without the support of caring … [Read more...]
Finding Time to Work on You in 3 Easy Steps
{Guest Post by Heather} As moms we’re limited on time. It’s the understatement of the year. Perhaps even the decade. It’s the one thing we need more of and yet feel like there’s never quite enough. Worse yet, we’re constantly running out of it. We all wake up with the same 24 hours to work with, but it seems to be a huge challenge finding time to work on you! Am I … [Read more...]
Finding Peace in the Busy Seasons
{Guest Post by Lauren} Have you ever felt like you are drowning in your to-do list? Finding peace in the busy seasons is something I am currently struggling with. We recently got back from vacation, which was wonderful! I feel so grateful we could find time to get away with our family. Yet somehow my feelings of joy are mixed in with anxiety and stress! Who knew you could … [Read more...]
Surviving, Then Thriving
{Post by Lisa} It seemed like every time I moved forward there was a brick wall to get past. I felt suspicious that something was going on. I wondered if I had made the wrong decision. I tried to settle in, pray hard, and do my part. My efforts were ignored or not good enough. Making a change didn’t seem like the right thing to do. Surely, I will be seen for who I am … [Read more...]
The Treasures We Teach Our Children
{Post by Lisa} Why do we focus so much on our failures? Seriously, though. How have feelings of guilt and shame served us? They don’t. Instead they hold us down like a heavy weight and makes us feel defeated. Focusing on the treasures we teach our children can help. Every day we set an example. Parenting is not about doing everything right all the time. We will … [Read more...]
Pros & Cons to Having Children Close in Age
{Post by Lauren} My sister and I are 22 months apart in age. She was my built in best friend when we were growing up. My mother having children close in age was a benefit. Sure there were times, especially in high school, when we drove each other nuts. But overall it has been such a blessing to have her so close in age! My husband and I knew we wanted a few children, but … [Read more...]
The Horrible News of this World
{Post by Lisa} Today another shooting and the killer is still on the run. The horrible news of this world is so scary that I am literally shaking from the inside out and my mind is filled with vain imaginations. Anxiousness gets the best of me and my head fills up with worry that something bad will happen to me or my kids. Most of my day is consumed with fear. I make … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Stay Organized with Kids
{Post by Heather} I grew up in a house that was super organized and always tidy. To say my mom was a clean-freak would be an understatement. We religiously organized, sorted and cleaned. At the time it was pretty annoying, but as I became an adult I grew thankful that we lived in such a clean way. And I learned a lot about how to stay organized with kids. When I became an … [Read more...]
Embrace the Quiet, Let Go of Busy
{Post by Lisa} Sometimes there are no friends around to call and that can be a good thing. I know that this is a strange thing to write. Hang on though and let me explain what I mean. Friends can be too busy or need space or they moved on without us. Or they are tired of waiting for us to call them and catch up. Caring Moms tend to think that they did something wrong. … [Read more...]
How to Navigate Motherhood When Your Spouse is Deployed
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of 1 Natural Way, a TRICARE breast pump provider. All opinions are entirely my own. Please view my disclosure for full details. It was the most challenging time of my life. Surviving a deployment as a military spouse can take a lot of patience, and a lot of personal strength. I had to dig deep for strength and patience going … [Read more...]
8 Natural Baby Care Tips
It was the third time we visited the doctor for my son's skin rash. Living in a humid climate could have been the cause, and we tried the prescribed treatments. Nothing was working. Worse yet were the side effects listed on the tube of cream the doctor recommended. No one ever suggested natural baby care tips. I started to look into it on my own. Caring for our babies is … [Read more...]
The One True Gift of Christmas
Welcome to Mom Motivation Mondays where weekly contributing writers share their motherhood experiences to encourage you to find the joy in being a mom. {This week: Post by Lisa} My first manger scene was a little ornament, I was five years old. I remember holding this fragile manger made of straw and plastic in the palm of my hand. Being a little girl in love with baby … [Read more...]
DIY Gifts: Save Money and Give with Love
DIY gifts are something I work into my holiday giving every year. They allow me to personalize gifts, give unique treats, and save money. This is all good for our household budget. DIY gifts are often easily made in large batches so you can make it once and create multiple gifts at one time. I use this batch processing method for all my neighbor gifts, teacher gifts and even … [Read more...]
Letting Go of Shame
Beaming with a smile and tears in her eyes, she quietly whispers to me, “I found myself.” I give her my full attention. She tells me that for years she had stopped doing the things that she loved and now she feels, once again, a passion for it. When she was a younger lady she had a fire in her bones to pray for others and visit the poor. She loved prayer meetings and … [Read more...]