Some areas where I have really been seeking God are in parenting a defiant three year old and being a better wife. Now I know you all assumed that I was some dream wife (ha ha) but I am not. I have been married before and with that experience comes the wisdom that problems don't follow you twice…you bring them. I guess I can say that I have been blessed in this situation because it shows the common denominator in relationship issues…MOI! Tough cookie to swallow. Most of my learning and growing has come from praying, reading the Bible (the greatest instruction book EVER!) and seeking wisdom from a couple of confidents. These two books have really shook my perspective and I believe, by the grace of God, are setting me on a great path to becoming a more loving mom and wife. As I have mentioned before, I love listening to Focus on the Family. The author of this book, Nina Roesner, was featured in two segments and really spoke to my heart. I have mentioned in past posts about the book Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs . This book takes it deeper for the women's side of respecting her husband. In this age of distorted feminism, I believe this book is timely.
Another great resource is not a book but a video series from Tim Kimmel's Grace Based Parenting. There is a book, which I am positive I will purchase but I am really loving watching the videos of him teaching from his book. His whole point is to have us come to a place where we love our kids like God loves us. I am not good at that!!! I desire for my children to know God's love through my parenting and the way I love others. This book is a good supplement to help us get there.
We were so happy to hear that the boys behaved so well for their grandparents while we were in New York. Yet, at the same time, I couldn't get why they couldn't behave that well when they were with us. Many theories...but all in all we say it's better they are at their best with others.
I missed these boys...an hour from our return to Calgary. (You can gufah all you want but I needed a break and loved every minute of it.) Once I could feel the Alberta air shrivelling up my skin again, I longed to hold these minchies!
Is anyone else concerned that we are creating little narcissists with our iPhone craziness? Baby G loves getting his picture taken then checking it out and Munch is all about the selfie.
He hasn't landed "the pose" yet though.
Around Christmas I was growing weary of my relationship with Facebook; not the people on it but my self-focus because of it. I had a big post planned explaining why I was "stepping back" from FB but then someone beat me to it. Then I heard on a news show in New York that droves of teens and twenty-somes are leaving Facebook. Apparently, my feelings were not at all unique.
Then I decided to post one picture of our first night in New York and bang, I was hooked again. What can I say? I liked the attention. (It really does annoy me that I think of life events in terms of a Facebook status.)
When all is out of control and yucky...make a fort. It always works. This is how I got them to sit and do bookwork this morning. Then it was where they took quiet time, snack time and...I stopped it at bedtime.
My dear husband had come to the end of "sharing me" with the world this week. (As an extrovert, I need to learn to calm down and focus on my family more often.) We really enjoyed a dinner, just us two, at Maze by Gordon Ramsay and a delightfully long stroll down Fifth and Madison Avenues back to our hotel. We won't wait so long for a date night again!
This one little guy does everything this other little but bigger guy does. Unfortunately, it all started when the three year old was at his peak of badness. Now he has come out as the sweetest, most sensitive and yielding little man. However, he has left behind a spitting, screaming, pinching and hair pulling toddler. I repeat over and over throughout the day, "this too shall pass..." It's a good thing he's got cute chubby cheeks and an infectious laugh (even if it is because he's pulling your hair).
We were so excited to spend New Years Eve with a great group of friends but as the hours approached, it was becoming less and less likely. By noon that day, with 4 fevers out of 5, we made the decision to stay home. Did I mope? Nope. In between fevery hot flashes and body aches, the boys and I gathered together leftover decorations and put our own party together. Enjoy a few snapshots of The Sickest New Year Party 2013!
Yes, that's a coffee filter.
Sparkling water for all! Baby Goose didn't think it felt nice on his tongue.
A couple games, some salty chips and in bed by 7.
"There's two mommies. There and there," says Munch. What a card!
Ryan and I sat our achy bodies down with a glass of wine and enjoyed a movie...and in bed by 10...
...only to have this little guy and his baby brother keep us up for the next 2 hours with coughing and crying. At least we got to ring in the New Year!
Even if it wasn't what we planned and even if we missed seeing our friends, I know we will look back at this New Years as one of the most memorable. A good night overall...despite the flu.
Our home has been a frenzy of updates on the flooding in Calgary and Southwest Alberta. I love social media and the photos and videos amaze me but it is also so hard on the heart. I am watching these people's homes get wiped away from the rushing water and I ache for the loss of these families. We have been praying for friends who are stranded in Canmore, surrounded by roads that are no longer, for friends who are hoping the "higher ground" they evacuated to doesn't become a pool of water as well and acquaintances whose livelihood is in danger. There are more than 100,000 people possibly bunking with friends, family or strangers wondering what they will return to in 72 hours. I just can't imagine what that feels like. I am sure that anyone from Calgary who is reading this right now knows someone who is affected by this rain. What is beautiful is the amount of support that is being offered through Facebook and phone calls and texts. Sometimes we become the most beautiful in suffering, don't we? I am going to take the time I would have given to blogging to pray for those who are not in the comfort of their own home tonight. I leave you with a verse that comes to mind; reminding God's children that we do not need to be consumed by our troubles, as we can trust our compassionate and loving God. He is our refuge. Stay safe Alberta friends. -Ange
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
See that man riding with Munch on the sea-doo....that's my dad. I am so proud to be his daughter. This picture is fitting because it shows him doing something he loves: being on the lake and bringing joy to his grandkids. I grew up knowing that I was very blessed. Dad was very involved in our lives; whether it was attending our sports games, driving me to the orthodontist, attending my grade 8 home-ec luncheon with all the moms or teaching me how to change a flat tire. He is very sensitive and kind...and a people person through and through. He has been known to go for walks on vacations all over the world and coming back with a story of meeting someone who knows someone he knows. He is goofy, which is why the kids love him so much and encouraging. Over his sixty-some rounds of chemo (you read right, over 60 rounds. He is a walking miracle), he has touched many people fighting Cancer with humour, love and encouragement. In his sickest of moments, he still is thinking of other people and how to make them feel good. His Cancer returned just when I was pregnant with my first and he has fought through nausea, tiredness, pain and sadness to provide a fun and involved grandpa to his grand kids. I know that am blessed to have this man for a dad. He is one-of-a-kind. I love him so much.
Maybe you don't have a dad to celebrate with today. I am praying that you would be comforted at this time. I hope you don't think it trite for me to say that there is a Father who loves you more than any man ever could. God, our Heavenly Father, your Maker, looks at you with awe and pleasure. God showed His love by becoming a human being, in the person of Jesus Christ and reaching out to His lost and broken children. He then was willingly beaten, murdered and later died so that the necessary punishment of our sin would not be held against us. He is patiently waiting for His children who have not yet accepted this, to turn their faces to Him and believe what He says is true. I pray that today would be the day those who have not known the Father's love, would know it. My dad is amazing. My heavenly Father is glorious!
Happy Father's Day to any dads who are reading this Mommy blog. Have a great day friends! -Ange
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Where is the time going? Once the weather gets warmer, life seems to speed up. Now that the boys are in swimming lessons twice a week, each day is just flying by. They are so excited to jump into their grandparents lake this Summer. I am planning on spoiling Ryan this Father's Day. He is a fantastic dad and now that he is working from home, he does way more "duties" then he would normally, without complaint (well, mostly). There is nothing I love more than watching him get down on the floor with those boys and rough-house or when he has them snuggle in with him while he edits on his computer. He is better at so many more things than me in the parenting game-he can get those kids cleaning, brushing their teeth, getting ready for bed and eating a supper they don't enjoy like magic. I am so grateful for him as husband and father to my children. He loves getting gifts so we are giving him lots of little things that he has been mentioning over the last while. Some gifts we have already given him because he was in desperate need, like the new office chair (his other one was broken and tilted something horrible). On top of the practical gifts, we will put together some homemade gifts. I found this great idea from All for the Boys. I can't wait to see what the boys come up with for this; should be funny.
I also saw a great photo of little feet with "We love Daddy" or something on them but I can't seem to find it (forgot to "Pin It"). In my searching, I found a few other cute ideas. This one from 517 Creations is a tear-jerker.
This one, from Sisters Stuff, is cute and easy to make as well.
Here are some other ideas that I was looking up. This was with my husband in mind but maybe yours will appreciate it too.
I eat all of Ryan's snacks....mainly because it takes him years to eat them. I am not exaggerating. He rarely eats snack foods or chocolate...drives. me. crazy. I would make it the "hands off" basket, just for him, complete with beef jerky (he does love beef jerky). How cool is this chain? I have a girlfriend who has one and I love it...I didn't know they made them manly too!
This is what Ryan really wants (in case you can't see, it's an iPhone case that looks like a Bible)
Even though we have already picked up a few things, I think I will get it as well. I said we were spoiling him so....
Other than that, we will be making breakfast in bed and lavishing him with love and affirmation. It still won't do enough for how much we adore him around here. Let's hope this isn't the post he decides to check in on. If so, Ryan, just act surprised, okay? Like with the chair. Enjoy your the rest of your week! -Ange
I slept through the night! Wow...I. feel. horrible. Why is that? Is because our bodies don't know what to do with that amount of sleep anymore? Anyway, I am super excited that Baby Goo slept so well and that I could actually get up before everyone and get stuff done.
Today is Baby Goo's first day as a guinea pig. The boys are signed up with the University of Calgary Child Development study program. Being a grad of the Psychology program, I have a special interest in this area and love to help out. The boys have a great time "playing games" and then come home with a little toy and a t-shirt that says -I am a child scientist-(we are getting quite a collection). Now, Baby Goo is finally of age to be in a study and the boys and I are all going for a fun outing. The two older love playing with the "big kids" in the playroom.
My Pinterest Best Activity for the Week is more of a collection of ideas. I can't wait to try these out when we go camping with the grandparents this Summer. Right now I am just trying to get these kids to bed before the sun goes down!
I am by no means an expert on this. I was not shy. No one in my family was shy. I had my moments but the desire to socialize was so strong that it drove me to push through any timidity as a kid. I am not sure I could label Munch as shy. It may be more of a stubborn fearfulness. We called it shyness when he was a toddler. His dad was extremely shy as a child so we thought it was in the genes. I have to admit, I was highly annoyed by my clingy little boy. I couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to go play with the other kids. This was something I had to learn about from Ryan. I would ask questions about what would Munch be thinking about in social situations so that I could empathize with him. There were many times Ryan was better able to handle situations with Munch because he would know what to say to help. Situations like haircuts and first day of preschool were some of Ryan's highlight reel as a dad. I have since learned ways to help Munch cope in seemingly scary scenarios as well. One valuable lesson that I learned from the Growing Kids God's Way study is to allow for shyness but not let it be an excuse to be rude or disrespectful. I am so glad I learned that early with Munch. He would NOT say hi to anyone or even look at them. When that happened I would apologize to the person and let them know this was something we were working on. Then, at a later time I would talk with Munch about the importance of showing people they are important by addressing them kindly. There were days I thought I was wasting my time but now Munch is so good at addressing people that he says hi to everyone that passes by. He still has his moments but I see him remembering the importance of showing love over his fear. This Christmas, Munch's preschool class were to perform a couple of songs at his school's Christmas concert and this became a great source of anxiety for him. I volunteered one rehearsal day and he would not even stand on the stage to practice. Me being me, couldn't bare the fact that Munch might not get up on that stage (how does anyone not want to perform on a stage?!) What is the big deal, he performs at home all the time! Again, with much prayer and talking it over with Ryan, I came to accept that he might not get on that stage and that would be okay. Again, we stressed the importance of showing love to people. This time it was in the form of singing songs about Jesus to family and friends who may not know him. Munch is very logical and this really spoke to him...plus he is a true evangelist. We took a walk through the gym the day of the performance and talked about where he would walk and who would be there. I explained what the great big lights and speakers were for and why we needed to have the gym lights off. Then I told him that if he was brave and got up to sing for all those people, we would come back home and have a celebration. The rest of the day he went back and forth about whether he was going to do it or not. I had to continually give up my expectations and love him through it all. Ryan went in his classroom with him before the performance and made sure he could see him when he got on the stage. That boy sang. He sang quietly and humbly but he sang. The best part was when he was finished. The pride weld up in that little boy's heart and he soared for the rest of the night. We had a big celebration. It was a very big deal! Tomorrow Munch is singing for some seniors at a special care home. He has not wanted to go to school all week because of this event. I have forewarned his teacher of his anxiety and again spoke to Munch of the great joy he will bring these people by sharing his singing with them. We stopped by the building where they will sing and met a friendly lady named Cathy who shared with Munch that she picked out special snacks for him and his classmates. He has said he is still to too sure but I am thinking the snacks might keep him on track. It is a phenomenon to me this shyness deal. I have learned a great deal about those who struggle with social settings from these two men in my life. I have learned to be more empathetic too. I would like to think that my extroverted side has helped Munch and Ryan though. I have been able to show them that there really isn't a lot to be scared of in those situations and that the joy of making a new friend or doing something fun is worth fighting through the fear for. I love when Munch looks people in the eye to thank them when they compliment his jacket or when he he tells our neighbour about his swimming lessons. More importantly, I love watching how proud he feels when he moves out of his comfort zone and experiences new things. He is a real adventurer at heart. It would be a shame for that to have not been discovered.
Do you see me hiding behind my little lion on the left? The lengths I go through, sometimes! Ha ha
There are still days where he doesn't want the lady from church to babysit him or when he won't ask where the bathroom is on his own. And no matter how hard our pastor tries, he WILL not do the actions to the kids' songs at our church meetings (we don't push that one because we aren't fans either). Its totally okay. One thing that I can't seem to get over is him not wanting to be in group pictures. That, I believe, is pure stubbornness; a choice he will regret when he's older and wonders where he was at all the family events and parties (or not). I am grateful for this sensitive little guy, shyness and all. Do you have any tips for helping your child with shyness? I would love to hear them. Bless you! -Ange
We finally planted our garden!! The weather had not been cooperating and it was starting to look like we were out of luck for the year but we did it, we found ourselves free on a rain-free day! Yay!
I was so grateful for Phyllis for sparing some her land for our garden and for her help with seeding. I tried to hoe my own row and she immediately stopped me in her sweet but firm Italian accent, "It's too crooked." She made me give the hoe back. The boys enjoyed running around Phyllis' acreage and Malachi was as happy as can be, once he got his snacks. Ryan...enjoyed his coffee and teased me about being a "hippy girl". (he's going to appreciate this so called "hippy girl" when our grocery bill is less money). I was a little disappointed to hear that we may not get the watermelon we hoped for. However, my friend Lyndon, the horticultural genius and funniest person ever, says it is not totally impossible. (I am praying) Who wouldn't love a watermelon grown in their own garden?
I can't wait to enjoy the sweetness of those carrots!
Munch's preschool class gave their Momma's potted sunflower seeds for Mother's Day. We have been enjoying our little seed grow up. Now I want to see what else we can grow. I found this great blog where a couple try growing several different vegetables and fruit from their seeds. Mary and Tim at 17 Apart do a great job of explaining how to regrow veggies like celery and avocados and share their own attempts at regrowing. Lots of fun! This can be a great activity for teaching kids the appreciation of where our food comes from. "No sweetie, they dont just come from a grocery store." (You would be surprised how many kids don't know more than that).
Also, if you don't have enough yard or know someone else who does, you could look in your community for a community garden. I just found out we have one here in Chestermere! Also, you could do what Mary and Tim do and plant their vegetables in pots or boxes in your yard or patio. I found another website with some ideas. This is another way to "go organic" inexpensively. Vegetable Garden Guide.
The rain has returned. I praise God for our one gardening morning. Now, time to see the worms and puddle splashes again.
It's been a good day. One of those days where you see some of your hard work pay off. After over four years of fighting with Munch, he decided that not only could his hair be washed, but he would do it himself, as well as get himself out of the tub, dry himself off and get dressed himself. He was so proud that it took him an hour to calm down from the excitement (at bedtime!). Bubblegum made a good choice of toast and mango for bedtime snack, got the toaster out and put the slices in and pushed down the toaster thingy (with my supervision, of course) and he ate his bedtime snack with gusto and brought his plate to the sink when he was done. "What is going on with our boys today?"Ryan asked astonished. We are reaping today. We are enjoying the reaping. This morning we took them to a house church meeting where Ryan and I were invited to share about the progress of the documentary and his recent trips. We were there for over 5 hours and these boys said hello to people, answered questions, played with the super cool adults and sat and played quietly while Daddy shared and the group chatted and prayed. Everyone commented on how well behaved they were. Reaping. When we returned home there were friends here and they shared their toys, sat down when told to at supper, finished their meals and washed up after. Reaping.
These are the days we need to remember when there are tantrums and whining, many time-outs and talking-tos. These are the days we encourage, praise and build into these wonderful children we have for a time. These are the days we enjoy and praise God for His grace over us as imperfect parents. These are the days we take refreshing breaths and truly know it is all worth it.
I realize that I have put some challenges out there and have not given any updates. So here's some updates: my New Year's resolution has been pretty good. The resolution was not set to be perfect but merely to get us outside more. We have indeed been out more than if I had not se the resolution. It got us out on the coldest days of winter and will continue to get us out in our surprise blizzard days of Spring. I have been less than par on my 15 minutes of activity a day. This has probably been the least active I have been in years and my body feels it. I am achy and tired. I will try again this week. I have been reading Ephesians for quite some time now. As a challenge to myself I am going to post a video of me sharing chapters 1 and 2 next week.
The mountains. We enjoyed our ride home from Kelowna so much. I never grow tired of the mountains; their size, how each one is so unique, their absolute beauty. The boys really did love them as much as we hoped. Munch loved the random waterfalls and Bubblegum would sometimes yell, "BIIIIIIG!" We were so grateful for our time away as a family. There was some much needed discussion about what is next for us as a family, where we need to grow, what God has done and is doing. The boys got to have some great Daddy time swimming and playing and myself and the boys enjoyed our outdoor time, walking and exploring.
One interesting adventure we had was on our last night there. We hadn't toured around the rest of the building where the pool was and thought we could look around and possibly play some of the games like ping pong and pool while we were at it. We explored up to the top floor of the stand-alone building to find a beautiful room with couches, tables, a bar and a huge deck. It was made for people to rent out and enjoy with big groups. We went out onto the deck to show the boys how high up we were. When we went to go back inside we realized the doors were locked from the outside. We looked around the deck to find no way down....except with great bravery. With our oldest panicking and me looking away, praying, Ryan climbed around a balcony edge and jumped onto a lower stairwell. This was not easy for him as he is not a fan of heights. He made it down safely and let us back into the building. It was one of those moments when you know God is building character and teaching us about Him and ourselves. We used it to teach the boys about courage and completing tasks even when we are scared. The next day as we were checking out, Ryan mentioned to the staff at the front desk about the incident only to find out that our adventure was unnecessary. Apparently, none of us saw the staircase hidden on the other side of the deck. We actually had to go back and see it for ourselves as we did not believe them. There it was...not even 20 feet way. I said to Ryan, "there is some kind of biblical lesson in this, isn't there?"
Do you see it? Far right corner. Duh.
Lastly, I realized that only people who are members of blogspot could leave comments. I have changed that now so that anyone can comment. I hope that his means that I will see more in the future as it is encouraging to both me and other readers to hear from you.
Bless you as your begin your week. Until next time.
Yesterday I wrote about learning to respect my children now I want to share the mother of all lessons...respecting your husband. Oh, oh oh don't write me off now as some crazy subservient Christian wife. Hear me out.
I was introduced to the book Love and Respect from a sermon at the church I attended in Calgary. The pastor actually did a month long sermon series just on this book and the love and respect concept. I am sure it was in response to the over 50 % divorce rate within the Church (which I was included in at the time, another story). I bought that book and it blew my mind; wishing I had read it 6 years prior. It is based on Ephesians 5:33
However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Basically, the author believes, and experience would prove that the reason God put this very command in the Bible is because we need to be commanded to do it in order to do it. Huh?
The Bible does not say "wife you must love your husband" or "husband you must respect your wife"? Why? We naturally do that because we love how we want to be loved. To explain, here is a quote from the author Emerson Eggerich :
What is Love and Respect? We believe love best motivates a woman and respect most powerfully motivates a man. Research reveals that during marital conflict a husband most often reacts when feeling disrespected and a wife reacts when feeling unloved. We asked 7,000 people this question: when you are in a conflict with your spouse or significant other, do you feel unloved or disrespected? 83% of the men said "disrespected." 72% of the women said, "unloved." Though we all need love and respect equally, the felt need differs during conflict, and this difference is as different as pink is from blue!
Oh my goodness, right? I had to share that with all my friends. The reactions were almost all the same. "Really?!!" Dr. Eggerich mentions telling your husband you respect him for certain things. Like, actually saying something like,"I respect you for the way you handle our grouchy neighbour" or "I really respect you for the hard work you put into the home." I remember thinking, "That's way too obvious, as if he would like that." Then, when I had the opportunity to use it, I tried it and IT WORKED! Ryan stood up straight, he almost glowed when I began to tell him how I respected him. I could have told him that I cherished him and loved being around him all the time, but he just wouldn't have received it the same. Another suggestion he gives is showing an interest in what your husband is doing. For example, sit with him while he plays his favourite video game and genuinely compliment him on his skills. I called Ryan one day while he was at work and asked him to play something he was working on (he was a radio producer at the time). "Really?" he asked shocked. When he did, I went on and on about what I liked about it and how he was so good at being a producer (i meant it because he is really great at what he does). I asked him questions about how he made that one sound affect and so on. He loved it!!! I got a text a couple minutes after we got off the phone telling me how much he loved me and he couldn't wait to come home to me!!! Seriously!
However, this also means that when I am not showing him respect that there would be the opposite effect. This would be when I make put him down in front of people or correct him in front of the kids. In times where I have shamefully done such a thing, I have seen the immediate deflation of his spirit. We women are good with our words and I don't think we realize how much they can cut men. Of course they wouldn't admit or show it the way we would, but it happens. I remember when I shared this concept with some newly married girlfriends, one of them really struggled with the idea. As much as she loved her husband, she felt that at times, he was just too cocky and needed to be put back in his humble place. "That is not your job though," I said. "Your job is too make him feel like he is the smartest, funniest, strongest man that you know." It was hard for her to take and I admit, it is often hard for me. However, as someone who has a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, I have to trust that He will talk to Ryan about the areas he needs to work on so I just pray. There are times when I feel God telling me, "You need to tell him how you feel when he says that/does that." That's when I pray and approach Ryan, doing my best to keep respecting him.
There are times when I have to ask myself if I am showing respect to Ryan. When life gets hectic, it seems that I start reacting and that is when my tone is sarcastic, my thoughts are bitter and my loving behaviour is conditional. It is something that needs to be kept in check. I guess that's why it is in the scriptures...as a kindly reminder. I am so glad that I learned this little treasure and I am sure Ryan is too.
"What about the guy?"you ask. Well, there is a whole other side that teaches men how women feel loved and how we need that to be communicated. It is great and if you read it you will be nodding continuously, saying, "Yes! You tell him!" It also gets into how if the man does not feel respected he will not love his wife well and if the wife does not feel loved she will not respect the man well and so goes what he calls The Crazy Cycle. However, he encourages each person to do their part and to not demand the other person do theirs. We are only responsible for our part of the vow. He says that often times, when we are focusing on loving our spouse the way we are supposed to, they will respond with the kind of love that we need. There are always exceptions, of course, which makes me sad. He addresses that too.
If you have some stories about how this concept has worked in your marriage, please share with me.
Here is the link for the book. There are some great resources on the site, as well as testimonies as to how Love and Respect has saved marriages. This is just one of them.
Another reason I am using the word natural is because of a few changes I have made in our family's life. I would never call myself a hippy but it would seem I am bending to hippy-ish sorts of projects. We recently entered the world of cloth diapers. I actually purchased some "gently used" cloth diapers from a girl in my babysitting co-op. So far, they are stinky but I will continue to try to save our family money and the landfills more trash by figuring them out. Watch for my tips and tricks for A New Cloth Diaper Mommy. This Summer, we are going to plant a garden. A couple from our church have a big plot of land and are letting whoever wants to, grow a garden on it. There are a few reasons I want to do this. 1. I grew up with garden vegetables and fruit and miss it so much. 2. Save money 3. Limit the amount of chemicals that go into my family 3. Teach my boys and, who am I kidding, myself , some work ethic. There will be a weekly feature on How Does Your Garden Grow starting in June...or when the frost leaves! Lastly, and I can't believe I am doing this but I am going to try homeschooling in the Fall. My oldest is starting kindergarten and I have felt lead to explore the world of homeschooling. Yes, my only experience with homeschooling up until recently was the run-ins with socially strange kidsin homemade clothing (not that there is anything wrong with making your own clothes). However, I met one really cool homeschooling mom and her wonderful kids and I started researching. Now I have a whole new appreciation and excitement for leading my children to live to learn. I have a lot to still research but I hope I can help those of you who wondered about this idea as well. Some other things I will be sharing are great finds on Pinterest, like how to make your own laundry soap (I know!! This is getting ridiculous!), fun activities to keep your children from the television (or you from resorting to it), and grocery shopping for the financially and mathematically inept. I look forward to hearing your stories and incites as well. I love living in this age of social media...it's like a virtual commune. Ba ha ha ha. Bless you today. -Angela
So, I have attempted to start a blog many times not sure of what my topics would be. I always felt a little self-centered writing about the things I thought were important. However, since becoming a mom and especially a mom of 3, I have found a lot of great advice, encouragement and fun topics that I love to share with those who are in similar life situations. I was posting a lot to Facebook but now have decided to create a place where moms could visit to get a pick me up, virtual hug or piece of wisdom.
I would not call myself a natural mom. My dear mom and mother-in-law would tell me not to be so hard on myself but honestly, it has never come easy. Even after 3 kids, I still feel like I am a babysitter trying to figure these kids out until the "real" parent returns. My 4 month old is whaling and my husband asks, "Is he hungry." I huff as I think, "How am I supposed to know??"
I take this job very seriously though and want to do the best that I can while I have influence over these children. I feel honoured to have 3 boys and want to raise real men that will one day make wonderful husbands, God willing, loving dads and generous citizens of society. As a Jesus follower, I want to show my boys that God is real and active and relevant. For this, comes much prayer, tears, hard work and humbling of myself. Join me as I collect stories, words of wisdom and memories while raising a family not-so-naturally.
