A Letter to the Moms of Graduates

Hey Mom, Yeah, you. The one with the camera around your neck and the tissue in your purse. Your child is not so small anymore, is she? I see you watching her with a mixture of pride and sadness. It’s okay, to be both happy and sad all at the same time. Because this cap and gown that she’s wearing, it’s a wardrobe that reminds you that she’s growing up. Whether she’s about to go to first grade, or be a freshman in high school or leave home for college in the fall, she’s made it to this point, and all …

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5 Ways for Moms to Enjoy Time

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how I spend my time.  I’ve been married to my sweet guy for almost eight years now. When we aren’t working, we are remodeling our country home. Or, we are taking the kids to soccer. Or, doing laundry (and more laundry!). We’ve gotten to the point where date nights need to be scheduled…while I’m thankful for this time together, I sometimes miss the spontaneous dinner and a movie nights we had before children. I’m a mom to three kids under the age of five. Which means I drive a minivan that is constantly littered with …

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cravings

I’m sitting in my office eating a tangerine. It’s citrus flavor is bright on my tongue this frigid winter day but what I really want is a warm cup of hot chocolate or the jar of Nutella in my desk snack drawer. I’m fighting the craving to eat right now and trying to consume this sacred opportunity to crave God instead.  It’s Thursday and quite frankly, this week has been long and full. School started back for my kiddos and we’ve had our share of tears this week. My girls switched tables at four year old preschool this week and …

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How to find hope on the days that seem hopeless

As our girls were running around playing, my friend lamented to me the frustrations of her day. Her son got in trouble at school again, this time for biting. Her infant still isn’t sleeping through the night. Her husband is always at work and she feels like a caged lion, trapped in her home and ready to pounce. With every word she said, I got it. Don’t you? We all have those days, us mothers. Being a mom of three kids under five, I’m always running – either on adrenaline or exhaustion. A messy house is the norm and rest …

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Be You, Bravely

This Halloween, I just knew my girls would want to be Anna and Elsa from Frozen. Like most other four year old girls (and their parents, if we are being honest!), they have fallen in love with the story of these two sisters. But, when it came time to get dressed to go trick or treating two weeks ago, my girls refused to wear their new costumes. If I’ve learned anything about being a mother, it’s that I’ve got to pick and choose my battles. So, instead of forcing them to wear their Anna and Elsa costumes, I said, “Okay, …

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Freezer Foods for Fall

Pin It! A few weeks ago, I was inspired by The Pioneer Woman to make some freezer meals. We are an on-the-go family but really enjoy a home cooked meal much more than eating out. I’m usually pretty good at cooking dinner on the weeknights (thank you Mr. Crock Pot) but often on the weekends we veg out on frozen pizza or order take out. By Sunday night, the only thing that sounds good is food that takes too much effort for me to prepare. Hence the need for homemade freezer meals. With a grocery list in hand and a …

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Five Tips for Moms of Flower Girls and Ring Bearers

Many people get a chuckle out of the flower girls and ring bearers at weddings. I have been to many weddings where the ring bearer would start saying something silly or the flower girls would dump out all their petals right at the end of the aisle. They always look darling in their nice outfits and they are a sweet reminder of how Jesus loves us. But, if you’ve ever been the mother of a flower girl or ring bearer, you know how rewarding and difficult it is to have your children in a wedding. My brother recently got married …

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when time is fleeting

Time. There never seems to be enough time and it always seems to be in a hurry. Click To Tweet Like summer, for instance. Where did it go? How is it already time to buy the new shoes, meet our teachers, and begin the busy days of fall?   It amazes me that at the beginning of the summer, my girls’ hair was just below their shoulders and now it is flowing down their backs, desperate for a trim. And my baby boy, he’s already outgrown his six month clothes, some barely worn. Wasn’t he just born? I blink, and …

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What God Wants for Moms in Ministry

Are you a mom in ministry? Moms in ministry come in all forms, from leading your child’s Sunday School class, baking brownies for the Easter Carnival, to volunteering for Vacation Bible School, a mom in ministry is a woman who gives back to her children, church, and community. While all this volunteering sounds so noble and just, it’s also really hard work. Because on top of your “good deeds” in ministry, you still have to juggle all the other needs of your family like finding the baseball jersey in the pile of dirty laundry for the All-Star game this evening …

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the bittersweetness of graduation

  May was a whirlwind, her days busy with graduation parties, end of the year programs, and final exams. For seniors, it was the month of goodbyes to school, teachers, and friends.   It’s hard to believe the last day of school has already come and gone, that this year has hugged its’ last hug and given its’ final gifts. Moms of kindergartners all the way to moms of seniors still can’t wrap their minds around how fast time goes or wrap arms around their children tight enough to make everything slow down. For moms, graduation was a bittersweet victory. In her book Bittersweet, Shauna Niequist …

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