motherhood {in-between}

The Proverbs 31 woman. 

We've been compared to her industriousness and beauty through many sermons on Mother's Day.  Have you read her chapter?  If not, I encourage you to.  It can be found in the book of Proverbs, ummmm... chapter 31.  She was quite the catch, I'm sure.  Apparently, many worked as she did; yet, she outclassed them all.  All?  I wonder if other women were jealous of her.  I wonder if she took the time to care.

I have to admit.  This Proverbs 31 lady was not my favorite person.  Then, it dawned on me.

I've often thought about the line on a tombstone.  (How's that for a transition?)  Not the beginning date, nor the ending, but the line in-between.  Dare I say, the most important part.  The many days and memory-filled moments. 



The Proverbs 31 woman was not born pre-skilled in sewing and cooking.  Her skills, character, and traits were cultivated over time... not one day.  During the in-between time.  

I've sometimes wondered... Did the never-hormonal-always-pleasant-never-a-hair-out-of-place-industrious-Proverbs-31-woman ever take a moment for herself?  At least, that's how I saw her.  I can only imagine the answer would be yes.  If nothing else, for sanity's sake.  If I could have tea with her, I'd like to ask her how she did it without mom-guilt.

Mom-guilt.  I'm convinced it comes as a side order with kids.  Yes, please.  I'll take a cute little bundle of joy, with a side of guilt.  We all suffer with it at one point or another, right?  We take our eyes off of love for one fleeting moment, lose patience, and are consumed with it.  We take time for ourselves... or not, and are consumed.  We miss one of our child's firsts... and are consumed.  No matter what the cause, it's always there, waiting to pounce on the joy in motherhood.

Did I hug them exquisitely, so that they feel my love for them?  Did I listen, without distraction, in conversation long enough?  Have I taught them a lesson in character, or did they only see my faults today?  Did I sound critical, without being constructive?  Did I take enough pictures to hang on to the important memories?  I should feel like playing with them.  I should finish the laundry.  I shouldn't be spending time on the computer right now...  I should start dinner.  I should take time for myself.  I should...

So many things tug at our mama apron.

Truth is, when I take time for myself, it helps me to be more present in the moments that matter most during the in-between.  

I don't have all the answers - especially where motherhood is concerned. I'm learning to be okay with that.  Honestly, there's a bit of freedom in those words... I don't know. 

However, what I do know is that children are pretty resilient. They care what I am doing in the current moment.  To them, that's the line in-between. So, I have come to terms with the lovely Proverbs 31 woman.  She can do some pretty great things, but is she doing the tango with my 10 year old in the kitchen, or singing a pretty killer Do-Re-Me harmony with my 12 year old?  Where is that on her list?  At the end of the day, her list might just look a lil' different than mine.  I mean... I think it's safe to say that I will never be an accomplished seamstress.   

If we are serving those around us, as best we can, without comparing to our neighbor, I suspect we are fulfilling the role of the Proverbs 31 woman with the people God has entrusted us with. 

I predict, one day, my children might rise and call me blessed.  Until then... I'm pretty content when they rise and ask for breakfast.  It's only for a season, right?

Although, the language in which they express it in this season of life is pretty priceless, too.

Now... What do I do for myself?  Hmmm... Yeah, I'm working on that one.  Balance.  It seems the unattainable goal, most days.  I'm still working on saying no to people who take advantage of my kindnesses, and saying yes to things that enrich my life.

Motherhood seems to permeate every fiber of my being; always thinking of ways to improve life for my lil' nest, attempting to savor each moment, while cleaning up and documenting the mess of fun memories just made.  It's more of a balancing ACT.

For a homeschool mom, whose husband works many hours traveling, seizing time just for myself can prove challenging.  For now, in this juncture of life, it's seizing unplanned moments as they come - grabbing a quick brunch with a friend, while the girls have theater, or making myself read something non-homeschool related.  Sometimes, it's simply taking 10 minutes in the car, while waiting on the girls, to dust off a few apps on my iPhone.  Then there's my 'to gym or not to gym' question.  It's a battle, really.  *sigh*

If only motherhood came with a manual, right?  I venture to say that regardless of which path you and your family are on, whether it be homeschool, karate, dance, theater, music lessons, *breath*, church activities, crochet, baseball, volunteer work, etc, etc... We are all simply doing what we can to make the most of the in-between memories.

Conversing with a group of homeschool moms yesterday, we found ourselves giggling at the very thought of 'me' time in our current season of life.  I believe in bringing our worries to God, but there's also something special about girl power.  The freedom to say, "Hey, I understand exactly what you're going through.  Me, too."

I've find myself giggling when I hear sweet friends express that I always seem to be so... put together.  {excuse me whilst I laugh uncontrollably}  I have flaws, y'all. I imagine the Proverbs 31 woman did, too... so I think we're in good company.  Girl power, y'all. ;)

I guess one of the best gifts a mom could give herself would be to stop over-pixelating their mothering.  Seize moments in-between to be present in the doing.  Make memories of fun - for the kids.  And... guilt-free moments just for the mama.  The one wearing that worn, much tugged at, apron.  

It's what will be remembered in the in-between. 

For more posts celebrating motherhood, visit my friend Theresa @ Red Oak Lane.

money saving: {girlie} nails edition

 

sometimes, i get lost in you tube.

forgetting the clock.

that can be a bad thing.

unless...

one stumbles upon some money saving tips.

when there are 60 nails in the house that beg to be girlied up, 

who can afford such a salon treat on a regular basis?

can you say... cha-ching!?

mama got a french mani/pedi, with a lil' hello kitty on one finger.

achieving a french mani is really not hard at all.  acetone {salon formula. bought mine at sally's beauty supply} melts polish like buttah! and makes it so easy to work with.  there are several tutorials on you tube to show you how. {this is the one i used.}

the girls each chose to have these cute, glittery hearts.  {i used a black nail pen to make the hearts.}

except gracie wanted these lil' mario mushrooms on her toes.  too cute.

other nails we intend to try?  zebra stripes, converse shoes, and many more...

not forgetting the ever popular newspaper nails {thanks to pinterest}.

so maybe the fingernails don't last an entire week.  they never do.  unless you get fake nails.  not really my thing.  but the toes?  they look maaauvelous dahling. ;)

whatcha think?  wanna try it?  let me know how it turns out.

confessions and wonderings

hubs and i are in the final planning stages of our alaskan get-a-way and we have no activities set in concrete.  yet.  i'm super excited.  on the inside, i'm jumping up and down like a squeal-y school. girl.  on the outside, i'm calm-cool-and-collected.

what would you want to do in alaska?  so many choices.  the squeal may come bursting through soon.  yes, i'm that giddy.

i'm also nervous about logistics.  of which there are many.  i will miss my girlies.  if it weren't for my hubs, i'm not sure things like this would happen.  i'm a home-body at heart... with a flare for the adventurous.

we were hoping it would work out to surprise the girls with a trip to disney by the end of the year.  we wanted it be a surprise in case it didn't work out... and to get their reaction on film.  you've seen those commercials, right?   note to self:  one should never leave tweetdeck open on computer when one has sent direct messages to a friend about said trip.  11 yo may read it.  and cry because she realizes she shouldn't have.  oh well... surpriiiise!!! maybeeee!  ;) 

i'm wondering how long a cat can stay home alone?  you know... before retaliating against parents for leaving said cat for an extended amount of time.  i don't want any presents upon return... if you know what i mean.  i think said cat will be fine.



even with doses of melatonin, my body has seemingly found a loophole.  once awake, i'm up.  not cool.  so i find myself googling other things to try here during crazy hours of the night.  i think my next step will be taking L-tryptophan, an amino acid.  it's supposed to help your body produce melatonin on its own.  or induce funny dreams.  i don't know.  don't listen to me.  i'm sleep deprived.



gracie's camera ready "cheeeeese" smile and nator's sweetness.  kills me every time.  doesn't nator's expression {on the left} make you *giggle* just a little? ;)

i'm wondering why i ever thought short hair was a good idea on me.  these are the flattering pix.  really.  the others.  not so much.  i'm sure it had something to do with having small children.  if a third had come along, shaving the head may have been next.

there was a window of one year in which hubs and i were on the same page in having a third child.  it didn't happen.  infertility is not fun.  the other years, one of us talked reason into the other.  we took turns in that role.  sometimes i still wonder what one more may have been like.  *sigh*

i have been on the verge of old-picture-induced tears.  can these girlies pause growing up for just a little while?  please?



old cameras with cute babies are a crying shame.  cameras have come a long way, baby... and these are sooc.  the quality of older photos makes me seem much older *cough* than what i actually am *cough*.

i'm sure i have more to confess, but i'm off to see if this second dose of melatonin will sneak me in a couple more hours of age-defying sleep! if there are any grammatical errors or messpeltings, i blame it on the melatonin.

oh... and also, i don't like 'labeling' my posts.  i have too many labels. ;)

okay.  i'm done.  night-night... or good morning.

When One Can't Sleep...

One lies in bed, thinking of all the many blog posts she could be... and needs to be writing.  Posts that have been on a long list, but never developed past mere thoughts.  It would help to put fingers to keys at these hours.

iPhone to the rescue.

One googles {that's a verb, right?} best possible mattresses to buy.  An old, sagging mattress might be to blame for back pain and insomnia.  Because I'm sure none of it is due to hormones.

And one determines that it would be nice to afford a latex foam mattress.  They're all the rage in Europe.  But I'd like to afford meals... and maybe-even-possibly a family trip this year.  So, maybe we'll splurge for a memory foam mattress... one day.  My back can dream.

One googles 18" discount American Girl doll clothes.  No luck.  Not yet, anyway.

One googles homeschool curriculum.  Because that's what homeschool moms do.  We are in constant research of what would be the best curriculum fit for our families.  Or maybe we simply like to be informed.  With thousands of goodies to read about, I could stay in google with this topic alone.  Reading reviews all day.

One googles how to adjust something in Blogger.  Because Wordpress doesn't seem to be working out for me, so far.  I just can't get the plugins to work without having to use FileZilla.  Each time.  Grrr.

One plays Boggle.

One reads the news... and wishes she hadn't.

One checks email.

One gets cross-eyed from glaring at the tiny text in her iPhone.

One questions why she reverts to speaking in third person.

And one gives you a blurry picture...

Because what's a post, without a picture, right?   The cuteness overrides the blurry, yes?

Gracie says, "She {Jasmine} loves me too much."

*sigh*

And as luck would have it...

One wonders why she feels the ability to go back to sleep... just in time for her family to request breakfast.

Stuff and a{nother} Giveaway, for the Girls

This week, I have been without my babies, and hubs has been working.  But not to worry.  I have been filling my days with excitement.

Cleaning closets, filling bags for donation {because I'm allergic to having a garage sale, at least for now}, and trash.  Oh, the trash those two sweet girls hide for mom to seek is just not a fun game.  I often tell them that it's a good thing they're so cute!  I've also been organizing school, and listening to a DVD on the importance of literature, while folding laundry, of course.

Really.  I'd love to spend this time shopping, getting massages, and a much needed facial.  Mama needs a facial.  Sigh.  It's a nice fantasy anyway.

When you homeschool and your hubs works a lot, your kids are with you all. the. time... making self-indulgent tasks nearly impossible.  As I remind myself how quickly seasons change, I'm am quite content with the season I am in. 

But a lil' pampering would be nice, too.  Just keepin' it real. 

I can't complain.  My evenings have been date-filled with hubs.  I think I'm having an Outback hangover.  Salmon all over the world are warning their friends and family about me.  Yes, 3 times in one week is a bit indulgent, wouldn't you say? {And if you haven't tried their bread with "honey-butter", you're missing out.  Ask for it.  They'll whip it up for ya.  Yummy-good!  You're welcome.}

It's kind of like going on a diet, then killing it at a buffet.  We haven't gone on as many dates as we used to, so when the girls are with Granny, we go date-crazy!  A mini-vacay for mom and dad, if you will. :)

We've {more than} caught up on movies, too...
*Inception.  Were they trying to leave us in limbo?  Hubs thought it ended in a dream.  I wasn't 100% sure.  I thought it looked like the metal was about to fall.  What did you think?
*The Expendables.  One of the worst movies I've seen.  We were pretty certain that this movie had more gunfire than all of the movies we've ever watched combined.  I think Sylvester Stallone needed to get a lil' Rambo out of his system, no?
*Salt.  While I'm not a big Angelina fan, I liked this move.  I like movies that keep you guessing.
*The Other Guys.  Eh.  It had its moments.  I suppose its about as good as it gets with Will Ferrell.  Not a fan.
And at home...
*The Back-up Plan.  Kinda cute and, like most 'chick-flicks', predictable.
*Why Did I Get Married Too?  A bit more serious. Tyler Perry does that.  Hubs fell asleep.

So, what does all of this have to do with a giveaway?  I'm glad you asked.  You see, I've had these new books in my closet {remember, I'm cleaning out my closet} for at least 4 years now.  I'm not sure why.  I mean, why do we hold on to most things?

The New Natural Hormone Revolution, by Dr. Teresa Roberson, N.D.  C.N.C
{I've met her. She's sweet, southern, and down to earth.} 

If you are a woman, are raising a little woman, or simply know a woman, and want a more natural approach to hormones... this would be a great book for you.  Cover to cover, it's 146 pages, and an easy read.  

How do you like that last one, eh?  Pregnant horse urine.  Nice.  {If you don't want to ingest that tempting ingredient, I hope you aren't already taking Premarin.  Just sayin'.}

It discusses the basics of estrogen dominance, calcium, and the use of natural progesterone cream.  Dr. Roberson has a great cream that I use and am waaaaaaay overdue in taking.  It's called Bellatude, which stands for 'beautiful attitude'.  Love that.  :)

Estrogen dominance would be described as having migraines, hot flashes, bloating/water weight gain, low sex drive, depression, foggy thinking, thyroid dysfunction, osteoporosis, PMS, weight gain around hips, thighs and stomach, facial hair, acne, fibroid tumors, etc.

I may or may not be able to relate to a few of those.  Oi.

Intrigued yet?

I have 3 of these books to giveaway to 3 lucky followers.

To enter the giveaway:

1.)  If you 'follow' me, just simply leave a comment telling me how great you think I am.  Bribery may not help your chances, but it sure is fun. :)    If you're not a follower, simply become one... and then tell me how much you love my blog.  :)
2.)  Mention the giveaway on your blog, and you're entered twice.  Be sure to let me know!  Don't you just love extra chances to win?!
3.)  Oh, and tweet.  That works, too.  Just lemme know, mkay?

I'll announce the winner next Friday, September 10th.  {Really?  September 10th already??!!}

Now... I have exciting things to finish before we go pick up our girls this weekend.  Organizing 3-ring binders for nearly 100 categories in classical education.  I may be exaggerating... by just a few categories.  I have a headache just thinking about it.

Now, where's that cream again???

In Case of Emergency

Look at what our local boardwalk has on it's lil' store shelves...

A marital bliss chocolate bar, split 'evenly' down the middle to share with your man.  'Girth control' chocolate?  Let's not go there, shall we?

A 'balanced diet' chocolate bar, with sections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Sweet! 

A 'Bochox' bar.  You know, for all of those wrinkles.

I was informed by Nator that you're not old until you have wrinkles.  I informed her that her mother had them.  She backed out of that one by telling me that I was  in the middle.  Not old, not young.  Maybe this will help reverse the clock?  Or, at least, make me feel less worrisome about the aging process. ;)

Maybe they've run into a person or two who have been under the influence of PMS?  Maybe they are just trying to avoid what 'could' happen?  At least they are prepared.  Good thing hubs knows where to look in case of such an emergency.  :)

Break off desired dosage?  Clearly calories don't count in an emergency!

Under the Influence

If you're under the influence...

• you may interpret a slow response by someone as an intentional ignore, which could lead to tears.
• everything that bothers you a little is magnified.  Times 50.
• your waistline may feel as though you are 5 months pregnant, which you are not.  So, don't ask.  It's water retention, people.
• you may want to hit someone.  Under normal circumstances, it would never cross your mind.  Ever.
• you may not want to be in the same room with yourself.
• you may feel like doing this... but somehow find the strength to resist.

{no, that's not me!}

• you may develop a blister on your face, advertising to the world that you are, indeed, under the influence.
• being made to feel like an insignificant number while speaking to a doctor's office may cause you to burst into tears as soon as you hang up.
• listening to your children bicker about insignificant things may cause you to burst into tears.
• looking at the chores that abound, with no end in sight, may cause you to burst into tears.  12 seconds of having clean laundry is just not enough.
• chocolate may become your new best friend.
• you may not want to be around anyone.
• your husband needs to be extra sensitive to your needs, if he knows what's best.

******************************

• it's best to just curl up with good movies... for about 3 days.
• you need a hug.
• the thought of errands may induce tears.
• tear ducts are always loaded and ready to fire at will... which could be at any moment. {noticing a theme?}
• remaining quiet really is the best option, because the 'think before you speak' saying really only works when you're not under the influence.
• thoughts cannot be trusted.
• you may feel the need to raid the pantry.

 ******************************

• calories shouldn't don't count.
• feelings that range from laughter, to crying, to laughter, to crying, all within a 2 minute time-frame are completely normal.
• you may {seemingly} drop almost everything you pick up, which makes everything even more irritating, which could induce tears.
• everything that makes a noise seems magnified.  Times 50.
• you may feel extra tired, and forgetful.
• fun things, temporarily, just don't sound like a lot of fun.
• you may be 'just a tad' oversensitive, but it wouldn't be wise for anyone to point that out.

If you are under the influence of PMS, that is... 

Of which I am not. 

Ever.

These are just things I've heard, of course.

{Then Menopause?  Geesh.  Do we get a break?}

If you are feeling any of the above symptoms, they say you should: 
eat more grains, fruits, vegetables, and less caffeine, sugar, and salt,
exercise and sleep more, while handling your feelings.

However, if you have any of these symptoms, you won't feel like following the rules anyway...  because following rules may make you grumpy, or want to cry.  

 

Who knows?

Again, this is just what I hear. ;)

A Bouquet of Friends...

from our annual friendship brunch!

Friends are God's way of taking care of us.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too?  I thought I was the only one." ~C.S. Lewis

True friendship consists not in the multitude of friends, but in their worth and value.

No distance of place or lapse of time can lesson the friendship of those who are thoroughly  persuaded of each other's worth. ~Robert Southey

Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and have her nonsense respected. ~Charles Lamb

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked. ~Bernard Meltzer

Sometimes, it's hard to get everyone's schedule together, but we did it!

Happy 40th, Kristina!  We love you!!  And thank you for hosting, Karen.  You're the host-ess with the most-ess!  Everything was de-lish! You even made my Panara dish look divine in your fancy dish.  The only problem was that you put the leftovers back in the box to send home with me.

The girls and I shared some of it on the way home... and I may or may not have consumed half of what you see here before I decided throwing it in the trash would be the best choice for my hips.

See?  I have {some} self-control. ;)

 Hmmm... Would you rather be a hostess or an attendee??

I get it right... sometimes

We got an A+ from the dentist!
(Mental note: When you are 15 min. early for an appointment, never expect to be applauded. When you are 15 late, expect to be asked to leave politely reminded by the dental assistant that you are, in fact, 15 min. late. She may or may not hold this over your head throughout your entire stay.)

I managed to get the girls to scouts and not have Gracie looking like the 80's version of Punky Brewster.

After dropping off the girls, I realized time was not on my side.
I grabbed lunch with DK and we cruised the aisles of Tarjet together on a quick romantic get-a-way grocery run.
I hurriedly packed the girl's dance gear, complete with snacks, water in stainless steel bottles, and blankets to turn the car into a dressing room... later.
We picked up Jasmine and the girls, then headed to the airport.

You guessed it.
Hubby is out of town yet again.
Sometimes it's tough being married to a 'wanted' man. ;)

It's also a bit challenging to drive through construction while trying to get your dog to be "sick" in the Tarjet bag you've had tucked away in your purse for a "just in case" situation such as this... but you get it right here too. Thankfully, the dog is in the passenger seat and not in the back seat. I suppose it's all a bit TMI? Just keepin' it real.

First dance lessons of the new year...
Arriving at the dance studio 3 minutes late, we use the blankets to cover the windows. Feet were flying in the air as two little girls were trying to figure out the combination of putting on stockings. in. the. car. This was quite a test of womanhood! I think most of us would agree.

I manage to get a healthy meal on the table for everyone. Yay me! ;)

We can't forget our girl movie and popcorn night when Dad goes out of town.
This is usually a good distraction.
We watched "Doogal"... Then Mom caught up on messages.

I promptly tucked in the paparazzi and looked for my pillow as well.
Tomorrow is another day.

All in a days work...

• Search the house for Gracie’s misplaced library book. Found it.
• Cook breakfast. Clean kitchen.
• Swim lessons.
• Bath time.
• Lunch.
• Bring A-Nator to her scout meeting.
• Sign up girls for summer dance lessons. Excited. The girls were on a waiting list for 1 1/2 yrs! Gracie asked me to pinch her because she thought she was dreaming! :)
• Take advantage of a few extra minutes for a mini mother/daughter date at Smoothie King with Gracie.
• Pick up A-Nator from her scout meeting. Learn that her next level in scouts will be working on badges you’re not quite ready for your 9 year old baby to participate in. Wipe tear because your babies are growing up.

I ask A-Nator if she'd be interested in attending Science classes over the summer. She says, "Do I hear angels talking?" She loves Science. :) Let's hope there's not a waiting list for that class!

• Go to Library for a bead craft. We made flags with beads and safety pins.
• Go to chiropractor appointment.
• Go to Target to pick up groceries. Decide you are too tired to make anything creative. It’s frozen, thin-crust, Kashi pizza & salad tonight.
• Fix & serve dinner.
• Feed dog.
• Watch a few minutes of “America’s Got Talent”, and realize… not so much.
• Look for lense cap that I misplaced yesterday… still not found. Realize we need a “Lost & Found” department in our house.
• Talk to Granny. Well, I think A-Nator shared all of her 25,000 words with Granny first. ;)
• Take hubby up on his offer to pick up a Starbucks. It was good.
• Give hubby a haircut. Clean floor.
• Burn all of June’s pictures on DVD’s.
• Check messages... apparently till the next morning.
• Pass out.

So, this is why salary.com said I was worth at least $130,000/yr.

Anyone know when I should expect my first check? ;)

Do you have Jesus in your feet?

I felt stinky and sweaty less than feminine from my workout with Jillian and working in the yard. I needed a shower... and to put a skirt on!

DK was out of town and would be home late. 2:00 a.m. to be exact So now I was all dressed up with no place to go.

The girls and I brought their movies back to Blockbuster. Conveniently, there's a Starbucks nearby. Mommy could use a big girl sippy cup sophisticated chai tea on this roadtrip. The girls get a coffee cake to share! Mommy's treat.

The woman who took my order told me I looked beautiful. I was having one of those 'ugly' days. Don't we all have them? She made my day. Her compliment felt genuine... like she wanted nothing in return. Well, unless she was expecting me to put something in the tip jar?! Hmmm...

On the ride home A-Nator said, “I have heat coming through my feet.” She was really hot.

Trying to be silly, I said, “What? You have cheese coming through your feet?” Just work with me. If you had heard it, you could have twisted the words that way too.

Gracie chimed in and said, “What? You have Jesus coming through your feet?”

I said, “I don’t know where you girls get your silliness from.”
In unison the girls said, “You and daddy!”
A-Nator said, “Well, we were born from your belly.”

For some reason the tune from Veggie Tales, Jonah and the Whale, started ringing in my head. Ah! She better not start singing it too “… from the belly of the whale.”

My photo was courtesy of A-Nator... a paparazzi in the making. She said, "Mommy, you always look beautiful. I don't know how you do that."

*Sigh*

Maybe it's because I have Jesus in my feet?

Moral corruption?

If you haven't seen this already, I thought it my civic duty to inform you of where the church has gone wrong. (please note the sarcasm)

Waffles & Spaghetti

I've never read the book, Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti. I probably should. I've quoted the title so much over the years. When DK asks me what's wrong when stressed, I just tell him that I'm having a spaghetti bowl moment. I don't think I could explain the premise of the book better than this website. You will never look at those squares in your waffle or long noodles the same.

Early in our marriage, a friend of ours asked DK if I was really as simple as I came across. That's funny, huh? I can see how I might be perceived that way at times. I'm not a high-maintenance girl and I'm the type of personality that could potentially pass-out at the thought of a spot-light. I've been in the spotlight, but I don't always enjoy it.

As a matter of fact, I had the biggest 'never say never' moment of my life when I spoke for my husband while he was pastoring... on Mother's Day. Everything went great, considering I stayed standing. It had depth & humor... It was great. I've learned that preparation is key. I just had to block out the fact that a District Official was there. Actually, it wasn't a big deal to me, but others made a big 'ta-dah' out of it. Titles don't impress me... but that's not the point here. Oh, and he liked it... but still, not the point here. ;)

I'm sure you're wondering what DK's response was? He said, "Yes, simple.... Simply complicated." Nice, huh? For years I thought I was just 'complicated'. I never seemed to attain the requirements of the Proverbs 31 Woman... at least not all at once (that's the point anyway, isn't it?). That was... until I viewed myself as being made in the image of God... fully. Have you ever read Captivating by John (author of Wild at Heart) & Stasi Eldredge? It's one of my favorites. In reading this book, I understood my desire to be pursued. I realized that all of the traits I hold as a woman were there because I was made in the image of God.

What a relief! I'm not complicated. I'm just a mystery to be pursued and unveiled, just as we should pursue God. I can't help it... I take after my Father.
Oh... and DK? Well, he may not admit it, but I'm sure he is intrigued by the mystery (times 3 ;) under his roof.

Excuse me Lord, May I start this day over again?

I remember my girls (even at their young age) each having days when they told me they wished they could start the day over again. Those moments usually followed a wrong choice they had made and they just wanted it to just go away. I know that feeling {very} well myself. Maybe I just put too much pressure on myself to be Superwoman? Always searching for the better part of me... yet feeling like I fall short most days.

Did I...

1. Sing the Mom Song too high pitched because I was stressed about my to-do list, said it a million times already, money or just plain ol' tired.
   
   
2. Encourage my husband and girls enough today or tear them down in any way?
   
   
3. Play referee well enough today or leave one of my girls feeling as though Mom just didn't care about their case?
   
   
4. Remember to have enough fun today?
   
   
5. Say, "Not now, but I will do that with you later", yet later never came?
   
   
6. Set the example of giving to others today while showing the importance of taking care of yourself?
   
   
7. Remind my girls that mistakes will happen and are a part of life, but stress the importance of how we respond to them?
   
   
8. Not only tell my family I love them, but show them I love them?
   
   
9. Journal enough so that my girls will have enough to trigger fond memories of their childhood?
   
   
10. Say the right thing to give my children a better understanding of who God is and the love He has for them?
    
    

Wow. I'm amazed how quickly that short list came to my fingertips. Thankfully, due to the love, mercy and forgiveness of God, we can start our day over again. We all fail. Hopefully, if I've responded well enough to my mistakes {and just plain ol' life}, it will encourage focus of the re-action instead of the action. I'm praying that those are the memories my girls have of their mom.

Lord, let my responses be pleasing to you and not reasons my girls want to phone a therapist! Thankfully, it gives me hope when they still tell me, "Mom, when I grow up I want to be just like you." I always ask them if they will still tell me that when they're older. Can I have it in writing, please?! No pressure.

Here are some of the recent memories I choose to focus on today in hope that my family will remember them too...

Chillaxin'

Fun in schoolwork.

Child's play.

Giving to others. The girls are running a 1K to help benefit a family in need.

Smelling the flowers... and planting them with Mama too.

Fun

with

braids!

And (for today anyway) last but not least... spontaneous moments captured with the cell phone while on the go. Of course, that would explain the picture quality.

Sendin' some love.

Spending some time with Granny.

Havin' some fun in the store...

...dollar store, that is. We're not picky where we choose to have fun.

Making all sorts of things with play-doh at a restaurant.

Traveling with Princess Jasmine. She's such a great traveler! AND the dog has bling!! That, or she is protecting her Gracie with her laser eyes?

If you made it to the end of this blog, make it a great day! Feel free to start your day over at any time needed. Smell the flowers, chillax (is that a word?), look for the bling in life and sing it out loud... "I'm a Superwoman!"