Thanksgiving...tradition?

Motherhood journal

What truly makes a house a home is tradition. I have four littles and they like the routine of tradition. I was one of three growing up and we had a home that was filled with love and good food and conversation at the dinner table. We enjoyed lighting the candlelight in the window every winter to ward off the cold Vermont winter nights. There was always an open invitation to friends or family to stop in and say hello- a friend newly engaged, a friend struggling with addiction or just a hello from a loved one visiting from out of town. These are the traditions that help create the memories that have lasted most of my adult life. There wasn’t typically an exorbitant amount of income for a typical family of five, but we received blessing upon blessing from those around us and typically shared whatever we had. 

Happy Thanksgiving. Make a tradition with family or friends and enjoy the gift of time together. 

Testimony for Mother’s of Preschoolers

Motherhood journal March 31st 2019
Testimony for MOPS April 4th.

“I dusted myself off from the wet, cold pavement of Fellowship Bible Church’s driveway on an early Thursday February morning. Looking around I could only see gray covered clouds encompassing the vast spanse of sky with the church in the foreground. It occurred to me that no one saw me fall, tumbling over my toddler while I carried my new born baby in the carseat on my arm, a weight too heavy for me a month after giving birth. Sure enough, though, I hurt my knee and wrist and was shaken up over the thought of hurting either of my young children. My kids were both fine so I decided I would continue into the church for my first day at MOPS. Little did I realize that this was a start to a journey of learning, leading and living biblical motherhood.”

My MOPS testimony spans 3 years. In the past three years, I have had the priveledge of learning from mentor moms, new found friends, and short acquaintances. Learning from them what it looks like to embrace motherhood head on. I say “head on” because sometimes it feels as though there is a battle against us and if we so choose, we can conquer it, or let it conquer us. There was always a time in those three years when upon showing up for MOPS I was completely and utterly overwhelmed by motherhood and I longed for times less stressed and more thin and for simply “me time”. However, leaning on the women I met at MOPS helped me learn to deal with and help my children thrive to become mature healthy adults, rather than just praying I would survive through the day. Needless to say, MOPS is for Learning.

MOPS is for leading. Leading women through the bible and it’s teachings to become better more well equipt mommy’s of our children. Leading women toward’s Christ’s love and all that He has promised us. MOPS leads people to Christ.

MOPS is for living. Mops is Living with other moms who are doing the exact same thing as you are- striving to be the best mom to our children. Living with “MOPS moms” looks like this: going to Mom’s Night Out and laughing your butt off, or attending bi monthly meetings here, crying to a friend, service projects, swapping clothes and toys, or praying for each other and making meals for mom’s of newborns. We support each other in the roles of motherhood and all that it encompasses.

You might ask:
Was attending my first MOPS meeting something I will always remember? Yes! Mainly because I fell… (Laugh)

Seriously though,
Do I remember what they spoke about at the first mops meeting? No. But I remember how it made me feel to be a part of a large movement of moms learning, leading, and living.
Thank you.

Mundane

One day when I was in the thick of it, something bothered me that all I seemed to be doing with my three kiddos in the home was picking up toys, folding laundry and changing diapers. I would turn and sob every once in a while thinking that my life was so mundane. I felt overtired, underappreciated and overwhelmed.
I stopped at my sink, where apparently a lot of my thinking happens, and I thought,

 “My mundane is somebody’s heaven.”

To think for a moment that there were many women in the world who wanted to bear children who can’t. And for moms who don’t have food to make dirty dishes.  Or people without  any clothes to make dirty laundry.

Next time I want to complain I’ll look at my quote I wrote above my sink.

Perfectly Not Perfect

I stood in my kitchen for the billionth time that day pondering the messy mess that seemed to get to my nerves every day at some point in the day. As a mom of three kids, four years and under, for a whole year long, there were days I felt like I was falling apart when it really was only my home that needed repair... but maybe my heart too. So, I coined this phrase on a sticky note to help remind me what I’m doing as a mom is really not only helping my kids, but they are helping ME. Therefore I wrote on that yellow sticky note, 

“My kids ruined my life to save me from ruining it on my own.”  

The Rime of the Ancient Mommy

The Rime of the Ancient Mommy

“Socks socks everywhere but not a pair to wear.”

The Day 9/11 Came

The Day 9/11 Came
Poem by Valerie Sereday

When I think of 9/11 I think I can never forget.
Can one imagine a world where the need was not met-
Where those who served and those who died with honor and courage by their side?
The men and women who gave all,
who would not let their nation fall.
I think of the newborn son and dad who never met.
I think of the mommy who in someone's arms wept.
I think of the warrior a world away
fighting to keep our freedoms safe to this day.
America the free and the brave
On 9/11 was tested, all their strength they gave.
Liberty and justice to name a few
defines us as a people it's True.
Whatever it takes to make a stand
Against any evil man
Because on 9/11/2001, our beloved country under attack,
Stood the test of human dignity, strength, in fact-
I think of people like you and me.
Neighbor's, friends and family
I think of how I love this freedom we name
And how freedom's cost showed a great price The Day 9/11 Came.

Mother’s Day 2018

Mother's Day Poem 2018

Upon the month of May
We remember a special day.
A mom is thought of-
Taken time to show our love.
Showing her gratitude
For her years of great attitude.
Her joy, laughing, giving,
For her hope, faith and living.
Her legacy in us lives on
While traces of her smile shone
Through deep recesses of our heart
It is how we know she did her part
In growing us, loving us, too-
Only now we want to say thank you.