When the World Hits Home

The world hits home. It happens. No matter how hard we parents try to protect our children, cover them, keep them safe, the devil finds a way to wiggle his way in and steal a piece of our children.

The doubts roll in. Is God really watching over His children?
We try to seize control. What more can I do to keep them safe?
We question our worth. Have I failed as a mother?
We get angry. How dare the enemy attack my child?
We wonder if we can trust our child to do what's right the next time. Is her/his faith strong enough to withstand the temptation?

We toss and turn at night. We mourn. We weep. We are heartbroken.

But that's not God's plan for His children.

Unless the Lord builds the house, 
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:1-2)

God's plan is for us to do the following:

Allow Him to build the house. God knows everything that is ever going to happen to our children. We live in a sinful world, and every one of us has a sin nature. There is an enemy who prowls the earth like a lion, seeking who he may destroy. The devil wants our children as much as he wants us.

As parents, it's up to us to train our children in the way they should go. In other words, it's up to us to teach them God's ways. We need to teach them to read His word on a daily basis, to pray, to live a life according to His will for us. We also need to rest assured that God will build them up on His Rock.

We need to trust that no matter what mistakes our children make or what tactics the enemy uses against them, God will heal them, use what was meant for evil for His good, and see our children through.

Sleep. Don't get up early or go to bed late because you're busy worrying about your children. That's not accomplishing anything other than wearing you out. God promises His beloved sleep. Peaceful sleep.

Be still and know that He is God. He has it all under control.

Bad things happen to good people, just like good things happen to bad people. It's part of life. Thankfully for those of us who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we have a peace that passes all of our earthly understanding. We have a Comforter who knows every groaning of our spirit man, every longing of our heart, and every need.

Rest in Him. Sleep. Restore your energy so that you can face whatever tomorrow brings.

And trust God to take care of your children. They are, after all, a heritage from Him. The fruit of our wombs is a reward. Hand your children back over to the God who created them and trust Him to complete the work He has started in them.

Book Review: Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle

Warning: Do not drink anything while reading this book. You'll be reading, and all of a sudden, in the middle of a paragraph, you'll bust out laughing.

I loved reading Sparkly Green Earrings. Melanie Shankle brings humor and nuggets of simple wisdom into the topic of motherhood. Her writing is honest and real. 

If she and I lived next door to one another, we'd be best friends (and so would our husbands). Oh how much to have in common! I think the only thing I didn't have in common with her is the number of kids we have. (She has one. I have four plus one.)

I highly recommend this memoir. By the time you finish reading, you'll be saying, "Oh. So I'm NOT the only one." And it'll be a book you'll pick up again and again just to remind yourself that.

Here's a peek at her back cover copy:

It's not easy, but someone has to do it (written in sparkly green cursive - classic!). Okay, Y'all. Here' the thing about motherhood. Before I had a child of my own, it was super easy. I had a lot of opinions about the right way to discipline, the way my child would dress, and how she would never throw a fit in public or embarrass me at the grocery store. I also believed the entire experience would be sweet and clean and beautiful, like one of those baby lotion commercials. (Bless my heart.)

Want to read more? Find your dose of Mother's Day humor here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
CBD

Beautiful Battles at Home

Mary DeMuth's newest release, Beautiful Battle, has caught the attention of this mama. In the following video, Mary talks about one aspect of spiritual warfare we face as moms on a daily basis. My soul resonated with her story, as I've faced similar incidences in my own home. Watch the video, and then join me below for my story of overcoming the demonic influences in our home.

 
Beautiful Battle: 2 from Ufilmhouse.com on Vimeo.

I woke from a deep sleep to the terrorized screams of my three-year-old son. Rolling out of bed, I found my feet and ran to the bedroom adjacent to ours, my husband following behind. There stood Ezra, grasping his toddler bed frame with knuckles as white as the headboard. His eyes stared blankly out the window, widened with fright. His mouth hung open as the screaming reflected back off the glass and throughout the room.

It was evident to me he saw something outside naked to my visible eyes. By the look on his face, it could only be demonic. This mama knows when it's time to draw out her spiritual sword. Without thinking twice, I snatched my son from his terrorized bed and began to pray. (Insert tongues here.)

Daddy, who is also spiritually battle-ready, decided it was time to rearrange the room. Yanking the bed from its place at the window, he swung it up against an interior wall. He drew the blinds shut and arranged for a dresser to stand guard in front of the window.

We opened the closets to let any boogie men out and proceeded to anoint the room with oil crosses. Pleading the ever-protective blood of Jesus Christ, we brought peace and security back into our son's room.

Jesus has given us parents authority over the demonic strongholds in our childrens' lives.

"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."

~ Luke 9:1-2

"And He said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

~Luke 10:18-20

When our children come under the attack of the enemy, we have the Victor on our side. Call on His name, and the demons will flee.

For fun, I've included some photographs of our Warriors for Christ. I hope you enjoy them!

Ezra fell asleep reading the Word.

Gideon fell asleep ready for battle.

Hannah is a Worship Warrior.

Mary DeMuth is having a contest. You could win a copy of Beautiful Battle. To find out more, visit her blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts about your beautiful battle! Leave a comment below, and I might use it in a future blog post about spiritual warfare, my topic for this week.

Parenting Tips: How to Avoid Phone Call Interruptions

Photo Courtesy of Sanja Gjenero

This afternoon, I met one of my online friends over the phone. Knowing this would be an important call and wanting no interruptions, I decided to take the call out to my Yukon.

For the first couple of minutes, none of my four children ran out of the house to complain, ask a question, or report the misbehavior of a fellow sibling. I smiled and relaxed as I enjoyed the conversation.

The peace and quiet couldn't last forever, so when I noticed my twelve year old heading for the door I relaxed behind, I hit the automatic lock button. This conversation would not be interrupted for momentary insanity. I knew his questions and complaints could wait; blood didn't trickle from any of his limbs or his head.

Little did I know that when one uses the automatic lock button without the keys, one is permanently locked into the vehicle. After enjoying half an hour of adult conversation, I pressed the end call button on my cell phone and smiled. I sighed with relief, knowing I'd gotten thirty minutes of mommy quiet time, and I reached for the unlock button on the door to my vehicle. Needless to say, I wasn't going anywhere at that particular moment in time. I was permanently locked into the Yukon.

Don't snort your coffee out of your nose or pee your pants with laughter just yet. (I would have done either of those if I had coffee or needed to use the restroom...) Fortunately, my daughter was playing outside and heard me wildly knocking on the windshield. She obeyed (for once) when I beckoned her over to me. She smiled big when I told her I was locked in and asked her to retrieve the keys from my purse inside the house. I am pleased to say she didn't take vengeance and leave me locked in the truck all night. She bounded back thirty seconds later to release me from my mommy-thought-she-was-sneaky spot.

Note to self: Always take the keys with you when you want to lock yourself away from the world. Because you're at someone else's mercy to set you free, if you don't.

Mom Speak

Photo Courtesy of David Castillo Dominici

I spent hours scrubbing fingerprints off the ivory-colored walls of our rental home. I did hundreds of toe touches while picking Legos, Barbie shoes, Matchbox cars, and orange cushioning foam off the living room and bedroom floors. My hands pruned from the dishwater, and my back ached from moving heavy bins from one room to another as I packed for another move.

I was tired from a day's work. So when my daughter headed for her clean bedroom with a bowl of chips and a cup of juice, I found myself saying for the hundredth time this week, "You cannot eat outside of the kitchen. Food and drinks aren't allowed in your bedroom."

It dawned on me. Am I the only one saying these words each day? Each hour? Each minute? It's always nice to know I'm not alone in this life. How many of you can relate to repeating the following until you're blue in the face, winded, or you've discovered a hole in your child's head that runs from one ear to the other?

Here are some "Mom Speak" phrases I find myself saying too frequently:

"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
"Stop yelling at each other over the video game. It's supposed to fun, not war."
"Our floor is not the trash can."
"If you don't bring your clothes to the laundry, how do you expect to have clean jeans?"
"Two wrongs don't make it right."
"Stop banging on the...(fill in the blank)."
"This isn't the playground!"
"I'm not your maid. I'm your mom."
"You don't need to eat the entire bag of chips in one sitting. If you do, you won't have any in your lunch for the rest of the week."
"Quit yelling. He's sitting right next to you."
"Quiet down. I've got a headache."
"If you don't start taking care of your toys, you won't be getting any more."

Any parenting expert will tell you consistency is key. If you're going to threaten something, make sure you can follow through with it. Set boundaries and discuss the consequences of disobedience.

Do any of you feel like you've done all you've been told to do, yet you still find week-old apple cores rotting in the corners of the boys' bedrooms? Your kids still fight over who's killing who in the video game before they have a chance to re-spawn? Are you tired of repeating yourself a hundred times a day?

Me, too. I just want you to know you're not alone in this world of mothering.

I'm considering buying one of those recordable megaphones the kids play with and putting those things I repeat on it. At least I'll get a laugh from them out of it. Or maybe I'll use that voice recorder app on my phone...

I can just hear God now. "How many times do I have to tell them...? What do they need? Fire and brimstone to get My point?"

When I think of how often I repeat myself each day, I can't help but consider how many times God has to tell me, an adult, His plan and purpose for my minute, hour, or day before I "get it." Am I truly listening to Him, or do I let His word for my day slide in one ear and out the other? Do I, like my children, get so busy with what I'm doing that I forget what He's called me to for the day?

What do you think? I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!

The Little Mommy That Could

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

That little engine from my favorite childhood storybook had an important load to carry over the mountain. And it was a big mountain.

But the size of it didn't stop her. With the encouragement of the toys on board, the little blue engine chugged happily over the mountain, successfully delivering the load of toys and food to the boys and girls who waited on the other side.

My life feels a bit like that right now. I have the important load of managing my home and caring for my children, and some days I feel like I'm carrying that load alone.

But I'm not.

I've got Jesus on my side. And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Here's a glimpse of life right now:

This morning, I awoke to the alarm. I thought I'd snooze another ten minutes, but my bladder had other ideas. So I rose out of my warm, snuggly bed and sauntered into the bathroom. After my morning routine of showering and getting ready for school, I went to wake my four sleeping children.

Only two were already stirring. My daughter sat at my desk, awaiting my instruction to get dressed, as she usually does. My oldest son lay half asleep on the couch.

The scent of fresh-brewed coffee drifted into the room, and my morning senses came to life. So did the urgency to get out the door. I had to substitute, and I wanted to be there at least fifteen minutes early to read over the lesson plans for the day and acquaint myself with the classroom I'd be in.

But my children had other plans for my morning. One couldn't find his sweatshirt, so he went to school in 30 degree weather in a t-shirt. Because he didn't want to wear his winter coat. And his long-sleeved shirts were becoming too short in the sleeve, so when he held his arms up in front of him, his sleeves pulled up above his wrists. So he would rather freeze.

And my oldest decided he needed to shower at ten minutes to seven. "You know I take a quick shower, Mom." Which he usually does. But this morning "quick" dragged out an extra ten minutes. So when I wanted to be at the school, he was pulling on his jeans. For thirty seconds, I considered leaving him behind, but that wouldn't prove my point. He never wants to go to school in the first place. It would only be cause for him to celebrate if I walked out and made it to school on time, without him. So I prodded. And he moved like a cow on its way to the slaughterhouse. Dragging his feet.

I walked into the classroom not two minutes before my class. Not how I like to start my day. I've discovered something. Substitute teaching is like babysitting. You are a substitute for the real thing, teacher or parent. And kids don't do well with a disruption to routine. And they like to "help." Only they usually are "helping" to their own benefit, not to aid the sub. Because they're kids. I still love it. Because I understand where they're at. I might be in my 30's, but I haven't forgotten what it was like to be 13 or 9 or even 7. But that's about as far back as my memory of childhood goes. And I hope to impact them in positive ways, encouraging them to do their absolute best. Encouraging them to remember that they are each special and unique. They have talents and dreams to pursue. And I want to help them discover those things through providing their education when their teacher can't be there.

It was a rough day. I had a lot of "help."

So I looked forward to the afternoon and some peace and quiet at home.

I didn't get it, though. My kids were arguing when they left the house this morning. And they were arguing the moment we stepped foot inside the house this afternoon. And they didn't stop.

Middle son slammed dear daughter into my air bed because she stepped backward onto his Lego structure as she tried to get away from her younger brother's punching motions that were aimed in her direction. While I'm on the phone with their father.

I had to hang up and deal with the situation. And it didn't stop there.

Middle son has decided he doesn't like being a part of our family, because he's different. He wants to play outside while everyone else wants to play inside. He wants to run around while everyone else wants to play video games. He wants to hang out while everyone else is in their own world. So he's now the oddball. He doesn't feel like one of us anymore. He feels "lost."

So he antagonizes his siblings for the next few hours and then screams and cries out when he gets spoken to and corrected.

My head is now pounding. I'm about to lose all control (if I truly have any left) of myself. My patience is as thin as the ice my son is skating on. I'm about to crack.

But I have to hold myself together. I have to suck it up and dig my heals in and keep keeping on. So I start to chant.

"I think I can. I think I can." Tears are welling in my eyes.

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." My nose is running. So are the tears. I've hidden in the bathroom now.

"I think I can. I think I can. No, I can't. I'm too tired. I'm too stressed. I feel so all alone." Okay. The dam has broken free.

"You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you." I give myself a pep talk.

Then I call Daddy for some reinforcement. He gives me all kinds of advice. And reminds me it's a blip in our lifetime. This season will pass sooner than I think it will right this minute.

"I think I can."

I hang up. I cry a little more.

"I think I can." 

"I know you can." It's a whisper to my heart.

"I think I can."

"I know you can." It's my Father's voice.

"I think I can."

"You can do all things. I give you the strength. I give you the authority. I give you the victory. You will endure. You will stand. You will make it through this tunnel and over this mountain. For you are mine."

"I know I can."

I'm quite certain I'm not alone in having days like today. I hope you can find encouragement to continue in your own struggle to overcome that mountain in your life today. Because we have Jesus Christ on our side, and even when we feel all alone in our "day," He will never leave us nor forsake us. And we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. When we are weak, He shows Himself strong. Lean on Jesus. I know you can...

Presents, Presents Everywhere!

We have a new winner! And, another winner! Surprise! I received an autographed copy of A Pheromone Affair while visiting my parents at Thanksgiving, so I am also giving away the copy I'd purchased when we found out the book had been released. 

The first autographed copy goes to (drum roll, please)...VONDA SKELTON! Woo Hoo!
The second, non-autographed copy goes to...Don!

Please email your address to amoralescmc@yahoo.com and I'll get those out to you this weekend. Thanks for entering!

For this week's giveaway, Baker Publishing Company has blessed me with the opportunity to offer My Favorite Bible by Rondi DeBoer and Christine Tangvald. 

With the vibrant illustrations and engaging text in this Bible storybook, you can enjoy sharing the best-loved stories of the Bible with the children in your life and encourage a life-long love for the Word of God. My Favorite Bible is a book of exciting Bible stories and activity pages that guide children through the foundational truths of Scripture.

Each story is fully illustrated and includes a simple narrative full of things kids love: repetition, rhythm, and energy, along with a key biblical theme, a key Bible verse, and discussion questions to help adults introduce children to the Bible.

The colorful illustrations will capture the imaginations of children ages 4–8, and the stories will help adults to pass along the most important truth in life—the Gospel. Families will cherish this time as they read, listen, learn, and love, growing closer to one another even as they grow closer to God.

By clicking on the book cover or title, you can get to amazon, where there's a place for you to see inside the book. This isn't a Bible, but a wonderful book of Bible stories. Each selection includes activities, discussion, and a find-the-butterfly search for you to do with your children. It also includes praying together, which is so important in building our childrens' faith.

For an opportunity to win this wonderful book, please leave a comment on this post. I'll choose the winner next Wednesday evening and announce it on Thursday morning. Baker Publishing is sending this book out to my winner after December 15th. 

God bless you every one!

Motherhood Musings

School started and football season is in full-swing. The lazy days of summer are over, and life is busy once again.

In the midst of busy days, I find myself questioning my parenting. Am I doing a good job? Am I honoring God with my decisions concerning my children? Am I missing out on anything? Am I focused enough on my children? Am I overwhelmed? Are they overwhelmed?

Here is what I've discovered in the weeks of questioning my abilities as a mother:

1. I can't do it all. And that's okay. God doesn't expect us to take on more than we can handle. I may not be Suzy homemaker who brings cupcakes to school for her child's birthday. I may not be the best fundraiser. But my children are participating, and I'm blessed to watch them play football or their instrument of choice. That's what counts.

2. Sometimes, I have to let go and let God. So often I want to be in control of things I have no control over. Case in point: My middle son. He's having a difficult time exercising self-control. It's half the reason I put him in football. I am hoping that the aggression of the sport will help him learn to control his aggression outside of the sport. He struggles with respect for others. 

And I tend to take too much of the blame for that on myself. Did I not teach him well enough? Have I not disciplined him enough? Have I disciplined him too much? Am I going at him all wrong? Am I blind to something?

What I am slowly learning is that I am not to blame for his actions or words. He is. He's entered the age of accountability. He knows Jesus. He knows about respect, honor, love, and kindness. He's been hearing it since he came out of my womb. I can't change his inner workings. Only God can do that. I can point him in right directions. I can teach him techniques to tame his temper. But only God can do the work in him that will change his life. I cannot take responsibility for his decisions. He must. So tonight, he'll be running some extra laps at football, since he ran circles around his siblings all weekend. Maybe he won't get to play in tomorrow's game after disrespectfully speaking to me and a friend of mine over the course of the weekend. But he'll learn sooner or later that his actions have consequences, whether he likes them or not. In the meantime, I can rest assured I've done all God has called me to do in his life. And I will continue to do those things with prayer and hope that he will grow into a mighty man of God who knows how to control his actions and words.

3. I will not keep rescuing them from their own choices or mistakes. I know this in my knower, but sometimes my heart for my children prevails. Three of my four children have come home with demerits within the first month of school. Fortunately for them, they never go beyond the typical unprepared (I forgot to sign their agendas) or talking. However, I've stopped trying to save them from their lack of attention when packing their book bags, which has lead to forgetting math books or assignment sheets. I will not return to the school to pick up forgotten materials. I will not clean up their messy rooms for them. And they will do their chores. They will learn to take responsibility for themselves and their belongings.

These are a few of the concerns I've dealt with since school started again. Our schedule is quite busy, and I have to be careful not to run myself or them down. We need our energies for the daily tasks we face. Some days are smoother than others, but I'm discovering even more how true it is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us - including motherhood. It's time to stop beating ourselves up for our supposed short-comings and to look to God with whom all things are possible. 

Why Worry?

We moms tend to worry a lot, don't we? We worry about our children. Will they grow up to love the Lord like we do? Will they pass their test this week? Will they be continually healthy? Will they go to college? Will they marry the right person? Will they produce grandchildren for us to dote on? Will they make good financial choices? Will they... and the list goes on.

After tossing in bed all night, we look in the mirror and see this:

Why do we put ourselves through all that? Do we trust God with our children, or not?

Psalm 127 is one of my favorites. I reads:

Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one's youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

If God is first in our hearts and in our homes, there's no need to worry through the night. He is doing the work in us and in our kids. He is watching over our home. He is our guard. He guards our children. 

His word tells us not to stay up all hours of the night fretting over things. We are to sleep.

Our children are a heritage, a reward. God says they are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. We should be happy when our home is full of them. There is God-given power in parenting.

So why do we continue to wrestle our blankets and allow worry and fear to control our nights? We need to trust God that His plan and purpose for our children is good. That He has everything under control. That He will watch over them and guard them. Meanwhile, we need to sleep and sleep well.

"I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

~ Psalm 4:8

Photo Courtesy of Supreet Vaid

Proverbs 31 - In Honor of Mothers

"Her children rise up and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

'Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all.'

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

~ Proverbs 31:28-30

 

Four generations: 

Me, My daughter - Hannah, My Mom - Barbara, and Grandma - Marjorie

I find it no coincidence that I managed to get to Proverbs 31 in time for Mother's Day. So, in honor of mothers everywhere, including my own, I give you the following:

Haiku for Moms

It's snowing outside -

Where are my coat, mittens, hat?

Mom knows where they're at!

Cold noses and toes

Mom's breath warms my fingers while

Hot chocolate brews.

Mud covered sneakers

Track across my clean mopped floor

But I love them still.

The shower rains down -

I splash in puddles, uh oh!

Mom slips on the floor. 

Summer sun bathing -

Mom, let me help you with that

Sun lotion slather. 

Get out of the house.

Go outside and play - It's nice

Grass stains on their knees.

Leaves raked into pile

Run, Turn, Run, Jump, Leaves rustle

Kids pop up with smiles. 

Fresh autumn breeze flows

A small hand reaches for mine

A deep breath, I sigh.

~ Family Friday ~

This weekend is our Women's Conference. I'm spending it in a villa on the beach with new friends. Friday is too far away, even though it is only tomorrow.

You would think that a weekend is a year to my children. Tuesday, when they overheard me talking about my weekend away with another conferee, three of them began to tell me they didn't want me to go. My daughter heaved the biggest sigh she could muster and said, "The beeeaaach?" If she could stow away in my suitcase, I'm certain she would. 

Why is it that when Mom leaves for a weekend away, it's all tears and "Don't go"-s? Yet, when Dad goes away for a weekend, it isn't until Saturday night the questions concerning his return begin. I wonder if I am the security blanket of the family...

Regardless of little sobs and big tears, moms need that occasional weekend retreat. It's a place to unwind, be refreshed by the Word of God and recharge your spirit. 

I understand the difficulty of leaving the family behind for a weekend. The house is usually dirtier upon your return than when you left. You wonder if your dear husband is going to remember that your daughter is supposed to sing at the Fall Festival the school is having this weekend. You hope that the disagreement you just had with him while trying to get packed is put behind you both. Will the youngest be okay without you?

I find that after a weekend with the girls, God and good times I am ready to take on the world of my home again. My patience lasts a little longer. My joy remains even while others are whining. The piles of dishes and laundry aren't so daunting. I have more energy and tasks don't make me tired just thinking about them. Mommies need a break. This mom isn't afraid to take one...

~ First Day of My New Life ~

I would call this post First Day of School, although it is more like First Day of My New Life. As you may have noticed, I've been missing from blogger for a few weeks now. I took a mini break while I prepared myself and my children to go back to school. 

For ten years now, I have been preparing to change diapers, accommodate constant feedings, break up fights, go on trips to the zoo, prepare for first days of school, teach children, and much, much more. This year didn't go that way, and I needed two weeks to prepare myself for it. Yes, I purchased mountains of school supplies as usual. I cleaned out closets of clothes that no longer fit or were too worn out to wear back to school. I bought new clothes and shoes and sneakers to replace those I'd tossed. I filed paperwork and registration forms and PTO memberships. I counted out lunch money. That was all the same.

 The Morales Kids' First Day of School

What is evidently different is the number of my children who are going to school this year. Four. That means all of them. My oldest son grew from kid sized shoes to men sized shoes. My baby is spending his first day ever away from Mom. All of my babies have started school now. (Did I mention my step-son will be starting his second year of college this fall and be graduating this spring?)

My oldest woke up at 6:00 this morning. He was too excited to fall back to sleep until 6:30. My daughter followed shortly after. Pretty soon, all four were awake and dressed with teeth and hair brushed, book bags on their shoulders and ready to walk out the door. I snapped some photos (like the one above) and headed out the door with them.

Upon our arrival at the school, I handed out supply bags (you know, all those tissues and hand sanitizers and Clorox wipes and Ziploc baggies they need so many of). "My bag is too heavy. I can't carry an extra," my oldest complained as I passed him his supplies. "My shoulder is going to fall off." (I doubted that.) 

As we made our way to the doors of Elementary School, my daughter took my hand and didn't let go. We dropped off the baby first. He tried to hide behind my legs, but he did a big boy job of sitting with his classmates after a few short moments. That's when I snapped this shot:

 Gideon's First Day of Kindergarten

He's such a big boy! However, as I gathered up the supply bags for his brother and sister, he ran back over to give me the smooch goodbye he'd been too big to deliver before, in front of his classmates. He smiled and waved as he ran back to his seat on the stage, lined up with the rest of his class.

Hannah didn't want to let Mommy go. After a smooth and quick delivery of her older brothers to their respective classes, she decided she needed Mom to stick around for awhile. I gladly obliged and promised to stay until her class dismissed for P.E. upon her tearful plea. As she settled in, I assisted her teacher in collecting the many packs of looseleaf paper, glue sticks, and tissues from the kids in her class. She finally warmed up to her teacher, her first day, and she smiled and waved as she left for P.E. I said goodbye to her teacher and went on my merry way.

Thus begins my new life. I am a stay-at-home mom/author who now has no kids at home during the school days to come and has no excuse not to be sitting with butt-in-chair writing magazine articles, devotions, chapters for future best-sellers and more. I begin this new season with joy and hope, yet I can't help but sigh as I ponder the fact that no one is arguing over which cartoon to watch next, who gets the last ice pop or whose turn it is to play the Wii. 

Oh look! It's time to go pick them up already!  TTYL!

New Question for Moms Out There

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a question to mothers. I asked if you have ever felt like you've failed at motherhood, whether it was for a moment or on a daily basis...

Here's the follow-up question of the day:
What is it that you would like to ask "successful" mothers, if you had the opportunity? What do you want to know about motherhood and getting past those feelings of failure? 

Ask away! I'm awaiting your replies! Thank you in advance for your input!

If you are on facebook, I have posed the same question there...

~ Burning Question for Moms - Please Respond ~

Before I present my Tuesday Tips, I would like to let you in on a burning question that I have in my heart. Our pastor mentioned Sunday morning that we don't like to talk about our failures. We are quick to share our success stories, but failure is a dirty word. It means we've made mistakes and missed the mark. We don't like to admit to it. However, we've all experienced it somewhere along the way. The question is whether we get up and try again, or give up entirely and go on to try something else.

As mothers, we experience failures and successes. Hopefully, we see more success than failure. My question is this: How many of you feel like you've failed in motherhood at one time or another? Maybe you deal with feeling like a failure on a daily basis. Maybe it's only once in awhile that this feeling comes up. Maybe you never do feel like a failure; your confidence in your role as a mother is strong. 

I'm working on writing about this very topic. I've gone through periods of feeling like a failure as a mother myself. I've also gone through times where I know I've succeeded in one area of motherhood or another. I want to bless other mothers with a resource of encouragement, hope, and some expert advice for mothering successfully and fighting against those feelings of failure. 

Please feel free to comment below on your concerns as a mother, whether or not you have moments of feeling like you've failed as a mom in one way or another, or anything else that comes to mind. I'd love to include you in my research. I'd love to know what you deal with, so that I can find just the right experts to help with the common doubts we have in our abilities as mothers. I would also love it if you would pass this information along to your friends who are mothers. I'd like to get a solid demographic to base my research on.

I will also be working up a few questionnaires/polls to post and email. If you would like to participate, please keep an eye out on my blog, find me on facebook, or send me an email with "Mom's Burning Question" in the reference line. Thank you so much!
~ Alycia, Mom of Four and Step-mom of one

~ Friday Funnies ~

Maybe this is not cool to put on the internet, but it is particularly funny, if I may say so myself. It is not meant to embarrass the parties involved, but I'm sure everyone will be able to relate to these stories. Enjoy. And give your liver a quiver (They say laughter is the only thing that gives your liver exercise.). Laugh it up!

My sister turns XX this week, so this is in honor of her birthday...

Every child's parent can tell a poop story. These are two of my favorites...

The first is my sister's childhood story that she wishes Mom never told. Her thing to do at the ripe age of three was to close the bedroom door, use the "bathroom," and wait for someone to come along and open the door. Smush.  I'm glad I wasn't her mom...

The second is my son's. He was almost two. It was just after his birthday, and he had a brand new figure eight wooden train track. He loved playing with Thomas the Tank Engine.
This particular afternoon, I had put him in his bed for his nap. He laid right down, and I quietly shut the door behind me. It was a wonderful afternoon, and I settled in on the couch for some down time and a little TLC. Since it was so quiet, I assumed that my child had fallen asleep. It remained that way for another ten minutes, until I noticed an odd odor coming from somewhere. Curious, I got up from the couch and went sniffing through the house. I got no more than four steps when the odor became rather strong.
I slowly pushed the bedroom door open, uncertain of what treasure I was going to find behind it. In the middle of the floor sat my son, playing with the "mud" he'd made for Thomas' track. It was all over the track, the carpet, my son, and his brand new trains.
I guess it takes a highly creative mind to remember the episode of Thomas where they were covered in mud and then create one's own mud to play in. And it takes a very patient mommy to clean up the mess without needing a clothespin for her nose...

It Didn't Happen Today

When I woke up this morning, I realized that all of my ambitions for today were going nowhere. My head was full of sinus pressure. The headache alerted me to the fact that there was no way I would be able to look at a computer screen all day. It was only amplified by the sunlight streaming through my windows, announcing a beautiful day outside. I really dislike it when that happens. I feel like I'm missing out on something wonderful when sunny days go by. At least I could step outside into the warmth and take a deep breath of fresh air...

But alas, this is how my day went:

I started out here, with the intent to start working on a non-fiction title that I have in mind...

 

...doing a bit of research.

I ended up here...

 

...with a crash course in Zzz....

And, my kiddo, spent the time doing this...

(At least he was on his feet all morning...)

So much for getting work done. My day is pretty much spent. The kids will be home in an hour. It will be time to cook dinner, get homework done, get showers taken, and bedtime...maybe I'll get enough sleep tonight to make it happen tomorrow.