Encouragement

My Darling, I know you try. I see your frustration when you are trying and can’t get it right. I know your grades aren’t a perfect reflection of how smart you are. You are so very smart. In fact, your imagination and knowledge about certain subjects astounds me. The facts that you tell me and the wisdom on certain things that you share with me blows my mind. I know you try to sit still, but I know that sitting still is impossible. So I am ok with you wiggling in your chair and running. I know that it makes your mind happy. I know that you want to sit still when we are in certain settings, and I know you...

Comparisons are a thief of joy. No one knows what is going on in the perfectly designed homes we see on Instagram or what the husband who tags his wife in various romantic articles on Facebook is really like. While I would love to spend my days sipping coffee while doing Bible Study and taking photos of me clipping flowers in my sink (you know what photos I'm talking about), that isn't life. That isn't real.  A few weeks ago, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw a photo of a woman who took a photo of herself in front of a mirror wearing next to nothing. One of the comments was "I wish I could be you, even if it was...

I was recently strolling through my second favorite store that takes all my money, only second to the beautiful Target, Hobby Lobby. I glanced over and saw a bag that said “Enjoy the Ride.” I immediately was attracted to it. Life is a wild ride. My hope for you is that we all enjoy this ride called Motherhood. Some of us are raising tiny newborns, teenagers, middle schoolers or all of the above. We are all in different stages, but we all have one common thing – we are Mamas. I hope you enjoy the ride through the 2AM feedings. Soak in the sweet baby snuggles, perfect baby breath and little toes. Soon this baby will sleep through the night,...

Yep. All of the ingredients - but we just can't get there. (This is an embarrassing, actual photo of my dinner as I received it one night - my fulfillment of a childhood comfort food craving, apparently, the only way it comes) Monday morning: We *finally* get into the car (after a few trips to retrieve forgotten items). Seatbelts on. Reverse. Back the car DIRECTLY into the trash AND recycling bins. Curse in front of my kid. Exit car, clean up trash in the street (in heels and a skirt). Re-situate garbage and recycling bins. Back out again. Make it to the carpool drop off *just* in time. Rush to work. Get further behind because of unexpected meetings.  Monday afternoon:  Still at work. Can't catch up. Husband picks up kids (each at a different location). He...

People often us ask how we did it. Did we enroll them in lessons as toddlers? How did we get them to be so good? The answer is "WE DIDN'T." You see, I have the privilege of raising three children who are considered "Gifted and Talented." I firmly believe that the things we didn't do are just as important as the things we did do.  A family that plays together Yes, their father and I have both been involved in music all of our lives. He plays several instruments and I sing, dance, and played in the band for many years. We have lived by the mantra that our children are beautiful additions to our lives, but not reasons to stop living our...