Enjoying the "Stages"

No matter how old our children are, there are always those phases and stages that our children go through that we are slightly excited to be over.  I frequently catch myself saying, "this is just a phase" and I instantly remind myself that when this phase is over, another phase will start.  They really do grow up so fast and if we don't savor every stage and phase our babies won't be babies anymore, children won't be children anymore and before we know it, our kiddos will be out of the house.  I loved this blog that I came across this week because, let's be honest, some stages are hard. Really, really hard. But in the mess we can show our children grace and God's love.  I pray this fellow mom's post blesses you and encourages you on the days that aren't the easiest. 

"'I can't wait for him to sleep through the night. I can't wait for her to start walking. I can't wait for him to tie his own shoes. I can't wait for her to do her own hair. I can't wait for him to drive himself to practice. I can't wait for her to meet a godly man.'

Do we realize that by the time they can do all those things they will be gone? We won't get another chance to embrace those moments. 


"If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." (Isaiah 58:10-11)" Read the entire post from "Gospel-Centered Mom" here

The Pumpkin Prayer

Although many of our holidays are Christ centered and allow for us to teach our children more about Jesus, Halloween is just not one of those holidays.  Still, many families enjoy Halloween festivities and traditions such as decorating their house, carving pumpkins, passing out candy, dressing up, etc.  While we are carving our pumpkins this year with our kiddos, we can pray this prayer together:

Each time we see our Jack-o-lantern, we can be reminded of how much we are loved by our Heavenly Father!  Have a safe and happy Halloween!

You Are a Blessing

Good morning, Moms!

We hope that this encourages you today!  As mothers, we have one of the most important jobs in the world; nurturing and caring for the well being of another human.  I can't think of anything more worthwhile than that.  Although sometimes it may seem that we are unappreciated, remember today that we are doing big things!

"What you do doesn’t go unnoticed and while you may feel like the most blessed person in the world because of your baby, your baby is the blessed one because they have you. You are the only one who can nurture your baby the way you do. There will never be another person who will sacrifice sleep night after night just to make sure they are well fed. Only you will be the one who wipes their tears in the dead of night as they tell you about their nightmares. Only you can convince them that monsters will never get to them, not on your watch. Only you can really shape the person that they will become because of the love you have to give."

Read the rest of the post from the blog "The Happy Heart". https://missrheyna.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/a-letter-to-my-sisters/

Have a wonderful day! You are a blessing!

Making Wise Media Choices Together (a printable)

Hi Mamas!

We hope your week is off to a great start. It's Monday and I'm sure you all hit the ground running this morning!

With media everywhere around us (TV, movies, radio, social media), I know we often find ourselves scrambling for the remote as the pot of spaghetti over boils because our 4 year old changed the channel to something we wish he didn't see.  I even remember arguing with my mom when I was little about shows that she thought were appropriate vs. shows I wanted to watch.  Now that social media is so prevalent, as well, discussing some guidelines and family decisions might help us to all be on the same page about what we watch on TV, movies and decisions for social media.  Even if our kiddos are too young for Facebook and Instagram, this can be a great way for us to get on the same page as our husbands/the village that helps us raise our babies.

I came across this printable and thought it would be something to print off and use with our families.  It could invite a discussion with our older children about role models and why we want to strive to watch wholesome things.

I hope you all find some time to relax this week and maybe even sneak in a family show to watch together.

http://www.triciagoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Making-Wise-Media-Choices-Together-Printable-TriciaGoyer.com_.pdf