There are days when I feel like an amazing Mom. I’m crushing it, the kids are loving life, we’re all happy and things are smooth sailing. Then there are days when nothing seems to go right. I can’t remember how to be a mom in a way that makes anything easy, the kids are grumpy, disrespectful, complaining, and unhelpful. Those days are full of deep breaths and deep prayers.

Kids or not, some days we’re on top of it. Some days everything is on top of us. I prefer the days when I feel like I am happening to the world rather than the world happening to me.

Below you’ll get a dose of the media I consumed this week. You’ll see some of the parenting aspects hot on my radar and what prompted what I wrote above. Sometimes it’s a heavy work/business week, sometimes it’s heavy on personal growth, and other weeks it’s heavy on family stuff. Real life.

I’d love to tell you I can focus on everything equally during a given day or week (I dream of this) and that everything moves forward in a calculated fashion with meaningful intention, but it doesn’t. I’m still coming to grips with this and have the most wonderful friends who remind me to look at the bigger picture, not just today or this week.

BOOKS

​I Am Enough, Marisa Peer. I have read this book at least 4 times, not because I think I’m a loser, but because the content is so relevant and good for every human.

ARTICLES

​Triggered by my kid’s discontent​

​This might be why you’re getting so mad at your kids​

​Allowance, Age by Age​

​31 Best Netflix Kid’s Shows​

​6 Ways Children Learn to Entertain Themselves​

OTHER MEDIA

​Positive Parenting Solutions I purchased this course and am surely glad I did. I have 4 kiddos; 2 birthed, 2 bonus. Ages 11, 7, 6, and 7 months.

​How to Cook Golden Juicy Chicken on the Stove Simple, but delicious. I’m only slightly embarrassed I couldn’t remember how to cook chicken this way. I used to do it all the time, but when I came to it this week I couldn’t remember if I used butter or oil, and how long it should stay on one side. Classic mama brain.

May you find a few minutes of smooth in your weekend.

Much Care,

Amy

There’s something that happens when I put pen to paper. Maybe I’m a product of an older, non-digitized generation, but I truly think there’s something to it.

My brain solves problems and gains clarity in extraordinary ways.

We know to do things that benefit us and yet we don’t do them. (An entirely separate post.) I decided this morning that I’m making a conscious effort to put pen to paper as often as possible. Join me?

My dog is a large 90lb bloodhound.

Read anything about bloodhounds and you know they are a breed that needs hugs. They’re kind of smashing-into-you-hug, but it’s their way of being reassured of your love.

Last night I was sitting at the kitchen table and he nudged me to turn toward him. He promptly put both paws on my lap and all but climbed onto my lap. Apparently, he needed a hug.

Animals and kids are unabashed in their need to have their love tank filled. They make sure it happens. However, a change happens on the way to adulthood and we decide it’s embarrassing to have needs around love. We feel the need, want the love, want the hug, and pull back out of fear. It’s sad.

The next time you feel a need for love, go get it. If you want a hug, go hug someone, or ask for a hug.

Let’s be a little more like kids and bloodhound puppies when it comes to hugs.

I ended my Mother’s Day 2021 with a sleepover with my girls.

There’s something about being close enough to hear my babies breathe that touches the deepest parts of my being.

These two beautiful girls have made me a mother. Moment after moment, day after day, they have, unknowingly, crafted and refined who I am. I’m eternally grateful.

I hope your kids bring a sense of grace and gratefulness to you as well.

Happy belated Mother’s Day to you 🙂

Being a backup driver, babysitter, speaker – being a backup anything – requires almost as much preparedness and mental energy as being the main one. The time and energy differential begins when you know you’re not needed anymore – you won’t have to drive there, watch her, speak there.

As a backup, the time still needs to be reserved and the activity planned and prepared for as if you will be needed.

We volunteer to be a backup thinking it’s not that big of a commitment. Truthfully, it requires almost the same effort to be a backup as it does to be the main squeeze.

Choose wisely for what you’ll “be a backup.”

“Mama, I’m missing something inside of me. Something doesn’t feel right.”

The mother in me immediately calculated how long it had been since dinner – not long. Following the dinner calculation was an immediate flood of maternal nurse thoughts – is her stomach off? Dehydration? Too much trampoline jumping on her joints?

I was mid-thought when she threw her arms around me, “I know what’s missing inside of me. Hugging you.”

How beautiful to be that in tune to her needs.

How beautiful to reach out to have those needs met without hesitation.

We all have much to learn from the young lives around us.

If you can visualize the bad, you can visualize the good.

A lot of us spend our days picturing the worst outcome…

• What if I get out the door late to work on Monday morning
• What if I get stuck in traffic on the way to pick up my kid from daycare
• What if I spill coffee on my shirt
• What if I don’t complete this project by the deadline

Add yours to the list.

We could just as easily picture the good of all of these though…

• I’ll get out the door to make it in perfect time to the office
• Traffic will buzz right along while I go to get Suzie from daycare
• I’m such a meticulous eater
• I’m going to get this project done well before the deadline

It takes the same effort to imagine the good as it does the bad. I wonder if we’d have better outcomes if we spent more time on the good though. I think we might.

I found my dog (more on him later) in the trash yesterday. Apparently he has a thing for beet peels and popcorn. I think he was disappointed in his findings, carnivore that he is, but he couldn’t help but snitch them anyway. Perhaps it was the color or shape that won him over.

Sometimes opportunities look exciting and wonderful but after we get into them we realize it wasn’t really our thing. Often we stay stuck to these opportunities because of guilt, shame, or reputation. It’s not a win for anyone. It’s okay if beet peels and popcorn aren’t your thing. Just be honest with yourself and others about it.

It has been almost two years since I’ve written here, or even been on social media. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed. I suppose I might be considered “out of touch.” However, I find that I’m much more in touch than I’ve ever been…with myself, those I love, my purpose, my moments, and my kids.

I’m about to embark on a journey of growing every more connected and present while re-engaging with the broader world here. I’m not sure how it’ll go, and I’ve been putting it off for that very reason. But it’s time and here I am.

A lot has happened in my life these last two years that I’m sure will make its way into future posts.

A lot has happened for you in the last two years too. I hope you’ve grown and loved and shared in extraordinary ways. If you haven’t, why not?

I’m looking forward to being on the journey again with you.

Much care,

Amy