I got to choose and I'm happy with my choice.

I recently read a blog or article (through facebook) bashing stay-at-home-moms. It basically hit every one of my insecurities and cut them wide open. I would reference it, but I don't really want it to get anymore publicity than it all ready has. The main premise of it was anyone can be a stay-at-home-mom and it is no big accomplishment so stop trying to make everyone think it is.  Why did I read it? I don't know.  Why did I keep reading it once I realized what it was saying? I really don't know! But I did...

The areas this article talked about are things I worry about way too often. I worry about feeling like I am worth something and that I am contributing to society and to our family. I stress over the fact that I am not bringing in any money or adding to our financial situation. I worry about people thinking I'm lazy and I sit around the house all day watching TV (or blogging...).

Now I do, watch TV, obviously I blog (though not for any true gain simply for an outlet), I take naps if I get the chance, and I read books when time permits. But then again who doesn't??

I could go on now and completely defend myself as a stay-at-home-mom, and I'm guessing that's what you are expecting.  Well.  no.  I am a stay-at-home-mom and I love it! I am blessed by it and I choose it.

Even after all the negative comments I read by this particular author I came out with one positive thing I want to work on. Complaining! Or better said, Not Complaining. So, there are lots of things I could complain about as I spend my days with babies and toddlers, but I complained just as much back when I was working a paying job. I complained then, I complain now. So it is time to STOP!
Going forward I want to be true to who I am and honest with my friends before having complete meltdowns, yet I want to sponge out the unnecessary complaining about how I choose to spend my days.  I need to focus on the good and funny things my kids do. You know the ones that help me get through my day laughing in stead of crying.  Things such as:


Maya's Choice lunch: chocolate chips
Vs.
Morgan's Choice for lunch: spinach & mayo sandwich

Morning fight: no you can't have candy now eat your chocolate chip waffles. Ok fine have some whip cream on top.

Maya wouldn't wear anything but her sparkly heart pants...and I do mean nothing else.

Morgan complaining that she has to clean up, "why do you give me so many toys its too hard to clean up." (Problem I can solve.) Followed by, "mom! you are being lazy and making me clean." Sigh...

Mercy rolling under, the couch, dinning room table, girls bunk beds, sewing table... You name it she rolls under it....

Maya getting excited we are buying a minivan but sad it's not a "Mickeyvan" or "goofyvan". 

Mercy refusing to nap being miss fussy pants, so I put her in her bouncer and walked away only to hear her laughing to her self... even at 8 months old my kids have it out for me.

Maya calling her self a "Pasta Goober" while shoving pasta in her face.

Mercy learning to crawl and making a b line for the dog bowl every time she is set down, and Laughing as she reaches it and gets a good splash in before I get to her.  

Morgan teaching her sister how to play go fish and getting frustrated that a 3 yr old would rather just play 52 card pick up.  

Spying on all three when they are suppose to be napping and are instead: making a fort, playing with dolls, practicing gymnastic moves, learning to stand up... 

Laughing isn't the only thing reminding me not to complain. Knowing I get to be a big apart of my kids lives while they are young. In the years that go by so fast and once over I can never get back. I choose to spend the time with them. I am lucky enough that our family can afford for me to stay home.

So to conclude... I am done complaining!! Because whether or not I have a paying job, I am lucky that I got to choose. I might not be climbing mount Everest or traveling the world, holding a high paying job (or any paying job), but I got to choose. And I am happy with my choice! 

Kids pockets

I don't know about other kids, but my girls always have their pockets full of "treasures".  I have found all kinds of things when going through them while sorting clothes for the wash.  I find toys, rocks, plants (mostly flowers), candy wrappers (even though they haven't been given any recently), Chap stick, coins, snacks, socks, gloves, chewed gum, anything sparkly... The list goes on! 

The other day when emptying Morgan's coat pockets, so I could wash her very mucky coat, I found the items in this picture:   

I asked her to tell me about them.  She had a story for each and every thing in her pocket. Some were fairly normal: "I had to put my gloves there so I don't loose them".  And other stories were, well, different:"I was pretending to be a princess on a space adventure and then I saw a green sparkly thing so I had to pick it up or I wouldn't get back to earth."  I kid you not that was her story! 

My favorite story though was the one about all the receipts in her pocket.  She told me she was on a secret spy mission.  She had to collect those papers in order to learn what her next case would be, and she had to keep them close so the bad guys wouldn't get them.  I come to find out she had been collecting them from parking garages.  You know, you go and pay at the machine then walk away before your receipts is printed, because you are in too much of a hurry.  Well Morgan collects those apparently so she can do secret spy missions.  

Yeah, I just never know what I will find when emptying their pockets for laundry.  Keeps life interesting.  

my 3 year old!

Maya 3 Years old

Full of life
Can talk your ear off: when she is in the mood and not too many other people are around. (or at least when Morgan is at school or busy else where)
Loves to dance around the kitchen striking cute little poses.
Is a very slow eater, but loves her food! especially fruit and pasta.
Enjoys sneaking into our room in the morning and stealing our pillows.
Her "favorites" are Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck. And princesses (but mostly Minnie)
She tries to keep up with her Big sister, and she tries to take attention away from her little sister (typical middle child!)

I LOVE MY MAYA!!

Bad days and Precious Moments

Today felt like world war three in our house after Morgan got home from school.  Everything sent the girl into a full on tantrum.  First we were walking home too fast, then she was mad her feet were wet after jumping in an icy puddle.  She then threw tantrums over helping feed the dog, what game we were going to play, what movie we were going to watch, the fact that I made Mac N Cheese instead of mashed potatoes...

I was at the end of my rope with her.  I had been trying to get her to clean up her toys in our family room in the midst of everything and I had said she wasn't going to bed until the family room was clean.  I had to stand by that so I tried to help her out by giving her chance after chance, playing music, trying to make it a game... she was just in a mood.  So finally I took her two sisters upstairs to put them to bed. I left her down stairs alone and told her not to come up until the family room was clean.

While I was getting the others ready for bed Morgan came up twice crying and screaming about how she can't clean up and she's lonely, and she's scared.  Finally after being sent back down stairs the crying stopped like a switch was flipped and she started cleaning.

She finished cleaning and came up stairs.  I sat with her and we talked.  She told me she stopped crying because she remembered Jesus was with her and that God was watching over her.  I held back my emotions as we talked some more.  Morgan then apologized for all her tantrums almost named each one (on her own).  We eat some Hershey's kisses and had the best mother-daughter conversation to date.  I will never forget this day!  All those tantrums were worth every word we talked through.  As I put her to bed she prayed, "thank you God for helping me not be scared. Thank you for creating me and loving me."

My prayer:
Lord, May she know you fully at a young age and may she walk with you all the days of her life!