Sunday, September 16, 2012

Encouragement to My Younger Mom Self


Last year at the first MOPS meeting (she always gets the First meeting - I seem to be in the Feb Sex slot) Mary, fellow Mentor Mom, shared the top 10 things she would tell her Younger Pre-school Mom self.   I was thrilled when she closed this year by sharing them again (this time without the charming stories).  I've seen so many, "Letter to my younger self" and have though it may be fun to try....but MARY did it so well and I want to capture her thoughts. I found several of the points are appropriate regardless of the season of mothering you are in.  

  1. It gets easier - at least physically. 
  2. Make sure you find a place to be fed spiritually. 
  3. Read the experts, talk to others - but trust yourself. YOU are the expert on your child. 
  4. Do something that stays done more than 2 seconds (i.e. mow the lawn). 
  5. Get affirmation for something you do outside your family. 
  6. Recognize it's not your job to raise perfect children. 
  7. Your child will not die of malnutrition. 
  8. Let Dad be Dad, for the sake of your marriage and children. Only intervene if there is imminent danger of physical damage.
  9. Taking care of yourself - emotionally, spiritually, physically - is not selfish.
  10. Some days are a success if you just make it to the end with all alive. 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Taking the Plunge


Mary, a fellow MOPS mentor mom, did a superb job at MOPS last week.  This year's MOPS International theme is, "Plunge: Love as if your life depended on it."  Theme verses are I Peter 4:8-11. 

She spoke on taking the plunge into motherhood.  Plunges can be refreshing or overwhelming as in drowning.  She shared a story from her daughter's "first swim". At our table a couple of us really weren't in the "pre-school SOS" mode and found this applied to us more in other areas. Great thoughts and I don't want to lose them. The take aways were: 

  1. Don't compare yourself to others
  2. You don't need to go it all alone
  3. Jump in - don't stay on the sidelines
  4. Keep paddling
  5. Don't take your eyes off your Father
During table time I shared how closely these lessons  mirrored  Stacia's near drowning experience. I added my memory of Michael doing all he could to swim across the pool and reach her, yelling, "Get the Baby!" each time he took a breath. We added a sixth point:
 
    6.  Don't forget your Father is doing all he can to get to you and certainly has His eye on you! 

These were just so good I wanted to capture them. 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

My Boys


What a fun way to begin the week. Check out these photos Josiah took of the "bros" shopping. It's a wonder they weren't thrown out of Costco.  I give all my friends permission to  give them the mama look if you run into them while out grocery shopping. LOL

Not sure WHY Jamin has developed high blood pressure




Note WHERE Jared is in this photo! Josiah wrote, "I tell you leave Jared alone for two seconds....... When asked,he said, "I always wanted to do that but mom wouldn't let me." lol

You bet your BIPPY Mom wouldn't allow it. ::snort::  Close scrutiny of the contents of their cart tells me they have reached an eclectic lifestyle of eating...oats and pineapple YES....We'll allow some bachelor food since all are working and in college/ grad school.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...