Welcome to May! While settling into our new home, we are enjoying exploring the neighborhood and short walks to the library. There are fewer and fewer boxes in the house and there’s more and more space! With the trees blooming and the weather starting to turn nice, we could get used to this.
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Short and sweet, and to the point. A great reminder heading into Mother’s Day next week that mothers are courageous.
“Now, more than ever, I have a hard time trying to figure out how much to push and how much to praise (ponderings on that over HERE). Because I want the world for these kids, I tell you! But they have to figure out which part of the world they want. And sometimes it’s hard to let them. One of my children is struggling with grades right now. One is struggling with anxiety. A couple are struggling with friends. One is on the other side of the planet with only snippets of life being sent my way. Two are on the bridge to independence and are doing so great at it until those moments when I realize they’re still so young!“
Find more inspiration at 71 Toes.
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This little gem of a blog post struck me right to the heart. I’m impressed with her honesty, and courage to speak to what so many moms feel, and yet don’t give up. Is my phone becoming more important to me than the family that I love?
I like to be the mom who doesn’t let anything fall through the cracks (although it does). I like to be seen as the one who “does it all.” I like people telling me they think my photos are moving. And, while I don’t think it is wrong to like to be affirmed, I’ve placed too much (way too much) stock in the affirmation of those around me. Why can’t I find time to pray more than at meals and evenings and the rosary a few times a week? Why don’t I read more than a book or two a year? Why have the last few weeks of homeschooling looked more like a race to finish the daily assignment than to open a dialog for a love for learning?
Follow The Fisk Files for more candor on family and motherhood.
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This delightful snippet from Shannan Martin is a short essay on the making of a happy childhood and what memories actually linger for your kids. Every mom needs to read this and be encouraged that it’s in the small moments that we create memories.
It’s equally thrilling and terrifying to imagine which moments in time will be carried by my kids into adulthood. Over the years, I’ve boiled down my role as a mom into five little words: Feel Safe and Feel Loved. If I can accomplish that, I can sleep at night.
But what I’ve learned from my own mom, from the first mamas of my kids, and from battling selfishness myself is that road to safety and love is paved with surrender, sacrifice, and relentless optimism.
Follow Shannan Martin for other great resources.
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AWANA is over for our little ones, and while we school at home year round, I stumbled across this resource and thought, “Yes! Something to keep them in the habit of memorizing!” And, who am I kidding, something to keep them busy and out of trouble too!
Each week for ten weeks, teach your children to memorize a Bible verse. Just one a week! Invite friends or neighbor kids to participate, too. If you’re really ambitious, encourage the kids to create a skit or craft around the meaning or context of the verse. Have older kids teach the younger. Offer prizes or incentives each week. Make it fun! Then at the end of the summer, throw a party to celebrate what you’ve learned.
The Better Mom has great ideas for your summer.
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I love tres leches cake! This is just begging for a trial run before Mother’s Day.
Head over to Cooking Classy for beautiful inspiration for your kitchen!
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How was your weekend?
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