All posts by Janna

Cultivating Confidence

Anxiety, Parenting, School

We are into the school year now, and learning how to swim in this middle school pool we find ourselves in.  Grace’s anxiety was beginning to show as the first day drew nearer as evidenced by her increasing silence whenever school was mentioned.

We went to the 6th grade “Transition Day” where she had the opportunity to meet her two core teachers, see some of the students who would be in her classes (many of whom she knew from elementary school), and practice her locker combination.  And practice, and practice, and practice.  This day was immensely helpful!

One thing we’ve … Read the rest

Doesn’t Play Well with Girls

Kids

I’m sitting on my porch, writing on my laptop, watching and listening to my son play with a friend.  Everything is a virtual peeing contest between the two of them.  Inevitably, their playing turns into smacking and laughing, then harder smacking, soon there’s less laughing, now they’re punching, and finally someone stops the game.  And back to racing the matchbox cars.

And then it dawned on me.  THIS is why he doesn’t play well with girls.  Well, more specifically, his sisters.  His sisters don’t play like this, but he expects them to.  He tries to play like this with them.  … Read the rest

Fruits of the Spirit {gentleness}

Faith, Fruits of the Spirit, Parenting

Moving through the Fruits of the Spirit, we are now at Gentleness.  I’ve recently discovered Chad’s Bible Encyclopedias.  I’m so thankful for his Bible degree…

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Galatians 6:1

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

Babies need to be treated with gentleness, just notice next time you’re … Read the rest

Patience in Parenting

Parenting

Let’s jump in, shall we?

Grace: Mom, Eli said, “What the h-e-l-l.”
Me: Did you say it or spell it? (Does it matter?)
Eli: I said it.
Me: OK.  Well you will not be participating in the sleepover tonight with your sisters, and you’re getting pepper in your mouth.
Eli: I’m not putting one grain of that pepper in my mouth.
Me: Would you like to try that again?

And now to summon up all the patience in parenting I can muster….

Eli silently comes over and opens his mouth for the pepper.  He then goes upstairs, yells, and slams … Read the rest

Fruits of the Spirit {goodness}

Faith, Fruits of the Spirit, Parenting

In the list of Fruits of the Spirit, goodness is the one that is giving me the most trouble.  Every time I try to define it, I realize I’m instead defining one of the other fruits.  I should probably look in the Bible and see what help it can offer.

“…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge…” 2 Peter 1:5 (NIV)

“Good” seems so relative.  What tastes good, what smells good, what looks good, what’s considered good behavior.  All of this is opinion-based.

According to 2 Peter, goodness is part of a sequence of … Read the rest

Anything But Ordinary With Hearts at Home

Hearts at Home, Parenting

HAH-Blog-Hop-graphic-2

This month, Hearts at Home is asking us to “love our ordinary.”

Ordinary.

That’s not always such a pleasant word, especially when we let it land on our own hearts.  What if we took a good, hard look at what we consider to be “ordinary” in our lives, and relabeled it?  Got a different perspective?  Climbed out of the everyday for a moment, and saw a bigger picture?

This is something that I’ve struggled with throughout my life as a mom.  The laundry basket that is never, ever empty.  The counter that always has dishes.  The people that are always … Read the rest

When Expectations are Wrong

Kids, Parenting

My oldest was at middle school camp last week with our church youth group.  It was her first time at THIS camp, she has been to elementary camp the three years prior.  While she was away I was pouring through the pictures, searching for one of her smiling face.  I didn’t see her, didn’t see her, didn’t see her.  I finally got one of her in a canoe.

As we picked her up and drove home, she started telling us about her amazing week away – the worship, the messages, her counselors, the friends she had made.  I tried to … Read the rest

Enjoying Sports in a Musical Family

Just My Thoughts, Kids

I was contacted by Fanatics.com to write a post about our family enjoying sports.  Fanatics.com is a site that sells sports apparel and merchandise, with a wide selection of baseball hats from the MLB and college.  No worries – they sell both IU and Purdue gear.  Plus all the others…

I’m not going to lie, I really had to think about a time when our family went to a sporting event together, big or small.  Now concerts.  Concerts I have in spades.

onetiredmomma1

But when you live in Fort Wayne, you probably go to Tin Caps games.  That place is made … Read the rest

Taking Off Pride

More About Me, Parenting

My small group is currently reading through Jill Savage’s No More Perfect Moms, and it’s really, really good.  Except Chapter Two.  Chapter Two kicked me in the gut.

Chapter Two is where God showed me that I am a prideful parent.

My kids wouldn’t get away with acting like that.
I would handle that situation differently.
I would handle that situation better.

I know, you’re probably wondering what took me so long to realize I have an issue with pride.  I’m also stubborn.

It kicked me in the gut, and I think God let me marinate in that … Read the rest

Oh Potty Training

Kids

I’ve always said, if there was one job in parenting I could pay someone else to do, it would be potty training.  No, I’m no longer dealing with this (unless you count the endless occurrences of unflushed toilets).  But I can still share my story 🙂

First, here is the best, most amazing advice I got from my friend Christine. “They don’t ask on a college application how old they were when they were potty trained.”  AND exhale.

Second, I didn’t start until my kids were dry through the night.  I was lazy and wanted to just be done all … Read the rest