I had the opportunity last weekend to attend my third Hearts at Home conference, and as usual it did not disappoint.  I heard great insight from so many speakers, took page after page of notes, and was inspired to continue to be a better mom.

One thing I noticed (and appreciated) about each speaker is that they weren’t pushing me to be like them.  They were merely sharing their journey and encouraging me along my own.

We are each on our own journey, with our own map and our own equipment, and let’s not forget our own unique traveling … Read the rest

My identity: momma.  This word carries some weight, am I right?  Sometimes it’s the weight of the world, and sometimes it’s the weight we need to keep us moving.

When I consider loving my identity as momma, I can get overwhelmed.  It’s because there are SO MANY sub-identities mixed up in there!  I’m their alarm clock, chef, chauffeur, nurse, therapist, teacher, maid, referee, activity coordinator, event organizer, AND momma.  Plus more that I can’t remember because I’m tired.

I believe we can settle our thoughts if we focus on the ONE identity we are fulfilling at the moment.  When … Read the rest

This month with Hearts at Home, I’m blogging about “Loving Your Purpose”.  This has always been a challenge for me – usually because I didn’t know WHAT my purpose was, and sometimes because I just didn’t want to love what I was doing.

Wiping other people’s body parts, washing dishes, switching laundry, begging for a nap…where is my purpose in this?  I’ve had these thoughts too often to count.  The problem, I think, is that having these thoughts affect my mood and behavior.  If there isn’t a purpose in what I’m doing then I won’t be pleasant while I’m doing … Read the rest

My oldest daughter was nervous about starting middle school, so we had spent the last few weeks of summer preparing her for this new adventure.  When she got in the car with me at the end of her first day, she was happy and proud and confident.  She did it!  She successfully made it through her first day of middle school.

That evening as I thought back the stories of her day, I realized that I needed to tuck this success away for the next fear.  Someday I will need to remind her that she “made it” before, and … Read the rest

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