I can't find all the answers or the energy to get it all done they way I would like. So I decided to ask my more sensible side and give myself a little permission to just be me.



Dear Sensible Side,

I'm struggling with my life. I'm juggling two jobs, two kids, a husband, church, weight gain, the bible study, the PTA, family obligations, housework, homework, yard work, and the number of hours in the day to do it all. How can I find the energy to be good at all this?

Sincerely,
Pooped in Pittsburg

P.S. I don't really live in Pittsburg; it just sounded better than Pooped in Lynnwood.


Dear Pooped,
Drink more coffee to wake yourself up. Drink more red wine to fall asleep.
Sit side-by-side when talking with your kids about homework. Look into their mind. Lay side-by-side when talking to your husband. Look into his eyes.

Put down the fork to reduce your waistline. Put up your feet to reduce their swelling. Allow your church to lift you up. Allow the Women's Bible Study to catch you when you fall.

In regards your housework:
Your home should be kept clean enough to be healthy and remain dirty enough to be happy. And in regards to your yard work...well, consider a condo.

Two jobs, my dear, is an understatement of the number of jobs you actually have. Know that your contributions and time spent in things like the PTA, client meetings, and family obligations are treasured by those with whom you spent that time because of your intelligent and heart-felt responses to real issues that they take with them.

Finally, make time for YOU: time for you to be alone, or out with your girlfriends. Time for you to excel at work, have fun as a mom, and for you to actually date your own husband. Know that, when they have grown, your children will not treat themselves as you treated them, they will treat themselves the way you treated yourself.

With strength,
Your More Sensible Side

"She is as pretty as a ..."

A few days ago I was kneeling on the cold, hard kitchen floor, leaning over my smallest child. I reached to pull back her hair, to hold it behind her neck and off her face. Weak and visibly shaky she spoke to me over the top of an old bowl held under her chin, "Mom, I've never thrown up without you." I smiled at her and reflected to myself, what an honor it has been to serve her and her brother through all that life has given us. This is what it's all about. This is motherhood. Joy and blessings in all the ups and downs.


Today is Mother's Day. Each of my children have been planning for days with excitement. "Mom!" Tyler (7) invited me over to the easel, "Mom, write down some of your favorite breakfast foods, but don't ask me why, okay?" This last week I spent time in his classroom helping the teacher to get the Mother's Day project completed by each child. For hours I would help create page after page of this lovely book. By Thursday I knew the 10 page book, with a line on each page of a sweet poem written and illustrated by the child, almost by heart. Yet today, when I was presented with the book that Tyler had created, I still cried with joy for the love that he put into his project.


Andi (5) too would remind me daily, "Don't look in my closet mom - your gift is in there!!" Today she was beaming as she cuddled close to my side while she unwrapped each gift for me and gently put it into my lap. The precious words on a small, laminated poster she created made me laugh out loud and cry - tears of laughter streaming down my face - with the love and special thought she put into each line. It reads:

My MOM By Andi
My Mom is special because...she helps me across the monkey bars...even when I couldn't do it!
She is as pretty as a...rose, she is even beautiful right in the morning! Her hair stays in place! (this is where I started to laugh so hard I started to cry - it's so untrue!)
My Mom is so smart, she even knows how to...help Tyler with his homework and make sure he does it right.


This morning my beloved husband was buzzing around to make me a yummy breakfast, answer my every need, and stealing more than his share of wafer cookies at church to feed my sweet tooth and make me giggle. He then put together a nice sack lunch for me to take to the Open House I'm hosting in Seattle today. This afternoon while I'm away he'll do the grocery shopping and create a special 'breakfast' dinner with the kids for my special evening - crepes with raspberry jam and whipped cream, YUM! I am spoiled!


I watched both of my kids preform at church today. Andrea in her preschool group was chosen to play the bells for a special song. Those sweet little 3 to 5-year-olds sang their hearts out. Tyler, also chosen to play an instrument, was my little drummer boy standing tall as he tried to sing and tap the correct beat on the African drum he held. I was so proud of both of them. I thank God for all that he has given to me and this life that I am privileged to live!


Blessings to all you proud mom's out there. What a joy!