The good mom...

Makes meals from scratch
Homeschools her kids
Reads Bible stories before bedtime
Makes sure the kids have matching outfits on Sunday
Rarely sends her kids to babysitters
Doesn't let her kids watch TV
Is always patient and kind
Keeps her home clean and organized
Shows hospitality by having others over often
Plays games and makes crafts with her kids
Is frugal in all areas
Talks about God throughout the day with her kids...


I used to be that Mom but now I'm not in most areas (praise God the last one I still am able to do!!).  I think it's one of the most humbling, difficult things for me in my life right now to face that I cannot do it all...nor do I have to.   I am struggling to release what I thought my life would be to what it really is and to smile at the future even when it looks difficult.  A good Mom loves God with all of her heart and accepts each days challenges as falling under His sovereignty and good plan for us.  A good mom has to learn to live moment by moment trusting God for a future that is uncertain.  A good mom makes difficult choices through prayer and her husband's leadership about how the family needs to go...even if it's a different path than others say they should take.

God has been answering prayer.  We have respite services through people at our church who we pay to help for a few hours a week with Corey.  He is receiving OT services again 2x/week to work on sensory issues.  But it still is so hard to accept help...to admit that you need it and can't do it all anymore.

On the bright side, Chels is doing well with double college classes these first 8 weeks of the year. Caelyn celebrates 6 years home tomorrow from Korea and had the joy of going to a cake decorating class at church last week.  Cameron is obsessed with lego star wars and making us all smile with his memorization of the books of the New Testament this week (an amazing miracle from a little man who couldn't talk much last year!).  Corey thinks he is a Muppet...he likes to be called "Waffle the Muppet" ever since we went to see the Muppet Movie a few weeks ago ..he is one funny man!  Christian enjoys flying his remote control helicopter around the house and is getting quite good at working with toddler boys in the nursery of our church.  Caleb is busy constantly with school but is enjoying the BJU DVD curriculum (what a blessing..one of the "a good mom..." things I had to let go of this year and do something different with him!).  And tomorrow...we leave for Disney World (please don't tell the kids that Dad is really taking Mom..and that they are just allowed to come with us....)