Why MOPS Matters to Me

Bedhead

Nice Outfit Kya--she presented herself this way to me as, "ready to go!" Uh...no.

Marker Face

Wyatt's Laundry Disaster of 2009

Wyatt's Laundry Detergent Disaster of 2009

Lately I often ask myself, "What are my children doing now?" They are a CONSTANT source of surprise, worry, laughter, anxiety, joy and exhaustion. From "losing" Wyatt (I couldn't find him in the house or outside the house--finally found him four houses down coloring with the neighbors' chalk in their entry way during 5:00 school pick-up time with lots of traffic whizzing by!) to finding the entire bottle of super concentrated liquid laundry detergent all over the kitchen floor and all the clean folded laundry dumped out on the living room floor~there is never time to be bored or lonely around here. And for the most part, I am really thankful for that now. I say "now" because before I found fellow mommies who were experiencing (enduring) this season of life, I thought I was alone and I worried all the time. I rarely found pure joy in my kids' antics. Now, with fellowship, empathy and advice from fellow moms, I find myself able to laugh and enjoy this crazy season in our lives (most of the time). Like Mother like daughter.

Why the muddiest oiliest puddle?

The following is my "Mom Story" for this month's MOPS newsletter, of which I am the current "Editor."

In the Loop…January Edition p.6

MOM STORIES

Why MOPS Matters to Me
by Tara Haner

As the mother of three children ages three, one and a half, and two months, I often find myself spinning around the house, putting out one proverbial fire after the other. I like to play a little game with myself when I am preoccupied with the baby and can’t run to see what my other two children are doing. I call it, “What’s that crazy sound I hear?” Sometimes it’s running water, sometimes breaking glass, sometimes a puppy’s sad cry, sometimes ominous silence. And then I try to guess what is happening that would cause aforementioned sound. Kya “washing mommy’s socks in the bathroom sink,” Wyatt knocking over a vase of flowers high atop the kitchen counter, both toddlers piled on top of the poor puppy...you get the picture. And I know I am not alone when I say, silence is the scariest of them all. I sometimes also like to play, “What’s that weird smell?”
Despite these ever so amusing games, I sometimes feel a little sad. I find myself sometimes wishing there were someone there to play these fun games with me!! I love being a stay-at-home mom, but I am also a social being, created by God for interraction~with adults! So, when I found MOPS, and all these fantastic women huddled together in a group, talking about their oh-so-similar-to-mine lives, I was elated. I found that we really need fellow mommies to inspire and comfort us. I found that we can accomplish so much together if we will just relinquish our pride and rely on each other...for friendship, help in times of need, and advice. It is fair to say that some weeks, MOPS keep me from going insane. I pray you find that kind of help and comfort at MOPS and that God gives you the creativity and sense of humor to enjoy this season in life with some fellow mommies. I know I find myself laughing more and more often these days~especially while I play, “What’s that weird smell?” ~TH

Mercury with your soda?

As if we didn't have enough reason to avoid soda, I read this today at: http://nourishedkitchen.com/2009/01/a-little-mercury-with-your-soda/

A new study published in Environmental Health confirms that mercury, a known neurotoxin, contaminates almost half of the high fructose corn syrup currently on the market. Another study published by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found that almost one-third of popular, processed foods containing HFCS as the first or second ingredient under the nutritional label tested positive for mercury. According to the IATP, those foods testing positive for mercury contamination included Quaker, Hershey’s, Kraft and Smuckers.
This isn’t isolated.
The most disturbing aspect of the story is that several tests were done in 2005 when the contamination was brought to the attention of the FDA, and the FDA failed to do anything to protect consumers from continued exposure. Yeah, and they try to tell us raw milk is dangerous, but drinking mercury-contaminated sodas is fine?
Mercury is dangerous to human health and it is known neurotoxin. Symptoms of mercury toxicity include loss of feeling, paralysis, loss of vision, congenital malformations and other serious issues. While exposure to large amounts of mercury may even cause death, what is uncertain is what effects minute, long-term exposure - such as that arising from regularly ingesting small quanitites in contaminated sweeteners - might do.
The greatest concern is for children and adolescents who are still developing as they tend to consume more high fructose corn syrup than the average adult - and therefore are at greater risk of ingesting mercury from contaminated sources.
The problem arises during the manufacture of high fructose corn syrup. To extract the corn starch from the corn kernel, manufacturers often use caustic soda produced in chlorine plants. The use of mercury cells in the manufacture of caustic soda contaminates the corn starch, and subsequently the high fructose corn syrup. Incidentally, for this reason you should not use or eat corn starch.
Add this to all the other reasons you should not eat high fructose corn syrup. Is anyone else wondering how the Corn Refiners Association is going to try to recover from this news? Are we going to see a special new series of sweet surprise commercials outlining how mercury is natural and fine in moderation?

My Sweet Truth About Being a SAHM

There are no words to express the sweet joy of being a SAHM ("Stay At Home Mommy" for those of you unfamiliar with mommy web speak). I am absolutely unable to fully convey to my husband how wonderful and amazing he is for allowing me the opportunity to be home with the babies each and every day while he works so hard to make a comfortable life for us.

Each day he ventures into the world of teenage angst and educational indifference (high school) to attempt the seemingly impossible task of loving, empowering, edifying and clarifying geometrical proofs and algebraic equations to generally apathetic high school 10th-12th graders.

I, on the other hand, get to smell the sweet scent of baby shampoo on my babies' skin after every bath, watch Wyatt smile and laugh while Kya jumps and dances around the living room, keep a tidy (as much as is possible at this life stage) home filled with good meals, good smells, and fun sounds, and watch our kids grow up being little mirrors of us instead of someone else.

I have no issue with working women--nor do I ever judge or think badly of daycare or its many alternatives. I am just SO glad to not have to think about any of those things as I watch our children develop language, math, and social skills that reflect our family values (as much as is possible within the self-centered mind of a two year old and the exploration of an almost-walking seven month old!)

Thank you Lord and thank you husband for this wonderful opportunity.