My Truths

As I stood in the very hot water of my sister-in-law's beautiful stone-tiled shower, I had a few moments of peace this weekend. In those brief moments, I had an epiphany of sorts.

Every mom has certain truths about herself and her family that can make it or break it. For me, I realized, those two things are very simple:

1) If I have enough sleep, I am a better parent, wife, friend, and person; and

2) If I get up before my children, take a shower, get dressed, greenish grayish hair done and face made up (not like I'm going clubbin', but a little foundation, a little mascara and a swipe of bronzer and lip gloss), have some hot water, tea or coffee (pregnancy dependent), and some moments in Bible Study or other inspirational reading, I am a better wife, parent, friend and person for the rest of the day.

So, once I discovered these two truths, in that peaceful, beautiful hot hot shower, I thought to myelf, "These two things are simple and yet I have not made any effort to ensure that every day has these two things in it. That's not very smart...and I am a smart lady darn it!"

So i thought about what the common denominator is in making these things happen...

That's easy, and so I'm not sure why I didn't think of it before--maybe I did and wasn't disciplined enough to implement it. Maybe I've just been too lazy and tired the last few years to really commit to bedtime enforcement (my Achilles' heel as a parent.)

The simple answer is that both require me to put my children to bed consistently at 8:00PM so that I can go to bed by 9:00PM (9:30 at the latest). This will ensure enough sleep for me and the ability to get up when that alarm wakes me up at 5:00AM (maybe 5:15) for my own quiet time and self-preparation.

What are your truths? What are the things you KNOW will make you a better mom, wife, friend or parent each day? Have you implemented the simple changes you know would help? Well, maybe if you can pray for me to be strong enough to implement bedtime (and I really need help with this because I'm a big ol' softy) then I can pray for you to do something powerful and meaningful (and probably pretty simple) for you and your family!

Blessings fellow travelers!

Blog Reflections on a Day

Sometimes I feel like I am really funny when I am blogging. I laugh at myself, which is awesome because my husband reminds me daily that I am really not as funny as I think I am. He is a great humbling force in my life...for which I am truly thankful. :)

Sometimes I feel serious and contemplative when I am blogging, which leads me to find irony or deep meaning in daily events.

Today, I am tired. My sweet kiddos did not sleep much the past two nights (and mommy stayed out waaaay too late at Christmas Bunco on Monday night (and drank caffeinated iced tea there like a BIG dope so I couldn't even sleep when I did get home)).

So, here are some reflections from this tired mommy on this day of sick kids in no particular order (list format stolen from Jennifer at "for the praise of his name"):

• "Light ash blond" on the box can actually mean grayish light greeny brown;


• One year olds cannot be left alone, ever;


• Brothers and sisters who are close in age CAN be great friends and comrades;


• Husbands who smile at you even after a hard day and even when you have grayish green brown hair are priceless;


• Facebook is not for the undisciplined;


• Wash poopy clothes in hot water to kill germs;


• If you know you are going to be nauseous and tired from noon on, get all the things that require standing done BEFORE 11:30;


• A nice clean cuddly child can erase hours of grumpiness;


• Friends who are honest about themselves and their struggles are a treasure;


• God is with us even when we don't feel Him or acknowledge Him, but He'd rather we acknowledge Him.


• When I go through the day without acknowledging Him, I have a hard time snapping out of a grumpy mood; and


• I am so thankful for other blogging moms who provide endless encouragement, advice, ideas, and research, to challenge me to make my mommyhood exceptional rather than just tolerable.

That's all for now. All our children are sleeping, which means early to rise. Blessings from this preggo sleepy thankful mommy.

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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

Kya's Memory Verses

Christ died for our sins, he was buried, he was raised, on the third day. 1 Corinthians

Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32

Pirate Dress Bow Set

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.