Just Checking In...

Oh my word gang!  When someone mentioned to me I ought to write a book... it reminded me that it has been 10 months since I was on this blog!!!  Now, granted, it was a FULL 10 months. Working for a season outside of my home, having 2 kids in school full-time and a preschooler, planning & prepping for our newest arrival, and then having a newborn (DearSon #4).  Oh yeah, and summer vacation.

Can I just say I had no idea how busy this last summer would be until the Lord brought me through having my busy boys hopping around while mothering a nursing baby (can we say 4+ hours a day just feeding baby?!)  We kept on with the garden... though a few things got lost in the process of all that family life. The bunny planed off my broccoli, and the weeds...well let's just say we had natural mulch, shall we?

Through it all -- baby, camping with the tribe, gardening (just doing, not documenting, mind you), animals, family, the household chores, birthday season, and our MOPS group getting ready to meet -- I can finally say I feel caught up. And school starts tomorrow. Yes, it seriously took me all summer to feel like I have a handle on things.  But you know something? I'm really kinda okay with that. I have come a long way letting go of that control thing that drives us women so often.

I have been going through a study this summer with a group of ladies from church all about embracing Biblical womanhood...and dispelling the myths of our culture about what that really means.  One of the biggest lessons I learned was this: God designed me as a woman to be a mother.  Not all women mother biological children, but there are so many ways God calls us to mother. Teaching, mentoring, being a neighbor and/or friend, leadership, and loving as an aunt, sister, or even caretaker. Mothering is to nurture, to make a home, to provide for someone's needs, to teach them, to walk with them in the way of the Lord. To serve them as Christ would.

Hold that thought...dinner is ready...

And bedtime cometh...

Okay, where was I? Ah yes, serving our families.  This, my friends, is why I have not blogged over the past few months.  Not because I've given up on writing or this life. I am still loving both. Yet, just like those pesky games you just can't get away from on Facebook [says the recovered FV addict]... I had to step back for a season to do what was the biggest priority - be the mother. I may not always [ever] get everything done, but I have accepted that I have gotten done exactly what Jesus knew I would and it is enough.

I'd rather a happy family than a neurotic mama and hubby or kids walking on eggshells. After all, the foolish woman tears down her house with her own hands. Now, the DH has been gracious beyond words stepping up and helping me out this summer. I can thankfully say that has made the difference in keeping the postpartum depression to a minimum. God is good and has gifted me with a wonderful man to share my life with. Through all the ups, downs, and in-betweens, I have loved watching our faithful God grow our marriage.

Now as far as comparing the calling to mother with the calling to write...I am still Mom first. However, as the kids are all starting school and baby boy is a little older (ie able to have more content awake time and consistent naps), it is my hope to have time to write again. I have about a hundred posts already bouncing around in my head.  Things that I thought about as I was doing them over the last year, but never got to a keyboard to record said nuggets.  Get ready...

I'm STILL Diggin' This Life!