{NOTE: For those readers who don’t know our family, we’re the Connells. Doug’s my husband and I’m Jess. At the time of this trip, we had 7 kids (Ethan-14, Baxter-12, MeiMei-10, Silas-8, Moses-6, Theo-3.5, Luke-18 months), and I was 6 months pregnant with our 8th child. Over the next 3 weeks, I’m publishing journal entries, pictures,…
Why Do I Feel Depressed After My Birthday & Holidays?
Since October is my birthday month, let’s talk about birthday depression. Last year, I (seriously) typed in, “why am I sad even though it’s my birthday?” to Google. Yup, I typed in that phrase. It wasn’t much help, except to say, apparently, this is a thing. Some people get sad, instead of happy, on their birthdays. There…
The 1ST EPISODE!!! “Mom On Purpose” Podcast– Listen NOW!
This has been a long time coming… … and I’m SO excited to share episode 1 of the Mom On Purpose podcast! (Scroll down to listen here, or click to listen in iTunes.) Each Mom On Purpose episode features an imperfect-but-growing mom who will share one or more intentional decisions she’s made to benefit her home and family. I’m…
Ep. 01: Choose to Be an Engaged, Intentional Mom
It’s easy to be filled with zeal and purpose when they first put that baby in your arms… but how can we stay engaged and intentional as moms, over the long haul? In Episode 1, Mom on Purpose host, Jess Connell, shares: why she left a job she loved, to be a stay-at-home mom. how she thinks through…
Mom Exhaustion Doesn’t Have to Steal Your Vision
Over the last year, I didn’t realize what was happening, but looking back, I was fighting a combination of fatigue and laziness. Though I still cared immensely about how our kids turn out, getting off the couch very often felt like too great a burden to ask. Being mentally engaged and physically active throughout each day with…
What the Bible Doesn’t Say About Your Sex Life
Ever wondered if the Bible has something to say about your sex life? It definitely does. And let’s be clear: it’s not simply a list of “thou shalt nots.” Beginning way back in Genesis, we get peeks into various couples’ marriages. Throughout Old Testament stories, we see how one’s choices about sex and marital intimacy affect their entire…
Christians, Cribs, & Co-Sleeping (Is it “Heartless” for a Baby to Sleep in a Separate Bed?)
Let me start out by saying this: I am pretty sure I have done it all. I’ve slept with a baby on my chest or in the crook of my arm– on the first night, in the hospital, in my bed at home after home births, and (accidentally) in a chair when I was trying to stay…
Here’s Why We Do Hard Things WITH Our Kids
Doing hard things is admired in many circles. Decide to run a marathon, get your MBA, do a DIY remodel of an old house, or move into an RV and traverse America in a year, and people will fawn over it. Sometimes you can even get a reality TV show doing stuff like that. People are,…
The Challenge of Being a Mom of Many (When I Need Breathing Room)
This might be the hardest part (for me) of having a big family. It’s the part I didn’t really expect, because, prior to having kids, I always saw myself as an extrovert. A quite marked extrovert. Not only that, but I always liked being around kids. Loved it, in fact. Playing, wrestling, tickling, laughing, snuggling down to read…
How & Why I Started Nourishing and Cherishing My Body
This past spring, I knew something had to change. I’m 36 (and– gulp!– I can only say that for another month or so). And I had started noticing my age. It was little things: groaning, with an additional “oof” or “oh!” when I got off the couch hearing clicks in my knees and ankles…