{This article has been updated from its original publishing in 2008.} There is something that bothers me and seems to get lost in the whole infant feeding/sleeping debates, and even in the debates about certain parenting methods. These debates cloud the real issues at hand regarding child training. And it is possible that those who…
The Unseen Years
We recently participated in a silent, prayerful, smiling protest. We used our rights and stood for life. It was our first time to participate, and we decided to go on the spur of the moment. Of course we talked expectations as we drove to the protest, brought snacks for the 2-year-old to enjoy during the…
What Life Is Like for This Mom of 7
Here it is– off the cuff and unrehearsed 🙂 — this is the good, the bad, the ugly of what life is like for me as a (home educating) mom of seven boisterous kids. (They’re, currently, 13 & under.) FULL OF NOISE, CONVERSATION, AND LAUGHTER This morning during homeschooling, the 2 year old and the…
9 couches.
The other day, we got a new couch. It’s the biggest one we’ve ever had, and meets my one requirement for a couch. A Connell couch needs to: comfortably hold our whole family so we can all snuggle up for a movie or a read-aloud when we want to. This used to be easy to…
7 Instances When Moms Wait Too Long
It seems universally true that humans are prone to wait too long to do things we should be proactive about. For me right now, I’m realizing I need to work harder to help my nearly-3-year-old be self-controlled when things don’t go his way. I’m apt to let him go too far down the self-pitying, emotional, tears-down-cheeks train track….
“I’m an Exhausted Mom”
Is this you, Mama? Weary? In desperate need of a nap, a soul-warming beverage, and a few hours of silence? I can relate! For over 14 years now, I’ve faced the continual foe of pregnant, nursing, and mothering women: mommy exhaustion. Through 10 pregnancies, 3 miscarriages, 7 postpartum seasons, and moving more than a dozen times, God has taught me much about…
What Keeps Moms From Getting Enough Rest?
I recently asked over 1,000 women: “What things keep you from getting the soul and body rest you know you need?” Here’s a selection of the answers: Laundry, dirty bottles, teething babies and an injured hubby. 🙂 I constantly put high expectations on myself and convince myself that I can do all things. It’s a battleground…
Motherhood Means Teaching Them All Day Long
Earlier today, my sweet 5-year-old Moses asked me: “Remember when we goed to the store?” Me: “When we WENT to the store?” “Went!” “Yes I remember…” Then this just happened: “I writed my name….” Me: “I WROTE my name.” “Wrote my name.” and I realized– when I started out, I didn’t know how constant this mothering job…
Why I DON’T “Get Out Of the House More”
{Note: This article has been updated from its original publishing in Dec. 2008.} Today I want to share the ethos behind some big choices of my life. I’ve lived as an at-home-on-purpose mom for the last 13+ years of my life because I believe this simple truth: as a mom of young children, the best place for me to be…
Parenting When I Don’t Know What To Do
We all hit those moments. You know the ones. The ones where you have NO idea what you’re supposed to do. Here’s a sampling from my own mom experiences: My oldest, at 2 years old, (who I was convinced was practically perfect in every way) reared back and hit me in the face–hard– in the middle of…