Now I'm THAT Mom
I recently had a new friend over. We had never met but had both gone to the same church in the town that we moved from. We had heard about one another through mutual friends and were finally able to get together. I really enjoyed our visit and look forward to getting together more! We have yet to meet many people in this new town so this was certainly a ray of sunshine!
After she left I got to thinking and realized that now I'm THAT mom. The mom with four kids that I used to look up to when I only had one or maybe two. The mom that homeschooled and still had a semblance of normalcy in her home. I remembered how I used to think "how does she do it" "I can barely do it with one" "wow her house looks pretty clean" "her kids are so well behaved." Then I started thinking that if I'm now THAT mom, well the fallacies should be revealed! You see now that I'm THAT mom I realize that the house is clean because you and two of your older children have run around like crazy people trying to clean up and get things in order! Now that I'm THAT mom I realize that it is only by God's grace that my children behave and that you missed the disrespectful attitude that the middle child displayed earlier that day. Now that I'm THAT mom I realize that having older kids to entertain and help with the younger children really makes having four almost easier than one. Now that I'm THAT mom I truly see that it is only through HIM that I am able to do all of this. Now that I'm THAT mom I also see the importance of being real with others and sharing my struggles so they realize that I'm not really THAT mom!
Now that I'm THAT mom I have found myself looking up to THOSE moms, you know, the ones with 7,8,9-18 kids! Their lives seem so orderly and together while I feel like mine has much chaos and messyness!!! The ones who make all their own food, have their own garden, milk their own cow, homeschool, and lead a Bible study. But you know what, now that I have realized that I have become THAT mom, THOSE moms don't intimidate me quite so much anymore because I bet that when I get there I'll realize that they are just like me!
Now for a family update. Josiah is now 4mo. We are having so much fun with him. Everyone enjoys him and he brings so many smiles to our family. We are continuing to adjust to our new home and contnue our search for a new church family. (why oh why does this have to be so hard!) We are doing some fun experiments in our homeschool with red cabage and acidic foods as well as reading some fun book like In Grandma's Attic and Hudson Taylor. I'm contnuing to learn more about healthy eating and natural living and I love it!
Till next time,
Charlsie
posted by MikeandCharlsie at 11:35 AM
10 Comments:
It's soo good to hear from THAT mom! So are you saying if I had MORE children, my house would be cleaner? NOW you tell me! Praying for you to find a new church home soon, I don't know why it's so hard, but it is.
I miss seeing your beautiful children - please post pictures soon,
love you,
Lisa
11:20 AM
That is fascinating, isn't it? I know that some people think of me that way....like I have it all together. But I know that I don't. I know that I am just like them....the same in the Lord's eyes.
What you are becoming is an older woman. Slowly, quietly, you change. You mature. You have life experience. It's a beautiful thing.
I loved this post. keep 'em coming. Lisa~
11:01 AM
Picture's please!
So glad to hear your doing THAT well..what a revelation!
Great post!
4:53 PM
Great post, girl! It really is interesting how our perspectives change the older we get and the more we learn about ourselves.
Your a great THAT mom!
5:29 PM
So nice to see that you got to visit with someone and learn from the experience too...that is always nice. I am glad you are settling in there. I will say we miss you here!! Would love to see some pics and that cabbage assignment sounds fun!
:) Hugs, Heather S.
6:37 AM
I love this post! And for the record, you'll always be THAT mom to me, too!!! We just love your family so much and see the good fruit of your labor in the Lord. What bigger mission field than our own homes?!?! And what a joy.
Love you!
8:19 PM
Oh, I so get you. I do remember when my first was born, and my surrogate sister Shelly, who had two, was my expert I used to call with every question. Then one day it hit me - hey, I am now more of an expert than Shelly!! She only had two, and they were in daycare from 6 weeks on! She knows nothing about dropping a morning nap! If she ever had a baby now, she would need to call ME when he got a diaper rash that wouldn't go away! That was like a HUGE wakeup call for me. I think that is when I quit feeling like a poser mom and more like a real mom.
And then today, when I was at my friend Beth's, and Shepherd continued to run like a madman all over her house and I had told him 4 times to calm down and I finally yelled at him LOUDLY right after Ike hit her baby hard in the head with a matchbox car, I did think, oh well, I just blew my supermom facade.
1:17 PM
good point, i also realized recently that having more means more helpers. it's not as though those 10-kid families have 10 2-yr-olds!
post more on natural living, that is a HUGE interest of mine as well!
2:05 AM
It just hit me that you have four children, and I only have three at home. Haha. Please write more. I love to read your thoughts. If you would add a "follow" option, then people can see when you have a new post. This is so helpful when you only write sporadically. Hopefully you hear the other side of this THAT mom's early years. No perfect home or perfect children here....
6:16 PM
I'm finally taking time to catch up on a bunch of blog reading. I love this post! Just thought I would tell you that your family is now bigger than mine! I only have three at home, and all can tie their own shoes, read, and brush teeth without a reminder (mostly). Haha. Enjoy them, Charlsie. "These are the good old days!"
3:35 AM
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