It was in a gas station parking lot when the vision for The M.O.M. Initiative and The Making of a Mom was conceived. As I sat and watched a very pregnant teen girl walk by and light up a cigarette, I reflected on my teen pregnancy and how motherhood was like a messy experiment for me and how my kids ended up being the guinea pigs. And how I thought I was ready but didn’t have a clue. I couldn’t help but wonder if she understood the significance of her newfound roll. Did she understand that everything she now did would affect …
Becoming Momma K
I’m already “mom”. Thanks to my daughter and son-in-love, I will be Momma K! The richness of the blessing of a grand son is beyond words in description. Often times words cannot convey what the heart feels. Conversation about how much we want to bless this little guy is regular between my husband and I. With sparkling eyes, the younger aunts and uncles make plans for play time with their nephew. I pray that God will bless me with a rich relationship with our grand son. Becoming Momma K is helping me become mom all over again. I’m seeing …
Tips to De-Clutter and Organize before & after Christmas
I don’t know about your home little mama but when it’s time to put up the Christmas tree, our living room gets rearranged. And the smallest mess seems like mountains of clutter on top of the kids’ indoor adventures from negative temperatures. And if you’re already wondering how to reorganize your home, the loot, and de-clutter with little ones under foot, here are some fun tips for you. Christmas Ornaments You can either save the boxes each ornament comes in, or save space and time with egg cartons. …
Facing the Mother “Hood” Alone
Hello little mamas! We have a special guest today. Catrina Gray signed up to have a mentor from The Mom Initiative and the funny part is we were just beginning to become friends while I was already on the M.O.M. Team. Catrina is a single mom with a heart for God and an eye for beautiful shots of life. Because she is in college and has dyslexia, she shared her story and I wrote her article; as a single mom, she has faced many trials including whether or not her daughter would be “normal.” Motherhood is a challenge for …
When Pit Shaving is NOT Optional: 12 Tips to Clean Eating for Busy Families
The conversations at our dinner table go something like this. “What is it?” (all three kids are eyeballing the food as if it came from mars and poke it with forks to ensure it is actually dead). Me: “It’s food. Eat it.” Elijah: “MOOOM what IS it?” Me: “It Millet Loaf, created with love. Cheyenne (She needs to go to Junk Food Anonymous): “Can’t we just have normal food for once?” Me: “Sure, we can have processed food that fills your arties with plaque, sets you up for cancer and diabetes. No problem. Maybe it will make y’all lethargic and …
Do I have to say goodbye to bubble baths?
Today I’m sharing an excerpt from my eBook EXPECTANT: 40 Devotions for New and Expectant Moms. EXPECTANT helps a mommy-to-be or a new mom grow her own life while growing a baby. Like this excerpt from the chapter about “Strengthening Your Heart,” transparent stories and biblical truth give new mamas a generous helping of hope and wisdom for the transition into motherhood. What girl doesn’t love a long hot bubble bath? It’s right up there with a pedicure, a latte, and reading on the beach. Read a magazine and drink a latte, while getting a pedicure at the beach, and …
EXPECTANT: Growing a life while growing a family
A track-mom friend stood by the fence as we cheered our senior girls across the finish line in their last high school race last night. And then my friend did something I didn’t expect. She reached over and hugged me, smiling with teary eyes. Then I did something I didn’t expect. I had a flashback to bottles and blankets. Swallowing a surprise gulp of my own, I reminded myself that this growing up and moving on thing is good. We don’t have children to keep them forever, but when my husband placed our baby girl in my arms over eighteen …
When You Struggle With Infertility and Loss
A Post From My Blog Last Fall *I was going in for a routine ultrasound, only to learn the unexpected, my baby had died during the week. No heartbeat. “My prayer this morning as I waited for the doctor, was somehow, there would be a heartbeat. I requested she try again for my sake and sadly as I knew, there was none. Even though I didn’t hear one, I was comforted as I laid my heart in God’s hands. Fresh tears well up with each passing moment as I continue to grieve the loss of my child. I grieve the dreams that were attached …
Abide in Me
When I am asked, “How many children do you have?” I don’t know how to respond. “Three,” I answer, while I finish the sentence in my head, “…here with me and one in Heaven.” I will never forget my daughter, Rachel Faith, even if the only life she experienced was in the womb. She is always with me. As beautiful as she was at birth and at death, those images are not what flutter through my mind. I imagine her dancing with her sister. I twirl her dark curls. I embrace her, though she’s not physically here. Rachel died at …
I’m Pregnant – Now What?
Whether pink lines, a plus sign or a doctor’s diagnosis is the way you discover you are pregnant, a multitude of thoughts and emotions are sure to follow. Some women are excited and receive the news with great anticipation. Others are afraid of what their future might hold and aren’t sure how they are going to deal with the days ahead. Pregnancy is different for everyone and so are the circumstances associated with it. A thousand questions run through every expectant mom’s mind as she begins her journey down an unfamiliar road. Even if she’s had a baby before, each …