You know you're a mom when...

You know you are a Mom when...

You pick a booger out of your second son's nose because:

a) He tried to blow it out, but it was still there and visible.
b) It was blocking his whole right nostril and you felt bad for him.
c) You were worried you would be one of "those" moms who are labeled as lazy with gross kids.
OR
d) All of the above.

Yes, I admit I did it. Don't worry, being a bit germaphobic, I thoroughly washed my hands.

(Hey, I would NOT pick any other persons' nose other than my little kids and mine)

You know you are a Mom when...

You find your son playing "artist" and painting his poo ALL OVER his crib! Yep, fun stuff. You find yourself gagging while scrubbing, no sand blasting the poop off his little body and giving him two baths. *All salvageable items were placed in hot water in the washer or scoured with tons of bleach.


When you share most of your meal with them.
You say,"I have to go potty" to your mother-in-law.
You act like a fool to get your kid to do something.

AND...you will read one more book, hug one more time, all in the name of loving a child whose very existence makes you wonder what you did before they came into your world!

To my two, precious boys! Mommy loves you so much.

From:

Hard Questions: Part 1

My son, Schafer has recently been asking hard questions. For example, he has asked, "How come I can't see Jesus?" "Does all of our family have God in their hearts?" And cute ones like, "What toys does Jesus have in his house in heaven, Can you ask him for me?"
The most difficult part of his questions are trying to answer him in a way that he can understand. Sometimes I don't know the answer or I find that there isn't an easy way to explain it to him.

What amazes me is his ability to be okay with what I do tell him.

He trusts me.

What about me? Can I be okay with what God tells me?
I want God to say, "She trusts me."

I won't pretend that I trust Him entirely. Heck, I'm human and would be a liar if I said I never worried or doubted what God was doing. I won't deny that I like to have a bit of control and am tempted to do things my way (human foolishness).

BUT...His word clearly states,

My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,

and my ways are far beyond anything you can imagine.

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

Yep, ain't that the truth!

I want to begin to share my current story. I have been putting off sharing it with others because it has involved so much faith, patience, perseverance and well, it is still ongoing in my life as I write this so it is quite difficult to express properly in words. Maybe it is the timing as well.

Although, I have been through trials and transitions before, this particular event has truly changed my life and is changing how I view myself and God.

It started last Fall of 2010 when I held a bible study by Priscilla Shirer called, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted. Two other women joined me. The premise of the study is that when life's disruptions happen as they always do, that you can change your perspective on them. Sometimes those interruptions are from the Lord. Shirer states, "A life interrupted by a holy God is a privilege."

I'll admit that the statement is true, but it is not easy to accept when you are feeling like the poster child. The bible study was the precursor to what lied ahead for me. Even in the first week of the study, the Lord pressed on my heart that I was to let go of my current job and stay home with my children.

I am going to start backwards today. Start at the current end instead of the beginning. I think it will make more sense this way.
Disclaimer: If you live in Grand Junction and are reading this, you might get offended and I am sorry, but I need to speak the truth.

I live in Grand Junction, CO. About 4 months ago, I lived in Fort Collins, CO. My husband got a teaching job here and this is the main reason we had to move.

The hard question I've been asking is, "Lord, why did you bring us here?" This place is so different than Ft. Collins. Ft. Collins is lush, progressive, clean. Grand Junction is more like a desert. Many people walk around with beaver faces, shaved heads and camo for everyday attire. There are a lot of old, broken down homes, fifthly warehouses and junk. There are different values here and the culture is different.
I am used to city or suburban life. Used to an abundance of natural areas, clean, safe parks, and an amazing bike trail that runs through the town of F.C.

I am probably not being fair. I know I sound judgmental. I really am not. I've just experienced a sense of culture shock. I am trying to accept this place as my new home, really.

The hope I am clinging to right now is that the Lord has a plan and purpose for my family. That maybe it is LESS about me and more about the people of GJ.

I know that I have changed. Moving to GJ forced me to make the changes that God is requiring of me: quit your job, stay home, write, teach your little ones, enjoy the lack of stress a job outside the home can bring, and love those I bring to you.

This is my hope. At least I have hope!

Stay tuned (wink, wink) for me to explain more of my story of how we got to GJ. I will do my best to not disappoint...

And then there was throw-up...or hope.

On Monday night, my poor three year old was bawling. Sweet hubby ran upstairs while I barely stirred. In my defense, I was exhausted and not feeling so great. As my husband opened the door, he found that Schafer had thrown-up all over the bed. After one more bout, he stopped for the night. I was so sad for him, but will selfishly admit that I was not looking forward to this clean-up, nursing job in the morning.
That morning, I came to his bedroom as he had er, um, let it out the other end all over the bed. I about gagged and I had to say, "Lord, I don't think I can do this." Immediately, I managed to handle it just fine. I was compassionate and made sure he knew that what happened is just a part of life. He never threw up or anything after that and enjoyed a day of pajamas and cartoon videos. LUCKY HIM!

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE SAID THAT? "Lord, I don't think I can do this."

Like when my Mother died, or during both of my labors, when Grant went into the hospital at three weeks old for a horrible case of RSV (nasty little virus) and he could barely breathe. I could barely breathe.
When I lost four people in one year , 2006 and when I realized I would be motherless while becoming a mother. "Lord, I don't think I can do this."

Moving to Grand Junction and the fact that God actually trusted ME to stay at home for this year and watch my two boys! "Lord, I don't think I can do this."

You know what? I CAN'T. That's right. I really cannot do all the hard tasks, trials, errands, and demands that life puts on me.

2 Corinthians 12 Speaks of Paul's thorn (there are many theories as to what this thorn represents)and how he asked the Lord to take it away. But verses 9-10 speak specifically about how the Lord did not take it away because His power is made perfect in weakness. Cleaning up gross things...well, I am weak. It also says, that Paul accepted the Lord's authority, and the hard things because Paul realized that when we are at our weakest we are stronger in God.

We don't have to be able to do it or be strong. We just have to trust Christ through it...that the strength, the ability, the needed change will be there from the Lord Jesus himself. In our weakness, we rely less on ourselves and more on His strength, help and hope.

Oh, and did I mention that my almost two year old played with his poop in the crib?

May the Lord's power be greater in our weaknesses.