mission statement: part one

Today's blessing:
Spring. Finally.

When I was in college I worked for ResLife. Aside from having an odd obsession with rocks (any of my other Auggie CAs remember that?), we seemed to be big on mission statements. A mission statement defines  a company, organization, or person's reason for existence. That's a pretty big deal.

Yet, I suppose it makes a lot of sense. Defining your reason for existence? Probably not the worst thing you could spend some time doing.

I remember feeling like kind of a cheater, but I took my mission statement straight from the book of Colossians:
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -Colossians 3:17

It perfectly stated how I wanted to live my life; why should I reinvent the wheel?

Well, I think it's about time I decided what I want to do with this blog. That's right - I've been writing (somewhat sporadically) for over a year now, and it is long overdue. Over the next few weeks, I will be formulating a mission statement. It may sound simple, but anyone who has ever written a mission statement knows that there's more to it than most people think.

For me, the hardest part of a project is getting started. What tips can you share with a person who has trouble corralling their thoughts?

on being humbled

Today's blessing:
A kid who always greets me with a smile and a "Mama!" (or sometimes a "Dada," which I'll take, too) after a long day of work.

Friends, I am disappointed in myself. I allowed myself to play the martyr, and, if I hadn't gotten caught before clicking the "Publish" button, I could have hurt a lot of people who are very dear to me.

I threw myself a little pity party; a "Woe is me, I don't get to spend every minute of every day watching the miracle that is my perfect child grow and learn and explore even though for some reason I feel entitled to do so. Why do they get to stay home and play all day while I have to work?"

Entitlement...what a nasty trap that is. "They" are the stay at home moms and even work from home moms of whom I am often jealous. Let me state, right now, that I know there is a difference. Also, I know that "stay at home mom" is a full time job in itself. I have tremendous respect for those women. Yes, I am jealous of them at times, but not because I think their lives are so much easier than mine. I once read a comment that one of my facebook friends shared that said "If you think being a stay at home mom is so easy, why don't you do it?" I wanted to throw something. But that's another entry in itself.

Then there are the work from home moms. While I do not get to spend as much time with my baby as some of these moms, I do have the luxury of leaving my work behind me every day. Once I get home, it's all about family (and some cooking and cleaning, of course). My work-from-home cousin once said that it would probably be better for her son to go to daycare, because then he could play with the other kids instead of watching another Mickey movie.

Yes, I have it good. My work is fulfilling and fits into an 8-4 schedule. My baby gets to spend her days in the second best situation I can imagine. She doesn't resent me for leaving her, and she has great friends to play with. My husband is great about saying, "Let's play with a baby this evening, and I'll do the dishes tomorrow." He's also great about saying, "Let me take the baby so you can go for a run/do some writing/take a shower."

I've said it before, but I'll say it over and over. My daughter is raising a mommy who is so grateful for every moment she gets to spend crawling around on the floor or holding tiny fingers so a little one can practice going up and down the stairs or making goofy noises while propelling a spoonful of yogurt towards a tiny five-toothed mouth. Yes, my life is good.

that four letter word that starts with s...

Today's blessing:
Snow.

No, really. Hear me out.

It could always be worse.

We're not being flooded.

We're not in a drought.

It's actually kind of pretty...

From my drive to work this morning.

(Don't worry, I pulled over!)

And, in spite of how it may feel right now, it will not last forever. Our temperature is supposed to more than double by Sunday - how's that for some crazy weather?

i messed up

Today's blessing:
Milestones.

I made a major parenting mistake. I tried so hard to avoid it, I really did, but I got caught in the trap, just like so many others.

I blinked.

Now my baby is walking. And talking. She's 14 months old and is not actually a baby anymore. She feeds herself and she sits in her little princess chair reading books.

She brushes her own hair.

She tries to wear my shoes.

She even takes care of her baby.

Doesn't she look so grown up? Like an actual little person? I don't understand how this happened!

Mamas...can you tell me how to slow this down, please? I don't like how fast it's going!

On the bright side, this little girl is raising a mommy who tries to make the most of every moment.