Rachel @ 11 months, seriously.

I pretty much have Rachel’s first birthday party planned. And I’m excited about it.

Yet last week when someone asked me how old she was, I immediately responded, “10 months.” Greg said, “You could say 11 months because she’s pretty much is.” Right. But as much as I’m excited to see her grow up, I recognize this is {most likely} our last baby.

Generally, babyhood isn’t my favorite, but this third baby came as a surprise from God exactly when we needed her joy-filled demeanor. She fits perfectly in our family and is such evidence of God’s faithfulness.

At 11 months, all of that remains true.

She is continues to be a joy, this one. She adores people, especially her brother and sister. Some of our favorite nights as a family have involved laying on her bedroom floor playing.

In the past month, Rachel discovered her love of the ocean, hasn’t rejected any food we’ve given her, wore shoes for the first time just the other day, and had her fourth top teeth come through at the same time.

She prefers to old her own bottle and still drinks a few bottles a day. Earlier this week I put formula in a sippy cup, which she drinks water from fine, and she rejected it. But she’s happy to drink whole milk out of a bottle. Next up: Trying whole milk from a cup. We are on our last can of formula so we’ll see how the transition from a bottle goes.

She blows kisses often, waves sometimes, and talks on various items as if they were phones. She claps when someone says, "Yay!" or when she hears music, which also prompts bobbing of her head.

Pure joy, I tell you.
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Look back on Rachel’s growth :: One month. Two months. Three months. Four months. Five months. Six months. Seven months. Eight months. Nine months. Ten months.

Back to School

Last week I had to tell my 9-year-old girl her best friend from school wasn’t coming back this year. This summer, they’ve written some letters, gone to camp and VBS together, and looked forward to the new school year as fourth-graders together. And then sometimes life changes unexpectedly, and it hurts.

Cate processes life much like I do so I knew this was going to be a conversation we’d have to have more than once. I knew the news would well up in her heart at random moments. So I pulled her aside while we were on vacation and everyone else was occupied. We talked and cried and sat in silence.

Later that day, cousins were swimming in the pool at the beach house we were calling home for a week. With tears dried for the moment, Cate asked, “Is it really okay to do something happy when I’m sad?”

Y’all. It’s a question I asked when my father-in-law died unexpectedly more than six years ago. It’s a question I wrestled with while processing what God was doing in my heart and life after we returned from Guatemala last summer. It’s a question that rises up when I read headlines.

And it’s a question Jennifer Dukes Lee had me thinking about earlier this summer as I read “The Happiness Dare.” There in Hilton Head, where sand was in places it didn’t belong and my girl’s heart was aching, I got to share what God has taught me.

Yes, it’s okay to do something happy even when we’re sad. {Tweet that.}

“Pay attention. Savor the life God has given to you. Thank God for the good when life is beautiful. And fight hard to find the happy when life is brutal.”

–Jennifer Dukes Lee in “The Happiness Dare”

This truth that happiness and sadness can co-exist is something I learned, thanks to “Inside Out,” “The Happiness Dare” and plenty of real-life experiences. Do you remember the movie “Inside Out”? It’s such a sweet story of Joy and Sadness realizing they’re best together.

On a slightly lighter note of two extremes coexisting, I’m never really ready for summer to end, but I’m craving routine. We’ve had a wild summer that involved moving, going on three trips, and squeezing in afternoons at the pool.

I will miss summer, but I appreciate the way God created seasons. {Tweet that.}

My fourth-grade girl who devours books has the same teacher as last year, which we are glad about. She has mixed emotions about getting up early and diving back into a routine, especially without her best friend.

My boy is starting first grade and he’s the one who entertains and makes friends easily. I’m never really sure what all he’s learned because he doesn’t like to recite on demand his newfound knowledge. His teacher has worked at the school for awhile and I’m glad one of my kids gets to have her.

I’m thinking about my own schedule that will involve volunteering at our local crisis pregnancy center one morning a week, hopefully settling into our still-new-to-us house, and, you know, chasing baby girl who turns 1 in less than two months and is pretty much into everything.

Summer has been full of adventure and life lessons. There’s been good books and slow mornings. Thanks for hanging with me here, where it’s been quieter. The longer days have gone quickly and we didn’t do everything I had hoped to do. But we enjoyed our break from routine yet are excited for the new routine to begin today.
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I'm on "The Happiness Dare" launch team, so I got an advanced PDF copy of the book to read. But the way the message has seeped into my everyday life is real. I do recommend this book if you're needing some encouragement to find the happy. You can read my review here. 
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An InLinkz Link-up

Real-life motherhood {early summer edition}

We're settling into summer. I've been at the computer less (Thanks to my friends Susan Shipe and Melody Hester who have guest posted the last couple of weeks for #ThreeWordWednesday! And there's more guest goodness coming your way in future weeks.)

But with summer comes plenty of real-life motherhood moments, so I thought I'd share some mom confessions from this week ...

1. Immediately upon finishing "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah, I told the kids we needed to go to the library later that same afternoon. But I also told them they couldn't get any books. Cate has many unread books of her own AND we found THREE library books well overdue from the book mobile that comes to their school. Thankfully, the rules for the book mobile are different. But I don't need more books that don't belong to us while I'm trying to pack our house and move.

(Meanwhile, at the library I discovered "Fly Away" was a sequel to "Firefly Lane." YES, PLEASE! And then I finished that one in two days.)

2. One day earlier this week, my kids are fast food for lunch and dinner the same day. And, honestly, I don't feel that bad about it and then fed them fast food more than once later in the week. (I did get a salad for one of the meals ...)

I did start packing so we could move {maybe} next weekend, and I figured starting in the kitchen was fine at this point.

3. Earlier this week at the zoo, I was so thirsty toward the end of the four-hour outing that I took a drink of water out of Rachel's sippy cup with a straw. She hasn't quite figured out how to drink out of it anyway.

4. I had to say no to the pool on Wednesday so I could get some lake house management things done and tend to some chores and errands. We did say yes to blueberry picking and lunch at the park earlier in the day.

(Yes, I may have been as sad as the big kids, but it was a good lesson in responsibility for them. And it reminded me of my Summer Not-To-Do List, which includes not saying no sometimes and not always saying yes.)

Tell me about your real-life motherhood moments, either in the comments or join in the conversation on Facebook.
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8 Things I Learned in May

May is my favorite. Honestly, even for as much as I love summer, I’m a little sad my favorite month has gone by so quickly. There were birthday parties and soccer games and days at the lake. The temperatures changed from cool to humid. And hooray for my big kids finishing up kindergarten and third grade!

Here comes days at the pool – when we aren’t packing up our belongings! But, first, I’m going to share 8 Things I Learned in May ...

1. Bacon tastes really good when it’s cooked on the griddle.

We got a big griddle to cook pancakes for Cate’s Pancakes & Pippi Party. After making four batches of pancakes, Greg threw bacon on the griddle. And it was delicious.

Admittedly, clean up isn’t as easy as baking the bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

2. I may have been looking forward to Summer Break as much as the kids.

Summer is still busy but in a different way. There’s lake house management. And we are still trying to sell our house. Plus I’ve been purging and packing and organizing.

Admittedly, I tried to stay on top of things as much as possible the first week we were out of school because the pool wasn’t open yet.

And, yes, “we” are out of school. It’s a family affair!

3. Trying to sell a house is no joke.

We posted some pictures and info on Facebook at the beginning of April. Then a few days later we put a sign in our yard. We showed it many times and got several phone calls about it.

And then we didn’t for a week or two so we ran an ad in the local newspaper. We got a few more calls and showed it some more.

I will say this: My kids are champs at getting their rooms cleaned and beds made in preparation for a showing.

We listed it with a realtor last week. And the house was shown some more. Hopefully we will get an offer and the perfect buyer soon.

4. I love the color of my new kitchen. It’s called refresh.

Refresh may be the theme of our new house, actually. Pictures coming soon-ish.

5. Mango salsa is back at Qdoba for the summer. Y’all. It’s the best.

(I love it so much I wrote a post about it a couple years ago!)

6. Netflix and I are email friends. 

Just the other day I got an email to inform me the second season of “Bloodlines” is now on Netflix. I also recently got one that say the third season of “Graceland” was on Netflix. Sorry, but I already watched it on Amazon Prime. I couldn’t wait.

Speaking of TV, we are finishing season 10 (!) of “Bones” on Netflix and catching up with “The Blacklist” on our DVD. We recently also caught up on “Madam Secretary” and “Blue Bloods.”

(And, speaking of email friends, I like email friends. Want to be mine?)

7. People like the freedom to say no. I’ve had such good response to The Summer Not-To-Do List printable. Hope you enjoy it!

(Download it here, if you haven’t already!)

8. In the summer, I’m better at letting go – especially of what time dinner should be on the table, bedtimes, and the frequency of my kids’ showers. My most recent Mom Confessions {The Memorial Day Weekend Edition} reminded me of that.

How’s your May been?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman like I do at the end of each month. 

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Celebrating other women {who made me a mom}

Mother’s Day was especially hard one year, right there in the midst of my own hard, emotional infertility season. And then God led us to adoption and I became a mom one week before Mother’s Day 2007.

That’s how dreams are sometimes – they seem so far out of reach and then they happen in an instant and we realize the timing is perfect. Of course, when I was waiting to be called “Momma,” I didn’t think the timing was very perfect!

But hindsight offers perspective.

Truth is, I wouldn’t be a mom if it weren’t for other women who chose life for their babies and then chose me to be their mom. Dreams have a way of humbling us and pointing us back to the Creator of it all. {Tweet that.}

Three times, I became a mom because of adoption. Sure, infertility led us there, but since the day we stopped trying to conceive a baby, I’ve had no doubts this was God’s plan for our family.

Adoption is relational to its core. Always rooted in grief, adoption is a redemption process that builds families and connects people beyond the walls of one home. The earthly process of bringing a child home this way mirrors the spiritual adoption of God choosing us for an inheritance we share with Christ. It’s kingdom work that sanctifies.

{Join me at God-sized Dreams for the rest.}
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A Letter to My Daughter Who is Like Me

Catherine Anna –

It’s cliché, but I can’t believe you’re 9. You’re the one who made me a momma. We share a first-born girl personality that means I understand you. But, you know, in reality, you’ve taught me so much about myself and faith that I’m not sure I’d have seen through any other lens.

You’re finishing up third grade. I drag you out of bed in the mornings, but you like school once you get there. You’re a leader among your class even though you’re one of the youngest. This year, you’ve started taking weekly piano lessons there.

I’m excited to see you try new things because, like me, you have a fear of failure. I see it because I’ve been there. But I’m thankful for your bravery to have more hobbies than anyone else I know. Kilee is teaching you to crochet. Gran-Gran is teaching you to sew. You’ve been taking monthly horse riding lessons for about a year. You read and write and draw and build with Legos. And we like to watch “Fixer Upper” together.

Your creativity and compassion are going to serve you well wherever you go.

Right now, you put those gifts to use by helping with your baby sister. She adores you and I’m grateful for your faithfulness to help and serve right here in our house.

Serving with you in Guatemala and then having that conversation about baptism right there on the black sand beach in a foreign country top my list for us this past year. Seeing your baptism a few weeks later was a momma’s dream come true. We’ve both become better versions of ourselves since we bravely went on our first mission trip. And I’m really glad we got to do it together.

God made me a momma one week before Mother’s Day 2007. I’m grateful you’re the first one to call me momma. Watching you grow up and knowing it’s grown me up too has been one of the best adventures of my life. I’m excited to see what else is to come for you, sweet girl. I’m glad I’ve got a front row seat to you life.

I love you dearly,
Momma
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Other birthday posts, if you want to see how Cate has grown up :: 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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Motherhood is hard. Let's celebrate anyway.

Holding her month-old daughter, a dear friend recently said to me: Why doesn’t anybody talk about how hard motherhood is?

We both became moms through adoption. We didn’t birth babies, but we walked through our own (sometimes hard) stories to arrive at hospitals to meet the babies we would love instantly. We didn’t recover physically from births, but we still had to adjust to new seasons – seasons that involved less sleep.

I told her that her baby would eventually sleep through the night. They’d find a routine that works for them – and then it would probably change – but they’d settle in a rhythm.

That’s what moms do, find rhythms and go with it.

My friend asked for some books that would help the transition into motherhood. I immediately thought of several parenting books. And then I thought of some books that encouraged me to let go of guilt and the try-harder, do-more mentality that contradicts what Jesus did on the cross. Those truths apply well beyond motherhood, but it’s in motherhood I’m personally being sanctified.

In celebration of my friend and mommas everywhere, I started compiling a list of books. Oh, and, I ended up ordering her three of them and having them shipped directly to her doorstep because that’s what moms need.

Moms need you to show up with dinner. They need necessities – toilet paper, diapers, snacks, and books – to show up on their doorsteps. They need to be reminded it’s okay to be so incredibly grateful for the tiny person in their arms but so very tired from the lack of sleep at the same time.

Motherhood is hard. So let’s celebrate moms in ways that make life easier for them. {Tweet that.}

I know, Mother’s Day is in a few days. But I’m just getting around to putting together this post because motherhood takes time. Maybe there’s a mom in your life – your mom, your neighbor, your friend, the one you just met – who needs to be encouraged with a gift. The gifts obviously don’t have to come on Mother’s Day, because moms don’t really get to take days off.

Regardless, here’s some gift ideas (books included) that you could have delivered electronically or a few days late. These are the kind of gifts that say, “Look, I know this mothering business is hard, but you’re doing a good job. Here, have this, it’ll make your life a little easier.”

Boxed – I just placed a big order from Boxed that will be delivered to my doorstep. The enormous boxes will contain snacks, diapers, baby formula, dishwasher detergent, and laundry detergent. If you use the code 28SI6 when you sign up for Boxed, you'll save $10 on your first order. And then maybe you can make a mom you love really happy when essentials don't require a run to Walmart. Because, really, that's not what any mom want to do.

Amazon – Gifts cards for Amazon are welcomed because, hello, Prime Pantry and, again, the household supplies and groceries delivered to the doorstep. (That’s assuming the momma you love is a Prime member. But, if not, maybe you should sign her up!)

The Books –

• “Girl Meets Change” by Kristen Strong {Read my review}
• “Better Together: Because We're Not Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage & Anne McClane {Read my review}
• “No More Perfect Moms” by Jill Savage & Kathy Koch {Read my review}
• “The Mother Letters” by Amber & Seth Haines {Read my review}
• “Women Are Scary” by Melanie Dale
• “You’re Loved No Matter What” by Holley Gerth {Read my review}
• “Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected” by Kayla Aimee {Read my review}
• “For the Love” by Jen Hatmaker
• “Mothering from Scratch” by Melinda Means & Kathy Helgemo {Read my review}

(Did you know you can gift ebooks? See, you wouldn't even be late with the Mother's Day gift this way!)

Other ideas – gift certificates for cleaning or massages, subscription to those services that provide ingredients for meals and recipes, and time to rest.

What would you add to the list?
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The Mother Letters {a review}

I came home one Saturday afternoon from spending much of the day with other adoptive moms and “The Mother Letters” was waiting on my door step. Soon after, I sat down to feed Rachel and started reading these letters from other moms that author Seth Haines collected for his wife, Amber. Long after my baby finished her bottle, I was still reading. I read all the stories without stopping to do anything else beyond pulling Rachel, who has recently started crawling, from pulling down the curtains.

That’s how motherhood is, you know. Yes, there are tiny interruptions to all of our days, but mothering matters and we aren’t in this life alone.

That’s the message of this collection of stories. Moms get each other, and these words from strangers echo many things I’ve experienced in my own life.

There’s laughter and hurt and joy and play dates and seasons and tears and siblings and waiting and peace and purpose and crazy days. And there are tales of raising little people while developing your own community along the way.

This book offered perspective and hope. It’s bound up wisdom from all kinds of mothers.

My two favorite quotes, at least while reading The Mother Letters the first time through, are about purpose – yes, purpose as a mom, but also the purpose that extends beyond that.

“Motherhood is not a series of situations that have a wrong and right answer. It is a relationship. ... So father her and love her. Laugh and cuddle and read and make choices. And trust that in spite of your imperfections, God is making all things new: even you, even your child.”

– Micha Boyett

“You need to stay faithful to your whole calling. ... We’re all different, and it’s just a matter of finding what makes you feel like a person – and here’s the key – honoring that enough to do it, both individually and by incorporating it into your family life.”

– Sarah Bessey

These mother letters spurred me on in truth. They welcomed me in with their everyday stories and kept me nodding in agreement. They reminded me of what matters and helped me recognize what I do well and what I want to do better.

And what momma doesn’t want that in her life?
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ABOUT THE BOOK :: After his wife Amber had given birth to three boys in three years, Seth Haines saw she needed encouragement in the day-to-day drama and details of motherhood. Secretly collecting nearly 600 wise, honest, and sometimes hilarious letters from other mothers across the world, Seth compiled these “mother letters” as a gift for her. Amber and Seth have chosen the best of those letters to include in a beautiful book perfect for the mother in your life.

Each mother-to-mother letter offers encouragement, advice, and vulnerable honesty about the struggles and joys of motherhood. These letters show that no matter how many times mothers feel like they’ve failed, they are still doing their greatest work. So for the mom who thinks she’s the only one out there who just can't find time for a shower, “The Mother Letters” shows her that she’s part of a grand and diverse group of strong women who are saying to her, “Me too. But we can do this.”

“The Mother Letters” is a 192-page hardcover cover book published by Revell (April 19, 2016). Learn more about the book at Amber’s website.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS :: Amber C. Haines, author of “Wild in the Hollow,” is a soulful writer and blogger at TheRunaMuck.com and a regular contributor to DaySpring’s (in)courage. She loves the church and finds community among the broken.

Seth Haines, author of “Coming Clean,” writes at SethHaines.com and is a regular contributor to various publications.

Together, Seth and Amber make their home in the Arkansas Ozarks with their four boys.
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Mother’s Day is coming up in less than two weeks and this book that released last week would make a lovely gift. It’s available at Amazon and other booksellers. While I received a free copy of this book from Revell to review, these opinions, thoughts and the gift recommendation are my own.

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What a delight! {Rachel @ 7 months}

I was sitting in the kitchen last week when I saw a sweet face peek around the corner from the living room. Rachel had made her way from one room to another for the first time.

And she was delighted.

She is a delight.

I get birth order even more than I did before, and I’m a stereotypical first-born child. But this third-born baby, who is likely our last, soaks up all the attention from everyone and takes short naps when she finally realizes there may not be much to miss. She likes when all her people are gathered together.

I often ask my first-born girl for help. My middle boy requires regular correction and guidance. And then there’s Rachel, the third-born baby after a wait.

We delight in her.

She delights in us.

And I realize she gets a better version of me than my first two got when they were tiny, and maybe even than they do now – not on purpose, but circumstances make it so. I’m quicker to throw the rules and expectations out the window. I’m quicker to embrace the moment because I know this won’t be like this for long. I’m slower to fill our days.

Here we are, Seven Months. And I’m learning things as if I were a mom for the first time. But, you know, I think that’s how it’s supposed to be. Life is always learning and discovering. {Tweet that.}

Just ask Rachel.

She’s crawling now. She especially likes to go to the living curtains hanging but spring rods and the various TV and lamp cords. She also goes from being on her belly to sitting up like a champ. She’s trying to pull up – and did Sunday at church although I couldn’t tempt her with snacks to do it a second time.

She loves to eat – especially when we eat. She loves all those Gerber baby snacks along with bananas, avocados, mandarin oranges, peaches, and yogurt. Really, she’ll eat whatever I give her. She takes about four 8-ounce bottles a day.

Sleeping has been a little unpredictable this month. Usually, she takes a decent morning nap and then naps a couple other times – sometimes in the grocery cart, sometimes in her car set, and sometimes in her bed. I think it’s the being able to crawl and sit up, but she seems to wake herself up easier. Of course, she’s still working on teeth. And probably growing. But she sleeps well and if she does wake up at an hour that’s meant for sleep, she goes back down fairly quickly.

Like I said, she’s a delight.
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Look back on Rachel’s growth :: One month. Two months. Three months. Four months. Five months. Six months.

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8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids

Surely I’m not the only mom who wished my kids came with a manual. In the trenches of parenting, my husband and I sometimes realize we aren’t entirely sure how we should handle a situation. Sure, there are times we’re on the same page and have prepared how we will respond, but there are plenty of times we’re winging it.

Dr. Todd Cartmell’s new “8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids” is an instruction manual for parents.

Using examples from his home and 20 years of professional practice, child psychologist and father Todd Cartmell gives eight essential and practical tools to help you maintain a healthy relationship with your child, develop a nurturing home culture, and correct behavior in lasting ways. Designed for busy parents, “8 Simple Tools” breaks each tool – talking, listening, influencing, connecting, teaching, encouraging, correcting, and leading – into five short chapters that include summary tips and application questions.

The organization of the wise information is part of what makes this book the ideal instruction manual. More importantly, the advice is based on real-life scenarios and biblical truth.

My favorite – well, as in most needed – section was the one on talking. It’s the first tool, but it’s the one I struggle with the most. I tend to revert to bossy, nagging words and tone when I want to control my kids and their behavior. Obviously, that’s the not the best strategy, and Dr. Todd offers wisdom I needed to hear.

I don’t pause often enough either. I’m not a new mom and I’m certainly not a new communicator, but I needed these reminders: What do I really want to say? What is the best way to say it? If I want my kids to talk respectfully when they are mad, then I must do the same. I want my child to copy my communication style, not me copy theirs.

(Ouch.)

And then there was this: “You don’t control your kids’ responses, but you do control your words, volume, level, and tone.”

(Again, ouch.)

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

–Proverbs 12:18

Words do matter. The teach and heal and love. Words open the door for teachable moments and opportunities to develop deeper relationships. I want to do that well and I’m glad for this instruction manual that was missing in our family.

“Bottom line: If you are a parents who talks and listens to your kids, influences them with the power of your words, connects with them, teaches and encourages them, corrects them, and leads them through your example, then I believe you will change the trajectory of their lives.”

(And that quote is in the introduction!)

ABOUT THE BOOK :: 209-page paperback published by Moody Publishers (Dec. 15, 2015). Find more information about the book, including sharable images and assessments online at the book’s website.

And I have a special deal for you! Get the book for 50% off with the code GREATKIDS16, which is good through May 15 when you order the book through Moody Publishers. “8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids” also is available at Amazon.

For a limited time when you purchase the book anywhere, receive access to download the Hearts at Home "Essential Workshop Collection for Parents" for free! Learn more about that promotion at the book’s website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :: Todd Cartmell earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and then completed his postdoctoral fellowship with Wright State University at the Children’s Hospital. Since then, he’s worked at Summit Clinical Services in Wheaton, Illinois, where he continues to see children, teens, and families on a full-time basis.

He’s written five faith-based parenting books and has presented many parenting workshops at mom’s conferences, churches, and schools. And he’s actually guest posted on my blog before.
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I received a free copy of this book from FlyBy Promotions / Propeller Consulting in exchange for an honest review. 

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Cleaning My House {and my soul}

Monday morning – the Monday morning after ONE WHOLE WEEK off school! – both my kids came to the laundry room looking for articles of clothing to wear that day. Y’all, that’s how behind on laundry I’ve been. I could tell you all the excuses: Trying to keep my house clean to sell. Not doing all my normal chores when the kids were home for Spring Break. Staying at the lake the previous weekend.

Whatever.

I just wasn’t doing laundry.

The kids found what they needed – in the single basket of clean clothes, which, really, is a miracle because I typically do loads by person, so normally their stuff wouldn’t be in the same load. That was just a happy accident, friends.

So, anyway, I did many loads of laundry on Monday. I even folded some. And then I did more on Tuesday. And, well, there’s always laundry to do.

Plus, even the laundry needs to be in neat piles – in the hampers for dirty clothes in laundry room, in the basket beneath the laundry shoot from Cate’s room, in baskets of clean clothes waiting to be folded, and in baskets folded waiting to be put away – because we’re trying to sell our house.

I posted our house online during Spring Break. Maybe I should have waited a week. But I was eager. And, hey, it was mostly clean. But we showed it twice last week and already twice this week. And we have another showing scheduled tomorrow. Oh, and we’ve heard from three realtors who would like to list our house.

(Cue my ignorance: I had no idea when we listed our house for sale by owner that realtors would want to list it. Apparently that’s a thing.)

And speaking of listing it, I took pictures one room at a time as I got them cleaned. Meanwhile, there would be random things moved from room to room so they wouldn’t show up in any pictures.

That whole process got me thinking about how we try to clean up ourselves so people only see the sparkling finish. Meanwhile, we have burdens and issues stuck in the corners of our hearts.

But, really, like selling a house, there are times to be quick to point out the strengths. My house built in 1964 has lots of closets and built-in shelves in several rooms. There’s good lighting. And the location is superb.

I’m good at organizing information, closets, and parties. I do what I say I’m going to do as promptly as possible. I’m loyal.

Of course, there are other times that being real is the answer. 

My house isn’t always this clean. Maybe the people looking at our house won’t see where I need to figure out how to get the pen and pencil drawings off my son’s light blue walls. Maybe the imperfections in the floors and walls won’t be noticeable.

Sometimes I yell too much or make snap judgments. I’m quick to think I’m right. And I can lose sight of people when I get sucked into projects.

But my house is lived in. We do life here – the good days with laughter, the bad days with too much yelling, and the hard days with too many quick decisions. We drop crumbs and chase dreams here. {Tweet that.}

And I do the same thing in my heart. My house and I, we’re works in progress. The important thing is that I’m becoming more open to growth and change.

So on Monday, that first day back to routine after a fun, filled Spring Break, I didn’t leave my house. My baby girl took two longer-than-usual naps. I did those loads of laundry and cleaned up my house – and my soul. We embraced the quiet while the big kids were settling back into school and my husband was busy working.

And then we all gathered around the table to eat the Taco John’s my husband picked up on his way home from work because I was going to make spaghetti only to realize at 5 p.m. that I didn’t actually have any spaghetti sauce – from a jar, because that’s how we roll around here. One kid pouted, another was starving after the plate was cleared. I was holding onto some bitterness I let go at 2 o’clock Tuesday morning when Rachel decided she needed to eat. Whatever, growth spurt.

Oh, and, I really wanted to dessert after dinner last night, so I made some fudge while the rest of my family ate ice cream. Honestly, tasting fudge in the springtime was such a sweet treat. I associate it with Christmas, but I was happy to have it in April.

This is real life. This is where we live. And, really, I mostly wouldn’t change a thing – especially if fudge is an option.
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An InLinkz Link-up

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Whole {a Five Minute Friday post}

It's Five Minute Friday time! Hooray for the weekend! Each week, Kate Motaung hosts a flash mob group of writers. She issues a prompt and people write for five minutes. The prompt this week: WHOLE. 

Ready, set, go ... 

Last week the essence of Spring Break clicked in his kindergarten mind: "We are going to be off school a WHOLE WEEK?"

"Yep. One whole week."

And then my third-grade girl who sees the world in black and white piped up: "Well, it's more than a week. It's nine days."

"Yes, when you could the weekends, but you never go to school on the weekend."

And then I'm pretty sure that's when Ben broke out in the days of the week song. Telling time, in minutes or days isn't his strong suit.

But he did recently learn how to ride his bike, the two-wheeler as his big sister says. So he's been doing a lot of that this week, this WHOLE WEEK off school.

Cate took a couple horse riding lessons. Rachel worked on her army crawl, enjoyed the swing at the park, and basically smiled every time she say her big brother and sister.

We saw friends and worked on keeping the house clean (hello, trying to sell a house with children home for a WHOLE WEEK PLUS TWO DAYS ...). We slept later than usual and watched some extra episodes of "Fixer Upper." We dreamed about the summer adventures coming sooner really rather than later and we officially issued word our house is for sale.

A whole week home is good for a momma soul too. The break in the routine allows for some work, yes, but plenty of rest and play too.

And stop.
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I'm linking up with Kate Motaung for Five Minute Friday. 

Subscribe to get new posts and/or a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog in your inbox. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

Eight Things I Learned in March

Oh, March, where did you go? You went by so fast. Before you’re completely gone, I do want to document what you taught me.

1. “The West Wing” characters have Twitter accounts. And they’re funny and relevant.

I happened upon President Bartlet’s Twitter account when someone else I follow retweeted one of this tweets about March Madness. When I clicked on it, I discovered Josh Lyman, Sam Seaborn, and Donna Moss. And I’m really glad about that for several reasons – most importantly because I already miss them even though Greg and I just finished binge watching the show earlier this week.

You’re welcome.

2. Picking out paint colors makes me indecisive, and I’m usually decisive. 

But I managed to pick out colors for the kitchen, living spaces and hallways, and three bedrooms in the house we bought last week. We aren’t moving right away because we are doing some cosmetic improvements and having a fourth bedroom added on.

(Also, could Joanna Gaines please come to Kentucky? Speaking of her, my daughter and I are in love with “Fixer Upper.” Yes, I’m a little late to the bandwagon, I know.)

3. We’re moving to the country. Well, you know, 10 minutes from town, where we live now.

So we bought a new house that sits on 33 acres. Living on some land has been a long-time dream for Greg and I’ve slowly gotten on board. This house and land fit us and we’re excited for our next adventure there.

(Read more about that – and how I learned dreams can change.)

4. When changes are on the horizon, I hesitate and then embrace change in multiple areas of my life at once.

Moving is the change theme right now. In addition to moving our family to a different house, I’m also working with a professional to move my blog to WordPress and redesign my online space too. Plus I got a haircut this month.

5. I can cheer for Austin Peay State University.

The background on this one is we’re hardcore Murray State fans and APSU is our rival. It’s also the school where my sister went on a soccer scholarship and ended up meeting her husband, who played basketball there. We always rooted for them, and it’s easier to do in soccer than basketball. But we still always preferred Murray State to do better.

Well, Murray State had a rough year, at least by its usual standards, and was eliminated earlier than we liked in the conference tournament. Meanwhile, Austin Peay barely made the tournament and then ended up winning four games in four days to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Yes, we cheered for the Governors. (They ended up losing to overall No. 1 Kansas.)

6. Murray State’s two previous coaches made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen – and that’s why I love March Madness.

If you’re a college basketball fan, you probably saw Steve Prohm dance – literally – after his Iowa State team advanced and then heard about Billy Kennedy’s Aggies erase a double-digit lead in less than a minute. With Murray State and Kentucky out, these have been my teams.

These two coaches are perfect examples of why I love sports. They’re the good guys. Kennedy gave the glory to God after Texas A&M stunned Northern Iowa. He’s living with Parkinson’s disease, but believes in building a team and leading men.

(And here’s another article about Coach Billy Kennedy from a local writer.)

And, yes, I wish these two teams were still playing because I feel like I don’t have any rooting interest.

7. Sometimes the kids who have been arguing just need to put on their bathing suits and do a science experiment in the bathtub. 

A friend let us borrow “Bathtub Science” and I earned some cool points by letting them put on their bathing suits and make colors with food coloring and water in the bathtub. And all the mamas said, “Whatever works!”

8. I was excited to caucus at the beginning of the month and now get stressed out thinking about the presidential election.  

Kentucky Republicans had a caucus (Thanks, Rand Paul!) for the first time ever. I went in with high hopes for Marco Rubio, but that all quickly went down hill. Now I’m keeping up with the presidential primaries from a distance and hoping what seems to be happening isn’t actually happening.

How was your March?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

My April newsletter is going out tomorrow! In it will be a fun giveaway opportunity just for subscribers, so subscribe now. Plus I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

On organizing the dreams God gives

I’m a Type A person who finds great pleasure in getting things done. I like a clean house. I like to start and finish projects. I like to mark items off a to-do list and make plans because, really, if it’s on my calendar it’s going to get accomplished.

I used to think I wasn’t a dreamer, considering myself too practical for that. Then God used Holley Gerth and many of the ladies who write for this website to show me He’s the Dream Giver. He’s given me gifts and personality traits to use for his glory – and when all that merges it truly is a dream come true.

God-sized dreaming is about far more than the end result, though. {Tweet that.} It’s really about the process of making choices about how we will spend our time, surrendering the details and timeline to God, and connecting with people. Too often I’ve tried to do it my way, but God is working on me.

My dreams are about mothering and writing. I share our family’s adoption story because it’s my faith journey. I share about our everyday life so other moms know they aren’t alone. I believe stories have power – so I tell them and write them.

But real life doesn’t always allow me to write whenever I’m inspired. Sometimes I have to email myself an idea so I don’t forget it while I’m feeding the baby or doing laundry or grocery shopping. Other days the baby takes a longer-than-expected nap so I get extra time to work on whatever project is in front of me. God surprised me with a lake house management job a few years ago that I love because it combines my love for details, planning and hospitality.

Regardless of what the day looks like, I’m thankful for my iPhone that allows me to carry much information and many ideas while connecting to people anywhere.

{Read more at God-sized Dreams, where I’m sharing specific ways I organize information and connect with people.}
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Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Gratefulness & Guatemala

I don’t want for a thing. Not a single item.

I’ve been known to spout lectures to my kids about how they need to be grateful and appreciate what we have – every single last thing.

But gratefulness isn’t just about things. Gratefulness is an attitude, a perspective. Yes, all the things are part of it because that’s the kind of world in which we live.

Gratefulness goes far beyond the things and takes root in our hearts. {Tweet that.}

My husband, oldest daughter, and I went to Guatemala last year. {Read more about that here.} We spent a week there, helped build some houses, and distributed wheelchairs, clothing, and food. And that one week spent in a foreign land almost eight months ago has rocked my own world.

While building houses there, the beginning was a concrete slab. The middle involved metal walls, a roof, and a couple windows. The end result was a sturdy, blue-painted house that far surpassed these families’ previous housing.

Yes, the houses were blessings that I’m sure spurred gratefulness in these Guatemalan families. How could they not? But I’m not sure the houses were necessarily the intended result. The hearts of the people – the ones who call Guatemala home and those of us serving – are what ultimately matters.

Sure, those families are better cared for because they have a roof over their heads, but I pray they know the love of Jesus in a new way too. We gave them food, but did they realize we really wanted to give them love that truly nourishes. Absolutely, God cares for our physical needs, but he yearns for our souls. {Tweet that.}

I’m still feeling the effects of that one week. That trip spurred on a couple new friendships and offered a new perspective. In any given moment, I appreciate my life and my things while longing for a simpler, less cluttered lifestyle.

And I understand gratefulness in a new way that I’m praying overflows onto my kids.

“The very thing most parents long to give their kids – a grateful heart – is destroyed in our attempt to simultaneously give them the world. It’s hard to have both because true thankfulness is experienced when we first understand we are missing something. And that’s hard to teach when we are trying to give them everything. When we have everything, we are thankful for nothing. When we have nothing, we are thankful for everything.”

(Kristen Welch in “Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World”)

It’s nearly impossible to live the American dream and long for God’s Kingdom at the same time. But the everlasting kingdom is better than any fleeting dream, so that’s what I want to hold onto here in the middle of it all.
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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta's introductory post.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I'd love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you're not participating in this Lenten project. I'm always so glad y'all are here.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

"Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Better Together {a review}

I’m a better mom because I have friends who walk into my messes – especially the heart ones but the crumbs on the floor too – and let me walk into theirs. My friends and I are better together when we make plans together, drop off McDonald’s beverages and chocolate on the hard days, discuss the hard parts of mothering, watch each other’s kids, and reach out to others.

I’ve received meals and grace after we brought our three kids home and after my father-in-law passed away unexpectedly six years ago. I’ve taken meals to people experiencing the same changes – good and hard – in their lives.

I have friends who understand the intense mixture of joy and grief that is adoption. I get to pray for friends who are walking through hard seasons that I understand. Some friends offer book recommendations and study the Bible with me.

Each friendship is different, but each one matters because we’re all better together. {Tweet that.}

“Better Together: Because We're Not Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage with her daughter Anne McClane is a new 256-page book for moms that prompted me to appreciate the community of people in my life. The book offers practical, encouraging insights to why having a tribe of moms to share life with is healthy and helpful.

“Better Together” officially releases today from Moody Publishers, and it’s the kind of book every new mom should have and one that helps those of us who have been here awhile too. There are ideas for co-ops, encouragement if you’re facing hard times in friendship, an informative Mothering Personality Inventory that may explain some of why you mother the way you do, and Biblical truths of what friendship matters in our everyday life and our faith journeys.

Being a mom is hard, but motherhood doesn’t have to be lonely. That theme is woven throughout the book. Themes of embracing imperfection, facing fears, showing and receiving grace, and choosing joy are also found among the pages.

One of my favorite parts of “Better Together” was the Mothering Personality Inventory – which confirmed and explained some things about my personality that weren’t all that surprising: I’m a little more extroverted that introverted. I’m an external processor. I’m an innie organizer – in other words, take stuff to its home, people! I’m usually a structured mom and fairly high-capacity person.

Several of my closest friends are introverts. Some process in their heads before they talk. Some people I love prefer piles over putting stuff away. I have spontaneous friends and others who want to make plans with me. And I know for a fact not all my friends are high-capacity people and prefer a slow pace with one focus at a time.

But that’s all okay.

I love what Anne McClane says in the book:

“As moms, it’s easy to compare ourselves to those around us. We’re drawn to those who have different strengths and talents than we do. Instead of comparing and feeling we don’t measure up, we need to think about how those moms complement our strengths and talents. They fill our gaps, expand our world, and play an important role in our mom tribe.”

Mothering is hard enough without shouldering guilt and making unnecessary comparisons. Let’s embrace our differences and realize we are truly better together.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS :: Jill Savage is an author and speaker who is passionate about encouraging moms. She is the author of seven books including “Real Moms … Real Jesus” and “No More Perfect Moms.” Jill is the founder and CEO of Hearts at Home, an organization that encourages, educates, and equips moms. Jill and her husband, Mark, have five children and make their home in Normal, Illinois.

Anne McClane makes her home in Springfield, Illinois, with her husband, Matt, and their two small children. She blogs about authentic motherhood at EverydaySmallThings.com and enjoyed collaborating with her mom on this book.

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK :: The Mothering Personality Inventory along with other resources are available online at www.bettertogetherbook.org. Other resources there include downloads of the Better Together Commitment, conversation starters, and freezer meal printable; a sample chapter from the book; and an email sign up for 7 Days to Better Friendships.
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I received an advanced PDF copy of this book in exchange to reviewing the book and helping promote it as part of the launch team, but these opinions & stories are my own. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Five Things I Learned in February

It’s Leap Day – like a whole bonus day in our year. And it’s Monday, which does leave me wishing we got an extra weekend day. But, you know, I’m always wishing for more time, so I’ll take what I can get!

Speaking of weekends, as a stay-at-home mom who does some freelance work on the side, I’m always surprised with how glad I am for Friday to get here. I thrive on routine, but I’ve really been loving the other days – the ones that break from the usual. So even though I spend quite a bit of time at home during the week, I really love the weekends when all my people are here and our lives don’t revolve around school and work calendars.

1. Spontaneity is good for my Type A soul.

Our best friends had four free extra passes to Winter Jam in Nashville (two hours from our house) and offered them to us the day before the concert. We decided to go, meaning we drove two hours after school for a five-hour concert, and then two hours home. We got home at 1:30 am, and thankfully all three kids slept nearly the whole way home, but they were all up past their bedtimes. Ben did take a nap in an awkward position in his chair while musicians and speakers blared throughout the arena.

I’m so glad we went. The road trip was good for my soul and connection with my husband. (We have some of our best talks in the car!) And we got to hear Lauren Daigle, Sidewalk Prophets, Matthew West, Crowder, and For King & Country (and some bands I cared much less about).

2. Sometimes two books have a message so intertwined you know you were meant to read them at the same time.

That’s how it was with “The Gift of Friendship: Stories That Celebrate the Beauty of Shared Moments” and “Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone.” They’re different books with a similar message of we aren’t meant to do life alone because we really are better – stronger, kinder, wiser, funnier – together.

In “The Gift of Friendship,” Dawn Camp has compiled stories from different writers that celebrate and encourage real-life friends. Jill Savage and her daughter Anne McClane offer practical advice and inspiration for moms in “Better Together.” Friendship requires vulnerability and books like these are good companions for the journey.

{Here's a real-life story on friendship from my own life. And here's some mom confessions inspired by a theme from "Better Together" with information on how to get free resources if you order the book before it releases tomorrow.}

3. Colleen Coble is an author I like.

I bought one of her books – “Tidewater Inn”  – when the Kindle version was really cheap several months ago. I needed something recently to keep me company on the treadmill so I started it and was hooked. I immediately continued to the second book in the series and then the third. Turns out, Coble has written tons of books, so that’s good for me.

{Here’s the Hope Beach series I’ve devoured :: Tidewater Inn // Rosemary Cottage // Seagrass Pier}

They’ve been an entertaining combination of romance and suspense set on an island that makes me want to go to the Outer Banks. Plus the characters are likeable and it’s fun to see their stories intertwine. Once I finish “Seagrass Pier,” I’m likely to read the other few series she’s written.

4. RSV is vicious.

I’ve never had a baby get RSV … until last week. Third baby is a charm, apparently. Of course, the other two coughed and had low-grade fevers, but RSV didn’t keep them down like it did Rachel. I knew she was sick when she went a couple days without really smiling. {See an Instagram post about that.} It was sad to have her coughing and lethargic, but I did enjoy the extra snuggles with my baby girl who seems so big some days.

5. I’m having fun planning and designing a new monthly newsletter.

And by new, I mean, one that never existed from me to you!

I’ve been messing around with MailChimp, and I’m excited to launch my monthly newsletter on March 1 {TOMORROW!}. And if you subscribe to my newsletter and posts, you’ll get a FREE #choosingJOY printable.

I have other plans for my email friends – who are likely to receive other free gifts and be among the first to hear news, like when I finally get around to updating my ebook (hello, third child).

I’m grateful for those of you who already let me into your inbox! {The rest of you can subscribe here.}

Happy Leap Day! How was your February?
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I'm linking up with Emily Freeman, like I do at the end of every month. 

{2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. 

{2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. 

July. August. September. October. November. December. 
{2015} January. February. March. April. May. June. 
July. August. September. October. November. December.
{2016} January. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Why my kids aren't going to watch Fuller House

My kids and their friends have been counting down the days until “Fuller House” premiered on Netflix. In preparation, we have been watching the first two seasons of the original “Full House.”

Well, today’s the day.

While feeding Rachel this morning, I decided to watch the first episode. Okay, yeah, so maybe I was pretty much as excited about the kids. My Instagram post of the show pulled up on Netflix even said: This is happening. Just one episode, maybe. The kids don’t have to know.

Within the first few minutes, I knew my kids – who are 8 and 6 years old – were going to know because I was going to have to tell them the show wasn’t appropriate for them. I didn't expect to have to decide that this morning.

Stephanie needed to put on a shirt that actually covered herself better than the slutty dress she was wearing. She later made a boob joke that referenced Dairy Queen – something my kids would totally have noticed. Jesse said “Damn, we’re still looking good!” and then later made a semen joke. That’s just not a conversation I’m ready to have. Kimmy walked in all Gibbler-like and made a prolonged joke about an acid trip. There were also references to unfaithfulness in marriage and divorce like it was a relief.

Growing up watching “Full House,” I appreciated the banter and situations that were reminiscent of the show set 29 years ago in the same house. I laughed throughout and enjoyed the current episode mirroring the original with the crew huddled around the baby singing “Meet the Flintstones.” I’ll probably watch more episodes – when the kids are at school.

But I didn’t appreciate the content that is inappropriate for kids and didn’t even add anything to the show. Obviously, this show is aimed at my generation and not our kids. Telling my kids that isn’t exactly the kind of after-school conversation I’m looking forward to having – but it’s better than explaining to them what an acid trip is and having to worry if they’ll make boob jokes next time we’re at Dairy Queen.
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Like I said, we've been watching the original show. So if you're looking to introduce your kids to the Tanners, maybe start there. You can get all the seasons in one set on Amazon or buy the individual seasons, although I can only vouch for the first few at this point in my viewing as a parent.

(Season One // Season Two // Season Three // Season Four // Season Five // Season Six // Season Seven // Season Eight)
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I'm linking up with Kate Montaung for Five Minute Friday. This wasn't the post I had in mind when I saw the prompt of MORNING last night. But when I sat down to write this morning, this is what was on my mind. If you don't know about Five Minute Friday, you just need to know this: Kate gives a word and then writers write for five minutes. Then everybody links up together at her place. It's like a writing flash mob, and we'd love for you to join us. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.

Mom Confessions from The Week of RSV

The week my baby girl has had RSV and the big kids are getting over colds, so it seems like a good time for some mom confessions. I mean nothing like some sickness to bring real life to the forefront.

“Letting another mom peek in your imperfect life can be some of the best encouragement you can offer.” {Jill Savage in "Better Together"}

So with that in mind, I've gotcha covered ...

1. I bought snacks for a Trades of Hope fundraising party I hosted at our church an hour before it started. It's no secret I don't really bake, but I usually am a little more prepared. (I mean, I had a plan that involved me going to the grocery that morning, several hours before said event, but hello, RSV and two sick girls!)

(And, hey, if you're interested in purchasing some lovely fair-trade accessories and decor and having each purchase benefit our church's adoption fund that provides grants to area families, then you're more than welcome to do so! The party link will be open through tonight.)

2. I made a new-to-us fried rice recipe that was a success and then waited until the next morning to clean up the stove, kitchen floor, and table because day-old rice hardens and is easier to clean up.

Of course, while making the rice, I realized I didn’t have an onion. I called my husband, texted my best friend, and my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law saved the day and brought me an onion. I may have been teary – and not because I was cutting an onion.

3. After picking up the kids from the bus stop Tuesday, I took them to get ice cream. After picking up the kids from the bus stop Wednesday, I took them to get drinks at Sonic. Momma needed a milkshake and Diet Dr Pepper after all this time in the house with sick ones. But, hey, I got cool mom points too.

4. My family rejoices when I make spaghetti. And when I say make, I mean I boil noodles I bought at the store, brown some beef, and heat some sauce from a jar. The husband walked in last night and said, "It smells good in here!" And the kids cleared their plates without a complaint.

And somehow all of those confessions had to do with food and drink. I didn’t even plan that. But I do think I’ll go eat a Reese’s Egg the aforementioned best friend brought me the other night when everything in life seemed overwhelming.

Your turn. Confess away, friends.
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Speaking of "Better Together," I wanted to let you know if you pre-order Jill Savage's new book before it releases on March 1, you can get a bundle of fabulous, free resources, including seven audio workshops from authors & speakers, a bonus video teaching from Jill, a few backgrounds for your phone or computer, and a printable. Learn more at the book's website and pre-order it wherever books are sold, including Amazon. 

“Better Together: Because You Aren’t Meant to Mom Alone” by Jill Savage with her daughter Anne McClane offers practical, encouraging insights to why having a tribe of moms to share life with is healthy and helpful. It officially releases March 1, and it’s the kind of book every new mom should have and one that helps those of us who have been here awhile too. There are ideas for co-ops, encouragement if you’re facing hard times in friendship, an informative Mothering Personality Inventory that may explain some of why you mother the way you do, and Biblical truths of what friendship matters in our everyday life and our faith journeys.

Also, these confessions are inspired by my blogging friend Anna Rendell, who embraces the real-life of motherhood. She posts about this on Facebook and blogs about it too. 

Want more insights? Subscribe to get new posts in your inbox and a monthly newsletter with content not available on the blog. When you subscribe, I'll send you a FREE #choosingJOY printable. 

 "Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family" is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin'.