Mother: The Most Important Job in the World

(This is Matt, and I have hijacked Abbie’s blog today to pay a tribute to all of the mothers out there, especially in light of their big day coming up this Sunday.)


Recently, a very ill-informed democratic strategist named Hillary Rosen made national headlines with some comments that she made about Ann Romney’s work experience. Hillary was making the point that Ann Romney doesn’t truly understand the economic concerns of most women because she “has never worked a day in her life.” That statement created a media firestorm, especially from those in more conservative circles (like myself) who feel like staying home and raising a family is a very honorable profession, and should be celebrated by our country…not demeaned or belittled.



I firmly believe that being a mother is one of the toughest and most important jobs in the world. Stay-at-home moms and homemakers are the contact point for our children, the most influential person in the lives of our next generation of politicians, CEO’s, doctors, inventors, artists, and those who will mold and shape the future as we know it. The daily decisions that mothers make, and the lessons they teach their children in those formative years, will have an eternal (and exponential) impact on both the child and those that they influence over the course of their lives.

I am so incredibly blessed to leave for work each morning knowing that my kids are in excellent hands. I am never concerned or worried about what they are being taught, the types of shows that they are watching on television, or the life lessons that are being imparted to them each day. I have full and absolute confidence that they are being given unconditional love, and that their tender souls are being nurtured with just the right amount of care, concern, and tender discipline that each needs to reach their full potential in life and in their relationship with God.

Husbands, while you may be tempted to rush out to Wal-Mart or Hallmark this weekend to grab a quick card and a trinket…I would encourage you to do so much more than that. Men are not always the greatest communicators in the world (while women are sometimes TOO GOOD at communicating, lol), but make sure you take some time to let your wife know how extremely valuable she is to both you and your family. Whether she’s a stay-at-home mom, or a working mom, your wife is truly worth far more than rubies, and her value can never be overstated…but you should sure try.

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:10-12

Strawberry Pickin' (Part 1)

It is that time of year again...

Strawberry pickin time! I recently loaded up the kids and headed for Baker, Florida (Wade & Misty's stomping grounds) & oh, what a beautiful drive! It took about an hour of mostly interstate and then a little bit of farmy, country roads that lead us to our destination: Akers of Strawberries. We went last year, too...which was our first time, and we all loved it! This year I knew we had to go back, get out in nature, and pick us some tasty berries.

It was a bit hot, especially for spring, but that didn't stop us. We grabbed our box and headed for the field.

Rows and rows and rows of strawberry plants! It's such a joy to get out of the hustle and bustle of every day life, and get out to God's country to see how "real" food is made.  And with all those strawberries, it didn't take the kids and I very long at all to fill our box.

I am glad it went quickly, because it didn't take too long before everyone (except Ethan, of course) got tired and hot and needed a rest (and a treat) to cool them off.

Ethan picked and piled strawberries in the box all the way back to the barn area. He said, "I'm just going to take my time out here". He is definitely my "nature boy" who loves to help with anything that happens outdoors! Elijah, on the other hand, had about enough after picking about two berries :).

Emma just wanted to eat as many strawberries as she could pick!  If there is one thing she enjoys, it's eating anything sweet!

And Olivia was a nice mix of all three...a little eating, a little working, and a little tired! So, we filled our box and then headed to the barn area for a Strawberry frozen yogurt!

It really hit the spot :)

After a wonderful (and seemingly quick) time at the patch, we headed home. We made such a wonderful memory.  Are you taking time out of your busy life to make special memories with your little ones?  If not, I would encourage you to do so.  If you are, I'd love for you to share some of your stories in the comments section below.

A wonderful decision...

Matt and I decided two weeks ago to start reading the book "Heaven is for real" as a nightly devotion with our children. We started reading a chapter a night, which turned into two, and now we are reading three chapters a night. The book captured my attention and my heart from the prolog. It has changed the way I view so many things. It has changed my thoughts on heaven, and what I imagined I knew of it. It has especially brought me a clearer picture of Jesus and our heavenly father. Thank you Tod Burpo, and your family for sharing your story with the world. It has forever changed me :)

encouraging words

Sometimes one feels that they are missing out on something in life. They feel that if they could just do this, or be that, or go there, then they would be happy. If they could just change the way they look, or the way they act then they would be happy. Is this true? Would they be happy? Or, once they achieved whatever it is, would they just look on to the "next" thing that they wanted?

I recently looked up the word happy in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary:

Happy-Being in the enjoyment of agreeable sensations from the possession of good; enjoying pleasure from the gratification of appetites or desires. The pleasurable sensations derived from the gratification of sensual appetites render a person temporarily happy; but he only can be esteemed really and permanently happy, who enjoys peace of mind in the favor of God. To be in any degree happy, we must be free from pain both of body and of mind; to be very happy, we must be in the enjoyment of lively sensations of pleasure, either of body or mind.
Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed. Gen.30.
He found himself happiest, in communicating happiness to others.

I loved this..."he can only be esteemed really and permanently happy, who enjoys peace of mind in the favor of God"...

Wow. What a reminder of where our true happiness should lie. Where our happiness should come from.

We should not find our happiness in how "good" at our life we are.

We should not strive to be like this person, or look like her, or be that kind of wife. (Don't get me wrong, we definately need to pray and seek out ways to be the very best we can at all of our jobs as wives and mothers. But not consuming ourselves with what we aren't...what we don't have...what we feel we may never be.) We need to find our joy and contentment in the Lord. We need to be satisfied with this season of our life. We need to revel in it and never take one moment forgranted.

For like a mentor of mine said, "Be aware of the season you are in. Love it! Enjoy it! For you will only ever have it once."
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Thank you Tara, and thank you to my dear Husband, for your encouraging words~

small joys...

today~ things that made me smile, made me have a swell of happiness in my heart...

Nursing my baby Emma in her dim room. Fan blowing. Rocking in the rocker. Admiring her blond curls.

Olivia and I quietly watching a green lizard hop from rung to rung across my deck banister.

Measuring with a precious little lamb that my mom gave me.

Feeling Elijah wrap his arm around my leg while I am busily cleaning in the kitchen. He wanted to be close...

Ethan smiling up at me asking for "Just me and mommy time"...

Thank you Lord for these priceless gifts today...

Strawberries

This weekend we went to a strawberry farm and picked our first fresh produce of the season. A true delight. My Sister and her kids, my mom, myself and my four children, headed off to Baker, Fl. It was about an hours drive, on a cool overcast March morning.

The grass was high around the strawberry plants.

Sometimes I thought the kids would get lost in it all.

They loved the freedom of being able to run up and down the lanes.

The kids had a wonderful time. We picked a flat worth of strawberries. 17.5 lbs.

It was a lot of work but a lot of fun.

As a reward for all of our efforts, we enjoyed a yummy strawberry frozen yogurt!

Such a mem... :)

Little Blue

This is my newest knitting project. I do not have a lot of time to knit but when I do it makes me so happy. I love to knit for my children most of all. When I knit I think of the scripture in the bible that says the Lord knit us together in our mother's womb. He must like knitting too! :)

This is the start of a blanket for Elijah. I have one going for Emma (pictures to come later), and I am enjoying it so much I decided to make one for Elijah. He loves blue.

I am weird in the fact that I name my knitting projects.

So, without further ado...

Meet "Little Blue"

(In honor of Elijah-the sweetest little three year old in the whole wide world!)

Mommy loves you!