Joy in the Journey

Encouragement.  It's why this blog was started. Mrs Joy and I know how hard motherhood is and we wanted to be a voice that would cheer you on in your journey. I used to think Acts Of Service was my primary love language, but as I learn more about myself I have found that Words Of Affirmation are pretty important to me as well.  Our homeschool group threw me a little baby shower and each of the other mamas wrote me an encouraging note or card. I didn't read them at the party, which was a good thing because when I came home and read them they really made me cry. Those sweet ladies knew exactly what I needed to hear. They knew, because they know what it is like to be a mama. Dear mama, there is One who knows better than me what you need to hear. God loves you, and has written so many things to help you get through this crazy, hard, wonderful life you are living on planet earth. I've looked up a few and put them here to encourage you: You are doing an amazing work, mama! And it

You guys, I am officially 38 weeks pregnant! When I tell others how close I am, they usually respond with, "Wow, that went fast!". In response I usually think, Fast for you, maybe! Does anyone else feel like the first trimester of pregnancy takes a year and a day, the second trimester may pass in normal time, but the last trimester is another year and a day? At least until you get to 38 weeks and realize you only have two weeks left to get that mile-long To-Do-Before-Baby List done. Yikes! There is so much to do! And it's so hard to get just the basics done. At least it is for me. Aside from the hernia issues, I am just plain tired and HUGE. At this point in gestation, the baby could gain up to half a pound a week and I have no idea how my belly could possible get stretched any further. My belly button is officially flat, lol. This is also such an uncertain time for me. I've had three labors that began with my water breaking and two where my water broke just before ba

 Has your social media been clogged up with back to school pictures this past week? Mine has. And I love it.  All those pictures of those cute kids, whether they are wearing backpacks and holding lunch boxes or homeschooling in their pjs, can’t help but put a smile on your face. But some of the he pictures are rather shocking. She’s already in 7th grade??? How did that happen? And how is it that that baby, who could only have been born a few years ago, is already starting kindergarten??? And how can he be a senior, I remember when he was just in preschool!  The back-to-school pictures certainly remind us of the passage of time, and how quickly it happens!  Today I laid down with my toddler to read and snuggle while he drifted off to sleep for nap time. As I listened to his peaceful breathing and watched his sweet little face, I just took time to soak in the moment. He will never be this little again. Tomorrow he will be another day older. Soon he will realize that he is a big brother.

 Want to see something really cute? Google  mama animal with baby . I'm planning a surprise trip for my kids to a local animal park and the memory of the last time we were there got me thinking for this blog post. We got to see a mama cheetah with her babies. They were right by the fence and soooo cute! It was fun to see the mama just laying there, relaxing in the shade, with her babies piled up all around her. There must have been five or six of them. I always think it's fascinating to watch mama animals with their babies, and to think about the differences that we human mamas have when it comes to caring for our children. Do they second guess themselves? Do they have everyone telling them they need to do things a different way? Do they look at other mamas and think, "She's doing so much better than me, I wish I was like her."  No, I'm sure they don't. They don't have the capacity to overthink things. They just do them. They just do what their natural