My Quest For Balance

Starting Small

I've been studying the book of Matthew at Bible study since September.  This past week we learned about the mustard seed.  Have you ever seen one?  They are super small.

Kind of like me, and how I feel at times.

Who am I?  I am just one person, one woman, one mom...what can I do?  How can I impact the world for greatness?  What great legacy can I leave behind?  I am just so small and insignificant, right?

Wrong!

I may be an ordinary person, but because of who I belong to. And with Him since I am His daughter I become royalty.  I become valuable.  I become extraordinary!  

A mustard seed may be tiny...but if you can have faith as small as a mustard seed in an awesome God, the one true God, then you can move mountains!

So today I am taking small steps (with God's great help) and being more faithful in the quality time that I spend with my kids.  We are reading Pilgrim's Progress Every Night and our storybook Bible, and we are having great conversations.  The kids eyes are being opened, and hopefully their hearts are too.  Bedtime was becoming so painfully rushed over here.  And most nights I was happy to send them to bed without any extra quality story time.  

But in my quest for balance, one of my priorities is time spent with my kids.  I want that time to be three fold.

Time with my kids

* I want it to be meaningful. (have an eternal value)

* I want it to be full of love. (I want them to look forward to it and for us to grow closer together because of it. I don't want it to be rushed or hurried or become a burden.)

* I want it to be a heart to heart time. (open for questions and answers)

Many times, throughout the day, I'm with my kids, but I'm not fully present.  I'm cleaning, I'm cooking, I'm taking care of Micah, and the big kids are just use to waiting and not getting all of my attention.  I was feeling really guilty about that.  I am praying that these extra 15-20 minutes at bedtime where I can be fully present with them will be a really great bonding time.

And who knows?  Maybe when they are older one day, they will look back and say, "Mom really did take time to read to us and answer our questions.  She really loved us!"  Instead of, "Mom was always busy."  My prayer is that God will really bless this time at night.  This is my small step towards balance this month.

Every Mom Has A Story: Laura Carlone

Every Mom Has A Story:

Laura Carlone

I've known Laura since high school. She is literally one of the sweetest persons you will ever meet!

Laura and I also worked at The Limited together in the mall on the weekends when I was in my early twenties. As a teacher I didn't make all that much money and so I had a weekend and night job to help add income.

Laura and I love fashion and we could talk about clothes for hours. I always loved when we worked the same shift together. She is a hard worker and all the customers loved her.

I also remember sharing with her that we both dated our high school sweethearts and later married them!


I chose to interview Laura because being a young mom of only one little girl she has a very unique perspective of Motherhood. Here is Laura's story...


1. When your daughter was born what thoughts ran through your mind as you held her? 1. When Julianna was born I couldn't stop staring at her thinking I can't believe she's really here! I kept saying I can't believe I'm really holding her! I imagined what the moment would feel like but never could I have imagined what it actually did feel like. It was indescribable!


2. What did you think of childbirth? Would you do it different next time around?

2. Hmmm childbirth is for the birds!! I was in labor for a very long time but I ended up having a c-section. This wasn't what I "planned" but I also didn't go into this with a specific plans mainly because I was so afraid that I didn't want to read too much into things. I was a little upset about the surgery but I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, pain and all! I'm not sure what I'll do for next time, hopefully I'm lucky enough to have more kids and I'll see what the safest options are now that I've already had the c-section. As long as I have healthy babies I don't care how they get here!


3. What is the hardest/best part of motherhood?

3. The hardest part of being mom is not knowing the right answers about anything! I'm always looking for someone to tell me what to do but never finding those answers. It's definitely a learn in progress kind of job. The best part of motherhood is that feeling when your baby hugs you, kisses you, or smiles at you just because your mom. The moment Julianna comes running to kiss me or when she just says "hi mommy!" just because. Also, the "I love you mommy" I get before bedtime is the most amazing feeling...every. single. time. 

4. What do you appreciate most about your husband as you raise your daughter?
4. I appreciate the way Mike just gets up and does whatever needs to be done, dishes, laundry, taking the trash out, picking up toys, whatever I ask him he does no complaints ever. I don't know how he doesn't ever complain, especially living with me, but he doesn't, he just does what needs to be done and so many times without me even having to ask him. I'm so lucky... So blessed... So so grateful.

Laura, I love the joy I see on your face with your daughter. She is a beauty and I can feel the love between your family. You are a wonderful mommy. Remember we will never have all the answers, but keep asking all the questions!!! Love you so much!