::Announcement::

I am so excited to tell you about my latest venture.  And, it could not have come at a better time.  Just in time for my New Year, My Birthday Celebration.  I have been working on blogging more.  I NEED an outlet and some me time.  I don't like spas or shopping.  Writing and Sharing are my favorite things to do.

If you enjoy blogs of larger than average families.
If you enjoy seeing how moms of many handle every day life.
If you think big families are crazy.
If you want to see how they do it without punishing, being Baby Wise, or being push overs.

Please visit us at 

Mothering Many with Gentle Grace

Getting ready for a new year

I consider my new year to start on my Birthday.  Shouldn't everyone?  I have been thinking, praying, wondering, and conspiring over my birthday wishes.  

I plan to spend the month of August following The 30 Day Vegan Challenge.  Which I am sure you have seen me posting about already.  I have been desiring to go Vegan again.  I have felt drawn towards it.  Then Colleen posted about her challenge.  And, I thought.  "Wow, that would be the perfect birthday present to myself!"

I am working on joining a group of ladies who have larger or really big families.  We are married and single, rich and poor, main stream and hippie, homeschooling and out of homeschooling, working and moms at home.  It is a varied bunch but we all have one thing in common.  It isn't something we see often in larger families.  The one thing we have in common is we are all committed to being Gentle Christian Mothers.  None of us claim to be perfect.  We are just centered on the gift of Jesus, Grace, and a job well done.  It isn't always easy.  Sometimes we have to extend the Grace to ourselves.  I will hopefully be announcing where to find us soon. 

Right before this pregnancy...

I felt like things were going smoothly again.  I felt like I came up, we'll okay we, had found a good rhythm.  Getting pregnant and therefore sick made me feel ike a mess. How was I going to handle another child?  Should the children go to school next year?  This book is helping me find my way again.  Reminding me  what is important.  Reminding me that we are adding someone new...again...   

We don't know this someone's personality.  We can't be prepared.

What is important. What is doable.

I am reading the above book. I will try to keep track of some notes here. There is this quote from page 18, "What seems the most important is usually not; what is most doable is the place to begin. If. you do enough that is doable, you will get to the important, and your motivation will be fueled byyour success."

I think I try to tell this to my children, but I definitely don't do it for myself. I make countless schedules and routines. Yet, I have yet to work on the things that keep our routines from working. I think it would be better if I worked on improving mealtime and bedtimes. Bedtimes used to include candles and lots of books. Now they are usually TV with Dad at a horribly late time while Mom passes out in the bedroom. Dad misses this time, but no one is doing anything about it.

Those inner voices...

Always seem to come when my children are doing somethingthat drove my mom crazy. All of a sudden I hear her and realize it is just me. Apologize and reconnect. Call my mom and tell her I am sorry for driving her so crazy she had to mutter to herself.

I have been feeling better. We are expecting another member in the spring. I have never parented a toddler while being pregnant. I am exhausted. I feel bad, too. I don't feel like I can give my all to the baby. So, there is definitely some mamma guilt to top of that sundae.