Bless This Mess

I have been a mama for over 9 years if you count the time I was pregnant with Claire.  As a young new mom at 22, I thought I knew what I was getting into and had it all figured out.  I am so happy I felt this way, because I am a better Rachel because of this humbling, hard, awesome, thing called motherhood. 

Motherhood has taught me:

• Playing outside is the best time ever. It beats going to the movies, going to Chuck E. Cheese, everything. Yelling, running, chasing dogs, playing ball, doing cartwheels, swinging, and maybe even lining up toys just to jump over them, are pretty much the best things ever.  32 degrees or 132 degrees, still the best....as long as you are out with them.
• I am never going to be able to keep my house 100% clean and that is okay. 
• Sleep is important.  Kids need their sleep, but every child needs different amounts of it. 
• Pictures are important.  Take pictures at special events or every day activities.  Not only do I love going back and looking, the kids LOVE it.  They will really love it when they have their own and can see the insane amount we have of them.
• Experiencing new things are really scary and really fun at the same time.  Watching a child brave enough to face new things without fear or brave enough to tell you are they are scared, are both equally great.  Being there for both is extremely important...try not to cry :).
• Dinners are important.  Sitting together at the dinner table almost every night is imperative.  Letting everyone have a chance to say the prayer and tell about their day creates little leaders that are not afraid to speak.  The three little Browns love dinner time.
• Blood is thick. Shane and I are very protective of our kids, but hell hath no fury on a sibling scorned!  Claire, Owen, and Bree stick up for each other and protect their brother or sister with all their might. They may fight, but they don't let each other fight alone. 
• Keeping gum in my purse makes me a fun mom.
• Keeping wipes in the Yukon is VERY important.
• It's hard at school.  Kids are rough and mean.  Teaching my kids to be nice no matter what is really difficult when you want to pummel said kids. It is so important to raise good Christian based children.  Praying they are good examples is so important.
• Sometimes just being silly is the best medicine.  Making funny noises, tickling, making up songs, getting up dancing, and just laughing so hard you can't breathe can be the best things to turn frowns upside down.  Kids will forget when they fell down and scraped their knee, but they always remember that time when Mama put the dog on her head and skipped around the house or when Daddy put Owen's shirt on and danced in the living room.
•  Popsicles are the best food in the world.  The ice cream truck in the neighborhood with cause children to jump non stop!
• Teaching our children to pray and praying with them gives them security.  During scary situations or times when they are uneasy, teaching them to turn it over to the Lord, teaches them that not only are we here to protect them, but the Lord always will.  Praying for our children and their spirituality is the most important thing we can do for them on a daily basis.
• Being away from each other is not only important for me and Shane, but them too.  The memories they make with their grandparents are immeasurable and they will never forget them.  The quiet time and quality time me and Shane get, make us better parents.
• Showing your children how proud you are of them will produce the largest, cheeks hurting, smiles you will receive from them.  Kids crave their parents approval and LOVE for them to be proud.
• Our parents are awesome.  There are no better ones for advice...or ones to tell us to chill.
• Life goes way too fast.  Every stage will change and there is always a new one on the horizon, harder than the last.   You will never forget, even though you think you can't remember when they were this age or a baby.  Even an 8 year old can still remind you at a select time of that same baby girl she was that only wanted her mama.

I got this necklace this week (happy mothers day to me) and it says "Bless This Mess".  I love it because it reminds me we are blessed, even in this mess...not a bad mess, it is our mess that we have made and would not change for the world.

 

 

Happy Mother's Day yall!