Mama Monday...{Andrea}!!!

 

Tell us about yourself…

I am a Christian. I am a wife. I am a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a teacher, a runner, a baker, a coffee drinker. I love the color pink, laughing, and I have a ravenous sweet tooth- I fund my dentist’s vacations. Also, I should just tell you now that I love pictures and run on sentences, so brace yourself. 

 

Husband love…

Oh my sweet husband. If you find a loyal man who loves Jesus and loves you, you hold onto him- and that is precisely what I did! When I met Anthony at 19 we were just a couple of kids who were so in love. By God’s grace, we have become very good at both repenting and forgiving, and have built a beautiful life together.

 

 

My husband Anthony is my truest and closest friend. We laugh a lot. We kiss hello and goodbye. We praise each other. We are honest with each other. We are ridiculously goofy together. We have deep philosophical discussions. We serve each other. We date each other. We say “I’m sorry” a lot. We dream and plan for the future together. We support each other’s goals. We find joy in doing life together. Today’s culture is one where “husband bashing” seems to be completely acceptable. We see it on sitcoms and in movies, and we’ve all either been guilty of doing it ourselves, or we know someone else who has. Your relationship with your husband will be one of the deepest and longest lasting relationships of your life- why would you speak negatively of someone who is so dear to you? My (admittedly unsolicited) advice for any wives or future wives out there: Don’t husband bash. Speak honorably about your husband. Build him up with your words, both in prayer and in conversation. This will positively impact your relationship in a way that can be life changing. (Added bonus: a healthy, thriving emotional relationship with your husband will translate directly into a healthy, thriving sexual relationship. Boom.)

 

 

 

 

I can’t think of anything sexier than a godly man loving on his child ©

 

 

 

Mama love…

Oh Mama love…is there anything like it in the whole world? Having my sweet daughter, Ava, 15 short months ago has revealed to me a whole new level of delight, love, joy, and selflessness. Am I often exhausted? Sure. Do I sometimes go four days in a row without washing my hair? Yup. (Praise Jesus for the person who invented dry shampoo. Can I get an amen?!) Do I wear yoga pants all day without doing a single downward anything? You betcha. But really, who cares? When I get to sneak into Ava’s room at night and watch her precious, beautiful face as she sleeps (not creepy if it’s your child), snuggle her in my lap and breath in her sweet smell that is a mixture of Burt’s Bees body wash, daddy’s cologne and mommy’s chapstick while I read her a story, or listen to her squeal and laugh with sheer delight as Daddy plays peek-a-boo with her, none of the sacrifices that accompany mommyhood even cross my mind. One thing that blows my mind: if I love my daughter the way I do, with an all-consuming, lay-down-my-life-without-hesitation kind of love, and my love for her is still flawed and imperfect, how much must God love us? A perfect father’s love without the flaws of sin? Incredible. Absolutely incredible. 

 

Let me share some of my favorite Mommy moments with you...

 

Going for a stroll on Christmas Eve Day

 

Ava’s first birthday.

I can’t believe how quickly this day seemed to arrive.

Full disclosure: I was kind of an emotional wreck while planning her first birthday party and admitting that my baby no longer a baby.

 

I love this picture because we are both laughing at Daddy

doing something silly behind the camera.

 

Her swimsuit! I will always cherish this memories of Ava's

first summer.

 

One thing that strikes me about all of these pictures is that they are just simple, sweet moments that are dear to my heart. None of these photos were taken on a family trip to Europe or on the beach in Figi. We made the decision for me to stay home with Ava instead of going back into the classroom this year, so the expensive vacations will have to wait, for now. Our joy is found in the small things- the common, “everyday love” kind of moments. These are the things we will miss in 15 years when our little ones are learning to drive and spending more time playing sports and socializing than sitting on our laps, snuggled in our arms. Don’t let the busyness of life or the pressure our culture places on us to always want more, more, more, cause you to miss the sweet moments happening every single day that are composing your Happily Ever After.

 

 

Challenges you have faced on this mama journey…

Gosh, challenges? Do other people have challenges? Gee, it’s just been really easy for me. HA! Well that’s laughable.

 

One thing I have really learned over the past few years is this: regardless of what your struggles or challenges are, God cares about them. Nothing is too small to care about or to bring to the Lord in prayer. From fears of miscarriage, to fears that I will forever be using the extra space that has appeared in my bra post-nursing as a phone holder and/or wallet, these are all things that matter to us, so they matter to God. Whatever your struggle my friend, bring it to the Lord in prayer. And if you are currently in the middle of a struggle (who isn’t?) my prayer for you, dear sister, is that you will find rest and peace in Jesus. Also, wine and chocolate help me deal with tough days.

 

 

Mama advice for surviving the tough days…

A day in the life of a Mama is similar to a roller coaster. One minute you literally think your heart might explode because of all the love you have for your child and you really wonder,

“does life get any better than this?” Two minutes later your thighs are covered in poop because your precious angel just had a blowout while sitting on your lap, it’s past time to nurse and you now have two round wet spots on your shirt (sexy), and the doorbell just rang. To you, my pooped on, milky sister, I have two very important words: self care.

 

An amazing professor I had at the University of Nevada stressed to our family therapy class all semester the importance of self care. If your proverbial bucket is empty, you have nothing left to give. You can’t give your best to those you love- be it your husband, your little ones, your friends, whomever, if you are running on empty. Do something for yourself everyday. This looks different for all of us- it might be drinking your coffee with a little bit more of your favorite creamer, a hot bath after the kids go to bed, a solo mommy date with your bible in the evening, or maybe a nap (if you can’t remember what a nap is, just Google it) - whatever YOU need, just make sure you are practicing good self care. God loves you. Your family loves you. You should love you, too.

 

Sometimes you just need to throw away your to-do list, and take a nap.

 

 

Simple pleasures…

Long, hot, uninterrupted showers. Drinking your coffee and reading your bible while your little one(s) play on the floor. That long, sweet kiss you give your husband when he walks in the door from work. The moment when you’re holding your child in your arms and she rests her head on your chest and your love for her could fill an ocean. Also, when you find chocolate that you hid from yourself and then forgot about. Huge win right there.

 

Money saving tip…

Be organized with your meal planning/grocery shopping and don’t eat out. Using cash is good, too. It’s more meaningful when you actually see the money you’re spending.

 

Health and fitness…

It’s all about the jogging stroller! Find a big hill, put your child inside (the bigger the kid the better) and push that sucker to the top (the sucker is the stroller, not your kid). If you try to do sit-ups at home with your small child around, they WILL climb all over you. Just try it.

 

Good read…

My idea of paradise is me on a beach with a stack of books. So many that are fabulous and worth reading…choose from this list depending on your mood…

1.       The Bible (If you’re praying for wisdom, head to Proverbs)

(These three are just “for fun” books. They read like a movie.)

2.      Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (If you have the time you can read the whole book in a day. It is a beautiful story. If you’re pregnant and emotional, just don’t even go there…)

3.      The Giver by Lois Lowry

4.      Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth

(A book that is sanctifying and will help you be a better you…)

5.      Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver (thanks to Katy for setting up a study of this book. I LOVED it!)

 

Beauty secret…

Aubrey Hepburn said it best…happy girls are the prettiest. Being happy and confident in yourself is sexy. As women in an increasingly objectifying culture, we have to watch out for the comparison trap. Comparing yourself to other women, be it in magazines, on television, or friends/acquaintances is setting yourself up to feel either A) prideful or B) discontented. We all have our own beauty, our own sense of style, our own sense of self. Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparison is a thief that will steal your joy. You’re too good for that. Play to your strong points. And wear sunscreen. ;)

 

Recipe…

I never saw a crock pot recipe that I didn’t like! Here is one for you that will make you want to put me on your Christmas card list…

-4-6 frozen chicken breasts

-1 cup tomatillo salsa

-1 cup frozen corn

-8oz cream cheese

-one can black beans

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken and serve over rice and/or in a tortilla with sour cream and hot sauce.

 

Closing words…

Every day there are plenty of both wonderful and not so wonderful moments, situations, experiences, etc. Choose joy. Forget the negative. Focus on, celebrate, and remember the positive.

 

“Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think on such things.” –Philippians 4:8

 

-Andrea