Dear Moms, We Are Made For Such a Time as This

A Gift for Mom! 🤍

I got up well before the sun rose. I washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, wiped the table from last night’s crumbs, the ones left over from dinner before we raced out the door.

As the sun was rising, I picked up stray items, tidied surfaces, did a load of laundry. I even squeezed in a workout at the gym. I haven’t always been a morning person, nor a gym-exerciser, but I’m trying.

And this morning, things got done. And then undone.

RELATED: To the Mom Who is Completely Undone

This picture is the representation of a season of children in the home—being kids—being creative, learning, playing.

Creativity is messy.

Learning is messy.

And it’s OK.

My daughter has been acting moody and argumentative lately. I wanted to send her to her room, but instead, I asked her if she wanted to color together.

After we colored, she sat humming and playing with her brothers.

She needed connection.

Messes will get cleaned, and made, and cleaned again.

Dishes will get done, and undone, and done again.

There are days the stuff makes me feel like I’m going crazy. The mess, the grime, the piles.

RELATED: My House is a Mess But I’m Trying Harder Than You Know

But it just starts by tackling one thing: the dishes, the toys, wiping the table, vacuuming. One load of laundry. One sticky surface. One bedroom.

One thing at a time.

And one connection at a time.

It will be OK. We women were made for this.

We are strong; we can breathe and handle the mess…and handle our kids’ attitudes. And then we can breathe and enjoy the tidiness and peace, too.

Because creativity is messy, but messes can get cleaned.

And kids can be difficult, but attitudes can soften.

This season won’t last forever, but while we’re in it, I want to see past the mess and into the hearts of my children.

Originally published on the author’s blog

So God Made a Grandmother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

Order Now!

for such a time as this Kids made for this mom life Motherhood raising kids

Heidi Farrell

Heidi is a stepmom and mom of five, whose ages range from 22 down to 4 years old. She and her husband have seen the full range of child development in their house...often all at once! Heidi loves connecting with other stepmoms and encouraging them on their journey. She blogs about her experiences and provides practical strategies for stepmoms at notjustastepmom.com, and is currently working on a book about the complexities and joys of adding an "ours baby" to a stepfamily.

I Finally Admitted I Didn’t Want To Be a SAHM Anymore

In: Motherhood

For most of my life, I believed becoming a stay-at-home mom wasn’t just a choice, it was the ultimate goal. The kind of life a “good” woman was meant to want. The kind of life that meant you were doing things right. I grew up surrounded by that message. In conservative spaces, in church circles, in subtle conversations about what a “real” mother looked like. Women who stayed home were praised. Women who didn’t were quietly questioned. I learned, without ever being directly told, that a mother’s highest purpose was to center her entire world around her children and her...

Keep Reading

I’m Not Really Sure How To Do This Teenager Thing

In: Motherhood, Teen

I was not prepared to be a mother of teenagers. Sure, I was warned by other parents about the difficult journey I was about to embark on, but I did not expect it to be this challenging. I remember these two sweet, innocent children who wanted to be with me all the time. Now they barely give me the time of day. How did we get here? Like many parents, we long to have that child who once, a long time ago, called us Mommy and Daddy and begged us to read them another story. Where are those kids I...

Keep Reading

Why Don’t We Talk About Jonah’s Mother?

In: Faith, Living, Motherhood

Praying for My Son Send a storm to stop him; Let his friends throw him out. May he drop to the deeps, But gently, please, Stubborn though he may be. If it could only take three days, How my mother’s heart would Rejoice in praise. From the hell you allow him, Let him cry to you. Is not Nineveh and mercy Exactly what he knows He needs— A mercy on enemies He fears You will concede? Please let all the shade wither If his is an angry soul; Humble him and help him follow Where you would have his purpose...

Keep Reading

To the Mom Worrying She’s Not Doing Enough This Summer

In: Motherhood

It’s only the second week of summer, and, thanks to modern-day social media, I feel like I’ve already seen it all. Picture-perfect beach getaways, color-coded bucket lists, backyard neighborhood movie nights, you name it. And if I’m being honest, I’ve already caught myself wondering if I’m doing enough. More than once, at that. As a solo mom of two, I’m still adjusting to our new norm while trying desperately to delicately let go of any expectations tied to all of our past experiences…including summer vacations. I’m reminding myself that our summers won’t look like they used to. At least not...

Keep Reading

Your Worth As a Mother Is Not Defined By How You Feed Your Baby

In: Baby, Motherhood

I’m not breastfeeding my baby. I wanted to. And I was able to for the first several weeks of her life. But as the days went on, I could tell it wasn’t enough for her anymore, so we started supplementing. And sure enough, without warning, she began screaming through nursing sessions, but was satisfied with a bottle. And that’s when I knew what I needed to do. A similar situation also happened with my first. She didn’t gain her birth weight back on my milk alone, so I had no choice but to supplement right away. And before I knew...

Keep Reading

A Mother’s Love Doesn’t End When Her Kids Move Out

In: Motherhood

When my last sibling moved out of the house, I watched my mom struggle in a quiet, almost unspoken way. It wasn’t something dramatic or visible; it was something I could feel in her presence. For 40 years, her life had revolved around taking care of us—my siblings and me. Every season of her life had been shaped around our needs, our schedules, our milestones, and our growing up. Being a mom wasn’t just something she did. It was who she was—the structure of her days, the cadence of her thoughts, and the center of her purpose. So when the...

Keep Reading

The Hardest Part of Divorce Is Being Away from My Kids

In: Living, Marriage, Motherhood

I’ve written several times about how divorce has allowed me to find myself again, and how that version is even better than the one I was before I was married. All of that is still true. I am happier than I’ve ever been. More confident and sure of myself. I understand my emotions and how to handle myself when things get tough or scary. I am more grounded and calm than I’ve ever been. Truly, I have come out on top. I’ve received comments about how happy I look, how I’m “living my best life with kids only half the...

Keep Reading

I May Let Go of the Baby Things, but I’ll Hold the Memories Forever

In: Baby, Motherhood

Woman looking through closet of baby items

It’s easy to think of multiple sayings and mottos about how invaluable earthly possessions are. “It’s not what you have, but who you share it with” “Worry less about things and more about experiences” “Who cares what you have, you can’t take it with you when you go” And trust me, I know these to be true. I am not a hoarder of hotel pens or mini shampoo bottles or every receipt and coaster from my favorite restaurants. I don’t care much for name-brand shoes or designer purses, yet there are a few things I just can’t easily let go...

Keep Reading

Mom Showed Us Love that Lasts

In: Motherhood

Vintage photo of mother and three young kids

We moved a few years ago, and we had a closet that needed some reworking. In doing so, my husband found some old photos. He pulled out an album that held this vintage photo of my mom, my sisters, and me. It was probably circa 1983 when prints were made from Kodak. I actually don’t remember seeing the photo before. But I love it. In the photo, my mother’s eyes are shut with a blink because those were the days when blinks weren’t edited. It’s beautiful, and I can’t stop thinking about the captured connection. She was showing us something...

Keep Reading

This Is How I’m Raising My Sensitive Son

In: Motherhood

When I was pregnant with my son, everyone warned me of what was to come. “Just you wait,” they’d say with an underlying schadenfreude, “you’ll never sleep again.” I fully expected sleep-deprived days and long, unrelenting nights, calming my son down from tantrums, trying to keep the peace with my marriage. But I got lucky—my son sleeps through the night, doesn’t throw tantrums, and my marriage is stronger than ever. I didn’t expect that, especially because I struggle with my own mental health and assumed I’d be in the weeds during my postpartum period. Now that my son is almost...

Keep Reading

It's Our Job as Parents to Carry the Weight of the World So Our Kids Don't Have To

Kids

It's Our Job as Parents to Carry the Weight of the World So Our Kids Don't Have To

It's Tough to Watch My Grown Kids Face This Fear

Grown Children

Dear Moms, We Are Made For Such a Time as This

RELATED: To the Mom Who is Completely Undone

She needed connection.

RELATED: My House is a Mess But I’m Trying Harder Than You Know

It will be OK. We women were made for this.

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

Heidi Farrell

I Finally Admitted I Didn’t Want To Be a SAHM Anymore

I’m Not Really Sure How To Do This Teenager Thing

Why Don’t We Talk About Jonah’s Mother?

To the Mom Worrying She’s Not Doing Enough This Summer

Your Worth As a Mother Is Not Defined By How You Feed Your Baby

A Mother’s Love Doesn’t End When Her Kids Move Out

The Hardest Part of Divorce Is Being Away from My Kids

I May Let Go of the Baby Things, but I’ll Hold the Memories Forever

Mom Showed Us Love that Lasts

This Is How I’m Raising My Sensitive Son

Get It Now

So God Made a Mother

Dear Moms, We Are Made For Such a Time as This

She needed connection.

It will be OK. We women were made for this.

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

I Finally Admitted I Didn’t Want To Be a SAHM Anymore

I’m Not Really Sure How To Do This Teenager Thing

Why Don’t We Talk About Jonah’s Mother?

To the Mom Worrying She’s Not Doing Enough This Summer

Your Worth As a Mother Is Not Defined By How You Feed Your Baby

A Mother’s Love Doesn’t End When Her Kids Move Out

The Hardest Part of Divorce Is Being Away from My Kids

I May Let Go of the Baby Things, but I’ll Hold the Memories Forever

Mom Showed Us Love that Lasts

This Is How I’m Raising My Sensitive Son

Previous Post

Next Post

You May Also Like