Turning Back Time, Mom of Teens Remembers

It has been so long ago that my first son was born on a cold and snowy January day. He was two weeks early, but I was ready. I wanted to meet him so much and I could hardly stand it. We made it to the doctor’s office for my regular check up only to be moved on to the hospital as he was on his way. My labor lasted only 6 hours and 32 minutes. He was not only early, he was also eager to face the world. He took a look towards his father and made a scowling face. That would be one of many scowls that his father and I would experience as our little ‘bundle of joy’ grew into the man he is today.

Our second son was born on a mild November day and my labor for him was only 2 hours and 42 minutes. This was a pretty good indication of the type of personality he would have; anything his older brother did he could do better. This has been a motivating factor his entire life and it has proved to be a benefit to him. He admires his brother even though they had their share of sibling rivalry. His brother made it on A B honor roll and he tried for the A honor roll. Not bad for bragging purposes.

Raising children has not been a cool breeze on a sunny day experience for us every day of their childhoods, but overall we have been very fortunate with our children. We have challenges and joys and we certainly have had tears of good and bad sources. We have as parents worked opposite shifts, part time, full time, second jobs, daycare in the home, and full time outside the home and currently I am working full time in my home as a freelance writer. All of these styles of employment choices had costs attached to them, but all were worth it for the family.
My oldest son is less than a month away from graduating from high school and it is hard to believe that I have a son that old. I can still feel him laying on my chest and belly while falling asleep and making those cute baby sounds. It has been said so many times before that they grow so fast. When a newborn is trying to figure out their eating and sleeping schedule, time seems to slow way down. During a temper tantrum, when time stands still you will never believe that your child will ever be old enough to drive, date and shave. But alas, that child continues to grow and you have a chance to look back on those who have shared their wisdom on child rearing with you during the new and exciting times of being a new mom. Most of that wisdom comes from the trial and error of parenthood shared with you in the midst of laughter and tears.

I hope that is what I can share with you to repay the many wise mothers who did the same for me.

Taking care of the written word,

dannielyn

http://takingcareofthewrittenword.com
http://dannettfreywrites.wordpress.com
http://ladyofproverbs31.blogger.com
http://wishpot.com/user/128683
http://http://hendersonvillenorthcarolina.blogspot.com

A Lady of Strength, Proverbs 31 Series part Three

Back when we were little girls pretending to find the man of our dreams and planning our beautiful wedding, we had no idea just how hard marriage was really going to be. We thought it was beautiful clothes, fun activities, deciding to have a baby and ta-da here was our beautiful baby with beautiful hair and never making a sound except for what the pull string made the baby say.

Imagine our surprise when we found out that marriage often is boring, hard work, struggles, and our children, if we are lucky enough to be able to have them. Our children are nothing like our little dolls we played with and care for so tenderly.

Take a few minutes to write down what your expectations of marriage and motherhood and then write down what you life is really like right now. Are you surprised by your thoughts and feelings regarding your expectations and your realities?

In Proverbs 31, verse 10 in the message starts off “a good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds”. The first verse already left me feeling a little hopeless. Who can find a good wife? I asked myself, why I would want to take any time and become an excellent wife if no one can find one. That is the human and selfish side of me. I had to really look hard into my heart and ask myself what the writer was really saying to me. What did the writer want me to experience or take away from the verse?
I had determined that the writer was telling me that I needed to hear the statement clearly. I was not going to be an excellent wife just by being a wife. I needed to take those words and hide it deep into my heart. I needed to believe those words with my whole being. I cannot be an excellent wife just because I am a wife. I need to study and pray and strive to be the wife my husband could call excellent.

I needed to be determining what the qualifications are that would deem me to be an excellent wife. I know that in the upcoming verses I would be receiving instructions on how the Lady of Proverbs 31 was perfecting her role as wife, mother, Christian and community member. But right now, I needed to accept that becoming a Lady of Proverbs 31 was a lifelong, day in and day out, 24/7 process that I needed to take on. I don’t know if I am strong enough to do that process all on my own, but I willing to try. I am willing to take what I need from those verses and pray about how to apply to my life those principles. I am willing to look deeply into my heart and look at the shortcomings I suffer. I am willing to redirect my thoughts and my deeds and move them closer to the path I am to take.

Taking care of the written word,

dannielyn

http://takingcareofthewrittenword.com
http://dannettfreywrites.webs.com