Mothers Mission Impossible

The Tree of Life

Every parent should see this movie. It has changed me. It has given me tangible direction as a mother, yet its true influence is indescribable. 
The movie, and all our lives, hinge upon this quote given by the mother:

There are two ways through life - the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you'll follow.

Grace doesn't try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries. 

Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things. 

No one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end. 

I will be true to you. Whatever comes.

The mother in this movie embodies everything that a nurturing mother full of grace should be. She is a powerful, relatable character. As are all the characters.

There is very little dialogue, but this direction is superb:

The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by. 

Do good to them. Wonder. Hope. 

Help each other. Love everyone. Every leaf. Every ray of light. Forgive. 

One of the greatest things I took from this movie was the imperative need for constant and open communication with the Lord, every minute of every day- to guide us as parents and as His children. I am so grateful that the Lord has seen fit to make me a mother. And "I will be true to you. Whatever comes."

Questions from a Stay-at-Home Mom by Heather Rigby

I thought this was too funny...

My husband always asks how my day went. And he really wants to know. He’s nice like that. As we slowly push the girls around in the stroller, he shares what went right during his day at the office, and I share funny things the kids said. On bad days we vent stresses and offer support and advice.

But lately I can’t help wondering if when I mention that my day was sort of stressful, he mentally thinks, “Yeah, my days are like that too.” Because I really don’t think that our days have the same sort of stresses.

When you decide to become a stay-at-home parent, you enter into a different realm — one ruled by illogical two-year-old dictators, school schedules, and choosing the correct color yogurt. As much as I can explain this to my husband, I don’t know that I’m getting through. Now I’ve done the next best thing: creating a list of questions that will help him and other office-bound parents gauge how (cough, cough) similar their days are to ours.

1. When you walked into work this morning and pleasantly greeted your co-worker Jim, was his first reaction to scream “NO! WANT JASON!" followed by an office supply being thrown at you?
2. Has a colleague ever climbed up on your lap while you were using your computer and slammed the keyboard with both fists until the up arrow no longer worked?
3. Do you have to lock yourself in the supply closet or bathroom on a regular basis in order to make phone calls?
4. Did you finish a complete thought at any time during the day?
5. When you went out to lunch with your fellow workers, did you have to pack a diaper/juice/extra outfit for them? Did you have to wipe their faces? Smile an apology and leave an extra tip for the waiter on their behalf?
6. When a co-worker needed you for something, did she sit at her desk with her head tilted back toward the ceiling and repeatedly scream “SEAN! SEEEEANNNN! SEAAAAAAN!” until you came to find him?
7. When you needed a specific colleague, did you search all over for him, only to finally find him giggling in the cabinet under the sink? Did you also find six pairs of your church shoes under there with him?
8. Have you had to come to an associate’s aid because she fell off her desk after trying to climb on top of it using a rolling chair?
9. When you reached for the report a co-worker was handing you, did he snatch them away at the last second and scream “MINE!” while shoving you backwards?
10. Does your colleague lift up her shirt and pick things out of her belly button every time she comes over to ask a question?
11. While you are using the restroom, do various co-workers come in the stall and ask you to settle a disagreement or open a packet of fruit snacks?
12. During a board meeting when everyone is present, do you notice a smell and then have to check all your colleagues’ pants to locate it? In fact, at ANY point in your day do you have to deal with another person's feces?

The Joy of Motherhood

I saw this article on a friend's blog and loved it.

Not because the author kind of slams the reader who asked the question, but because I focused on how it was a perfect description of the joys of motherhood. 

I love it.

The American Housewife

Another great mom song.

Funny, but still really cute.

"God Bless the American Housewife" by SheDaisy

Look it up!

My favorite lyrics:

God bless the American housewife 

Cleanin' up the world for you and me

God bless the American housewife

How she does it all I'll never know

God bless the American housewife

Your Mother and Mine

My oldest boy has been sick the past few days and all he has been wanting to do is curl up on the couch in pain and watch Peter Pan. He's watched it 5 times so far in the past 3 days, which means i've watched it 5 times too. And i couldn't help but getting emotional during the song about their mothers. The words are beautiful and made me all the more grateful to be a mother and to be at home doing all that i can to help my son feel better.

Here are the words:

Well, a mother, a real mother

Is the most wonderful person in the world

She's the angel voice that bids you goodnight

Kisses your cheek, whispers, "Sleep tight."

Your mother and mine

Your mother and mine

The helping hand that guides you along

Whether you're right, whether you're wrong

Your mother and mine

Your mother and mine

What makes mothers all that they are?

Might as well ask, "What makes a star?"

Ask your heart to tell you her worth

Your heart will say, "Heaven on Earth."

Another word for divine

Your mother and mine

I am so Blessed

This is one of my absolute favorite songs. It sums up motherhood perfectly for me.

It's "I am so blessed" by Martina McBride. I can email it to you if you want but here are the lyrics:

I get kissed by the sun each morning

Put my feet on a hardwood floor

I get to hear my children laughing

Down the hall through the bedroom door

Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing

Just soaking up the day

I think to myself, I think to myself

This world is a beautiful place

I have been blessed

And I feel like I've found my way

I thank God for all I've been given

At the end of every day

I have been blessed

With so much more than I deserve

To be here with the ones that love me

To love them so much it hurts

I have been blessed

Across a crowded room

I know you know what I'm thinking

By the way I look at you

And when we're lying in the quiet

And no words have to be said

I think to myself, I think to myself

This love is a beautiful gift

I have been blessed

And I feel like I've found my way

I thank God for all I've been given

At the end of every day

I have been blessed

With so much more than I deserve

To be here with the ones that love me

To love them so much it hurts

I have been blessed

When I'm...

When I'm singing my kids to sleep

When I feel you holding me

I know

I am so blessed

And I feel like I've found my way

I thank God for all I've been given

At the end of every day

I have been blessed

With so much more than I deserve

To be here with the ones that love me

To love them so much it hurts

I have been blessed