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In: Maternity, Motherhood, Parenting & Family
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Hello Readers! So, the last time I posted was May 16th of this year. WHERE have I been all this time? Well, 3 months of that I was barely surviving life with a toddler and morning (read: ALL DAY) sickness… Because we are adding another one of these tots to our family! I thought morning sickness was hard when I could just lay around nursing myself with no one else to worry about. Nope. Morning sickness with a toddler: 10x worse. The other 2 months.. I guess I’ve just been trying to figure out how to get my life back together. I’m so happy toRead More →

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In: Faith
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This morning I realized I had finished my current Bible study and needed to find something new to start. I browsed my shelves for a few minutes and several books struck me as potential candidates. When I came across an old book my husband brought with him when we got married, I pulled it out and my mind was made up. I would read Radical by David Platt. Even as I have been drudging through doubt, anxiety, guilt and emotional evisceration, I am something of a masochist by nature (somehow I derive satisfaction from making everything harder on myself), so, naturally, I had to pick the mostRead More →

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In: Homemaking, Life & Style, Motherhood, Parenting & Family
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A recent debate regarding my choice to be a stay-at-home mom (SAHM) has compelled me to construct a defense of my vocation. Or, rather, an apologetic. I have been loosely accused of being inflexible, lacking gratitude, living an unapologetically privileged lifestyle, not being a team player, making my husband shoulder an unbearable burden alone, and, heck, just flat out selfishness. My friend whom the conversation took place with is a working mom with strong beliefs in her choice and I respect that. We agreed to disagree and not let our point of divergence affect our relationship. In light of that, I took these criticisms as a jumpingRead More →

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In: Resources
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I recently read a quote on meditation. It really had an unexpected impact on me. When I hear the word “meditate,” I get uncomfortable visions of silence, stillness…something like Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love when all she can focus on is that stupid fly. We hear that we should “meditate” on the Word, but sometimes that’s a hard concept to apply. What does that look like (besides sitting crosslegged and trying to manifest positive vibes)? Seems sort of abstract, doesn’t it? The Benefits of Meditation And yet, this abstract idea is known to have benefits for our health and wellbeing. The NIH says, “Some researchRead More →

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In: Homemaking, Motherhood, Parenting & Family, Productivity, Resources
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It may seem like I write a lot about the negatives of motherhood, and maybe that’s true; using words like “monotony,” “anxiety,” and “isolation.” But for good reason! There are some mornings I find myself scrolling through Instagram feeling totally defeated just because everyone else seems to have it together. I know it’s not true–even I put my best foot forward on social media–but somehow I still let myself believe I’m the only one struggling. So why am I being a downer highlighting the negatives? Well, I’m not. Do you really need one more voice telling you how well I’m getting along while you struggle? I just want to beRead More →

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In: Motherhood, Parenting & Family, Resources
With: 2 Comments

A common number I keep reading on the web is that about 10% of women experience postpartum anxiety and/or depression. This statistic sometimes includes a speculative clause that that number is probably higher, but many women don’t realize what they’re going through is normal and, therefore, don’t report it. Instead, they “white knuckle it” (as a friend of mine put it) alone for months or sometimes years at a time. Despite being a highly emotional person my entire life, I had utmost confidence that I wouldn’t be one of those weak 10-percenters. My confidence was undergirded by the fact that I had a natural birth (whichRead More →

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In: Bullet Journal, Productivity, Resources
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When I discovered bullet journaling, it instantly became my number one favorite pastime. I posted photos of my spreads on Instagram and had many people comment on how artistic I was and how they would never have time for something like that. I would thank them and, of course, tell them all about how great bullet journaling was and all the cool stuff I was doing with it. It was something that motivated me to be productive. I always looked forward to sitting down with a jar full of pens and making my plans. After spending lots of time with decorative detailings and fancy layouts,Read More →

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In: Life & Style, Parenting & Family
With: 4 Comments

When I began writing this post, I did a quick google search–“dating after marriage.” I chose the wrong phrasing, apparently, because the first three articles that popped up were titled: “Advice For Dating After Divorce,” “Dating After Divorce,” and “8 Things You Need To Know About Dating After Divorce.” WELL. That was certainly not what I was looking for. After dismissing the mistake and revising my wording a little bit (let’s try… dating after.. no.. dating your spouse. Yes, that’s what I meant) the irony of the situation hit me and completely changed my opening illustration for this article. WHY is it that “dating after marriage” is synonymous with.. “divorce”?Read More →

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In: Productivity, Resources
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A good chunk of my reader base includes fellow bloggers. I’m talking to you guys today and asking you if writing, though a passion, can really stress you out at times?! I love to write, but there are so many times that it puts a strain on me. Reasons: I know others are watching, I have self-imposed deadlines and spotty willpower when it comes to meeting them, I’m pressed for time, and it’s just plain hard. Writing is like working out; you really have to push yourself to start and it’s hard and not that fun…until you get going. Then you feel good and you enjoy it andRead More →

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In: Life & Style, Resources
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Having recently moved into a new house, I received an envelope full of vouchers and coupons, a “welcome to the neighborhood” if you will. As I rifled through them mindlessly (as envelopes like that are almost always useless to me–no, I don’t need a new roof just yet. *Eye roll*), I was actually delighted to find a voucher for a free sample box from Graze. Snacks!! Free food speaks to me, so I created an account, entered my free snacks code and selected a few treats I wouldn’t mind trying. Pins and needles of waiting on a subscription box: engaged. The sample box only consisted ofRead More →