"Mom-Com's"

I read this blurb recently in parenting magazine as they were promoting the new fall TV line-up:

The "Mom-Com"

"These aren't perma-smiling, pie-baking, June Cleaver types.  Today's moms are snarky, cynical, and edgy. Just the way we like em'!"

WHOA!  Seriously?  I read this and well, I just suddenly felt a knot appear in my stomach.  I felt my sudden twinge of "ah!" mostly due to sorrow for what our culture is promoting, but partly because I am sure that some of this easily creeps into my household when I'm not looking.

Snarky? Cynical? Edgy?  These are NOT the traits that I want to instill in my daughter, or our future children, or friends' of my children who visit our house over the years.  I would much more prefer Molly grow up with me leaning closer to the "June Cleaver" type.  Unfortunately, I can't say that I'm anywhere near that end of the mom-spectrum either.

What I do know, is that God calls us as woman and mothers to be like the Virtuous woman in  Proverbs 31.  This woman of God labored daily for her family, and those in need, from sun up til sun down. Her children and her husband "arose and called her blessed".  So why can't we make that the picture that the kids in our society see?  I may not be able to control society, but I can control my home, my daughter, and my influence over the other children than I'm around.

So you see, here's the problem.  I am sarcastic, I am selfish, I am busy with life, I am "cynical" in many ways.  Here's the counterpart to my problem.  My husband is far from sarcastic, very selfless, Mr. Optomistic, and he help's me to balance the "problems" in me.

I want my Molly to grow up with a mom focused on her spiritual needs.  I want her to grow up to love God, and to serve others. So I have to start now, at the age of 14 months.  For me this means, I need to relax, to be more positive towards Molly, myself, and my husband. I need to be consistant with my discipline and my love. I need to relax. I need to pray to God for help. I need to seek his help. I need to relax.  I need trust God. And I need to surround myself with friends and moms far and near who are striving to be like the Virtuous Woman and working to not be that "Mom-Com"

This article made me think of my "mom friends" who help me to focus on being better. So I'm going to get sappy, here's just a few.

I'm thankful for a special friend, Lydia, who is raising a sweet baby girl the same age as Molly, our conversations so often help me to get the right perspective on my girl, she help's to relax me, give me confidence, and makes my heart smile.  I'm also grateful for my dear Elizabeth who has 8 more years of mom-experience than me, and helps to ground me and for me to gain perspective for the constant growing Christian woman I should be. And For my precious Vicki, who listens to all my crazy "AHHH" moments each day, and laughs with me (and AT me) and shares the joys of my Molly with zillions of text messages each week. And of course, God also knows that you need someone to go through things on daily basis with at the same point in life, and for this, he gave me my sweet sister n law, to learn about raising our babies together, a blessing to me more than she may know.

Today, I spent the day with 3 of my dearest friends. These are mom's that I look up to, and ladies that I know I can learn from through my years with my sweet Molly.  I am surrounded by mom's at church, or in my "circle of friends" near and far who are trendy and fun and witty, but are not snarky or cynical or edgy.  These ladies are all a testament to being Christian woman in todays culture, who hold fast to the "June Cleaver" mindset for their families.

It's not that all of my friends are "mom friends", in fact he majority of my friends aren't mommy's yet, and are some of the most amazing women I know. It's funny how TV can make you feel like all around you are women who fit the "mold" they want you to see, when in reality, God has so many great servants with beautiful hearts all around us.  These friends are ones that just make me want to be better each day.

So to end this soap box of mine, here's a picture of ladies who help me to focus on being a better Me. Me as a mom, a christian a wife and a friend.  You see, Molly will learn from ME....so I pray that she see's the Virtuous Woman that I am far from right now, but strive to be.

Social little Butterfly

So our sweet Molly ~ She is quite the people person. And by that...mostly I mean- She loves for her mommy and daddy to be holding her, and for her to talk and laugh and giggle at everyone she sees around her when we are out in public.

You see...I'm learning that i can go nowhere in a hurry. Every place I go, people are constantly stopping to talk to Molly, tell her how sweet and cute she is, and to try to touch her little hands and feet...even her face.  I can honestly say, I don't love all of these random strangers touching her and spreading their germies.

At any rate...I am thankful for how happy Molly is...pretty much all of the time, at home, or in public.  So happy in fact~ that I have given in to things that I used to say I would "NEVER" do when I had a baby.  The biggest thing on that list:  I said:  I would "Never take a small baby to theme parks".  Well...that's been thrown right out the window.

You see-  My dear husband just loves theme parks, I do too, of course. Aaron though, he is a serious kid about Disney, I love his enthusiasm.  Being that we live near enough for friends and family to visit us and the theme parks, Molly has already visited the following parks:

Sea World   (at 6 months)
Universal Studios (at 7 months)
Islands of Adventure (7 months)
Water Park (10 Months)
Magic Kingdom  (At 10 months)
Epcot                   (10 months)
Animal Kindom   (10 months)

Seriously...this baby girl was so good! She napped happily in her stroller when it was time, sat sweetly in her stroller just looking at everyone and everything passing by, and when she was out of her stroller or waiting in a line...she was giggling, laughing, babbling, smiling, and "woo-ing" the fellow theme park go-ers.

I can honestly say, that she never once on any of these trips became anymore than a little "grumpy" for maybe a minute or two, and was easily redirected and happy.    This of course is more than can be said for her mama, I maybe was a little grumpy at some point due to the heat or something. :-)

Her favorite parts of these parks:

The animals, and shows full of colorful things.
The fellow theme park goers who talk to her.
The many ice cream breaks that we take.
Pirates of the Carribean was a hit.
Piglet - She loved, every other character....well... maybe they startled her a little.
The mid day breaks at the hotel pool at the hotel
More ice cream breaks

You see...Molly is truly the sweetest baby girl and blessing. She makes it so very easy to do the things that I always said we would "NEVER" do with a baby, and she has made being a mommy so much easier of a transition...because she is teaching me each day just how to be a mommy, and just exactly how much more content I need to be...just like she is content in many situations.

I love the blessings Molly brings to us daily, and I enjoy seeing the blessings of smiles that she gives away to so many people that we run into around town, in amusement parks, and even at Dr's offices when she is sick.

Molly's Smiles are the best...and so contagious.

Here are few of our ventures:

                                                  Sea World: Mesmerized by the Dolphin Show.

                                                   Sea World:  Enjoying the Ice Cream Break :-)

                                      Universal Studios: Happy about the Poseidon's Fury Show

                         Sharing some love with the Harris family while waiting in line for Harry Potter!!

Molly's first Water Park experience....This girl LOVES the water!

She just giggled and giggled at her cousin Rori Katherine!

Disney:  Headed into the Magic Kingdom

                                                      Molly loved Piglet...KISSES FOR Piglet!

Enjoying the Buzz Lightyear Ride with Mommy, Daddy, and cousin Gage. 

                                                     Checking out the Fish at Animal Kingdom

Love this fella! 

Waiting on the Safari at Animal Kingdom                                                              

Riding Pirates of the Carribean with Daddy

And 4 months later...

So 4 months ago...I created this blog. And now...perhaps I'll actually share it.
Its 12:17 AM...and my house is quiet. I should be sleeping too. But Alas...I sit here with my thoughts of the past 7 years....the past 7 months, and more specifically the past 7 days...

6 years go this month...Aaron and I were in Arizona visiting his parents, still honeymooners of only 3 months (us not his parents). We were "care free", young, stupid, still in school, and ever so in love. We were anxiously planning the arrival of our "son" Apache, and well...we were so far away from  even thinking about life with a little one.

Fastforward to March 2011.  We are still "young", still stupid in many cases, now paying loans for those days spent in school, even more in love...but far from "care-free".  Apache is still our son, but Molly is our life.

In March of 2005, we hiked the apache trail
In March of 2011, we simply hike up down the stairs to grab extra diapers, or pacifiers.

In March of 2005, we stood overlooking the Grand Canyon.
In March of 2011, we (mostly I), stood over looking a mountain of laundry comparable in size to the Grand Canyon.

In March of 2005, we spent our Friday nights out to dinner or a movie.
In March of 2011, we spent Friday night running to walmart, putting a pizza in the oven, and playing with the sweetest baby girl God created.

In March 2005, we would just "run" to walmart.
In March 2011, we took an hours worth or preperation, loading and unloading to "run" to walmart.

In March 2005, I loved my new husband for all of the amazing qualities he parents had instilled in him.
In March 2011, I love my husband more now than ever in the past, for the amazing father he now is, and for the beautiful daughter he is helping me to raise.

In March 2005....I never could have imagined March 2011...being the most fun month of my life.

I've been covered in pureed peas (baby food) freshly splattered from the blender.
Smiled at with the biggest, most gummy smile in the world.
Given a "rasberry" or "zerbert" by that same gummy smile.
Felt like the most important person in the world when I walk into a room to have Molly reach out and want only me.
Lost plenty of sleep on her first night of sleeping on her tummy..simply because I was worried about her.
Watched my baby girl sign her first sign: "More".
Watched my baby girl start "feeding" herself with a spoon.
Watched her throws peas on the dog. (Poor Apache)
Watched her start her attempts at crawling.
Watched her cackle and giggle as loud as she could with our favorite man, her daddy, walks into the room.

I've just watched her...

In March 2011...I've seen God's great plan for me and my life revealed just a little bit more each day as I become more aware of the great task He has given Aaron and I to raise Molly.

In March 2011...I simply smile and snuggle the most beautiful, blue eyed ray of sunshine, along side the sweetest, most patient husband God could have given me...  And squeeze my eyes and heart tight...holding close these memories we make in March 2011.