Balancing It All!

Messy Motherhood Link Up:
Balancing It All:

I absolutely love this topic.  Sometimes giving your all to God, family & career does feel like a balancing act.  Sometimes the balancing beam I'm on is no problem, but....sometimes I wobble & have actually fallen off.  I do several things to help stay focused on my goals, but the best advice I can give is to make sometime for myself and my husband.  If you haven't figured it out yet, my family likes to "Ball on a Budget".  Which means...we like to have fun....but not spend a lot of money.  :)  I hope this is encouraging to you ladies.  Please leave a message because I love find new blogs to read.

1.  QUIET TIME
This can be time alone with your Bible, devotionals, homemade mani-pedi, DVR catch-up or sleep.  It is definitely hard to come by, but you have to take care of you.....even if it comes at 11pm!  Hey....I've been there and visit it often!

2.  MARRIAGE
I love my husband and I want my home in order.  To have a happy marriage, be successful in my career and to be the mother I want to be.  I have to have the marriage God wants me to have.  If you're not religious....have a marriage that rocks!  I often buy things from Union 28.  They have great inspirational websites, clothing and advice for building a stronger marriage.  Things that you can do with your spouse on the weekends, once the little ones are down or a small gesture you can do during the day.  A sweet text, little letter left on the windshield.  Just something to let your spouse know you are so glad that you said YES! to him.

Funny story:  I was in Target and a woman came up to me & said she liked my shirt.  I told her about the website & then we talked for a bit.  Then....I overheard a husband tell his wife, "I wish you would wear a shirt like that for me"!  I love that !!!

3.  MOMMY

I really try my best to create & capture tons of opportunities to create memories with my Ladybug.  Now that she is older, she really enjoys helping me clean.  I like to clean with her, shop with her, read with her, silly play w/her & educational play with her.  Who cares if the kitchen is a mess or the laundry needs to be done.  I need to spend time w/my daughter and she needs to spend time with me.  

4.  CLEANLINESS

It's supposed to be next to Godliness, but I'm pretty sure at this point I am rubbing elbows w/the Devil!  I try to keep a clean house, but I work...inside & outside of the home.  That is really big part of the stress I have.  I try to clean dishes as I use them & do at least 1 load of laundry a day.  Its really difficult, but I try to clean a little during the week, so that I can use my weekends for my hubby and my Ladybug.  I mean....I want to clean my house, but if anything...I mean anything can distract me....I like to let it!  My husband is also a great help in cleaning.  He folds & hangs up the clothes....& that is a great help!

Don't let the organization of this post fool you!  I am not organized and sometimes I don't have enough time for everything, but my mommy cape is still going strong.   I try not to get down on myself b/c I try my best & I do my best for my marriage and my family.  Like many women...I have two jobs & I try to give them 100%!  But....that is actually impossible, so something has to give.  Something has to be neglected at times & something doesn't get the 100% that I would love to give it.  But.....that's okay.  The world keeps turning, my family keeps getting stronger, God keeps blessing us & we keep waking up to see another wonderful day.  In a perfect world I could wave a wand and get it all done!  But....I'm a mom and that is basically the same as being a super hero!

Messy Motherhood Link up!

Be Encouraged!!!

1 Thessalonians 5:11
 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.


What’s the best way you have been encouraged as a mom? 

I have had a great support system while being a new mother.  I was new to the area and besides my husband, I only knew my sister, her family & some coworkers.  What helped me the most was surrounding myself with mothers...good mothers....mothers that could be a support to me.  I needed to be nourished and connected with mothers that had a fire in them to love God and be good mothers!  I was fortunate to have mothers and non-mothers that would love on me and my daughter.  Knowing that I "could do this", even if they weren't everyone's way of doing it, was comforting to me.  No, I didn't have all the answers and yes I did ask questions, but at the end of the day I made the choice that I thought was best.  Guess what??  It worked out!!  The first couple of months....well, I'll be honest, the first year, Google was my best friend!  Hearing struggles from other mother's and listening to advice....even the advice not taken, was a great source of encouragement to me.  I just felt the love when I would get a call, a comment on a Facebook post or just people sending their love anyway they knew how.  I liked hearing people tell me that I was doing a good job.  That meant a lot to me and still does!

How can someone encourage a mom that’s been through the ringer.

Sometimes mothers like to know that they are not alone and that they are not the only person that has screwed something up!  Especially when you thought you had almost gotten it together.  I am not afraid to admit that sometimes I'm still not organized enough in the morning and my little one is 2!!!  Call that mother and offer to help her!  You  may even have to insist that she let you help.  It can be as simple as helping her with a chore, letting her take a two hour nap, offering to give her a homemade mani!  Having a playdate with the kids.  Let her know that she and her children are loved and you appreciate her!  Talk with her, pray with her and mostly let her know that she has someone to call or text or whatever.....whenever she needs to!  

You are valuable because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. –Max Lucado

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-for-encouragement-20-great-scripture-quotes/#ixzz2CkGKo1Qc

You are valuable because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. –Max Lucado

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-for-encouragement-20-great-scripture-quotes/#ixzz2CkGKo1Qc

Encouragement starts at home. How do you & your husband encourage one another??

My husband and I really try hard to encourage one another and use a soft tongue when we speak to one another.  We have learned our love languages and learned to respect them and fill each other's cup.  Now....it gets difficult sometimes and we get careless, but we give our all to each to make sure we are both appreciated.  I give him "Man Time" and he gives me "Lady Time".  We enjoy verbal affirmation with each other.  He helps around the house and I say "thank you".  He gets our daughter ready in the morning and does her hair and I say, "THANK YOU!!!!"  We try to build each other up by respecting each other and loving each other.  It's not always easy, but it is definitely always worth it.

Wow!!!!  This was a wonderful link up and I hope it was encouraging to someone!  I know that I am interested in reading the posts from everyone else!  I love encouraging comments and new followers!