i feel privileged to have been taught at the feet of powerful women this past weekend
not the kind which hold prestigious titles or awards
or make national diplomatic decisions
but the ones who hold the most important title
‘mother’
a role which definitely deals with daily diplomacy
i was invited to attend a retreat in Las Vegas hosted by the organization Power of Moms
as explained in my post ‘retreat bound’
this organization
rightly described as a gathering place for deliberate mothers
encourages and empowers a community of women with tools to help them in the noblest and most difficult of jobs, motherhood
sparks were flying
sparks were flying
countless pieces of relevant and enabling information to put into action in my own family
real systems to implement
not just vague ideas
detailed substance
i am just trying to soak it all in
deciding with which piece to begin
which idea will be the ripple that tidals me to higher mothering
family systems: routines, rewards and discipline
family economy: seeing work as privilege, money management
family culture: creating a place of belonging and identity, unity
i simply need to begin
working on the next immediate thing
breaking tasks down into simple, completable actions, a single branch so to speak
oh how i’m grateful for this approach
transformation seems attainable
i am excited to share mine with you as i begin to implement these fabulous tools within my home
relates to the first night of the retreat
in which i sat with this group of 50 women who came with open hearts to become better women, better mothers
and in turn opened their hearts to all surrounding them
on that first night
we discussed together that as mothers we can dream and how we can pursue them
i had an opportunity to share one of my dreams with these women
and oh how they listened intently and responded with tremendous support
these women who i had just met
because i opened my heart to them
they rallied around me to buoy me up
these, a group of nearly strangers
so, if i was received with such support and encouragement by those i had just met
how much more i would receive from you, my friends and family
i think its time to share my dream with you
something that will allow me to continue to remain home with my children and tend to my husband
the likelihood that i will need to have heavy involvement in providing for my family continues to increase as Mike’s health continues to decrease
over the past few weeks new symptoms have manifested themselves in Mike
impairments to his vision
the loss of use of his left leg
increased pain in his body
a fog of guilt and gloom
thankfully some have left but others have stayed
that is the fear with MS, will these symptoms only stay for a period of time and then return to normal, or will they strike you down and remain
is lofty but i am not afraid of the work
what i do fear is being able to do so and keep the integrity of the feel of my blog in tact
to be able to see ‘me’ in it all
to have you continue to feel connected directly to my heart and the lives of my family members
i invite you along on my journey in this new venture
as i always have
come be apart of something that can be beautiful and purposeful
a way to bring peace to my fearful heart
the reality is
tomorrow morning Mike could wake up without the permanent use of his leg or his hand or his eyes
and you know that the loss of the use of his limb would not hold Mike back completely from trying to provide for our family
that he will do all the days of his life
because he loves us
because he has faith that the Lord will aid him in this most sacred duty of fatherhood which encompasses providing for the basic needs of your family
and although the symptoms he is experiencing isn’t as dramatic as all of that
they are significant and continue to chip away at his stamina leaving exhaustion in its place
and with that sort of disability comes the need for me to be able to step in and take the reigns from him whenever needed
in supporting me here on my blog
you help me to preserve the leftover normalcy of our family that we are holding so tightly to
that i can be home for my children as much as possible
that i can be the one who tends to their backyard wounds
i can be the one who reads them bedtime stories
that together Mike and I can raise our children in the framework they are accustomed to
holding tight to the foundational structure of our family through preserving divinely appointed roles of mother and father as best as we can in our current situation
i would love for each of you to be an active participant
that is how this dream of mine will become a reality
if you are right alongside me
there will be so many opportunities for you to demonstrate your support along the way
they are represented by icons in the top righthand corner of my blog
or listed at the end of this introductory ‘new reader’ post here
following me not only lets me know that you like what you see here
it lets prospective sponsors and collaborators know the same
i will be giving more detailed instructions on ‘following’ through social media in future posts
this is how i can know what to give you more of
there will be lots of new things going on here in the months ahead
new contributors
online sales of my handmade creations
new club and products for the forever young at heart
a new look and a new name
commenting and feedback will be essential for me to know how these additions are received by you my loyal friends
one of the main reasons i believe that i can accomplish this lofty dream is because of the feedback i have been receiving from so many of you over these past years
connections you have made with me and my writing
conclusions you have drawn in your own life based on my family’s dealings
enjoyment you have found in my creations and ideas
and i will work to improve upon it each and every day
i continue to rely on the Lord for direction and strength
and i know that through him all things are possible
my dream can be possible
with His help
and with yours
