"Just a Mom"

Well, it's a gloomy day here today so the little man and I are stuck (again) indoors for the duration...37 degrees and raining, I say bleh! It wouldn't be so painful if we hadn't been in quarantine for the past 10 days or so with our first baby cold...and what a learning curve that is. It just breaks your heart when your little one is sick, doesn't it?

Today I wanted to talk about something that has been on my mind. As you know from previous posts, most of my life to this point has been spent in school or working, and I recently quit to stay home with our baby. This has definitely been a huge adjustment, as I had gotten so used to being away from home all day. Having careers as a nurse and then a nurse practitioner were both challenging, exciting, scary, and rewarding. People depended on me for everything from advice to lifesaving intervention. And then one day, it all stopped and I found myself at home away from all of that. I have struggled somewhat with what I call the "Groundhog Day" effect...every day is much the same. As a new mom you spend time changing diapers, rocking, playing, soothing, feeding, etc. It doesn't take long to start thinking that what your doing is neither noticed nor appreciated. Heck, most days you don't even put on makeup or "real" clothes, and getting a hot shower or bath to yourself is a luxury! After weeks of these feelings building up, I expressed them to my husband who, holding our son, pointed to him and said, you think this is a waste of time?? Look at how much you have accomplished! And there's nobody else in the world who can do this job like you do.

I guess what I am trying to express is that, like many new mothers, I had begun to think that unless I was getting up and tackling the world abroad every day that my life had no meaning - a sentiment too often echoed in our society today. Nobody cared how well I kept James on his schedule or how clean or well-fed and happy he was. And nobody sure noticed all the hard work it took to then fit in laundry, cooking and cleaning into the day as well. But I was wrong. If you're still reading this I'm guessing there's a good chance you are not only female but a mother yourself. So, today I want to offer encouragement to you and myself as well that the gift of motherhood is a high calling. No matter what else you do in life, it is the most important "job" in the world. Next time you find yourself thinking, or telling someone, "I'm just a mom", remind yourself that it is truly a privilege to be the conduit of God's love to your precious little ones.

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."  ~Proverbs 31:2

Reflection of Love

Hello again, friends! James just finished eating and is happily swinging and watching cartoons, so I will take some time to think about something besides spit-up and diapers ;). (I know, 3-month-old watching cartoons...if I had a dollar for every time I said "I'll never...") Anyway, earlier when he was napping, I found myself as I often do creeping silently into his room and watching carefully as his little chest rises with each breath. I then take a reassured breath myself, and return to whatever I was doing. During these times when I'm watching him so closely I think about how amazed I still am that he is here and how much I LOVE him. I love him sooo much, I never want anything bad to happen to him, I want him to always be smiling and happy, and for his life to be perfect. And, of course, I know that is not reality. In reality he will cry when he doesn't get his way, and skin his knees, and get his heart broken. But, if the way I feel about my little guy is just a small glimpse into the way our Heavenly Father feels about us, then I am blown away at how much we are loved! It must hurt His heart so much when we are rebellious and hateful toward Him. Just like right now at this young age, I can smile at James and he will predictably smile back. When I go to get him out of bed or sit down to play with him, he is beaming that his Mommy is there. I know that will not always be the case, such as when he is a teenager, but I will love him just the same :).

I know last time I only included a "newborn" pic of the little man, so I thought I'd add a more recent one. Here's James at 3 months:

Cute little stinker, huh? Of course, I am rather biased...

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"                                                             ~Matthew 7:11

A Little Background...

Hello fellow Bloggers. To be honest, I never thought I would find myself here, but here I am. Not just creating a blog, but also on the threshold of a new and very different kind of life adventure. It has been a recurring pattern throughout my life that just when I think I have things somewhat "figured out", just the way I think they should be, I could not be more misguided. You see, we spend our lives making great plans and timelines and agendas, only to discover that the path does not lead us where we thought it would. Thankfully, our Father in Heaven has designated our days not to give us every whim of our hearts, or to leave us to "figure it out" on our own, but to gently guide us and mold us into His image for His glory. Just as He has been an ever-present guide and comforter through the many ups and downs in my life, I know this season is no exception. There is simply no other way to explain the gentle stirring that I have felt deep in my heart. A stirring that has led me into a new chapter of life - motherhood.

After much prodding and "encouragement" from my friends with blogs, I've finally decided to take the plunge so to speak and start recording our lives in pictures and words. I think it will be a creation to treasure for years to come. Hopefully it will offer my son a window into his mother's heart and thoughts during these precious days of babyhood, and childhood, when he is older. Maybe I can also offer some encouragement, or even just a laugh, for another mom out there struggling to figure it all out. I can say after just 3 months of this adventure called motherhood that it is the most challenging, joyful, heartbreaking, and worthwhile "job" I have ever had, and that there is no way I could have anticipated the impact this little guy has had, and will have, on my life.

So, without further delay...I will introduce you to the newest love of my life, James Arthur Evans IV:

This picture is from his "newborn" photo shoot, I think he was about 10 days old. He has grown so much since then, it is so fun to see how he changes every week! He is now 14 weeks old, and has gone from 7 pounds 4 ounces to 14 pounds 9 ounces! He was born October 26, 2011...and our lives have changed forever. I have gone from being a "career" girl, working 5 days a week, to a "stay-at-home" mom, working 7 days a week! And what a transition it has been...hence the title "A Work in Progress"...both appropriate for this season of life, and to describe myself in general. I hope to talk more about that in the future. My apologies for such a loooong first post, but I guess I have more to say than I thought! Until next time...