Thanks to My City

I firmly believe that it really does "take a village to raise a child", but how about the support to back up the momma?!

This week my husband has been out of town for work. As the days drew close to him leaving, the normal anxiety began creeping into my heart. Wondering how I would create an environment for my children that would surpass this Mommy and her kids just surviving, and actually take it to a level of thriving. I was bound and determined to do just that. There's a huge difference between the two in my book.

I set the alarm and got up extra early each morning before the kids to begin each day reading my Bible and praying. I felt a deep burden to pray for my husband as he worked really hard for our family, for my children as they would be stuck with a tired me and no Daddy to come home and wrestle with, and lastly I prayed for myself that I would not become the destructive volcano that often surfaces and spews when I am at my wits end with no breaks from the boys.

This last part of my prayer was of utmost importance to me, (although, not to diminish my ernest prayers for me husband or boys).

My desire to create this lack-of-volcano environment comes from a book that I am reading called, "She's Gonna Blow" by Julie Ann Barnhill. I would strongly recommend this book to any mom that finds that they are not able to keep their cool with their children 24/7. The author discloses that she had a vicious way of exploding at her children -- especially when certain triggers were present in her life. Through many years of hard work, determination and prayer, (and with the help of God's mercy and grace), she was able to break free from this harmful way of life for her children.

This book challenges moms to take a deep look into their own parenting and see what unique triggers we each have inside of us. Once fully aware of those triggers, we are challenged to be on heightened awareness when we are particularly weak. Then be prayerful and guarded as we approach our children during this time.

May I just say that at the top of my triggers list is the exhaustion I get when my husband is gone?! Yes, I knew going into this week that it might make for a doozy of a week as I attempt to care for my boys.

I can honestly now sit back and reflect and see how God specifically answered my prayers this week!

If it takes a village to raise a child, for this momma, it takes no less than a city to help her survive! And to my amazement, that's just what I got!

Monday the boys and I headed out on a seemingly quick wagon ride to the playground down the street. A few hours later, we returned having met up with a good friend and her little girl on the way back from the playground. We all went on a long nature walk with the kids through the woods and ended up back at our house to play and eat lunch.

That evening, my generous in-laws had the boys and myself over for dinner (where I also had help with the boys' bath time!).

That night I came home to a message from another friend that invited the boys and myself to join her and her son at a kids' inflatable bouncy place for Tuesday morning. Normally I shy away from places like these that require me to literally run in opposite directions as I attempt to watch and assist both boys. My friend was so awesome and helped me the whole morning. It was exhausting but we all had a blast!

Tuesday night some other good friends kindly had us over to their house where we ate dinner together. The husband even wrestled and played with my boys exactly how they love to play with their Daddy. They deeply needed that.

Wednesday we had our co-op preschool where we all had a wonderful time interacting with the other kids and adults.

All week was one blessing after the next up to this point, with last night as the culmination of it all.

My cousin came over to keep me company, and in-laws also came and brought dinner with them! At one point, I realized that my father-in-law was downstairs doing the dishes, my mother-in-law was upstairs bathing the boys and my cousin was in my laundry room sorting my laundry and starting a load of wash for me -- and they were ALL doing this without me asking them for their help!

I felt so loved and cared for!

I would never wish my husband to be out of town, but this is the way to go when he is! I realized that the "village" that surrounds me is so much more than that, it really is a city! I praise the Lord for answering my cries for help -- far beyond what I could have asked for or imagined.

After seeing what a difference it made in my life to have people graciously reach out to me, I look forward to returning favors like this when I am able.

Thank you to all who helped me not only this week but all the time.

(It may never be quite this nice again when he's traveling, but I wanted to count my blessings as they came.)



~ These pictures were taken last week when my husband was working late and my in-laws took us to feed the ducks at a near by lake.