i think she really means it…

Looking Through the Window

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 | Sara the Wife | 6 Comments

Lately, I’ve been keeping up with several blogs written about pregnancy and “mommy-ing.”  It’s not that I’m entering the stage of life anytime real soon, it’s just that I know A LOT of people who are starting families (there are 7 people “expecting” at my work alone, and 2 at Nate’s).

(Me and my beautiful niece, Sophie)

I guess we are at that age.  Like when we were at the age when everyone seemed to be getting braces (I was a late bloomer on that one; I didn’t get mine until high school).  Then it seemed everyone was graduating and going away to college.  That stage was soon followed by the era of starting careers and marriages.  And now here I stand smack dab in the middle of the “starting a family” stage.

I’m a rather introspective person.  I enjoy learning from other people through reading, conversations, and observations.  I like to reflect on my learning and make future decisions based on my conclusions.  I’ve always had pretty high expectations of myself and I greatly fear failure.  The point of learning from others is so I won’t have to make the same mistakes they made but can beat myself up royally when I do.  On the converse, if I learn from others how to do something correctly, perhaps I can have the same positive results they had.

I tend to approach most of life this way.  “Learn from the teachers you observe in the credential program,” I told myself, “that way you can be a great teacher when you get into your own classroom.”  “Watch the ‘good wives’ in the church so you’ll know how to take good care of your husband someday.”  And now, here I stand peeking through the window of motherhood.  “Read all the books and blogs you can,” I tell myself now.  “Learn from the new moms at church and work.”  I fill my head with all kinds of knowledge of experiences, but no actual mommy experience.

It’s quite overwhelming!  I mean, the ladies I’ve been watching and keeping up with are amazing! The more I learn, the more inadequate I feel.  How did they make it through 9 long months of an extreme body makeover followed by 20 hours of excruciating labor and many long weeks of adjustment to a new life.  The sleepless nights, the morning sickness, the awkwardness of their own body.  The bringing home of a little person totally dependent on you, the new relationship you have with your spouse, the constant schedule changes, the new experiences…

HEAVEN HELP ME!

How will I ever be able to be a mommy!?

I’m simply peeking through the window.  I know my view is limited.  After all, I can’t hear what’s going on on the other side.  I can’t taste or smell or touch all that mommyhood entails.  I can only use one of the senses God has given me.  And while I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from others, I must know in my heart that my experiences are coming.  That God, in His amazing love, will give me the wisdom and strength I need when that time comes and I open the window, ever so gently, and step through it myself.

Someone’s in the Kitchen With…

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 | Sara the Teacher | No Comments

Mrs. Jones is making a special treat for her students to enjoy tomorrow. Can you guess what it is?

Here are the ingredients.

Step 1

Step 2 (this is Mr. Jones’ job)

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5 (This was Mr. Jones’ idea…isn’t it great!?)

Step 6

Finished…dirt cups!

Nate and I made 96 dirt cups this evening (that’s a little more than 5 times the original recipe!). It was a lot of fun and a great way to show off the new picture plug-in for my blog.