i think she really means it…

Christmas 2007

Monday, December 24th, 2007 | Random Thoughts, Sara the Wife | No Comments

It’s officially here…the Christmas holiday! We are blessed to have my whole family come to our house for Christmas dinner this year! I am making prime rib, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon and caramelized onions, and fluffy rolls. I did all of the grocery shopping this morning before the mad Christmas Eve rush. I’ll be tidying up our home and preparing some of the meal today. This is a big opportunity for me to prove I am officially a grown-up! I’m more excited than stressed about it. It is quite an honor to have my family drive all the way out to LA to come to our home. I hope this is just the beginning of many years of hosting big holiday meals!

Last Couple Standing

Sunday, October 28th, 2007 | Sara the Wife | 1 Comment

Well, one of our last “couple friends” just found out they’re going to have a baby!  It was a little unexpected, but exciting nonetheless.

I’m sure getting closer to that time of my life.  I really, really feel excited to be a mommy someday.  I have loved my adventure as a teacher these last several years.  It has taught me a lot about consistency, discipline, frustration, and love.  Just a few more years…the next big adventure will begin soon enough!

P.S.  Rechenmachers… we’re the last ones left…which one of us will be next…? (-:

A *Very* Romantic Weekend

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007 | Sara the Wife | No Comments

This past weekend Nate and I went to the Kaleidoscope Inn in Nipomo for a romantic get-away. We left at one o’clock Friday afternoon, and made good time driving up the coast to the small town of Nipomo, California (North of Santa Barbara, South of San Luis Obispo).  To read more, visit *our* blog at http://joneses.us.

Over-educated?

Monday, September 24th, 2007 | Sara the Wife | 2 Comments

Is it possible to be “over-educated?” After this past week, I would say, “yes.” For example, if a 7th grade teachers tells me too much about a particular student’s past behavior, I have a hard time being unbiased when interacting with that student. Sometimes it’s important (and better for everyone) if the teacher knows only what is neccessary and beneficial for developing a relationship (the rest is just gossip, or personal issues).

This is what brought this little thought to my mind… The book I’m reading (Mommy Wars), gives lots of details about child birth and the first year as a new mother. Well, I am certainly a member of Generation Me and think that the more I know about a situation before making a decision, the better. However, if I keep putting off having a baby because of the pain, misery, and sacrafice these mothers make having a child sound like, I don’t know if we’ll ever start a family.

I have a wonderful example of a mother, and incredible friends who have had children of their own and are able to get by without wearing their “I-suffered-through-28-hours-of-labor-and-gave-up-my-promising-career-as-CEO -of-a-major-company-not-to-mention-my-perfect-body–to-birth-this-crying-baby” badge. I think the less I know about something, the more I can trust God to lead me through it. And there’s one thing I know for sure as a result of all this “over education.” I won’t have control over everying in my future. The only hope that I have is that God has promised to take care of me for the rest of my life. For that I am grateful.

Thoughts on Mommy Wars

Monday, September 17th, 2007 | Sara the Wife | No Comments

I have really been enjoying my latest read, “Mommy Wars.” Each chapter is written by a different kind of “mommy.” From career moms to stay-at-home-moms to hybrids of the two. I find that my opinions are evolving, and that God is doing a work on my heart as well (more on that later). The two points I have been thinking most on these last few days are as follows:

1. Being a mom is not a job–it is a relationship. For us “gen me-ers,” we have a very difficult time investing our time and energy into something without a given recipe or algorithm to follow. “Follow these steps, and you will have healthy, well-rounded, and most importantly, happy children.” Unfortunately, like all relationships (being a daughter, or a wife, or a granddaughter) there are no rules to follow. Being a “successful” mother is not something that can be measured on a standardized test. The amount of love, care, grace, and guidance given by any mom cannot be calculated to determine the type of people her children will turn out to be. Becoming or not becoming a stay-at-home-mom cannot be the only factor that determines the “success” of a family.

2. A good mother is a good mother, working or not, just as a crummy one is crummy whether she’s home all the time or hardly at all. I hadn’t thought about it that way before. Lots of working moms put their children first, no matter what. If there’s a meeting at the office, but the baby is sick, a good mom usually finds herself at home tending to her little one. If the latest designer bags are out for Fall, and the self-centered, at-home-mom just has to have it, she can often find a way to make irresponsible decisions to provide for her needs before caring for the needs of her family. Staying “at home” does not always mean “present,” just as “working” does not always mean “absent.”

Back to what God is teaching me through all of this. I have come to realize that I have a very judgmental spirit about these issues. I have been reminded that my opinions are simply my opinions (and as Pastor Mark said on Sunday, “We’re all tired of your opinions”). It must break God’s heart when I am quick to judge a challenging student in my class (“well, his mom must work outside the home because this kid’s got major discipline issues!”). I am learning that what works for me and our family is not the answer for every woman out there. That instead of looking at “career” moms with squinted, critical eyes, I should look at them with eyes of compassion. After all, there is no rule book to follow. And for those women trying to raise their children on their own, and have yet to reach out to God for help, it is not my place to judge. Rather, I should *love* the women and their children I come in contact with daily. God has called me to do nothing more than LOVE. And the only Book that will teach me how to do that is God’s Word.

Thoughts on Motherhood

Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 | Sara the Wife | No Comments

I tend to over analyze most situations. I’m a planner and like to have everything organized and visualized before taking on important situations…kind of like a dress rehearsal. Why else would I “practice” teaching in the privacy of my own bedroom when I was a kid? I wanted to be prepared.

Over the last few weeks and months I’ve been thinking a lot about what it will be like to be a mom. I’m getting to the stage of my life when many of my friends are having children. I can’t imagine my life without children; it is one of the deepest desires of my heart. However, there is no dress rehearsal for motherhood.

I want to have it all figured out, but the more I think about having children, the more questions I come up with… Will our children be like us, or totally different? Will they love to learn as much as we do, or will school be a struggle for them? Will they be respectful, or challenge our every word? Will they grow to be the “shining lights” we pray they will be, or will they go their own way?

Ultimately, I know motherhood is a blessing. And, just as I commit each and every day to the Lord, leaning on Him to get me through difficult situations now, I will depend on Him to give me the wisdom and courage to be the mother He plans me to be in the future.