Mama... you are beautiful: Aly and Sara

Another rainy day in Minnesota called for another long day stuck in the house. What better way to pass the day than to do so with two other moms and their bored kids. We piled the kids on to the front porch and got to catch up as we sipped coffee and got a few minutes of peace...  then the kids all went crazy and started fighting and we had to allow them in to the house to color and play with play dough. Momdate turned into an all our playdate. Oh well. We tried. 

I'm so excited about this Mama... you are beautiful series that I am just going to continue to post them as the playdates and meet ups continue to naturally happen this summer. My poor friends. They don't even know my plan. So I completely catch them off guard with questions and pictures. They have all been good sports so far:)

So today, I would like to introduce you to my pretty sweet tattooed mama friends:

Last year when we were getting pretty desperate to find a house, we came to this sweet little house on Englewood and fell in love upon walking through the front door. I scoped out the neighboring houses wondering what the neighbors were like. When I saw their garage (that looks like a barn complete with a life-size COW on the door), I was expecting a country decor lovin' cat lady. Nothing wrong with cat ladies, but I was pleasantly surprised to move in and meet our tattoo covered super hip neighbors Aly (and  her husband Tigger.) Aly and I have become like sisters over the last year. She is a dream come true. We corral our kids into our fenced-in back yard and spend many afternoons eating paleo baked goods and allowing our kids to learn to play without their moms pushing them on the swings or hoisting them in to the tree. We do a good job of teaching our kids to be independent when they play:) We share coconut oil and avocados. She also has a really cool job. She is a home birth midwife. Check out her website here. 

Aly and Jakey, 2. Her daughter Kira is at day camp.

What do you love about being a mom?

I love watching my children develop in to who they are.

What do you love about being a midwife?

I love watching women transform in to mothers as they welcome their first or additional babies. I love having the intrinsic knowledge of how strong and capable women in labor are. I love seeing babies born gently and welcomed in to their families at home. 

Who influenced how you parent?

I don't feel like there is any one person that has influenced me. I try to respond to the needs of my kids as they're presented. Sometimes that means looking at the need behind the behavior. I am not always good at it!

What was your experience with getting pregnant?

I was 32 when I had my daughter and 35 when my son was born. It took us two years to get pregnant with our daughter, and only four months with our son. We had to work hard to get pregnant. We did a long 28 day detox diet. We cut out wheat, dairy, soy, corn, sugar and booze. The other thing I was doing was getting regular massages.

How do you maintain your marriage in the middle of work and kids?

We started weekly lunch dates instead of therapy. It's cheaper and more enjoyable... and it still serves the purpose of fostering connection.

Tigger joined in on our mom date for a few minutes,
so I had to get a "marriage maintenance" shot.
Isn't that precious.

Sara and I were introduced through a mutual friend. When I saw her I thought mmm, yeah, she's nice, but she ain't my type. She wore long skirts and had long long hippy hair. I thought that we probably had nothing in common. Judgmental much Sierra? Well Sara and I laugh now because she was thinking the same thing about me! Fast forward six years and six children later, and we are way more alike than different. We are kindred spirits, super close friends. When Sara loves, she loves deeply. I know that she cherishes me, and man oh man do I cherish her. She tells you how is it. Straight, no chaser. She loves Jesus, loves her family, loves to cook meals for huge groups and is a loyal friend. She is a beautiful artist. She lives in a big community house in a neighborhood that not many would prefer to live in. Her house radiates beauty and light in a 'hood that sure needs it. It's pretty cool.

Sara and her newest babe, her daughter Fern, 1 month.

What do you love about being a mama?
That with each child comes an extra portion of love.

What is your biggest struggle these days?
Balancing time for kids, friends, family, art and ministry all while keeping a tidy house!

Do you feel beautiful when you are pregnant?
NO! I think that pregnant women in general are beautiful but no, I did not feel beautiful.

You had three births that didn't go as planned. Do you have any advice for women who's births don't turn out as they had hoped?
It's good to hope and dream about how you want your birth to be - don't stop doing that. BUT. It is not your fault if it doesn't go the way you had hoped. Sometimes things just happen, and you need to be at peace with that.

sweet mama and her little ones: Leif, 3. Fern, 1 month. Zeke, 5.

What does your community look like? Who does it consist of?
We have a lot of support. My husband and three children and I live in a house with six other adults. A couple of them are like family and help out on a regular basis. I also have an amazing tribe of moms who love and support each other. 

Glad I could share these awesome moms with you all.
Have a great afternoon!
Peace.