Mama... you are beautiful: Heidi

This week has gotten off to a slow start, and look! Now it is half way over already. Our weekend was exhausting. And I still feel like I am recovering.

How do you recover from hard weekends? Me? I do so in a couple of ways.

I use the kids' nap/quiet time to rest myself. I don't do dishes. I don't sweep up the mess under the table from lunch (okay, and breakfast, and maybe even from dinner from the night before...) Maybe I'll actually take a nap. Maybe I'll work on my blog. Maybe I'll read. Maybe I'll shower. Whatever it is, I take that hour or two and enjoy some peace and quiet.

Another way I recover, is to spend time with friends. When Monday rolls around after a crazy/busy/stressful weekend, I love to connect with my girls. Some people need space from other humans after the craziness. Not me. I love company.

Luckily Heidi was scheduled to come and visit with her three boys.

And luckily she agreed to be a beautiful mama for me this week (she's a beautiful mama all the time.)

Heidi and I met before either of us had kids. She intrigued me. She intimidated me. She challenged me. She made me laugh. I first got to know her when we organized a young couple's camping trip. On the trip I learned that she wanted to be a missionary, and that she did not want kids. Soon I was pregnant. Soon after that she was pregnant. Soon after that I was pregnant again, and soon after that she was pregnant, again. This time with TWINS! Then soon after that I was pregnant again. Together, her and I have SIX BOYS combined. She's come a long way from "we aren't having kids." :)

Another significant life experience that we share, is that we both lost our dads. Within exactly one year. On September 20th, 2010 my dad died. September 23rd she was at my dad's funeral. On September 20th, 2011 her dad died. And on September 23rd I was at her dad's funeral. I am so grateful that we have had each other to go through this awful awful grief with. I have her to go to with emotions that not many can understand. 

Heidi has dealt with much grief and loss through out her lifetime, but through it God has molded her in to a strong and passionate individual who loves the Lord, loves missions, loves people, and who loves being a mom and wife. She is a good writer and has a great blog. Check it out here. It's called The Spicy Mustard Seed. 

Here is a glimpse in to Heidi's world.

Heidi's twins Beckett and Theodore, 2 years.
Don't you love her bangs? Me too... because I cut them!

What do you love about being a mama? 

I love being able to watch my kids grow up. I love watching them learn new things and experience the world around them. And the snuggles. And that each day comes with its own new joy and wonder. It's a good reminder.
Boy pile!
What gets you through the day when things get hard? 

I break the day up into segments, for example: X amount of hours until nap-time or X amount of hours until Tim gets home. I also try to be mindful that naughty behaviors can be molded into assets for the kingdom of God. The naughty boy who doesn't want to listen? Maybe he's meant to be a justice fighter.

If you could change one thing about yourself or your life what would it be? 

I wish I was more patient.
How do you self preserve? 

Time alone. I try to take a few minutes during nap-time to do whatever I want. I run. I cook. I like to sit in the quiet.
What stories do you read and what songs do you sing at bedtime? 

Boys pick out their own books. We sing made-up songs to the tunes of well-known songs. Tim doesn't do that. Only I do. He thinks it's weird. The boys love it though.

Such a good mama, lathering up her white babies in sunscreen,

Saying bye after another successful momdate playdate. 

Hope you all have a great rest of the week. Not sure if I will have enough energy to get another blog out in the next few days. We'll see. So, see ya on the flip side friends.

Peace out.