mama to many

This week has been so wonderful and quiet. I feel like it's been the weekend for a week now.

A lot of people have asked why I'm not doing daycare anymore, especially because they would have liked for me to watch their children in the future.

Doing childcare over the last seven years has been so helpful to my little growing family. I have had the joy of caring for SO many little ones since Maximo was a babe, and even before. It helped me to bring in some income, it allowed for me to be with my kids and to eventually care for kids in my own house. It was a perfect fit with my life as a stay-at-home-mom.

Timing was perfect. It was recently time for Tya to start kindergarten. Ramona's mom and dad were ready to move her to another in-home-daycare with her cousins. As this time drew near, I knew in my heart that it was time for me to be done.

Eli is only home for one more year before he does pre-K NEXT YEAR! I want to enjoy his last full year home.

My ability to advocate, educate and help to fight against sex trafficking is expanding. The door has opened up for me to volunteer with Breaking Free. And I hope to do many Trades of Hope trunk shows this fall. Have you hosted one yet? If not, please think about it! You can help me spread awareness, hope and love to women all over the world. Check out my website and take a look at our new fall/winter catalog here.

I have an opportunity to sew and create again, AND for my items to be for sale in an up and coming local, hand-made gift shop! I plan to make more wood signs, poster prints, dolls (including more Frida dolls!), etc. And I am looking into possibly doing screen-printed shirts.

A couple of weeks ago my husband brought me home a plant from the farmer's market. I have become a hoarder lover of indoor plants and he knew that I would love to welcome another plant child. I'd never seen a plant like it before so I posted a picture to the St. Paul Perennial facebook page and other plant lovers educated me. It's called a "Mother to Thousands". Go figure.

I believe that God's timing is perfect and that He has a plan for my life that is coming to fruition. I will always be a "mother to thousands many" but it will look differently now.

Tya had a wonderful first day at school. Ramona's new daycare mom sounds wonderful. And my life moves forward with those little girls and all the kids before them forever in my heart.

Cheers to the new season. Cheers to autumn time- my favorite time of year. Cheers to the next chapter in my beautiful and messy life.