You just think kids will fit into your life, and then I had these babies and didn’t realize how they would have every string of my heart.
Motherhood means everything to me. Everything else in my life can go away, but that’s my thing. That’s what wakes me up. It’s my heart — these kids.
Different things come naturally to each one of my kiddos, and I love to help them cultivate their interests. Cooking, sports, gymnastics — whatever it is, I encourage it.
As a mom, sometimes I have to change my mindset and remind myself what’s important. I only have a few hours a day to spend with these sweet, little people.
Motherhood can be difficult. It’s not an instant gratification thing, all the time.
As parents, we need to help our kids express what they’re passionate about and challenge them in the things that are hard, knowing they probably won’t appreciate this until they’re 40 years old.
When your kids are older, you start adjusting the way you parent. But when you have a toddler, it’s so different. You almost have to see the world in the way they do.
With five kids, you have to relate to each of them very differently, and sometimes that can be a little overwhelming. Parenting is not a blanket statement.
It’s important to us that the kids know what’s happening outside of the farm.
From one mom to another, stop being hard on yourself. Don’t spend another second focusing on failure, instead whatever time and whatever energy you have and look for the moments where grace can be found.
In the home, we can make sure our kids’ hearts are secure and strong. That way, when we send them out into the world, they feel ready for it and know how to take it in without crushing them.
That’s something I want to hold on to, is just these sweet moments and not taking them for granted.”