MWM seeks R&R

It is a lot more common than you think.

You aren’t the first

or the last.

There’ll be a time in your married life, in your maternal life, when you will be separated from your husband and jointed nonstop to your children for days, weeks, semesters…
whether it is because of schooling, work time tables or business trips.

For us, each semester is a wild card. Michael only takes one class each semester, but he works full-time.
This semester he has school in the afternoon on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday. He stays in Cambridge after class to do coursework and doesn’t get home until 9:00 those nights. Tuesday and Thursday he gets home at 7:00. Every day he tries to be out the door by 7:00. Saturday morning he has correlation with the missionaries; afterwards he takes time to tend to the other aspects of his calling, and tries to squeeze in some chores by the end of the day.

Whew. I can’t help but wonder who you feel sorry for after reading that: Michael or me or the kids? All of us?

We manage.

I won’t say we thrive during these semesters, but we survive.
Here’s some things that have helped us, especially since we have a new addition to our family this semester.


Get Engaged
Not married to a schedule (more like a routine with guidelines really). You want to be in love with it, but able to break the commitment if things don’t work out. Prioritize.
My day is divided into three hour chunks right now because that’s (give or take) the duration between Nate’s feedings. I don’t really need to schedule Nate’s day because he only does four things: eat, sleep, get changed, and be alert for an hour or two. These things I can work around. Caleb, on the other hand, has been rigid since birth. After Mike leaves at 7:00. Caleb plays by himself until I get Nate back to sleep then I spend quality time with Caleb no matter how small the quantity (some days he needs more of me, some days less). We read, build forts, sing songs, make collages, or he keeps me company while I do chores like laundry or cooking. Around 10:00 it is snack time. 11:30 lunch. 1:00-3:00 is “quiet time” which has been resulting in a nap recently for all three of us (most excellent). 5:00 dinner. 7:00 bed. Times are subject to change due to appointments, adventures, errands, illness, growth spurts and just plain grumpiness.


Family, isn’t it about time?
I’m pretty sure you haven’t seen this Homefront commercial before: where the mother and newborn get up by 5:00, the husband has his alarm set to 5:30, the toddler hobbles out of bed around 6:00. They get ready, eat breakfast, make lunches, read scriptures (most days) and have group family prayer. That’s our hour or so we get in the mornings together before Mike leaves for the day. It is strict because otherwise we don’t see each other until Saturday. We do group family prayer (when each family member gets to offer a prayer) because it allows us to come together and express gratitude, our concerns and love for each other. Find the time available as a family and emphasize it.
Here’s the motherload of all those fun commercials by the way (my favorite has always been “On Lookers”)
http://www.mormon.org/homefront/0,15902,3865-1,00.html

Every Day Romance
Show your husband that out of sight doesn't mean out of mind. I get my ideas from Love, Actually. Yesterday I wrote a note on our shower wall with dry erase markers: You are the bubbles to my soap! You get the idea. ;)

Planned Meals (of course)
One less thing I have to worry about.

Busy List
Make a list of activities you and the kids can do in times of antsy-ness. Here’s my list:

Fellow Suffer-gette
Get to know other women, not just women your age or with children the same age as yours, but from all walks of life. There’s an unwritten code in motherhood, you help the n00bs out. Whatever they may be new at. Whether it’s being a new mom or juggling two kids at the grocery store. Different women will be able to aid and enrich you in different ways.

So, yeah, those are the things working for us.
What has worked for you?
Please share and help a sister out! :)

Most Sweet

painting of Lehi's Dream by Steven Lloyd Neal
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

1 Nephi 8:11-12

The missionaries serving in our area have asked the members of our branch to include a brief written message and family photograph in Books of Mormon that they can place with people they come in contact with. A few weeks ago I sat down and wrote out this message in an attempt to be productive.
But it didn’t make the cut. It’s not really brief. It’s more blog than brief, so here it is:

My husband will eat 'most anything I cook without complaint. When newlywed, I attempted to make from scratch macaroni and cheese in our crock pot. The result was a horrific cheesy-scrambled-egg-and-over-cooked-pasta mess. At dinner I watched Michael take bite after bite without grievance. Finally, I dared to taste the concoction… and concluded either my husband was a talented actor or I married a man born without taste buds. After five years of marriage I now know it is the latter (he is genuine to a fault, and will eat ANYTHING, really).


So, “What does this have to do with the Book of Mormon?” you ask.

First, let me share with you some thoughts about this book.
The introduction to the Book of Mormon explains that the book tells us the way “to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come”. That way is through Jesus Christ. From the beginning to the end of the Book of Mormon, “we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, … that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Nephi 25:26) The Book of Mormon, just like the Bible, is another scriptural witness of Jesus Christ.
And, just like the Bible, the Book of Mormon is family oriented. In the Old Testament, the first man and woman—Adam and Eve—were a family. The history of Israel begins with the family of Abraham. The New Testament commences with the birth of Christ and Him being received into the family of Joseph and Mary.
Just like the Bible, the Book of Mormon begins with a family.

Why all this emphasis on the family? Good question. To answer simply: because the family is central to the Creator's plan. God established families to bring us happiness, to help us learn in a loving atmosphere, and to prepare us for eternal life.
Through reading the Book of Mormon a family and its members can reinforce their relationship with Jesus Christ and as a result strengthen other meaningful relationships.

With that said, our family has tasted of this book and its teachings. It has made us very happy.
We invite you to “try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5). Only through sampling the Book of Mormon can one know with certainty whether its teachings- Christ’s teachings- is for them.
In the case of the macaroni, my husband devoured it while I couldn’t manage more than a bite. But I tried it and then I knew.

It is our hope you try and know for yourselves.

And I would have included this photograph to prove I’m not a total pasta screw up. ; )
SO, what do you think?
And what ways are your
church units,
organizations
and families
sharing the Gospel?

Consider Yourself...

INVITED! . . .

Like many religions, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an infant naming ceremony known as a baby blessing.

Traditionally, giving a child a name and a blessing is done within the first few months of life. (Many think of the LDS baby blessing as an event that's just for babies, but any child under the age of eight can receive a similar blessing.) It’s customary, but not required, to dress the child in white. The child is usually blessed by her father or by another male member of the family who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood.

We perform these blessings to introduce the child to our community, to establish their name in church records, and bless them with certain strengths and attributes that will aid them throughout their life. For this reason, I try to jot down and record the blessing for the child.

The blessing can be performed in the intimacy of the family’s home (with permission from their bishop or branch president), but is typically preformed during sacrament meeting that's open to all church members and any guests whom have been invited to attend. Sacrament meeting is usually held during the first hour of the Mormon church service. Often, the blessing is done during the Fast and Testimony meeting which is held on the first Sunday of the month.

For Nathanael, Michael will be performing the blessing. We’ll ask other Melchizedek priesthood holders to join Michael in the ceremony. They will gather around and place their hands under the baby along with him as he gives the blessing. In the case of an older child, they would sit in a chair while the men place their hands lightly on the child’s head.

Michael will offer a prayer and a blessing.
He will:
1. Address Heavenly Father.

2. State that the blessing is given by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

3. Give our child a name.

4. Give a priesthood blessing as the Spirit directs.

5. And close in the name of Jesus Christ.

After the blessing, a church record is made for the child and a blessing certificate that we’ll receive as a keepsake.

There’s lots of other customs surrounding this occasion that are not written in any handbook, but have become expectations in some LDS communities. Such as: the mother sharing her testimony during the church meeting or having an open house or other gathering after church to celebrate.

You know me though; I’m not one for a lot of hoopla. : )
I don’t feel pressured to share my testimony or throw a get-together together ‘cause that’s what someone else with bigger chops decided to do. More power to you, but I prefer less work for me. ; )

Say you’ll come? Or just comment below about how rockin’ awesome my son’s name is (‘cause it is).