Praise and Encouragement

First of all, thanks to everyone for all of the positive comments since "going public" with the new blog! It's been very encouraging for me. Nice to know that some of you out there are experiencing some of the same things we go through on a daily basis. And my apologies to those of you emailed who attempted to post a comment and got rejected. I somehow had it set to where comments wouldn't post without my approval. I went in and changed it this morning so we should be all good now. And for everyone who asked, yes, our new laundry detergent does work! I know, I know. I say that as if I was expecting it not to work. Which I kind of was. I guess it's my mother's voice in the back of my head saying, "With some things, you get what you pay for." But in the case of the laundry detergent, by spending less, you definitely get more! Here's a link to a website that has several different recipes for homemade laundry detergent. If you feel so inspired, try one that sounds good to you! (http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/) .

So back to what I was saying earlier...the responses I received about some of the other posts on here were so encouraging to me! A few nights ago Mark and I had a heart to heart and I was trying to explain to him the solitude of being a stay-at-home mom. I'm a very social person. I love to talk. Probably too much. As if the rest of the world wouldn't want to hear my opinion! : )  But then, I've always known this about myself. One thing I didn't realize about myself before committing to the world of Kolbe and Reagan was how much I loved praise. And no, I'm not talking about Oh Laura! You're so wonderful! I'm in awe of your greatness! That's just awkward. Gross. I'm talking about little things. Good job! or Wow! You got that done quick! Just little affirmations that encouraged me to keep going. When I worked at the bank I got to hear these all the time. And when I was teaching it was more of the Thanks, Miss Hefferly! or Hey, Heff! that I relished from my students.

What a rude awakening stay-at-home-momship has been! The only time I hear Thanks from Kolbe is when I tell him to say it. Like 5 times in a row. Does hearing praise really mean that much to me? Is that what really kept me going all along? Come on. Admit it. We all like to know that we're doing well. I explained to Mark that when he comes home at the end of the day, he is often the only person I've spoken to the entire day. Literally. I'm not kidding. The only non-jibberish, coherent conversation! And so not only do I covet just the time spent talking, but his words of encouragement as well. I know that he doesn't see half of what goes on here day in and day out, but it still makes me beam like a kindergartener displaying his first finger painting when Mark tells me the house looks nice or dinner was yummy.

Don't get me wrong, when Kolbe runs up and give me a hug or when Reagan shoots me his irresistible smile, it's all the praise I need to keep on going. They are truly my reward for pretty much everything in life. But as their mother, I'm finding more and more that in order to be the best mom I can be, I've got to take care of myself too. And that means challenging myself, using my God-given talents, and connecting with other people. Maybe that's another reason why I started writing on here: hoping to connect. And probably why I felt so thrilled when I read several of your emails saying how you related to my stories. Since blogging and emailing often take up quite a bit of time, I've also tried to start texting more often. Those only take a few seconds but can mean so much. Heck, if we're going to pay for texting on our phones, why not use them to touch base with other friends or encourage someone else? For me, even just receiving a text that says Hey! is so exciting! Hark! Someone thought about me! And I tend to be thinking about other people I love too!

Once again, sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice. The day you find out you're pregnant, the sacrifice begins. Not just money, not just time, but a great deal of yourself. The little things you enjoyed that you didn't even realize you enjoyed. And yes, the insecurities do seem to creep in, but is it worth it? You betcha!