Feathers in Our Nest

a blog about faith, family, food, & more written by a wife and stay at home mom of five

Saving My Sanity: Onions, Sundays, & Boredom

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I’m back today with three more homemaking/parenting tips for you!  Again, these aren’t in a particular order.

– Cut an onion underneath the vent above the stove
I turn the stove hood vent on high and cut onions underneath it to help reduce the watery eyes that usually come with this activity.  Another bonus tip: rub your hands on something stainless steel (like a sink) to remove the smell of onions or garlic from your hands and fingertips!

– Prepare for Sundays on Saturday nights
I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s been revolutionary for our family, so I deemed it worth mentioning again.  On Saturday nights, I prepare as much as possible for Sunday morning.  I lay out the girls clothes (and accessories, like tights and shoes), as well as choose my outfit.  I pack the girls’ backpacks so they are ready to go (complete with Bibles and offering).  I try to make sure the kitchen is cleaned up and ready for breakfast the next morning.  Bonus points if I remember to set up and program the coffee pot!

– I’m trying to teach my children that sometimes it’s okay to be bored
While I do pack books for long car rides, if we’re just going a short distance (or even an hour or two), I don’t feel the need to keep my kids constantly entertained.  Sometimes it’s okay to just sit and look out the window!  I also don’t pack a lot of activities for doctor’s appointments, etc.  We talk or play “I Spy” in the waiting room, but I want them to learn that this is a doctor’s appointment, not a circus.  It’s important for me to work with my girls on being patient and understanding that not everything in life revolves around them!

Do you have any tips to share today?

I Will Remember

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Most days are quite busy for me lately, with an active almost-two-year-old and a social four-month-old who has learned to roll/propel herself off of the bed. Some days I feel like I barely have a chance to breathe, let alone “savor every moment.”

But the truth is, this season is fleeting.  Every season is.

Saturday I forced myself to slow down a bit and to savor the sweetness of who Cordelia is this month. I took some photos of her to help me remember what I love about her right now. (Perhaps if I can chain Vera down long enough, I can take some photos of her this week as well.)

Cordelia, I will remember how much you love to make eye contact with me & Daddy.

I will remember your sweet smile that breaks forth so easily.

I will remember how happy you are, and your lovely content personality.

I will remember your chubby arms, legs, and tummy.

I will remember the funny faces you make.

I will remember your tiny hands that curl around my fingers and hair.

Those eyes! Oh, I will remember those eyes.

I will remember your soft, fuzzy head and your hair that has continued to lighten since your birth.

I will remember your lips, which are so perfectly pink.

I will remember how strong your head is as you lie on your tummy looking around the room in wonder.

I will remember your curiosity and alertness.

I will remember how you roll to your tummy every chance you get.

I will remember how you crane your head to see us when we talk to you from across the room.

I will remember how you chew on your toes with delight.

I will remember that perpetual line of drool descending from your chin.

I will remember your “coo’s.”

I will remember your creamy, perfect complexion.

I will remember how much you love to stick out your tongue at us.

I will remember those cheeks.

I will remember your sweet nose.

I will remember the thrill you give me every time you smile.

Cordelia, I will always remember how blessed I am to be your mother.  While this season is busy (and looks to get only busier!), I would not for a moment have it any other way.

Motherhood Is a Mission Field!

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Last week, I read an incredibly encouraging article about motherhood.  It is written by Rachel Jankovic, author of Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches (and boy, is she in the trenches, as she has five children age 5 and under!), which I briefly reviewed here.

Here’s one part of the article that I loved (emphasis mine):

If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church.
At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.
There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.

Isn’t that profound?  I just love the whole article, so definitely take the time to read it all here!

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