True

Five Minute Friday Prompt:

Go

I washed dishes 11 times today.

Yes, you read that right.

I stood at my kitchen sink 11 times and washed plastic cups and plates, metal forks and spoons, glass plates, pots and tupperware.

I fixed 13 meals today. This doesn't count the snacks I got off the top shelf.

I wiped 5 faces clean today. Those messy cheez-it grins, milk mustaches, and spaghetti-ridden lips.

As I washed those dishes for the eleventh time I listened to Bryan talk to our oldest about his Cub Scout code. They talked about honor, trust and the dangers of child abuse.

I cringed when the words were stated so blatantly. I walked over and sat on the couch as my husband asked our 8-year-old some really hard questions.

My pulse quickened at the mention of what other people do to children just like mine. I acted out a scene where I was the stranger running after my son begging him to come with me because I had candy to share.

I watched my 3 children stare back at me as I explained how to run away from  someone who could potentially take them away forever.

The everyday of washing dishes may seem boring. Wiping mouths and preparing meals can get downright tiresome and repetitive.

But tonight I thank God with every ounce of energy I have that my children are safe and I have the ability to wash their dishes, prepare their meals and clean their beautiful faces when their bellies nice and full.

That is the TRUE in my house tonight.

STOP 



Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker tonight and many other bloggers to write for five minutes with no editing involved. Won't you join us?

When She Entered My World

Five Minute Friday Prompt: She

Go

I watch as she sits with her dolls. Her blonde bangs slightly cover her blue eyes and I smile. I'm amazed at her strength, her beauty, her confidence.

She grew in my stomach for nine long months. I felt her kick, turn, and move in ways I never knew a baby could. I birthed her without drugs, screaming in pain and writhing with the aches from my body to get her out. She came quickly and her cry pierced my soul.

She sang to me when I fed her real food for the first time.

She laughed when I blew on her belly.

She said Momma and my heart melted.

This little girl took my breath away the moment she entered my world.

Next month Shelby will be six and my life is so much brighter because of her.

I watch her with play with those dolls and pray she hangs onto her Creator when times get tough. I hope she is a loving friend, and encourager, a prayer warrior.

More than anything else, I pray she is proud to have me as her momma.


Stop



Linking up with Lisa-Jo and other lovely bloggers to write for 5 minutes with no editing.

Red

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Red

Go

I can picture the red accents in my mother's kitchen. The flowers behind the glass cabinet door, the plate decorated with red circles and squares, the toaster that sat on the granite counter.

I see this vision in my mind and I'm brought back to a place of peace and comfort. This kitchen holds so many memories for me. It was redone after I moved out once but then it became my place of work when my children and I moved back in.

I fed babies in that kitchen, taught two of my little ones how to eat solid food sitting in the tall green stool. The brown table held 30+ years of meals, tears, laughter, and arguments. The walls were tinted with splashes of spaghetti sauce.

My kids celebrated 9 birthdays in that kitchen all  together.

They would shuffle around my feet as I fixed macaroni and cheese for the hundredth time and served cereal in plastic bowls I ate out of when I was their age. We danced around the island to relieve stress and I laid on the counter crying when life didn't make sense.

It's also where I served Bryan his first home cooked meal prepared with anxious hands and a nervous heart.

Mom said she never felt like a decorator, many times she asked my sister and I what colors went together. The kitchen was her project and she made it a place I will always remember. The red grabbed   visitors when they entered the room but the color captured my heart.


Stop




Joining Lisa-Jo Baker  and other bloggers to write for five minutes without any major editing or refining. The point is to write what's on you heart and share.

Let Them Fly

A few days ago two of my children went back to school. I was so excited for them but when the morning arrived I felt a mixture of strong emotions: gratitude, joy, happiness, and extreme sadness. 

When my oldest started school four years ago I needed him to be there. As a single mom of three little ones I was overwhelmed, overworked, and in desperate need of some rest. When I dropped my baby off at kindergarten I felt sweet relief by this new season in our lives. It wasn't that I wanted him away from me we just both needed structure, we needed time apart, and I had two other children to mother along with completing graduate work and running a household.

 As I put my children on the bus I felt the heartbreak of letting go for the first time. I've always put on a brave face when they reached milestones and never allowed myself to feel those normal mom emotions of wanting my children to stay young forever. I always nurtured the desire for them to spread their wings and be more independent.

 Bryan proudly stood next to Gabe in their "first day of school" photo and I realized how very lucky we are to be a complete family. Bryan missed out on many of our children's firsts and I was so happy he was there to wish Gabe good luck. I posted several photos during the day and Bryan shared with me later how he anticipated the arrival of each one.

 When I allowed myself to feel the emotions of the day I felt justified in the sadness, the joy, and the in-between. The beauty of life is found when we allow ourselves to experience the emotions inside ourselves and give them a name. It is equally important to not let those same emotions take over our hearts and invade the places where God has placed hope in our paths.

Seasons change, children grow, and motherhood is among the most noble and gut-wrenching roles a woman can pursue. I love the following words from a beautiful Christian role model about her role as Mom:

If I cannot give my children a perfect mother I can at least give them more of the one they've got-and make that one more loving. I will be available. I will take time to listen, time to play, time to be home when they arrive from school, time to counsel and encourage.

Ruth Bell Graham

What a beautiful testament to give our children. We cannot be perfect mothers but we can give them roots to stay grounded and wings to fly. *Tweet This* We can provide them with a loving environment and the tools to live as sons and daughters of the Light. We can show them real emotion and how to handle their own experiences. And while I try to teach my children about life they teach me what it's really all about: holding on and letting go.



Linking up with A Royal Daughter, Simply Helping Him, Mel at Essential Thing Devotion and Christian Mommy Blogger


Now it's your turn! What are your experiences with letting your children experience certain things? Is it hard for you to let go?

Lonely

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Lonely

GO

My little boy stood at the back door staring out the small square window. In his torn blue jeans and faded striped shirt he waited.

I looked at the disheveled red hair in need of a trim. He hated when I cut his hair.

I knew where his mind was and part of me didn't want to ask for fear he would say the words I dreaded to hear. I continued to wash the dishes and ask him about dinosaurs.

He answered me quietly, never turning around. "Yes mama, I think the t-rex has big teeth. Yes mama, he has little arms."

I dried my hands off, walked over to him, and turned his frail little body toward mine. I asked him what he was doing. "I'm waiting for him to come back." *Click to Tweet*

I didn't know quite what to say. I wasn't sure if he would ever come back either. I hugged my baby and said, "You'll always have me."

He smiled and turned back to the window.

Stop

*Note: This moment happened four years ago this summer when my first husband left. We were all devastated, especially my oldest. God has done an incredible work in all our lives and I'm grateful for the places he brought us through. I have since remarried and we will begin the adoption process around the new year to make Bryan the children's legal father. He treats them like they are his own and loves them fiercely. I could not ask for anything more.



Joining Lisa-Jo Baker for the chance to write without any major editing. She provides the prompt, we provide the raw material. Join us!

In One Moment

There is a fine balancing act needed in the life of a mother. We are pulled in many directions not only by our children but also our world. It can be very tiring, trying to make it all work and sometimes the essence of our Christian life gets shuffled to the side.

As Christ followers we are called to have quiet time with God. In the book of Matthew we are told:

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees you in secret will reward you."

When we seek Him out for guidance and encouragement He hears our calls and gives us peace and hope.*Click to Tweet!*

But what happens when a child has been up sick all night, or when an extremely hectic morning happens and nothing goes right? Our quiet time can get lost and then we believe God is disappointed in us.

Has there been a time where you felt discouraged about not meeting God with bible, journal, and coffee (or whatever beverage you fancy) in hand?

I certainly have!

Thankfully God is available to us whenever and wherever we can meet with Him. There are plenty of places in scripture that give us other examples of how to meet with God.

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

"And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought to always pray, and not to faint;" 
 Luke 18:1

"The Lord is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth." Psalms 145:18

"I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting." 1Timothy 2:8 

God wants to commune with us every moment of the day. When you are feeding your baby, teaching your kindergartener how to read, or washing the overflowing pile of dirty dishes. He desires a relationship with us that is continually working for our good and His glory.

So in one moment we can whisper words of humility and grace.

In one moment we can worship by lifting our hands and saying thank you.

We can remember who's in charge while our houses are a mess and thank Him for the children who bring joy to our hearts.

In one moment we can fulfill our desire to have quiet time with the One who created us. God understands our days. He wants an authentic relationship with us, not something so planned out that we feel like a failure when we cannot meet our own over-the-top expectations.

God desires quiet time with us and it is vital to maturing in our walk with the Him. But don't let life pass you by without encountering God during the every day moments.

Invite God into your mess and give Him the chance to help you make sense of it all.*Click to Tweet!*

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6 



Linking up with Hope For the Weary Mom and My Freshly Brewed Life

The Traveling Husband

Dear Weary Mom,

I have had some major anxiety the past few days. My husband is leaving us this evening and will be gone for 4 days. I am going to miss him terribly and cannot wait until Sunday when we pick him up from the airport.

Can I be honest and say I don't like being a single mom?

I.don't.like.it.at.all.

When B travels it reminds me of when I was mothering my children as a single parent. The days were long and tiring. I had no spouse to rely on and many nights I felt completely alone. My mind seemed to be in constant motion, always wondering what would happen next. I feared the future, mourned over the past, and moved through each day wondering if this was all my life was.

One day I found the story of Hagar and Abraham in Genesis and it caught my attention. I could relate to Hagar's feelings of rejection and sadness.

Hagar is Sarah's servant and the woman Sarah chose for her husband, Abraham, to have a baby with. Sarah and Abraham were told by God they would eventually have a child but they did not wait on His timing. Sarah told Abraham to sleep with Hagar and then became angry about her decision. She mistreated Hagar and the slave fled. Hagar was then visited by an angel in the wilderness and asked where she was going. 

Hagar shared that she was running away from her mistress. The angel of the Lord told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." The angel added, "I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count." Then the angel told her, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your misery." Genesis 16:9-11

Then Hagar gave the Lord a name to be remembered throughout history. She said, "You are the God who sees me, I have now seen the One who sees me." Click to Tweet!

He sees ME and He sees YOU.

He sees our worn out, tired hearts and the heavy burdens on our shoulders that too often we try to carry alone.

Some of you may have a spouse who travels every week or is deployed overseas. You may be a single mom for the first time and feel completely overwhelmed at facing this season in life alone.

Wherever you are in your walk through motherhood God knows right where you are. There is no problem too complicated for God if you are willing to let him help you.



Linking up with Hope For the Weary Mom andHearts For Home Blog Hop, and Transformed Tuesdays

It All Matters

Dear Weary Momma,

I have these moments when I believe the lie that my work at home does not matter. Three children can make plenty of mess and the food they eat is enough to nourish a small army. Meal after meal, after meal, they keep coming back for more. They never seem completely satisfied.

I can't even count how many times today I've told my son to stop sucking his thumb. It's so hard for me Mom, I can't stop. I feel for him in that second, that moment because I know what it feels like for life to be hard. I understand wanting to give up on working so hard for something that seems unattainable.

In between the cereal, the snotty noses, the cries for more TV, and the sicknesses which seem everlasting, I want to believe it doesn't matter because then I don't have to work hard to make it feel better. I can sit back and tell myself it's not important what my children eat, how I look when my husband comes home, or if the laundry has been done.

There are times when we need to let certain chores go to the side. When your children are hurting or just need a comforting squeeze telling them they are enough, lay down the dishes. Whisper the truth into their little ears and tell them what you already know: THEY MATTER.

And so do you.

You matter to the One who created you. He has given you this role of motherhood not because it is easy, but because He created you to live it out. We are raising the next generation of ladies and gentlemen and that is no easy task. God calls us Mommas to teach our children how to love others while leaning on Him for understanding.

I've tried to do this Momma job on my own and it didn't work out too well. I listened to the words of the enemy telling me I'm not cut out for mothering, for molding my children, for this life.

I know the lies are not true. I know God is bigger than anything I can imagine or live for and I know He designed me to be a mother.

And He designed you for the same purpose.





Linking up with Hope For the Weary Mom,  A Royal Daughter, and Where He Leads We Follow

Picture Me {Im} Perfectly

Blog Planner from How They Blog

The last month has been a whirlwind. My hidden OCD has been shifted into overdrive with all of this blogging and some days I want to quit. Blog stats, tweets, link-ups, HTML code...these things drive me crazy!

My husband works late nights sometimes so I am home with the kids all day long. It can be tiring, frustrating, and extremely rewarding.

Meanwhile my laptop has become my best friend and, some days, my worst enemy. I stare at it just knowing there is something more I could do with it.

My son asks me if I am a writer and I stumble over my words. I guess so, but I don't have a book or anything. His reply: So what? You are typing words and someone reads it, right? Then you're a writer. I want to be one too. 

Wow, out of the mouths of babes.





Linking with Splashin' Glory and Capturing Motherhood, and Katherine's Corner

That Boy

Do you see that boy waving? His name is Jonah and he was a surprise.

I already had a boy and a girl, I felt our family was complete. God had other plans.

When I discovered I was pregnant for the third time I was in shock.

This cannot be happening, I don't want another baby. I'm tired of changing diapers, filling up bottles, getting no sleep, feeling like a human incubator. 

This little boy came into the world on my bed. My midwife lifted him up and laid him gently on my chest. He grunted a little and squeezed my finger as I stared in amazement.

For 45 minutes he laid on me without so much as a whimper. We were connected by so much more than the obvious and my heart felt it.* Click to Tweet!

This little boy changed my life. He lived through his biological father leaving and me beginning and completing graduate school. He made it through his brother and sister tackling him and smothering him with kisses.

The only home he knew until a year ago was the one I grew up in with my parents and sister. He slept in a pac-n-play until nine months old when I finally transitioned my daughter out of the crib.

God brought this little boy (and the rest of us) a man who would become their father in every sense of the word. He captured our hearts by the love and loyalty he showed us and still carries this little boy through the zoo as pictured above.

Jonah Collin has given me more love than I could ever imagine. He's taught me to open my heart wider  and to be ready for God to fill up those empty spaces.

He's my Jonah Bug.




Linking up with Crystal Stine for Behind the Scenes. Come see what others share about the stories behind their photos.


Also linking up with More to Be where others are sharing how God has transformed their lives and given them hope.

Belong

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Belong

Go

It's amazing how one little word can take me back to a memory so painful, so deep, and yet so misunderstood that I can't think about anything else.

I took my three children to the Nashville zoo on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in 2010. I was single mom then and doing anything successfully with a 13 month old, 2.5 year old, and 5 year old was a great accomplishment for me.

As I pushed the double stroller filled with sippy cups, diapers, wet wipes, Gerber puffs,  fruit, and of course my kids, I noticed something.

There were so many FAMILIES all around us. Men and women with small children and big children. Holding hands, laughing, showing one another the animals, and just enjoying their time together. Grandparents with grandkids buying ice cream and stuffed animals, people gathering on the grassy hill to picnic, and kids playing chase around the laid-out blankets.

My mind began to race as I felt inadequate to care for these children in front of me. We weren't there with anyone but ourselves. Jonah (my youngest) began to cry, then Shelby (my middle) started kicking the foot her seat, and Gabe (my oldest) let go of the stroller and threw a full-on, ugly cry temper tantrum.

I was able to calm them all down and we went home shortly after this.

Looking back, I felt like I didn't belong anywhere. I wasn't a wife, our family wasn't complete, and my children were missing an integral part of their childhood: their father.

Now I view that day as a life lesson.

Instead of feeling outside the box, I know I was smack dab in the middle.

I belonged with my children and I was right where God wanted me.

Stop

Linking up with Lisa Jo Baker and Simply Helping Him

When My Day is Done

Dear Weary Mom,

After the kids go to bed another part of my day begins. This is my time to reflect on everything that went on, planned or not.

I think about how I reacted to my youngest boy having a meltdown at the pool, the way I dealt with my daughter falling off her bike, and what I said to my oldest son who needs a lot of redirection.

Then my minds drifts to my husband and how we haven't had a complete conversation since he walked through the door two hours before. I want to share my whole day with him but we're both exhausted. We tell each other highlights and then he watches TV while I work on my blog.

I read other blogs, reply to comments on recent posts, search endless tutorials for extra ways to be "better", connect on Twitter, check Facebook, and then read emails.

I do not slow down until my head hits the pillow and even then I'm planning the next day. Where are we going to play? What should I make for dinner? What chores need to be done?

Before I had children I planned everything. Now that I have three planning is more of a wish than anything.

We moms do a lot of repetitive work to keep our house moving.

 The daily grind of everyday things becomes tiring. We try to get by without adding anything else to our already filled-to-the-brim plates. The night escapes from us too quickly and we wake up to do it all over again.

We.Need.Rest.

Did you read the line above??

WE.NEED.REST.

In the book of Mark the story of Jesus feeding five thousand is miraculous. I can only imagine the excitement the apostles experienced as they handed out fish, after fish, after fish. They must have been elated to be with Jesus during those moments, probably a little nervous too. This man was doing amazing things right in front of them!

Look at Mark 6:30-32

"The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.' So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place."

After all of the day's excitement Jesus knew he and his friends needed QUIET and REST. 

I read these words and think of how much I try to squeeze into my day instead of resting a little and then working, resting a little more and then working a little more.  Jesus knew what he needed and made it happen.

Weary mommas, let's take some time to rest, be still, and ready ourselves for what is next on the to-do list. We know our list doesn't end but we can be more prepared to serve our family and ourselves. 

Linking up today with Hope For the Weary Mom, A Royal Daughter, Christian Mommy Blogger, and Essential Thing Devotions

Behind the Scenes: My First Mom Community

In the summer of 2006 my little family moved to Gulfport, MS because of a job opportunity for my first husband. We had been through a lot the year before and saw this move as a fresh start.

My ex-husband began working 18 hour days rebuilding the casinos that were destroyed by Katrina. Gabe (my oldest) and I spent most of our time at the apartment pool and then visited with my aunt and uncle on the weekends. I loved these moments with them but felt a strong desire to meet other moms and begin some sort of playgroup.

I began attending the weekly story time at Barnes and Noble and worked up the courage to ask another mom what her name was and how she had met other moms in the area. Little did I know that beautiful Cuban woman would become my "partner in crime" (in a good way, of course!).

We then reached out to other moms at libraries, parks, and even the Chick-Fil-A play area. After 5  months we had created a group with around 15 actively participating moms. Over 3/4 of our members had moved to the Gulfport area within the past year and had little or no local family support.

We quickly became each other's family, bringing meals to our moms with new babies, scheduling several play dates a week, hosting family get-togethers, and doing fun activities with the kids.

There was also a private website where we created a safe place for the ladies in our group to communicate their frustrations and joys about motherhood, marriage, family, and whatever else we wanted to share. We even read a few books together and had some great discussions.

I spent a year-and-a-half with these women. I dedicated the majority of my time to loving them, rooting them on in the everyday happenings of life, and had found some great sisters to share my insecurities and fears with without feeling judged. And really, they supported me through more than I ever helped them.

I learned so much from each of the women in this precious group and when I look back on our time together I know God orchestrated it all. We were a group of outsiders looking for a way to fit in with a community that was trying to rebuild. And in the process our families flourished and so did our friendships.

Spring 2008 rolled around and Arianna and I were both moving our families away from the area. It was heartbreaking for us and I remember crying during our last family cookout because I knew things would never be the same. We were excited about our new adventures but knew there was a real possibility we would never see our fellow moms again.

I look back on those times and I feel incredibly blessed to have met, connected, and experienced the love from these women who just wanted to be around other moms and feel accepted. We experienced new births, miscarriages, husband job promotions, and baby milestones, TOGETHER.

One of my goals in the next five years is to be a part of a worldwide group of encouraging women who touch others' lives in ways I never dreamt of 7 years ago. This group helped me take my first step in the process and I didn't even know it.

We all have to start somewhere, right?!

 

Linking up today with Crystal Stine/Behind the Scenes and Where He Leads

Five Minute Friday: Present

In my present I am a wife and mother. My children take up most of my day and then the evenings are dedicated to family time.

My present is settling our family into new routines, getting acclimated to a new town, and working toward new goals for myself.

My present is about giving control to my Father and allowing Him to work in my life. This has not always been the case and I'm learning to just. trust. Him.

Being present means looking into my children's eyes. This makes all the difference.

In my present I am understanding how to be a godly wife and serve my husband the best way possible. I don't always succeed but the effort is there and I'm a work in progress.

My present is to purposely live each day and not get caught up in the things of this world but to remember my time is a gift.

I do not want to search for my present in the future or look back and wish I could change its' past.

I am here now. Present in the life God has given me.

Linking up with Lisa Jo for her Five Minute Friday series and Christian Mommy Blogger for Fellowship Fridays, and Be Simply Better for Faithful Friday.

My Laundry is Never Done

I want to tell you a secret: My laundry is never done. There is always at least one dirty cloth in my home. This fact used to bother me in a major way. I believed I wasn't measuring up to my own expectations of being a stay-at-home mom.

Before my children came along I thought I understood what it was like to care for another person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I thought it would be easy to stay home, take care of a baby, clean, cook, run errands, pay bills, and be a fabulous wife.

Eight years later I am finally accepting the reality of my motherhood journey.

My home will not be without mess. Some nights cereal will be the main course. There will always be clothes to wash, fold, and put away. I will sometimes feel tired, overwhelmed, frustrated, and ready to hide away in the bathroom (which has happened frequently over the years!).

There is also plenty of life to celebrate.

I have a pretty awesome husband, healthy children, a home to live in, more than enough food, a vehicle, church, family, friends, electricity, water, clothes...the list is endless.

God does not promise to give us an easy life.

Motherhood is hard work. You know this my friend.

What He does promise is to never leave us. He will provide the life we need and then we choose our response to Him.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

My life will never be perfect but I can choose to see the joy in my never-ending laundry and the Lucky Charms my children are happy to eat for dinner. I am showing my children that life does not need to be perfected but accepted as a journey filled with beauty and messiness. 

Remember Momma, you are the princess of a King. He does not want you weary, He hopes you will lean into Him for the energy and joy to get through each day. 

Choose to walk with Christ and you will be sustained.



Q2Y: How do you find joy in your imperfect days?

Linking up with Hope For the Weary Mom, Thursday Favorite Things, Desire to Inspire

Changing My Evening Attitude

Evenings are difficult for me. After being with kids all day I am tired, a little grumpy, and just plain irritable.

I'm not the best with time management. This in one of the biggest reasons I get moody once 4:30 rolls around. I will give myself some grace and admit that with a huge life change occurring (we moved from Tennessee to Ohio about six weeks ago) it takes time to adjust.

The only problem with having an *evening attitude* is this: the people in my house are largely affected by my disposition.

My husband works long hours right now because he's the new guy at work and still learning the ins and outs of the business. He comes home worn out most days and I usually greet him with a measly peck kiss and a quick, How was your day? I can see this disappointment on his face sometimes because he knows I'm in a mood.

My kids can sense the slightest change in the air and grab hold of it with their little iron fists. When my mood changes so does theirs, especially my oldest.

This problem has been nagging at me for some time now and I really just need to change my attitude.

While searching scripture for encouragement I came across this little nugget of wisdom from Proverbs 19:13 - "A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping." 

YIKES

I do not like the sound of water constantly dripping from a leaky faucet. It's annoying. It means maintenance needs to be performed somewhere along the system and if the dripping is not addressed the water can potentially cause major damage.

I don't want to be the dripping water in my home. I want to greet my husband with a genuine smile, kiss, and listen to his story.

My children need to see their mother making it through dinner without losing her temper.

These are hard things to admit! Yet I find myself sharing this because I believe we all have an area where we may be the "constant dripping".

So how can I change?

Some things come to mind right way:  make time to pray, remember who I'm serving, develop some time management skills, take deep breaths throughout the day, and just have a good attitude.

Q2Y:  How do you cultivate a good attitude for the evening?

Linking up with Women Living Well, The Better Mom, Rachel Wojo, and Raising Arrows