I panicked a little, y’all. The doctor said “you have a son” and my brain said “a boy?! I don’t know anything about what to do with a boy! How will I ever get this right?” Needless worry, it turned out—this kid is the entire reason “momma’s boy” is a cliche. Sixteen years that have come and gone in a blink later, I am so incredibly proud of the smart, funny, kind, and wonderful young man he has grown into, and so very happy I get to be his mom. My boy gives his all to every project, is a loyal friend, a gentle soul, a fiercely competitive athlete, a strong and resilient person, and a great brother. Happy, happy birthday to my only son, my favorite boy in the world, my little mini me who now delights in looking down at mom. Love you right up to the moon…and back. #writinglife #momlife #raisingteens #boymom #boymomlife #birthdays #growingup #notsolittleanymore #momsofbigs
It would be the worst. Just the worst. It happened to a friend of mine. A mom just like me. One morning, people appeared at her door. In uniforms. To tell her that her 22-year-old Navy Seal son had been killed. In combat. Just like that, he was gone. And she would not be able to say goodbye. NOT BE ABLE TO SAY GOODBYE. JUST THE ABSOLUTE WORST! Yes. A sign with his picture has been hung in our town on Main Street. Yes. An entire park with a special remembrance plaque has been named after him. Yes. There have been slews of medals given commemorating his life and service. But this mom is just like me in so many ways. She loved her boy from the first moment she laid eyes on him. She probably worried about all the mom things. She most likely struggled and was proud when he told her that he wanted to do what made his heart come alive, even though it might break her heart. My friend is a mom just like me. Today, I remember her son, but I ALSO remember his mom. Her still-grieving heart. Her boy. Her huge mom sacrifice. And today, when I look into each one of my kids' eyes, I will hug them tighter, soak in their presence and probably tell them "I love you" until they tell me to "STOP IT ALREADY!" How could I not? #momsofbigs #memorialday #matthewkantor
Hey moms, dads, and all-in-all good people 📣 Who knows about the Crisis Text Line? They’re on a mission to save the lives of kids who are struggling and we’re here for it. They’re also on our list of trusted mental health causes our proceeds benefit and, truth, we wish we’d known about them sooner. So, tell the kids in your life about the Crisis Text Line. Tell those kids to tell their friends. Life is good, but life is really hard when you’re growing up. #suicideprevention #crisistextline #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #happykids #raisingkids #griefcounseling #motherslove #raisingteens #neveralone #momsofbigs #momsupport #momsoflittles #happyhealthyhumans
#momsofbigs #memorialdayweekend
The woman inside the mother… What a profound thought. You exist, you are important and you are entitled to your own fulfillment. Surround yourself with incredible women who would give their life for their children but have realized the importance of personal strength, growth and purpose. If you see a mom struggling with her identity and purpose as her kids grow older reach out, grab hands and make plans, go for a walk, join a weekly activity, meet for lunch, build an empire together 👯👯♀️👯♂️
I wished for years to have a big enough table for my kids, their families, friends yet tonight as I sit and eat alone I would trade it for no table sitting on the floor and eating with a room full of people. Growing old isn’t for the weak. #momsofbigs
I was driving up the hill that leads to our home the other day, thinking about my four kids, and I just started to cry. Because you know... Each one of them is struggling... With something. Something that I can probably blame on myself. My lack of whatever. My too much of whatever. What I modeled. What they absorbed from said modeling. Too much helping. Not enough just "being." People-pleasing. Savior complexes. Workaholism. The "apple-doesn't-fall-far-from-the-tree" somethings. As I dug a little deeper, it struck me that some of what they are struggling with has NOTHING to do with me. NOT.A.DARN.THING. It comes from the fact that they are humans in a human world filled with all the human things. No one is not struggling. No one's life is up and to the right. No one doesn't feel the weight of the hard and the heavy. And my precious kids are part of that fragile humanity, one that is scary and gorgeous and awful and holy and every last thing in between. I thought when I had clarity in that moment that it wasn't ALL.MY.FAULT., the tears would dry up and I would pull into my driveway a little lighter. Instead, they flowed more freely and I had to stop and pull over. Because this whole bringing into and trying to raise and watching our kids navigate this beautiful mess of the world that we ALL live in isn't for the faint of heart. It's such a huge risk. It needs so much bravery. It requires being able to sit in the struggle and cry tears on your way up your hill in your car. As I sat to the side of the curb in stunned silence, the salty drops navigating their way down to my chin before I wiped them away, I couldn't help but think how so much of motherhood is done in the spaces where no one else is. Where it's just us. All by ourselves. Sometimes crying. Oftentimes praying. All the time loving. Not in the way we imagined at the start of it all. But in ALL.THE.WAYS. that matter in the end. #momsofbigs
#momsofbigs *unknown source*
Episode 45 will change how the believer looks at the potential of social media! What @melissaleahughes is doing on social media for Christ is SO encouraging! And 250k+ @tiktok followers can't be wrong! And let me tell you, she tells the BEST stories! From the FIRST day I saw what this woman was doing with her life and passion for the Lord, I was intrigued. And TBH, humbly challenged. Check our Melissa's story from church planter, childcare worker who wanted more, to author, businesswoman, appearing on @kellyclarksonshow twice, and woman who teaches others how to use their platform for God's glory. Listen wherever you get your podcasts @spotify @applepodcasts OR www.drivethrumoms.com/ #podcast #christianmomma #christianmommy #christianmomblog #christianmomsofinstagram #christianmomblogger #christianmommyblogger #christianmomandwife #christianmommas #christianmompreneur #christianmoms #christianmomlife #christianmom #christianpodcast #podcastersofinstagram #podcastlife #Jesuslovesyou #sahm #workingmom #workfromhome #lifewithpurpose #tiktokforchristians #tiktok #newmom #momsoflittles #momsofbigs #momsoftiktok #linkinbio #socialmedia
So hard for me!!! #momsofbigs #boundaries
#momsofbigs (adapted from Shel Silverstein)
"Convince me why I should have kids." That's how the call started out with a young friend. I was a little dumbstruck, if that's even possible for this chatty mom of four. Before opening my mouth and spewing all the reasons that flooded my brain, [it will be awesome you won't regret it how could you not? I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world] I just asked this simple question, "Why don't you want to?" She ran through a litany of reasons, [I'm too selfish What if I don't love them like every other parent? What if they grow up and do crazy things? I like getting sleep.] all of them completely valid points. We chatted some more and I assured her that if she goes ahead like she plans, she will be a great mom, she will love them, she will be okay and I will be here for her to cheer her on. But I felt like my reasons were lacking something. And I never ever want to put pressure on anyone to do something they don't want to do. I stewed on this for days: why should my friend, or anyone, have kids? After all, it isn't SAFE. It's risky. It's not like choosing a cereal choice, college, career path, or even a husband. Those choices come with lots of information ahead of time. Not so much with having kids. You get what you get and you can't send them back or choose differently. You are kind of stuck with what bursts out of your womb. It's also not EASY. It's the most difficult thing I've ever done. Sleepless nights (forever it seems). The utter lack of control. The worry. The constant worry. Crushing mom guilt. All the battles (inside and out). BUT...AND A HUGE BUT IT IS... I finally, after several chewing-on-it-a-whole-bunch, had something to tell my friend. It's why I had kids. Why I don't regret it for a minute. Why I secretly hope she takes the scary leap into the mom abyss. Why I want all my own kids to have some of their own. Why the mom collective welcomes every new member and we give each other the knowing glance across the room. It's true. It won't be safe. But this is also true. IT WILL BE GOOD. It's true. It won't be easy. But this is also true. IT WILL BE GOOD. PLAIN OLD GOOD. And GOOD wins by a landslide in the end. #momsofbigs
Guess what this means?? I’ll tell you in the comments in a little while! #momsofbigs
I would tell her to go to therapy sooner rather than later. #momadvice #momsofbigs
This is a hard one for me. I always want to try to save them. #momsofbigs
What if it's really okay? #momsofbigs
Monday! We’ve launched our kids with roots, wings and a toolkit! We’re grateful they still come home to visit our nest! With our three grandsons, and two grand-dogs! God is good:) ❤️🙏✝️🏡👦👶🏻👶🏻🍞🐻 #bonvoyage #roots #wings #toolkit #grateful #nest #visits #grandsons #grand-dogs #home #family #joy #momsofbigs
When you live a healthier lifestyle balance is key! This weekend, we splurged on Saturday, but dived right back into healthy swaps on Sunday for Mothers Day!🌼 We swapped fatty filled dipping chips for crisp, fresh squash and zucchini. Good news, it's family approved!🤪 So, whether you are a young mom or an experienced mom, it's never too late to try new things! #momsofbigs #momlife #HealthyChoices #nutrition #veggies #freshfood #veggiesfirst #waterfirst #HealthyChoices #healthjourney
How about you? What do you say to the moms with littles? #momsofbigs
Then and now. I started a no makeup or filter yearly photo with my kids when they were little. I wanted to be able to look back and see how we have grown and changed together. It goes by so fast😭 #mothersday #momsofbigs
Mother's Day is messy. It's wonderful for many of us and also TOUGH for SO many of us. There are those of us who have great MOMS who love us and our relationship with them is sweet, the kind of sweet that we never ever take for granted. Mother's Day is a celebration of all that goodness. BUT there are also those of us whose mom is gone...probably too soon...and the pain is palpable still. Or she's toxic and we have this strange, confusing, very hard way to navigate what, if any, kind of relationship we should have with her. Or we've been adopted and even though our adoptive mom is wonderful, we still feel abandoned and unloved way down deep inside, and we just can't shake it. There are those of us who have wonderful KIDS who cherish us and we just couldn't be more grateful for them, no matter if they are 8 or 38. Mother's Day is a delight and a reminder of all that is "right in our world." BUT there are also those of us who have lost a child...and the grief still overwhelms us even on our best days. It's just NOT right at all. Or we have never been able to be pregnant, our dreams shattered one by one, month after month. Or we ourselves had to make the horrible decision to give up our baby and put them into the hands of another to raise, our hearts still broken and wondering what they look like and who they have become. Or our child is unreachable and we don't know our next right step, our tears flowing freely and often. There are those of us who have some weird combination of all of these, leaving us grateful and angry, delighted and depressed all at once. Mother's Day is messy. Yet we wake up every year on that second Sunday in May, still our sacred selves, with our own unique stories, and remember that mother is not just a noun. It's a verb, a call to action and life and love. We've all been mothered by those who care for us, "see us through," hold our hearts, cheer us on, delight in us. And we've all mothered others. We've cared. We've held. We've cheered. We've delighted. We've loved. Isn't that what this very messy day is REALLY all about?!? #momsofbigs #mothersday *also published on my @momsofbigs page*
Mother's Day is messy. It's wonderful for many of us and also TOUGH for SO many of us. There are those of us who have great MOMS who love us and our relationship with them is sweet, the kind of sweet that we never ever take for granted. Mother's Day is a celebration of all that goodness. BUT there are also those of us whose mom is gone...probably too soon...and the pain is palpable still. Or she's toxic and we have this strange, confusing, very hard way to navigate what, if any, kind of relationship we should have with her. Or we've been adopted and even though our adoptive mom is wonderful, we still feel abandoned and unloved way down deep inside, and we just can't shake it. There are those of us who have wonderful KIDS who cherish us and we just couldn't be more grateful for them, no matter if they are 8 or 38. Mother's Day is a delight and a reminder of all that is "right in our world." BUT there are also those of us who have lost a child...and the grief still overwhelms us even on our best days. It's just NOT right at all. Or we have never been able to be pregnant, our dreams shattered one by one, month after month. Or we ourselves had to make the horrible decision to give up our baby and put them into the hands of another to raise, our hearts still broken and wondering what they look like and who they have become. Or our child is unreachable and we don't know our next right step, our tears flowing freely and often. There are those of us who have some weird combination of all of these, leaving us grateful and angry, delighted and depressed all at once. Mother's Day is messy. Yet we wake up every year on that second Sunday in May, still our sacred selves, with our own unique stories, and remember that mother is not just a noun. It's a verb, a call to action and life and love. We've all been mothered by those who care for us, "see us through," hold our hearts, cheer us on, delight in us. And we've all mothered others. We've cared. We've held. We've cheered. We've delighted. We've loved. Isn't that what this very messy day is REALLY all about?!? #momsofbigs #mothersday
Right?? 😂 ME: "Just give me a minute to grab some toothpicks to hold my eyes open." MY TEENAGER: "Here's EVERY freaking detail of what happened today." (We secretly love it, right!?) . . . #soundsaboutright #lifewithteens #lifewithteenagers #itstrue #itsfunnybecauseitstrue #momsofbigs #mommsofbigkids #honestmommin #mumsofteenagers #mylifestory #dadsofteenagers #itslate #teenbrain #honestmommin #lols #funnymumquote #mommemes #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodintheraw #raisingteenstoday
Follow me my @michellevillarreal263 💦 baby I will say to you. Do you miss me? Open the url below and find me 💝 #ZhaoLiying #赵丽颖 #atomicbettievintage #americandaydreamantiques #midcenturyandmonsters #monstermashdishes #kitsch #hongdae #everydayishalloween #hongdaestreet #夫婦 #永遠の愛 #millirey #motherofdaughters #lovemillirey #blessedandgrateful #grandparentsraisinggrandkids #handcutpaper #daysofsmallthings #papersculpture #momsofbigs #tinyworld #architecturalmodel #architecturemodel #modernminiatures #liamneeson #irish_daily #irishnames #colbertlateshow #girlymakeup
Funny and @marie_pena8 👩 optimistic? In my profile url here. ❤️ Spank me daddy #atomicbettievintage #americandaydreamantiques #midcenturyandmonsters #monstermashdishes #kitsch #hongdae #everydayishalloween #hongdaestreet #夫婦 #永遠の愛 #millirey #motherofdaughters #lovemillirey #blessedandgrateful #grandparentsraisinggrandkids #handcutpaper #daysofsmallthings #papersculpture #momsofbigs #tinyworld #architecturalmodel #architecturemodel #modernminiatures #liamneeson #irish_daily #irishnames #colbertlateshow #girlymakeup
Go follow @empoweredmomsandkids right now! She has so much good stuff for #momsofbigs !!