I worked for 4 years at an orthopedic doctor's office. I loved it. I loved the doctors. I loved learning medicine. I loved the patients. I loved my co-workers. I loved that job.
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| These are most of my old co-workers. My girls. Family. |
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| You can see why I love them. They're cray-cray. |
I really thought I would work there forever. But God had a different plan for me...
In our house, we always talk about keeping our palms open. What we mean is that we hold everything loosely. We don't hold onto anything too tight. We hold out our dreams, our plans, our expectations, our talents, our lives to God. We hold these things openly for God to do with them what he will, for his glory and his purpose.
A little over a year ago, God called me out of orthopedics and into a new chapter. Ministry.
I have never worked harder, never been more motivated, never been more excited, never been more tired, and never had more joy than what I have experienced in the last 12 months. It's been a great first year.
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| My "new" co-workers. Fellow laborers in the Lord. I love them all so much. |
But like any "working Mom" there is a fine balance. A fine balance of wearing a lot of different hats. Wife hat. Mom hat. Employee hat. Friend hat. Leader hat. Follower hat. I don't always get those hats right. Sometimes I wear one hat a little too long, or a little too short, and the balance becomes unbalanced really quick. It takes a lot of prayer, a lot of team-work with my hubby, and a whole lot of grace to keep up this balance. I'm sure all moms can relate.
This past week I had the opportunity to take the majority of the week off. And it was my girls' Easter break.
I had a big "to do" list that I had been formulating in my mind all weekend. Clean out the closets. Do the laundry. Re-arrange our wall gallery. Hang the new art in the hallway. Clean the carpets....etc., etc., etc. You get the idea.
But on Sunday night as I laid in bed, formulating my game-plan to conquer my growing "to do" list, another thought entered my mind: be with your children. So I stopped dead in the tracks of my mind. I took a deep breath and realized, I hadn't given my week to the Lord. I was charging full-steam ahead into my endless "to do" list without even keeping my palms open to the Lord. So I prayed. I asked God for wisdom as to how he wanted me to spend my week, my "free" time. I had barely stopped praying when my mind started racing again, but this time it was racing with new ideas. Adventures, and giggles, and nail polish, and curls. I fell asleep determined. I was going to pour myself into my children this week.
Monday morning came and we did get the laundry done (Yes, my 6 and 5 year old help with the laundry. They help me fold the clothes and they are responsible for putting away their clothes). I painted their nails. Around 11:30 we headed out for a day of shopping with my sister and my brother's girlfriend. We took a late lunch break where the guys met up with us, but then we hit the mall again. It was a perfect girls' day! Some friends invited us over for dinner that night so we spent the night laughing and dancing (they own Just Dance for xBox) the night away with dear friends (we stayed until 9...we are real party animals)!
Tuesday was a lazy morning. The girls woke up, climbed in bed with me, and we spent the morning in our PJs watching a new movie. I painted their nails again. Then we grabbed some Chic-Fil-A headed to the park, and met up with some friends for a play-date! We spent 2 hours at the park and it seemed like 20 minutes! That night we went out to dinner, just the 4 of us. We ate at an outside restaurant. Our girls laughed and played on the grass together. Hubby and I watched the sun dip behind the hills.
Wednesday was a big surprise for them. Their first train ride! We met up with my sissy again for breakfast and then all headed to the train station. We rode the train up to L.A. where we met up with our Dad, had some delicious sushi for lunch, went to the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store, and then rode the train back home. It was a long day, but it was a big adventure. The girls were so well behaved and of course, they were entertaining everyone on the train.
Thursday we met up with some friends for some fun at Pump It Up! Our kids were laughing and playing for 2 hours and were really, really sweaty! We went to lunch afterward and gorged ourselves on french fries! We headed home after that where the girls crashed for naps and I got a few hours of work done. Then, we headed out to hang with some friends for dinner.
This past week I had the opportunity to take the majority of the week off. And it was my girls' Easter break.
I had a big "to do" list that I had been formulating in my mind all weekend. Clean out the closets. Do the laundry. Re-arrange our wall gallery. Hang the new art in the hallway. Clean the carpets....etc., etc., etc. You get the idea.
But on Sunday night as I laid in bed, formulating my game-plan to conquer my growing "to do" list, another thought entered my mind: be with your children. So I stopped dead in the tracks of my mind. I took a deep breath and realized, I hadn't given my week to the Lord. I was charging full-steam ahead into my endless "to do" list without even keeping my palms open to the Lord. So I prayed. I asked God for wisdom as to how he wanted me to spend my week, my "free" time. I had barely stopped praying when my mind started racing again, but this time it was racing with new ideas. Adventures, and giggles, and nail polish, and curls. I fell asleep determined. I was going to pour myself into my children this week.
Monday morning came and we did get the laundry done (Yes, my 6 and 5 year old help with the laundry. They help me fold the clothes and they are responsible for putting away their clothes). I painted their nails. Around 11:30 we headed out for a day of shopping with my sister and my brother's girlfriend. We took a late lunch break where the guys met up with us, but then we hit the mall again. It was a perfect girls' day! Some friends invited us over for dinner that night so we spent the night laughing and dancing (they own Just Dance for xBox) the night away with dear friends (we stayed until 9...we are real party animals)!
Tuesday was a lazy morning. The girls woke up, climbed in bed with me, and we spent the morning in our PJs watching a new movie. I painted their nails again. Then we grabbed some Chic-Fil-A headed to the park, and met up with some friends for a play-date! We spent 2 hours at the park and it seemed like 20 minutes! That night we went out to dinner, just the 4 of us. We ate at an outside restaurant. Our girls laughed and played on the grass together. Hubby and I watched the sun dip behind the hills.
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| My happy girl with her favorite friend from school. |
Wednesday was a big surprise for them. Their first train ride! We met up with my sissy again for breakfast and then all headed to the train station. We rode the train up to L.A. where we met up with our Dad, had some delicious sushi for lunch, went to the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store, and then rode the train back home. It was a long day, but it was a big adventure. The girls were so well behaved and of course, they were entertaining everyone on the train.
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| Waiting for the train...to take us to LA...where we will see Papa! |
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| My biggest girl...using chopsticks like a pro! No cheater rubber bands for her! |
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| My baby and me at the Disney Soda Fountain store. |
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| An auntie and a niecey. Check out that ice cream! Disney always does it right. |
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| The girls with their Papa. Waiting for the train to take us home. |
Thursday we met up with some friends for some fun at Pump It Up! Our kids were laughing and playing for 2 hours and were really, really sweaty! We went to lunch afterward and gorged ourselves on french fries! We headed home after that where the girls crashed for naps and I got a few hours of work done. Then, we headed out to hang with some friends for dinner.
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| Sweaty and happy kids! |
Friday morning we woke up early and went out to breakfast with my aunts, Gran, my sis, and even my hubby was able to join us! After a delicious breakfast, hubby and the girls dropped me off at work while he took the girls home for a relaxing day.
Today we are heading out to celebrate a sweet 4 year old's birthday and tomorrow we will be going to Disneyland after church.
It's been an incredible week. I'm so grateful for the balance of working hard and having times of rest. I'm grateful to have a husband who encouraged me to put aside the "to do" list and just hang with my girls this week. I'm grateful for my children. These girls truly light up my life and I absolutely LOVE being their Mommy. I'm grateful for my job and the work God has called me to there. I'm grateful for Easter break.
What I learned this week is that sometimes you gotta hold your "to do" list palms open before the One who gives us life and breath and double check that your priorities are right. This is not an excuse to be lazy and play all day, nor is it a license to neglect what needs to get done (remember, I still did the laundry this week). It's just that sometimes your "to do" list isn't the priority. Your kids are. So train them. Correct them. Direct them. Play with them. Enjoy them.
Whether you are a "working outside the home" kind of mom, or a "working at home" kind of mom...I know you are working and I know your life is busy. But I encourage you to find time this weekend, or this next week, to just be with your children. Put down the "to do" list. Be all there. Think of an adventure and go do it. Our kids are growing up...FAST! Don't miss it. Ask God to give you wisdom and hold your days, your weeks, and your plans palms open.
Whether you are a "working outside the home" kind of mom, or a "working at home" kind of mom...I know you are working and I know your life is busy. But I encourage you to find time this weekend, or this next week, to just be with your children. Put down the "to do" list. Be all there. Think of an adventure and go do it. Our kids are growing up...FAST! Don't miss it. Ask God to give you wisdom and hold your days, your weeks, and your plans palms open.
