Pockets of rhythm

We moved.

Yes it was stressful.

But what was the best thing that we brought with us? What has brought the most relief and joy into my day as a mom of a 4, 2, and 10 month old?

Rhythm 

Pockets of Rhythm that provide security for my littles
#pocketsofrhythm

After an especially brutal day, I collapsed on the couch a few months ago and decided to try googling it again. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I had quizzed quite a few older moms in the previous weeks and very few could recall specifics of what did and didn't work when they had preschool age children.  hmmmmm. It was all wise advice.... but too vague to make a noticable difference.

That evening, I googled "routines that work for young children." This beauty caught my attention. It has impacted every day since.

http://creativewithkids.com/how-to-make-a-routine-that-works-habits-of-happy-families-series/

Wow. Just wow.

Quotes from Alissa Marquess that I pondered over and over in my head.

"Myth: you need a great routine for your whole day" 

"I thought routines were for moms

 more organized than me"

"Think about the Worst Part of your day" 

"What needs to happen?" 

Oh man. The whole article is great. I was struck by the example of "our lunch routine" were she introduced a new "tradition" of lighting a candle along with three other steps for eating a meal.

That's when it clicked. I can do that.

I can't make every day a good day. But I can start somewhere and build on #pocketsofrhythm

It became a game for Emily. Operation Pockets of Rhythm. I gave myself space to think.

Rules:

1) pick the worst 15 minute part of your day

No questions....9:00 am was miserable.
 Marjie needed to go down for first nap of the day.
But the older two kids were super needy RIGHT then, EVERY day
They would fight or be crazy loud the moment i walked down to the hall to put her in bed.
Marjie would tense up and begin screaming like a crazy woman


2) Think through a handful of practical steps that could help this miserable part of the day ... transition into something peaceful

.......BOOK PARTY on DADDY AND MOMMY's BED! Whoot! Whoot!

fill a diaper bag with their favorite books. 

add sippy cups with water. 

pack diapers and kleenexes 

and essential oils 

and turn on some classical music 

 Emily - set a timer for how long they have to look at books.
 tickle them when it's up
 then read aloud to them - set timer again.

 Make this "book party" not a punishment but a time to look forward to. 

3) Emily, visualize it as your kids can't read and you forget when you get frazzled

4) Stick with it, Emily, for one week. Don't ditch it the first time because it "didn't work" ...revise how it's promoted to the kids perhaps, adjust the implementation a bit...but stick with the main points.

I had found myself on my knees because of the anger 

I saw spilling over when responding to my littles. 

A women I respect deeply had told me earlier that week 

"Emily, shame turns to contempt"

Boom. 

The combination of realizing I could choose to start somewhere 

and dealing with my heart level issue of feeling incapable 

was The Holy Spirit speaking truth into my heart 

and answering my prayer for HELP 

(signed the exhausted and tired mommy) 

After 7 days - we were at a better place. 9 a.m. wasn't the worst part of my day. Far from easy, but no longer miserable.

So Game ON!

Bedtime was the focus the next week....Then Rest Time...then Breakfast and Devotions

after a few weeks my days were noticeably different. 

I felt like the Lord said to my weary mommy soul ...

"With Me, nothing is impossible" Abba Father

My days are still long. We still have epic meltdowns. Usually all three fall apart at the same moment.  I still get angry. But the pockets of rhythm are moments of fresh air in my day and I notice that I am laughing more when things fall apart. Tomorrow is a new day.

....and i notice their cute lil personalities and fall in love all over again. 

What works for you? What's your worst part of the day? Do your kids thrive on routine or spontaneity? 

Week in Review

This week, I made and stuck to my Trim Healthy Mama Meal plans. 

No sugar and flour = happy mama

no, it's not "easy"
BUT, I don't have time to feel lousy, have a sugar crash at 3 p.m.,
or cravings, foggy thinking

my friend Rebecca S told me about these finds from walmart. 

love them. 

Only one of a gazillion things that 

need sorted (given away) and/or organized in this house

but at least its a step

  

Busted lip. All boy. 

:: Honey stopped bleeding ::

tough dude.
Chair 1 Clark 0

 'lil sibbling love. 

Selling things on craigslist. 

Viewing my day as a job. 

Being a good mommy for me means not being distracted by every lil request

I don't get a break unless they rest at the same time 

.....And I usually get off work pretty late
My littlest is cute but not been sleeping well. 

Icing on the cake!
Nicholas comes to visit

Signs of Life

We had a refreshing Easter with Allyn's family. My sister-in-law hosted us all in their lovely new home. I love Allyn's family. Wonderful people.

With spring I tend to think of fresh. light. clean. green grass. being a farm girl - the smell of freshly turned dirt is still vivid. On Sunday after we tucked the kids in bed, I walked around the house cleaning. As I walked room to room, it was anything but fresh and clean - but the signs of life were evident.

Signs of young life around me - this was under just the table

popcorn anyone?

new life that I thank God for....

 

...that includes big sis even though she
pulled EVERYTHING out of the dresser. Sigh. 

...no room was exempt

This Easter I am Thankful for ...

Christ and His sacrifice
the hope of Eternal life

my husband 
my family. his family. 

sermons on topics such as shame and fear
hot tea
THM Frappas

                      

      + spontaneous dance parties on sticky floors with my littles

Word of the Week

SCHEDULE

PATTERN

ORDER

My sweet mommy friend Amy mentioned a couple weeks back that she was working on having a "rhythm to each day." Her little ones are close to the ages of mine. I sat on the couch repeating the word in my head.

Rhythm. 

AHHA! That's it! With a 4 yr old, 1 yr old, and a newborn in the house - our attempts at "schedules" were short lived. It doesn't help that Allyn and I BOTH naturally are high in what can be described as Quickstart. Follow thru is not nearly as natural to us as starting something. A project. a new routine (different from yesterday). A trip. A group of people coming for a meal.

But Rhythm. 

It allows me to breathe. To help accept the blows and setbacks that come with daily life alongside little ones. To move through our day, mostly free from watching the clock while still giving my littles enough structure to be happy.

Someday it will feel and look more like a typical schedule. But for now, rhythm makes the sun shine a little brighter even on days when you smell like spit up and crawl into a bed that has cheerio crumbs smashed into the sheets. 

rhythm

noun\ˈri-thəm\

: a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities, etc.