Momspage

"When you feel that you can no longer struggle or watch your child struggle, think of this story of the butterfly.

One day a man found a butterfly struggling to emerge from it's cocoon. There was a tiny opening in the cocoon and the man watched for hours as the butterfly worked and worked to push its body through the little hole. After a while the butterfly stopped pushing and seemed too exhausted to continue. The man took pity on the little creature and with his knife enlarged the hole of the cocoon so the butterfly could come out. With that, the butterfly emerged quickly . However, its body was swollen and its wings weren't fully formed. They were shriveled. The man kept watching the little creature, expecting the wings to enlarge to support its body, which he assumed would also shrink to its proper size. That didn't happen. Instead, the butterfly spent its life crawling around with a misshapen body and wings. It would never fly.

The kindhearted man didn't understand that the tiny hole in the cocoon and the butterfly's struggle to emerge through it were nature's way of forcing fluid from the butterfly's body into its wings. This struggle enabled the butterfly to fly, once it was free from the cocoon.

I love this story because it reminds me that something good and meningful can, and often does, come from adversity."

from the book "Special Kids Need Special Parents" by Judith Loseff Lavin

January 15, 2003

Yes I finally made it back to school!! This was my first day!

It's amazing the things I am learning about myself as I "grow up". I feel very lost at times but am always discovering new things about myself. I always felt like I missed out by not going to school, but once I started attending I just couldn't devote myself wholly to either my family or my studies. I went from being an organized stay at home mom to a disorganized, hectic student/mother/wife. I was not happy and could not see myself working because of my lack of involvement with my family while in school and I was getting home at noon everyday. I could not imagine working and getting home at five! I would never be able to keep up or provide the support for my children that I wanted to. Everyone keeps asking why don't I just take less classes but my response to that is why? The point of school is to get out and work and if I don't want to do that why waste the money and my time? I am fortunate enough to have a husband who can provide a comfortable middle class lifestyle for his famiy so I am no longer in school and I do not plan to ever go back and I am a happier person because of it. I am glad I tried it though because if I hadn't I would have always wondered and now I know it is not what I really want to do. Although this decision was a hard one, once I made it I felt a weight lift from my shoulders and have felt so much better since!

Welcome to "Mom's Place"! On this page I express my thoughts and feelings about things that are important to me. It's a nice little outlet for me as I feel so strongly about things that on this page I can say what I want and not worry about offending people.

A little about me:

My name is Geneva but my long time friends and family call me Genna. I started going by Geneva in high school and I prefer it as it is my grandmother's name and I love her dearly. She recently passed away and her name is something we shared together so I treasure it. I have lived in South Carolina for almost 10 years and this is where I met my husband Michael. He has lived here his entire life with the exception of a few months in which he spent in PA with his dad. I was born in Baton Rouge and moved here when I was 16. I still love Baton Rouge and miss the culture and food at times but I don't think I want to go back anymore! That's one of the many ways God has changed my heart over this past year.

I still love the beach, taking pictures of my children, baking and doing crafts with them, visiting with friends, sewing, and reading. I really enjoy my family and I would LIKE at least 6 little ones running around! The doctors say it's not safe for me to have anymore but adoption is something I have always wanted to do and is a real possibility for us. Who knows what the future holds...only God!

I am continuously learning new things. Once I have life all figured out, I get smacked upside the head and have to figure everything out again -I love that saying "God and his spiritual two by four". It's an endless process. When it comes to me personally, I think I am a crazy mix of a person, I am a very active person. I actually like to clean my house and I love my "mommy" hobbies, and I also love college football. I'm still hyper and I like to dance around the kitchen like a crazy person and hear my kids giggle, but I am a nut about my systems and follow a pretty strict schedule, loosely. I a complicated person, what can I say! I don't deny it! I started sewing so that I can make cute, girly, modest clothing for myself and my girls. I really enjoy it and can't wait to make some "old timey" dresses for them to run around in. There is no better feeling than sitting outside on my wicker bench with a good book, a cup of tea or coffee, on a pretty fall day. I would also like to do some temporary missionary work in Haiti one day. I just can't think of anything else to say about myself so there you have it! Oh yeah, I am a myspace nerd too so you can go to my page at: www.myspace.com/busymom23

MUSIC:

I am always listening to music, I find that when I can't express myself music does it for me. It is very important to me and I love listening to things I can relate to! I love the song that is playing "The Woman Changed her mind" because it fits me perfectly!!

Some of my favorite songs and why (because I know you care):

Don't look at me (Stacie Orrico)-because it tells people that just because you are Christian you are not perfect so don't expect me to be!

Held (Natalie Grant) - I love it because it talks about suffering in a true light and how so many people forget the REAL promises.

My Jesus (Todd Agnew) this is such a convicting song for me, I LOVE it! It turns into a prayer when I hear it.

My Savior, My God (Aaron Shust) I love this one because it reminds me that I am not in control

Don't worry bout a thing (shedaisy)-My view on life!

Bring on the rain (Jo Dee Messina) -I love this song when I get bad news about Hanna or when things are not going perfectly in dealing with AMC. It really describes my attitude towards dealing with AMC!

In a Real Love (Phil Vassar)-The story of me and Mike! -although Mike and I never really fought, much.

You're Still the One (Shania Twain) Mike and I now...

Must be doing something right (Billy Currington)- Mike jokes that this is his song to me! LOL

XXX's and OOO's (an American girl - Trisha Yearwood)- it's MY song! It reminds me of myself.

TV and MOVIES:

I am not going to go to in depth about how I feel about TV and movies as I do not convict but the Holy Spirit convicts. I WILL say that I do not watch anything unless I think Jesus would sit there with me an watch it. If he would be offended by it, I will not watch it. "I will set before my eyes no vile thing." Psalms 101:3. 95% of everything on TV is trash, in my opinion. Any movie that degrades Christ in any way makes me furious.

My favorite websites:

www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com

www.nogreaterjoy.org

www.biblical womanhood.com

"My 2 Cents"

We all get advice as a mother. Wanted or unwanted. So many things seem to be warnings. I got to thinking one day about all the things people have said to me or the warnings they have given. I guess many people have regrets. It’s seems that people today have kids because that is what they think they should do and when the kids start coming they have these enormous regrets, get frazzled, overwhelmed, and frustrated. I just can’t understand this. Anyway, when my mind wondered into all the things people have said that worried me or brought pain to my heart I always thought the counterpart. So here is how I feel about my life as a mother with several children!

Motherhood is not a chore, it’s an amazing adventure, more important, and more meaningful than words can describe.

Motherhood is a lifetime commitment.

If you really want to do it, you MAKE the time!

My hand’s are not full they are blessed.

It is not my job to provide the experience only the opportunity.

I do not live life through my children I enjoy life with them in it.

I do not have expectations only “maybe someday’s”

My children are not my identity however I try to identify with them.

Children are children not soldiers.

My children are not undisciplined, they are individuals learning from me, life experiences, and society~so watch what YOU do!

I take time for myself but usually that time is consumed with completing a self satisfying task for my family.

Do not doubt me for I do not doubt myself!

If you do not agree with my parenting don’t think I care enough to hear about it!!!!!

Now to MY advice.

The biggest thing: enjoy life, your spouse, and your children. As a mother you are impacting and shaping a person everyday. Remember your childhood, think about all the memories you had of your parents. Remember that you are the one creating memories for your little one. Enjoy them, love them. Mistakes are acceptable, laziness is not! I try to do the best I can as a mother, do not put me down or think me crazy for taking my God given job seriously! Don’t say I am trying too hard to be perfect. To me this says you did not try for perfection. As Christians are we not suppose to model our lives after Jesus Christ? Was he perfect? Therefore we should strive to be the same. I do realize that perfection is something I will never achieve, but with God by my side I will look into the eyes of my adult children and know within my heart I did the best I could. That is all I can do and having done my best I can not blame myself for being inadequate. I will make mistakes, I have made mistakes, I will not do everything right. But I WILL do my very best! 100% of myself will go into raising my kids!

Enjoy this awesome responsibility!

My revelations

"I realized I was a mom when..."

~I found toy cars in my fridge

~I went to throw out a milk jug and thought "Hey I can make something out of this!"

~I started to freak out because I could not find the bag of empty paper towel rolls I had been collecting for two weeks for a craft project I was planning!

~I learned to multi-task. For instance I can bathe a child in the sink, wipe the floor with my foot, scold an animal, and cook dinner at the same time!

~I looked for a pen in my purse but instead found pretend lipstick, a truck, a diaper, and an unwrapped sucker!

~I took communion while restraining a child over my lap and walked out wearing the sacrament.

~I started calling roll when I get into the car.

~I stopped watching things happen and started watching kids reactions.

Yes, all these things really happened to me and I plan to add to these lists over the years

Crazy things I have said and thought to myself "Did I really just say that?"

"Honey, PLEASE don't clean the window with the cat."

"FINE, you just keep that laundry basket on your head!"

My "mother moments" that I love to hate. I just have to laugh.

This is just one of many!

I fix myself some cereal. I hear Ella Marie playing in the toilet so I run to get her out of the bathroom, the baby cries, I run to get the baby and come back to wash Ella Marie's hands and see that they are now in my cereal! So we start over!

This is my dearest friend Anna. She is a blessing to me. We have been friends since I moved to SC in high school - 10 years now! She was one of the first people to befriend me. And one of the first to even speak to me! It's so funny because she knows everyone and they know her! If I run into someone who graduated about the same time as me and they ask who I was friends with all I have to do is say her name and I always get the same thing "Oh yes, I know her!" She is a driven, amazing person with a passion for persuing God in her life. Anyway, she is such a sweetheart and a wonderful friend to me. I know that all I need to do is ask and she will be there. Sometimes I don't even have to do that much! She has been by my side through thick and thin over the years and I love her SO MUCH! It is really awesome to have a friend that knows everything there is to know about you and continues to love you anyway (I don't scare her with my passions). I look forward to growing old and still gabbing on the phone with her! I thank God for her!

Oh yeah, Her husband Thomas and her children, Candace and Thomas Daniel are awesome too!! We love the whole package!