Baby Won't Go Down!

Baby Won't Go Down!

Sometimes all we can do is sit there and hold them.

My little girl has days where she just won't stay asleep if I let her out of my arms. So to make use of the time I figured out that I can fold laundry (especially bath towels, dish towels, sheets, T-shirts, and jeans because I don't care if they aren't perfect) with baby on my lap and sometimes with baby latched on and nursing!

How I do it is: I start by putting a pile of clean clothes on one side of the couch and I sit in the middle. The other side is clear, maybe with a couch pillow still there. Then I sit cross legged on the couch with baby's head propped on my thigh, maybe with something tucked beside her head so it stays in good position. I nurse or let her sleep while I plug away at folding items. Sometimes one arm will be behind her neck so I have full use of one arm and limited use of the one behind her and I make it work that way too.


Get creative! I've even folded totals while nursing laying down!

Getting Stuff Done

Getting Stuff Done

Moms, isn't it funny how we have to schedule our days around naps? It's sad, though, they aren't even our own naps!

One way to get things done is by utilizing the time our little ones are napping. Some mom's may feel they need to nap along with baby and I used to do that. But getting a good night's rest allows me to be awake, alert, and active during the day. To do this I do try to go to sleep around 9pm.

Little Prayers

Little Prayers

Mathew 6:28-30 (ESV) reads And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

I prayed about my husband's trip to visit the school he'll earn his master's degree through; he didn't have enough slacks. I asked God a specific request. I prayed He'd help us find some of the right fit in the waist but length could be too long because I could hem them and for less than $5 per pair (we are on a tight budget, you see.) We were blessed with two pairs of slacks, both for $2! One fit just fine and the other needed some hemming, which I also was in prayer for God to help me accomplish since I'm a novice seamstress. And I did accomplish the hemming! 

To have these things provided at my prayerful request delights me! God cares about me and my everyday life!

Perfunctory Prayer

Perfunctory Prayer

As a woman of faith I believe there to be an undeniable call to the people of God to pray. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 (ESV) reads "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." We see the examples of the prophets, the disciples, Jesus, and other believers praying fervently. 

I don't think I am the only one who wakes up each day, gets showered, dressed, eats, and brushes their teeth. Next, either heading out for work or starting tasks at home. Nothing wrong with this routine. Yet, something is missing. Prayer. Why didn't I begin my day with praying for God to guide me, use me, HELP me? Because I get lazy. Because my faith gets weak. Because I believe that my mundane daily routine and chores will get accomplished just fine without asking for God to supernaturally sustain me. These attitudes are wrong.

I learned the word "perfunctory" during a family devotion time with our pastor's family last week that was actually about our approach to Bible study. It is an adjective defined by Webster as lacking in interest or enthusiasm. When I heard out pastor's words I knew it described my attitude towards prayer, also. As I pondered on this I felt sad. 

Folks, I want to say that failing to pray is setting ourselves up for failure. If we neglect to acknowledge our Lord and Provider first thing in the morning then we allow ourselves to forget His loving, sovereign hand in our lives. We may become blind to His blessings. We may even become arrogant, boasting in our own ability to manage "life". 

That night I felt a renewed desire to pray. So, I endeavored to pray each day and night about what my plans are, however simple, and what my hopes are, however improbable. I encourage you to do the same. We may do this less than perfectly, or we might fail, but I want us to pray about that as well, and to solicit the prayers of others, too.

I'd like to let you know about how this goes for me in future posts.

About Me, The Hesitant Homemaker

About Me, The Hesitant Homemaker

Beginning a blog to inform readers about the situations encountered by a wife, mother, and working homemaker took some thought and planning. I asked my husband his thoughts and for his permission. I spoke with a fellow blogger about how she got started. I brainstormed to get some ideas for content. Then I read a blog about blogging. And I prayed. I asked God to help me be productive, responsible, and insightful with my blog activity so that I may provide useful instruction and edification to any readers, hoping eventually to reach a broad audience and impact lives.

I am a 27 year old wife for 16 months and mother to a 3 month, two week old little girl. I work part time as a home health nurse. The rest of the time I am a homemaker. It is our plan for me to home school our daughter (and any other kids we may have.) Our desire for the future is for me to stay home full time raising and educating our children after my husband completes a Master's of Divinity degree program. We like to use home remedies for simple maladies and we feel there is a place for conventional approaches. In this blog I'd like to talk about each of these areas as well as some others (e.g. housekeeping, cloth diapering, sewing, cooking). My husband will be featured on some topics too. 

I have over tens years of struggling to get organized and develop a routine and a whole lot of introspective study that you might be able to relate to. And I've learned a lot about parenting not only from my own short time as a parent and preparing to be one but from the vast wealth of knowledge my friends who are moms of many (I mean moms of 4,6, 9, and 10 children!) have shared with me! My experience as a wife, though brief compared to others, has not been limited but my best advice there comes from a scriptural foundation.

My wee family's life is pretty ordinary and some would say I'm too young or inexperienced to have anything of value to say. I hope to grow in my own knowledge through this process but I'd like to convince you that I do have something worth sharing even now. I hope you'll stick with me to find out.