Weekly Column: Introducing Me

Before I had kids, I day-dreamed about what my future family would be like: loving, thoughtful, entertaining, obedient, and creative. I knew that my biggest desire – to be a mother – would be a rewarding and satisfying adventure. And I was right, in the long run.

But oh, how I was ill-prepared to accept the reality of early motherhood.

My tidy plans were thwarted from the very beginning. I supposed the baby would latch on immediately and nurse until she’d had the perfect amount of nourishment, but…no. I supposed I’d be able to interpret each darling coo and scream, but…no. I even supposed the baby would sleep when she got tired enough, but…heck, no. As the years quickly passed, though, I started learning how to be a mother. It’s been a slow and exasperating adventure at times, but an adventure nonetheless.

Now, my sweet daughters are 4 and 2. Even in that short amount of time, I’ve been removed from my distant daydreams and plunked right down in the middle of reality: a messy, loud, sometimes frustrating, always worthwhile reality. I’ve discovered that my family is not perfect, but we’re just fine. I’ve discovered that, more than getting the answers right every time, it’s important to just seek the answers. In searching for answers to our questions about parenting, we are taking steps towards becoming better parents.

While I’d love to bring you stories of perfection and easy obedience each week, that’s just not going to happen. We are a normal family after all, with our fair share of stumbles. But I will be here with intentional ideas for parenting, ready with tips and support. I remain convinced that where parenting is concerned, intentionality is half the battle.

The toddler years are the other half, and boy are they a doozie.