Happy New Year

A new year. It symbolizes so many different thoughts: out with the old, in with the new, a fresh start, putting away the past and striving for a new hope.
I know the New Year is used as a time for people to reflect on the previous year and set goals for the coming, but I personally don't like the idea of New Year's resolutions. Please don't mistake me, I am a firm believer in the power of goals, but not New Year's resolutions.
So many people set New Year's resolutions and are really good at keeping them, at least at first. But then the year moves on. Life takes over and they put their resolutions aside. And often when they forget about resolutions for a time they either decide "oh well I will try again next year" or they get discouraged and let feelings of failure creep into their minds.
No, New Year's resolutions are not effective in my experience. It takes so much more than once a year. It should be a daily resolution. Each morning we should resolve to be better than yesterday. Each night we should reflect on the what we did well and what needs improvement. Resolutions should not be something we do at New Year's. Resolutions should be a daily effort to reach our goals; a striving, through small acts to achieve great things.
Making daily resolutions allows ourselves room to grow without becoming discouraged. Taking the time to renew your resolutions each day by saying, "I may have slipped today, but tomorrow I will be better". It's okay to make mistakes. And it's okay to alter our goals if we realize they don't fit. It doesn't make you a failure. You are not a failure.
I pray that 2018 bring you joy through your struggles, and light through the darkness. Happy New Year!

Chaos

It's kind of funny, but before I had kids I would count down until fun events like a camping trip or date. Now the only thing I count down is the minutes until naptime or bedtime. Some days the space between naps feels like an eternity. Like today, all four of my children have decided that today is a screaming day. They have been crying, screaming, fighting, and causing mayhem all day. It is complete and utter chaos. They look sweet I know, but looks are deceiving. Today is an adventure in patience, and so far I'm not doing so well. I want to scream, just scream as loud as I can just to release the stress... I think naptime is coming early today.
 

It begins

If you would have told me three years ago when I got married that today I would be mother to four children, I would have laughed in your face. And yet here I am spending each day taking care of four little ones.
Don't get me wrong I love my kids more than I can express, but it's not a picnic (a picnic with all four kids would be insane). There are moments when all four are screaming and the diapers are piling up, I just want to run and hide in a closet where they can't find me. But then my 2 year old sings me a song, the twins come and cuddle with me, or my sweet baby boy smiles and it's all worth it.
Life is crazy; it throws twists at you when you least expect and you start to feel like nothing is going to work out, but there is light even if it's small. I doubt this blog will reach very far, but even if I only help one mom to realize that she can make it through the craziness than I've done what I set out to do. And if it doesn't, I have a place to vent and express myself. Win, win.