Our Itty Bitty is officially a preschooler (though she is home right now recovering from pneumonia). She is so excited. She loves her school and tells everyone about it. She loves loves loves her teachers. And her favorite part is recess when she plays with her friend “Aubrirella” (Aubriella). She doesn’t love Mom & Dad leaving her there but she responds well to bribes rewards of Sonic slushies upon our return!

And our Ruth Mae is in KINDERGARTEN! Oh my goodness. She loves it already. And even though she isn’t really a details kind of girl, she has told me that she likes a little girl named Margot and she gives Kindergarten, “two thumbs up!”

How did this happen? Just the other day I was holding my little girls in the hospital and changing their diapers. I held it together when we dropped Ruth off for her first day, but sobbed the whole way home to Josh. He asked where my tears were coming from and I responded, “Its the end of an era! We can never go back!”

Clearly I was feeling a bit dramatic, but I am processing our new normal of two kiddos in half-day school. Half of me is mourning how fast their infancy flew by and the other half of me is cheering on our brave kiddos who are awesome and hilarious and beautiful and kind! Thankfully, I have Micah at home to snuggle and kiss and maybe, just maybe, take a nap with!

So in honor of being a Mom for 5 years now and having kiddos in school, I am reflecting on 5 big lessons I have learned in this parenting journey so far. (Also, I think that this will be really fun to look back on in 15 years and laugh at how little I knew and how much I thought I knew!)

Here they go…

1. I will never be a perfect parent. I wish this would make me cease my striving, but I am a work in progress. I don’t need to be super mom. It’s ok that I bust it big time in this parenting thing. I am just not ever going to be perfect, but Jesus is. And because I have put my trust in him, his perfect record has been transferred to me. He doesn’t condemn my weak moments, he just calls me to trust him. He is a wonderful Father and I can trust Him with my kids life, fears, hearts, and salvation. And I would rather my kids know that Jesus is a perfect Father than try to convince them that I know that the heck I am doing!
2. Wine can take a mighty edge off a long day in Mom-Land. I’m no alchy, but I really, really, really, appreciate a cold glass of wine after a lengthy battle of wills with my three-nager. Sometimes, I talk to my wine as I pour it. “Hello, old friend.” “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” Judge away – I’ll be over here chatting with my Moscato.
3. I will never make it out of this Motherhood thing thriving if I care what anyone else thinks about how I parent. I have been in some A-W-K-W-A-R-D situations so far doing what I hope is best for my kiddos, and I would imagine it will only get harder. So bring it on, testy convos with other playground Moms or gentle corrections of college kids cussing around my toddler, I’ll do my best to honor and respect you, but we need to talk…
4. It really does take a village to raise a little human. And I desperately need some mama friends who can do this thing with me. But I’m not in college anymore which was basically one big social event. So, even though making mom friends is tough, I need to be a friend to make friends. So I’ve learned to pursue and be real with other mamas and keep on searching till I find some moms I jive with. And boy have I found them. We are exchanging memes and inappropriate jokes as I type this.
5. I thought I loved my husband when I married him. I did. But it was nothing compared to how much I love him now. Three kids at home, a Glory Baby, an adoption, and all the highs and lows in between, and I am obsessed with him. He is entirely more fun than I am and teaches our kids not to take life too seriously. And better yet, he still takes care of me when he comes home from work and I’ve had enough – he sends me to bed with Micah and I drink wine and eat Little Debbie’s for dinner while he feeds the big girls food that actually has one or more nutrients. I might not be super mom but he is certainly super dad!

Thats all for tonight. Its no secret what I am about to pour myself on my way to bed!