#1 - Saying "no" is ok.
So this is going to sound strange and all, but bear with me... Today is Mother Mary's birthday. And, a day that I am reminded of her great "Fiat", her "Yes" to become the Mother of My Savior, her "Yes" to trusting fully in God's will. I try my best to say "Yes" as often as I can, especially to my kids. It doesn't happen all the time, but I try to as often as I can to let my own plans go and give to the good of another. So why in the world would I say for this very first "Thing I Know To Be True" that it's ok to say "no"? Because as a very good and wise friend told me years ago, "when you say 'yes' to something, you are almost always saying 'no' to something else". Hmmm.... So this summer, as an example, I said "no" to helping out as a volunteer this summer even though I dropped off 7 of my kids. My "no" became a "yes" to enjoy and love on my two littles and give them more one-on-one time. If I would have said "yes" to volunteering, I would have missed that special time with my two littles. It's so true to think of things this way, but we must. We must understand that we can only do so much. It's good to give of ourselves and weigh the outcomes of our "yes-es" and "no-s". What are you saying "yes" to? What are you saying "no" to this fall?
#2 - Letting go is hard, but necessary.
So this happened a couple weeks ago. He's driving out on his own. He even got a job. Yesterday, he had his 16 year well visit and Lady had her 9 month well visit (one month late - lol!). I doubled up the appointments because that's what us big family momma's do. But it was so weird taking my oldest and youngest to the doctor at the same time. Of course, I went back, because Lady still needs me to go back. And because the appointments were actually one, we all went back together. And then I got to thinking. Do all moms go back with their 16 year olds when they go to the doctor? When do they stop? When should I stop? Wow! And the driving to and from. A whole new way of letting go and trusting God. It's part of life and part of parenting. I know there are many more "letting go" opportunities in the future too and that this is only one of many.
#3 - It's ok to treat yourself to a Starbucks.
Those $4 drinks - yeah, you know what I'm talking about. You feel so guilty and bad buying one. But when you do, it feels so good. It tastes so good. It's such a treat to treat yourself. And that's exactly what I did on September 1st when the new pumpkin spice lattes came out. And not only myself but two of my cuties too...
#4 - Snuggling a baby is like therapy in and of itself.
It is. You think you're doing them a favor by snuggling them and soothing them and putting them to sleep. But as a mom of many, with babies to teens, it's funny to see how everyone just reaches out so naturally to smooch and steal and rock the baby. It's not because the BABY needs it. It's because WE need. We need that lovin's. It's just indescribable, but so very true. It's brings a warmth, a comfort, a JOY like no other.
#5 - Norwex cloths ROCK!!
I've been putting off buying anything Norwex for years and never understood the hype, until a friend shared with me her new love for it. This mom is just a little older than me and is wise in so many ways. Definitely one of those older wiser mommas that I look up to and value her opinion so much. So when she shared with me how awesome her new Norwex cloth was, I knew I HAD to try one. She had a party last month and I bought 4 things - a Enviro Cloth, a window cloth and two cleaning products. I"ve only used the Enviro Cloth so far (stay tuned for more "Things I Know To Be True" about the other 3 if they "ooooh" and "ahhhh" me as much as the Enviro Cloth). But seriously, my cloth hangs in the kids' bathroom and I"ll walk past the bathroom multiple times a day, wipe the nasty counters and mirror and it is shiny and beautiful in just a minute or two! Ya rinse it out and hang it up to dry and can use it again - and the silver in it is supposed to kill bacteria!! Crazy huh?
So what do YOU know to be true?
Share away!
I'd love to hear from you!!!
