Facebook Friends

Do you ever think no one needs you? Do you feel that you are not significant, that you haven't really helped anyone in a long time? I do. I know my kids need me, but I often feel that outside of these five littles I am not really making a contribution to anyone. Maybe that's one reason I write these blog posts...
Anyway, today I want to encourage you. I have been blessed by reading several different Facebook posts today, and I seriously doubt that the people who wrote them had the intention of helping me when they wrote. You, my friends from MLC that I rarely see beyond a picture of you on Facebook; you, my family spread throughout the country; you, my church family; all of you are such a blessing. Seeing your pictures of your littles playing baseball and swimming and going to the park; reading your stories from preschool and high school and the library; commiserating with you when you and your family are sick; these all encourage me to keep doing what God has given me to do.
Social media has gotten a bad rap lately--adults are addicted to it, kids can't look people in the eye. But this is one girl who is thankful for all her Facebook Friends today. God bless you all!

I am not super mom

I have been called super mom more times than I can count by some wonderful, well-meaning people.  These friendly folks don't have the opportunity to see me in action at home, surrounded by five kids most of the time. But today I will give you a glimpse.
This morning I took my first post-baby (meaning, I had my three littlest plus my friends two kiddos) shopping trip to Aldi. The kids were great! We returned home and I unloaded the car, fed the baby and set to work unpacking all the great groceries. Enter the new technology I have added to try to earn a little extra money for my family: I must scan the barcode for every product purchased on a shopping trip, and enter it's price. So, as I worked to complete these tasks, the baby got lonely and started fussing. Hearing the baby fuss got the next two (ages 18 months and 2 years) worked up.  They started fighting. My three year old got upset that they were fighting and started shoving them apart. Before long, I had four crying children (out of five), and three sitting in time out. I wanted to sit down and cry myself. Or at least sit down and snuggle my baby and forget the world of crabby toddlers (who were really just hangry).
If you had been here, you would have seen first hand how un-super I am. I totally need God to get through every single part of my day. It is only by his grace that I get to continue caring for these wonderful blessings.