Praises of a Wife and Mommy

  Can the smallest sound in your house shape your monthly budget? That quiet, steady "tap" can seem harmless, almost negligible, but it has a story to tell about water and the wear & tear it can cause. The statistics are revealing, and the benefits go far beyond just saving money on your water bill. Via Pexels The Math Behind a Drip A single drip per second does not look dramatic. Over a minute, it feels trivial. Over a day, the math shifts. About five drops make a teaspoon. Those drops become gallons that slip away while you brush your teeth or sleep. Many homeowners are shocked to discover that a single leaky faucet can waste thousands of gallons of water in a year. When you apply that to local water prices and calculate that amount into steady dollars being taken from your wallet with no return, you'll begin to view those drips as a personal budget leak waiting to be closed. Beyond the Water Bill Water waste is merely one layer of this story. When moisture stays w...

Is your child’s schoolwork taking more out of you than it should do? Homework can be a battle even if you're lucky enough to have a super compliant kid, (and if you’re dealing with transitions for kids with ADHD and other neuro differences it can be even harder). But after a long day of schoolwork, all anyone wants to do is relax which is completely fair! You know your child is capable, but schools expect so much of them, and as much as their home learning is important you cant help but feel sorry for them when they bring home a load more learning (after spending all day learning). Consider a reset Once your child gets home, you'll be well aware how their brain is worn out from trying to focus all day. After a full day of schoolwork their mental and physical energy is likely to be all used up, it doesn't leave much in the tank for homework and who can blame them? Even if you want to just get the homework out the way so you can all relax, giving them a little time to reset a...

  Living in the age of technology can sometimes make you feel as though you are not doing enough with your children. You sit them in front of a TV, you let them play on games consoles, and it can get to a point where you wonder if any of this is actually helping their development or education. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that modern tech is only a distraction, but when you look closer you realise that their laptop can be one of the best learning tools in the house. In this article we are going to look at ways laptops can help your kids learn , and how simple it can be to turn something they already enjoy into something that supports their growth. Keep reading if you want a few practical ideas that fit into real family life. https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-and-young-boy-sitting-on-floor-with-laptop-4624915/   Use Educational Websites One of the easiest and most effective things you can do is introduce educational websites into your child’s screen time. There...

Well… winter showed up, and with it came a brand new challenge: navigating snow in a walking boot. I’ll be honest just the thought of it brought a little fear. Fear of slipping. Fear of tripping. Fear of falling and undoing all this healing I’ve fought so hard for. I had silently hoped winter would hold off a little longer… at least until I was boot-free. But snow does what snow wants, and I had places to be, so out the door I went boot and all. And the boot got wet. And when the boot got wet, the boot started to stink. And suddenly I realized… there is something worse than fear. Embarrassment. Embarrassment of having a stinky boot. So now we’re adding another layer to this healing journey: humility. Nothing humbles you faster than walking around hoping no one catches a whiff of your medical footwear. But even in this, God has a way of speaking truth right into the moment: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He car...

Winter decided to show up fierce this week, rolling in with a huge snowstorm that covered everything in white. Normally I’d be out there helping shovel, but this season of recovery has given me a get-out-of-shoveling pass—one I’m not exactly sad about! So I stayed inside, warm and cozy, and decided it was the perfect day to do a little crafting. I had perfect timing and ordered a kit from Amazon just a few days prior to the snows arrival. Just because I’m being still and healing doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. I’ve painted, I’ve crafted, and I’ve been blogging more consistently again—and it’s been a sweet reminder that creativity can flourish even when the body needs to slow down. There’s something peaceful about stitching one little thread at a time. It reminded me that healing—much like needlework—is a slow, careful process. One small movement layered on another until something beautiful emerges. Scripture encourages this gentle, purposeful kind of stillness: “Be still, and know t...

Today I got back on the treadmill with the weight assist again—and this time I set a goal and actually reached it. I walked faster, stayed on for the full 30 minutes, and even though it was only a 1.8 pace, it felt like a big win. These are truly baby steps in learning to walk confidently again, but every little bit feels like a victory. I’m trying hard to be thankful for every step, but I won’t lie… I miss my fast pace. Just last year during my first year at the high school teaching, some of the students told my kids that their friends called me “the short one who walks fast.” I embraced that title proudly. And I’m ready to earn it back. But for now, I’m learning to appreciate the slower pace. Healing has a way of humbling you, slowing you down so you don’t miss what God is trying to show you. These walks—slow as they may be—remind me that progress is still progress, even if it feels small. God delights in our perseverance. Scripture reminds me of this truth: “Do not despise these sma...

This Thanksgiving we traveled just a couple hours to my husband’s cousin’s home. It had been a few years since we were last there, so it felt good to reconnect with familiar faces, warm conversation, and the simple joy of being together again. As always, I found myself noticing how quickly my kids are growing. Walking into a home with younger children reminded me once again that time doesn’t slow down for any of us. These little moments, these quick trips, these family gatherings are precious. They matter more than we often realize in the moment. And as I watched my kids, I also watched Grandma Rose. My heart felt heavy as we left. Not because of too much food, but because time truly is a thief. I became deeply aware of how fragile and sacred our time together is. Some years, circumstances have made visits harder to achieve, and that only makes the moments we do share feel even more significant. I could sense she (Grandma Rose) wasn’t feeling her best that day. Tiny signs of discomfort...

Decorating the Christmas tree at church looked a little different this year. Being in a new building brings a new atmosphere, new rhythms, and new traditions—yet it also brings a fresh reminder that change is okay. In fact, change is often necessary when the Lord is the One leading us forward. As the tree went up, I found myself stepping back and simply watching. I didn’t hang a single ornament this time. Instead, I enjoyed seeing everyone pitch in—each person adding something small, yet together creating something beautiful. The teamwork, the laughter, the quick rhythm of people serving side by side… it felt like a glimpse of what the Body of Christ is meant to be. Scripture reminds us of this truth:  “From Him the whole body, joined and held together… grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” — Ephesians 4:16  “Two are better than one… for if either falls, one can help the other up.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 Watching that tree come to life reminded me th...

Date night in fancy clothes… with my not-so-fancy black boot. My husband always looks sharp, and I do my best to match the energy, even if my accessory of the year is medical-grade footwear. A friend and I joked a few weeks ago about bedazzling the boot, turning it into a sparkling masterpiece. But that is just not my personality. I can appreciate the humor, but glitter and gemstones were not going to make it onto my leg... it would probably make my other leg itchy if it touched it... I'm more about comfort over fashion anyways!  So there I was, dressed up again for our double date. Dinner and then the Cirque Musica Holiday show. Even with the boot, it felt good to be out, to laugh, to enjoy a night that felt “normal” in the middle of a very abnormal season. Dinner itself was… okay. Not great. Not horrible. But here’s what I love about my husband: he always orders something he knows I’ll like so we can trade plates if we need to. Sure enough, my steak was incredibly salty. Salty fo...