Author: Maggie

When your Principal and Head Teacher announce 3 more weeks of Summer!!

Last week we spent a few days getting our emotions all in a mess thinking “it’s back to school”…..”we have to get going”……”we have to figure out this….we have to figure out that.”…..”we are running out of time.”

I forgot for a second what God has spoken to our hearts over and over in regards to our family; our kids’ education included in that. I forgot for a second that God is directing our path. I forgot for a second that we GET to decide to respond vs react.

I forgot Him….just for a second….

PERMISSION SLIP FOR ANY AREA OF YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU DON’T FEEL PEACE ::
Permission to pause.
Permission to connect to your Creator.
Permission to recalibrate your direction.
Permission to breathe deeply.

Permission to go your own way…..HIS WAY FOR YOU. Permission for that to look different that your Facebook friends, real life friends, neighbors and family.

Permission to walk in perfect peace.

“Beware of allowing anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your growth. “ My Utmost for His Highest

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

We filled it to the brim with beauty, love, laughter and memories.
We are incredibly blessed to have called this place home for the past 3 years.
God healed us here. ✨

I’ve spent the last few days doing my best to chronical all of it, but it’s difficult to do it justice with my simple words.
Now what?

We rest and wait.

I know you’ll have lots of questions. We do too. This is the part no one likes. Everyone wants a plan. To know how the story ends.

All we know right now is that it ends so good, because that’s just how God is.

When we found out we were expecting our number six, Asher Luke, we had the diaper chat pretty much right off.

I’m passionate about keeping as many chemicals away from my kids as possible and most especially their newly developing reproductive organs.

Sadly, diapers are a huge culprit for chemical exposure to kids.

With our older five kids we used mostly cloth diapers to avoid the chemicals, but we just weren’t up for that again.

After researching what’s available and polling friends I landed on Abby&Finn and I have been so happy!!

Their cost per diaper is lowest of all and most importantly to me they are super transparent about the ingredients in EVERY part of the diaper.

{Greenwashing Alert: watch for tricky marketing where only part of the diaper, often the least important, is free of SOME chemicals.}

Shipping is free and fast on their monthly bundles and I love that I could order a trial to try sizes on for a best fit.

Regarding Fit: For Asher he is long in the body and these diapers are more narrow than most so they fit him really well. No bulk and they come up high enough for a good fit! Also because they are narrow he was able to pretty much skip over a size 2, right up to a size 3!

Use my referral link for $10 off your $45 order! https://prz.io/4KRYlQTP

XO!

Maggie

In 2017 I wrote in the margin of my Bible the details of a vision God gave me.
In the vision I was holding a newborn baby boy, snuggled up in the corner of my couch and the lights of the Christmas tree were softly glowing around us. It was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve ever had. I could feel the weight of the baby in my arms.
And then every month for the next two years as my cycle came and went I wondered if what I had experienced was true. So much so that the month before I conceived I yelled and I cried and I asked God why on earth he would have given me that vision if He wasn’t going to bring it about. He had opened a window of hope in our hearts that WE had shut long ago and it was painful to keep hoping and wondering and waiting.
••
F A I T H F U L
This is who God is. He can’t not be.
Lack of faith is about us, not about God.

I believe that we are in one of the most pivotal seasons (maybe weekend) our world has ever seen.

I believe that faith in a unseen, but very very present God will be the only thing we have left to cling to as things continue to unfold and places we’ve put our trust in reveal themselves as false.

Our world is in the painful place of waiting and wondering and hoping and it’s likely you’re heart is right there too with it’s own set of worries and hopes….maybe ones you shut the door on long ago.

Lean in friend, even if you’ve never trusted God before. Lean in with your whole heart.
Put all your chips on the table. Today.

I believe our world will never be the same after this.
I believe our hearts will never be the same after this.

My hope is high and my faith is rock solid.
God is here for us, for you, and we are about to see Him move.
✨
In case you missed it….📸: Christmas 2 0 1 9 with Asher Luke, born December 12, snuggled in my arms by our Christmas Tree.

I changed up my health protocol a bit, but I’ve been struggling with consistency.

Global pandemic quarantine chaos and such.

So I went back to my tips I’ve been using and teaching for years.

1. Visible reminders

2. Phone alarms

3. Attach a new habit to one already in place

4. Sustainable vs Speed

This time I made a Health Tracker to record everything and watch my results fly in.

I know from my past experience that my healing and health stories are not just for me. They are for thousands of women who are suffering silently and praying for answers.

Want my Tracker to use in your own routine?

It’s free! Download it here!

We’ve never had a broken bone.

Typing that with allllllll my fingers crossed, while knocking on wood.

But after some quarantine cheerleading stunts in the garage I thought we might not be able to say that any longer.

She fell on her elbow and it hurt.

It didn’t look right.

So to the ER we went.

THANKFULLY it was just a sprain and there was literally not one other person in the ER, waiting to give us their germs.

Back home in less than an hour 🥳.

••

Here’s how we support the body and the emotions for an injury like that:

Immediately at the time of injury:

Aconite (fear, trauma)

Arnica (bruising, swelling, tissue support)

Ruta (elbow injuries)

1 pellets each crushed and placed under the tongue and 1 pellet each dropped in a water bottle.

••

Arnica Cream + Ice topically on the site (bruising, swelling)

••

Plexus Ease (inflammation, pain, immune support)

From one Dr. Mom to another!

The Bible says we are to WALK through the valley…..not make camp there.

Here are some practical ways I keep walking in hard seasons:

•GRATITUDE there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. I find calling it out-loud is the most helpful. {see my Gratitude Walk highlight on Instagram}

•WORSHIP MUSIC I’m very strategic about what music and when it’s played all through our home.

•STAY TENDER it’s easy to get discouraged, negative and cynical if you’ve been in a valley for a long time. Don’t let that happen.

•BELIEVE goes with above. God is always there. He’s always moving. He’s always working on your behalf. Never let go of these truths. If you don’t have it in you to pursue Him, I promise He’s still pursuing you.

•WATCH YOUR WORDS speak life over your life!! Don’t claim your valley as yours or you’ll find yourself there for a very long time. Hard seasons come and go. This hard one you’re in….it will go, too.

***

How do I know these things work? This photo of my family laughing together playing games after dinner is a mountain after a valley, a battle won with constant gratitude, prayer, speaking life, worshipping and believing God’s promises are true. ✨

🤍 God Redeems

I’m sure all of you mamas of more than one kid can relate here. The first kid gets a baby book with every detail down to her first piggy tails documented, the second kid gets a baby book with the highlights, the third kid has a few baby photos and the fourth + wonder if they were even your babies at all. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Being given a new little one to cherish and understanding the importance of slowing down to take it all in (#oldermom) I was adamant on documenting Asher’s babyhood better.

This system is working so well for me that I thought I would share.

I purchased, downloaded and printed these simple milestone cards from Willow and White Studio.

I am choosing as we go the ones that feel special for us. I snap the photo with the card and do a bit of journaling on the back. Not over complicated. Just little notes to him about my memories of that milestone.

After his first year I plan to have the cards and photos bound together in a little book, along with my pregnancy photos and journaling.

Simple and sweet.

No stress. No guilt.

Tell me your favorite milestone documenting tip!!

A couple of years ago I started a practice that shifted things in literally every area of my life. It was/is one of the key pieces in ending my life-long journey with depression and anxiety. It resolved issues in my physical health. It healed areas of my marriage and changed things in my relationships with my children.

Sounds like a miracle cure huh? It’s not a supplement, drink or essential oil.

I call it a Gratitude Walk. ✨💞

I typically get up early and do it in a quiet house, when everyone’s asleep. I *always* do it on hard days and especially do it when things don’t seem to be going right. I started this practice by intentionally doing it on a season of very dark days when I could hardly see a blessing to count.

Sometimes I write the words as I go. Sometimes I speak the words out loud. Sometimes I play quiet worship music. Most of the time I just walk and pray, putting my hands on everything I’m so grateful to have.

Wanna walk with me??

Try your own walk! Especially if you have something you aren’t feeling so grateful for. It’s amazing how calling out the blessings you have brings more and more good things into your life.

✨ Gratitude changes everything. ✨

Young mom, first time mom, older mom, mom to many…postpartum is HARRDDD!!!!!!

This is baby number 6 for me and I’m 42 years old. I’ve worried obsessively over my milk coming in. I’ve worried obsessively that he’s not getting enough. I can’t remember the last time I brushed my teeth. I’ve cried that I can’t do this. I’ve yelled at the dog for breathing and I’m currently sleeping on spit up because clean sheets seem like a super low priority.

•

I had a friend message me recently checking in on my emotions. She had ppd very badly and said she felt so alone during that time. #metoo Since then she’s made it a point to check on her friends during the postpartum season. This. This is what we should be doing for each other. 👏🏻👏🏻

And on the flip side of that it can be hard to know how to help, especially a super independent mama, who you assume has this postpartum thing down. 🙋🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

•

I thought of 4 ideas to keep in your back pocket to support your mama friends who may say they don’t need anything when you ask…also 🙋🏼‍♀️.

* Text them regularly and say “I’m proud of you. You’re doing great today!” {no need to ask them how they are because if they are anything like me they will respond that they are good no matter what. Don’t take offense to this. This is a very common trait for an independent #enneagram8 relating to their childhood experiences/small trust circle.}

* Order them groceries/dinner and have them delivered. Don’t ask. They will say they don’t need them 🤪. Just grab the basics (bread, milk, fruit, veggies) and text them the delivery time (or better yet text their husband. Lol).

* Drop their favorite coffee or smoothie on the front porch. Don’t knock. Don’t ask to come in. Just text that’s it’s there.

* Amazon prime a cute new shirt (oversized + long to cover all the postpartum things) or a cozy pair of pjs to her house. Again. Don’t ask. Just do it, because I promise she will have thought of everything else for everyone else in preparing for baby’s arrival besides her clothing. 😂🤣

XO friends!

Now back to my regularly unscheduled nursing session!