I’ve only been
10. Like Two Sparrows in a Hurricane
I’m surprised this one made the top views of the decade! Out of all the blog posts I’ve written, this one wasn’t hard to write. It was hard to live, though. It seems crazy that a blog post (and experience) so fresh in my memory and my experience made the top 10!
“I’m sitting on my couch. There are tears trickling down my cheeks. My three kids are playing with many multiple toys all around me. I’m holding a jar of canned goods in my hand, trying to muster up the energy to find a box to put them in.
A song comes on the Spotify playlist. It’s about two sparrows in a hurricane. The tears fall harder and faster. That is exactly how I feel.
My neighbor walks past my window and seriously contemplate chucking the can at him. I feel bitterness rising up in my throat and I fight it with all that I have. I remind myself that I can’t live in a place of bitterness, of letting someone else steal my joy.”
I have no idea how this one made the top 10! I’m guessing that it got a lot of hits on google. It is a good reminder to me to continue writing reviews on the places we go, because there is a lot of interest for those types of things!
“A few weeks back, we took a trip to Kings Island. This trip was something that Heavenly had been looking forward to and asking about all summer long, so we did it as an end of summer celebration!”
This might be my favorite blog post I’ve ever written. I still feel this deeply in my heart. As I have grappled and struggled into motherhood, I have found great encouragement and strength in seeing the example of other mothers who have gone before me. Especially those Moms who are parenting while also serving in ministry in a foreign country. This blog post is for them.
“But, you, missionary Mom, you say the same…and more. I know that you struggle to keep your house clean when the Sahara desert blows more dust in than you can ever keep out. I know that you struggle with the weather and cannot comprehend removing yourself from sitting directly in front of the AC to change a poopy diaper. I know that getting dinner on the table is often a multi-hour long investment that includes making everything from scratch, with a lot of non-existent ingredients. I know that you struggle with worrying about your child, and you don’t even libraries and parks and play dates or playgrounds to put on your schedule. I know that you struggle with worry: will he get malaria? Will he get tetanus? Is there a suicide bomber nearby? Will he witness poverty, death, sickness
Here we are in 7th place with another review! You all know I LOVE the birth center where all three of my babies were born! The only problem with this blog post is that the images don’t even work anymore. Oh dear…I will need to update this one ASAP!
6. Let’s Find Enjoyment in Our Children
This post was written about a year ago when I had a deep longing to change up my mental mindset towards my children. I had intended to do a yearly challenge and that didn’t happen. But I can say that I do ENJOY my children more now than I did a year ago.
“The day Ezra was born I held him in my arms and it was like something in my entire brain and heart changed. It was like I was standing outside of myself and seeing myself. I was seeing a Mom who was trying her hardest but felt like she wasn’t succeeding. I was seeing a Mom who had some mixed up priorities but didn’t know how to flip them upright. I wasn’t angry or guilty for being that Mom, but I just knew something had to change. And I knew that change wouldn’t be easy.”
5. How to Survive the Police Academy
Oh, how I have forgotten the grueling days of the police academy. Those seven months of our lives were TOUGH, and I’ve received many messages and emails from other women who are going through it. The training that they received at the academy was extremely valuable, and they use it every day on the streets. I’m not surprised that this is a top hit on my blog, as I searched and googled for anyone who could help me while we were going through the academy. I couldn’t find anything to help me!
“Theo’s academy was 7 months long and thankfully he was paid to attend (not every city is like this). Theo was expected to be there from 8-5 every M-F, and we really enjoyed the consistency in schedule and having weekends off. The class went through rigorous academic, physical and even emotional work every single day. Throughout the 7 months, they had different focuses in their class- for one month they did Defensive Training (wrestling, boxing and running) every day for the full eight hours. For several months they did rigorous academics with weekly tests and an insane amount of note writing. For one month they did firearms. On day one, they had EIGHT HOURS of lecture on every single reason they should and could be fired. They were treated like scum the entire 7 months. In fact, they were told that they were NOT the bottom of the barrel. They were the dirt under the barrel. And then they were treated accordingly the entire seven months. They were not allowed any sick days, and they did not receive any vacation days”
4. She Reads Truth Bible: A Review
Lol. I don’t know how this blog post has so many views! I’ve literally never been asked about my Bible. But three years later I’m still using it! Things I love about it: it’s beautiful, the margins and all the extra tools that are jam packed into this bible. Things I don’t love about this Bible: the translation, how heavy it is, how thin the pages are and that the binding is not doing so hot three years in. Would I still recommend it? Absolutely, especially if it ever comes out in a different version.
3. The Four Most Common Struggles in Foster Care
I’m not surprised this is topping the charts because it’s one a LOT of people could resonate with. It’s also a chapter in the book I am (still) working on.
“There are four things that every foster care situation struggles with. Regardless of the details of the situation, the reason for removal or the present circumstances of the child…these struggles will be present in the home.
- Sleeping
- Eating
- Triggers
- Visits “
I have NO IDEA why this is a top hit on my blog. I mean…TOP HIT. Like, 3x as many views as any other posts. It CRACKS.ME.UP. And keeps me humble. Here I am writing my heart out on motherhood subjects when the top hit on my blog is how to get rid of fleas. LOL.
1. The Organized Foster Parent
The #1 viewed post on my blog is all about how to put together a foster care binder. Honestly, this is not my best work and I’m slightly embarrassed that it ranks at #1. Who are all the people reading this and thinking it’s good work? I dunno. But apparently a lot of foster parents out there desire to be organized and to stop drowning in all the paperwork. I need to update this one post, too!