Daily
Life on Planet Mom - By Aubrey Smith
eing a stay-at-home mom to two little girls is the most
rewarding job I’ve ever had and the most
exhausting. I am sure you all know the feeling, hugs and
kisses one minute and then time-outs the next. It’s all in
a day in the life of a stay-at-home mom.
I took a few minutes (during quiet time, of course) to
look up the definition of woman and mother. Here is
what the website Google had to say:
Women: a female person who plays a significant role in
the life of a particular man.
Mother: a woman who has given
birth to a child.
I like to think of myself as both
these things combined
into one – I am a WoMom,
hear me roar. I am a female
person who has given birth
to multiple children and I
have a significant role in
the life of those children
and their father. Or I could
just call myself Super Mom.
That is exactly what we are.
We are born with this incredible
ability to multi-task one hundred
things at a time all the while, still
trying to maintain the woman
we once were before we had children.
Lisa T. Bergren who authored the book, Life On Planet
Mom, asks you to look into the mirror to see if you
can see YOU anymore. Wow! Yes, I can. I see a better
version of me. One that is whole. My days and nights,
hours and seconds revolve around the needs, health
and happiness of my family. Of course, we all need and
deserve a break every now and then. It’s good for your
soul. It’s also a great way to do those things you did
Planet October 2009
before you had children. Such as, shopping, going to
get your nails done, paint, scrapbook, relax with a
good book or just take a long deserved nap.
Lisa also asks if you understand love better now that
you are a mother. Yes, I do. I have known love before
in my life, but not like this. It’s a love you would lay
down your own life for. I felt love in an instant when I
saw my girls for the very first time. It’s a love that just
oozes from your soul. One of my favorite
bible verses is…
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. Love
does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always
trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres.
Becoming a mother has also
allowed me to feel the love of Jesus in
a way I have never felt before. My walk
with the Lord has only just begun. Every day
is a chance for me to know the Lord better and to raise
my children up in a loving, Christian environment.
Being a part of MOPS has allowed me the opportunity
to be just a mom to two girls who makes mistakes and
a woman seeking the love of Christ. Being a mom has
definitely changed me for the better.
Aubrey Smith, Wednesday MOPS Coordinator, is a wife to
Roy and a supermom to Caroline, 4 and Makenzie, 2.
 Make Room For Daddy

A
Fathering is Mom’s Guide to Letting Dad can also mishandle control, either assuming control for
something Be Dad fathering functions or relinquishing our vital influence
sacred to be on our husbands’ fathering. As moms, we must identify
celebrated Our children need dads as well as what might lead us to abuse our control. Moms have a
and encour- moms. However, moms and dads are choice to
aged. Our very different, and a dad will love manipulate or to step back and allow dad to be a good
role as moms and parent his children differently dad, as well as a choice to be controlled or to contrib-
is to get out from a mom. These differences are ute positive influence to our husbands’ fathering. We
of his way good, and children need both kinds need to lay down the strings over our husbands’ lives,
and let dad of love as they grow up. Men want to take up the strings of our own, and to move towards
be dad! to be good dads just as women want becoming partners in parenting.
to be good moms. As moms, we can
influence our children’s father in There’s nothing wrong with a dad just because he
powerful ways by “making room for parents differently than a mom. We need to acknowl-
daddy.” edge and accept his differences as okay—even needed.
When dads parent differently, moms tend to interfere.
When a child is born, a father is Our role as moms is to recognize our tendency to
born. Our role as moms is to interfere, and then move to inform instead.
understand his daddy doubts, help
him identify them, and love him Understanding original family issues also helps
through his adjustment to his days as strengthen mothering and fathering. Moms should do
a daddy. Fathers are important and their homework on our original issues and help dads
yet they are struggling with a kind of do theirs as well.
“daddy daze” today. Moms are key
in recognizing the value of a daddy Fathering is something sacred to be celebrated and
and helping to replace unrealistic encouraged. Our role as moms is to get out of his way
expectations with realistic ones. and let dad be dad! Learn more about letting dads be
dads in Make Room for Daddy by Elisa Morgan and
When a child is born, the mother Carol Kuykendall, Zondervan, 2002.
bond is a primary, foundational bond
necessary for establishing
all other bonds. The first Top 10 Things that Make POPS
of these other bonds is the
father bond. Our job as
Special
moms is to bond in order 1) Can be showered and ready in 10 minutes flat.
to launch. The longings of 2) Know useful stuff about tanks and airplanes.
our hearts can distract us 3) Can open all jars and kill spiders.
from the good we can do 4) Think that flowers and duct tape can fix everything.
in influencing our 5) Can watch two back-to-back Sunday afternoon football games.
husbands’ fathering. As 6) One mood, all the time.
moms, we must identify 7) Phone conversations usually last thirty seconds.
what heart longing might 8) Five-day vacation requires one suitcase.
be keeping us from 9) Wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
launching our children. 10) God’s good and perfect gifts to MOPS.
In an effort to be good moms, we
How to Survive Baby Boot Camp The only
thing
you can count
It seems like the crying, rocking, feeding, walking-the- 4. Realize that new on is
floor insanity is going to last forever. relationships are
unpredictability.
By Rebecca Ingram Powell forming. When a new
baby arrives, everyone in
“Baby Boot Camp” aptly describes life with a new- the family assumes a new
born. New moms are often flustered and bewildered role. As these new identities
during those early days with a baby. Besides having a evolve, families are required to make a transition.
body that’s getting back to normal, postpartum Patience is a must as you and your husband, as well as
mothers must deal with fluctuating hormones, extreme your parents and in-laws, adjust to your new name tags.
fatigue and roller-coaster emotions. This wasn’t what Now you’re “Mom.” Your mother-in-law is “Grandma.”
you signed up for! When you bring your baby home As you step into these new roles, it will take a while to
from the hospital, however, the rigors of basic training get used to the way they fit.
begin.
5. Remember you are not alone. Every new recruit feels
Here are five ways to stay balanced when a new baby overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood. At the
rocks your world. same time, the joy of motherhood is utterly transforming.
Be encouraged: You have joined the ranks of billions of
1. Recognize that your situation is temporary. It seems women who also experienced these feelings as they
like the crying, rocking, feeding, walking-the-floor began the journey of motherhood. It is a comfort to
insanity is going to last forever, but it doesn’t. Eventu- remember that you are always in the heart of a loving
ally babies sleep, sore nipples heal and your energy Father who has a plan for both you and your baby.
returns. The love you have for your little one, however, Trust God to guide you through this wonderful season
is permanent! of life.

2. Re-evaluate your priorities. The priorities of the
first six weeks are basic. Rest. Eat. Drink lots of water.
And did I say rest? Now is not the time to insist on a
spotless house or to dwell on what’s going on at work
while you are on leave. Your day begins and ends with
meeting the needs of a tiny person who is relying on
you for survival. As far as anything else is concerned,
this is one time in your life when it will be easier to
catch up than to keep up.
3. Relinquish your need to control. When it comes to
a newborn, the only thing you can count on is unpre-
dictability. Don’t be afraid to admit that you need help.
There are lots of people who really mean it when they
ask if there is anything they can do. Never turn down
gifts of food or offers to baby-sit. When a friend or a
grandmother comes over to help you, let her! Someone
else can wash a load of clothes or run the vacuum just
as well as you can. Loosen up.
Rebecca Ingram Powell is a pastor’s wife, a home-
schooling mother of three, and the author of Baby Boot Camp:
Basic Training for the First Six Weeks of Motherhood. Visit her
wevsite at www.rebeccapowell.com.
This article is reprinted by permission.
Book Review
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to
Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer
By Dr. Harvey Karp
Dr. Karp believes that babies, in their first few months
of life, can experience “fourth trimester” issues. Babies
have a difficult time getting used to the huge amount
of stimuli present in life outside of Mom’s body. Their
reaction is to cry. Dr. Karp has developed 5 techniques
to induce a calming reflex, swaddling, shusing, side/
stomach position, swinging and sucking.
Karp’s book is a quick and essential read for those
early months of motherhood. He also offers a book for
toddler tantrums (The Happiest Toddler on the Block),
DVDs demonstrating his techniques, and a CD of
white noise for infants.
Mommy and Me Activities Trick-or-Treating Tips:
BEYOND CARVING... Alternative Pumpkin
Decorating Ideas Halloween
Safety
PAINT & EMBELLISH
• Draw with permanent markers Whether or not your
or paint pens. Make shapes, family chooses to
patterns, or fall objects. trick-or-treat or to
• Create a “carved” face with attend a costumed
paint. Draw a face on a pumpkin event, here are some
using black paint pen. Let dry. tips to ensure a safe,
Fill in the drawn areas with a enjoyable evening for
yellow paint pen to resemble everyone.
candlelight shining through.
• Make “frost” on pumpkins using a bottle
of white dimensional paint applied generously to the COSTUME PRECAUTIONS
stem and dripping downward. Also add some snow- • Purchase flame resistant costumes or fabrics.
flake shapes. Sprinkle white glitter over the wet painted • Select outfits and shoes that fit well to prevent tripping.
areas. • Buy or make costumes with light-colored fabrics and
• Create a 3-D face with objects found around the decorate bags and clothing with reflective tape.
house. Use magnetic strips, thumb tacks, or glue to • Use flexible materials for props such as wands or
attach items to pumpkin. Don’t forget a hat. swords to avoid injuries.
• Apply pictures cut out of magazines or gift wrap with • Remember that nontoxic makeup is safer than masks
decoupage glue. that can hinder vision.
• Make a sequined pumpkin by attaching sequins with • Plan your route in advance. Don’t cut through yards
straight pins with pearl ends. or alleys.
• Don’t forget to decorate the stems... Apply glue to • Carry a flashlight.
the stem and sprinkle with glitter, tie on pieces of curly • Cross only at street corners. (Child pedestrian deaths
ribbon to the stem, glue on fall leaves, or attach some are 4 times greater on Halloween.)
wire coils. • Only visit homes with porch lights on. Never step
inside anyone’s home.
CARVING TIPS • Eliminate any trip hazards on your porch and walkway.
• Make white teeth or eyes by cutting only through the
surface of the skin. Then use a knife to “peel” or cut SAFE SWEETS
back the orange layer. • Don’t let your child eat candy that isn’t commercially
• Make holes for ears and use pumpkin scraps with wrapped. Throw out any homemade items from people
funny shapes to stick in those holes. you don’t know.
• Use metal cookie cutter to press shapes into the • Don’t let your kids snack while trick-or-treating until
pumpkin surface. Then, remove the orange “skin.” you can inspect candy at home for signs of tampering.
• Create candleholders from small pumpkins. Cut a • Don’t allow young children to eat small, hard candies
round hole in the top of the pumpkin and scooping out that can be choking hazards.
enough to hold a votive candle. • Limit your trick-or-treating time so kids don’t gather
too much candy.
Pumpkin Seeds • Allow children to choose one piece of candy to eat for
For two cups of cleaned pumpkin seeds, toss with 2 T snack each day.
melted butter, 1/2 t garlic powder, and 1/2 t seasoning • Consider having a Halloween fairy visit your home a
salt. Spread seeds onto a cookie sheet and bake at 300 week after Halloween to swap any excess candy for a
degrees for 40 minutes, stirring often, until browned small gift.
and crisp. • Try passing out stickers, bubbles, small toys, and
other bulk treats instead of candy.