700 blog posts.
Yes today is a landmark. A milestone. A big round number.
Even though The Deliberate Mom is the title of my blog, it is not me 100% of the time. I don’t walk around hearing songbirds and seeing beauty in every little thing my children do. I don’t have all of our meals planned, our activities scheduled, and my cupboards in order.
I doubt my ability to homeschool, I question my approaches with guiding my children’s behaviour, and I reflect on everything I do (and question it).
I have moments of brilliance and moments of utter devastation.
Sometimes I raise my voice. Sometimes I walk away from a conflict. Sometimes I go to the bathroom when I don’t have to go… just so that I can cradle my face in my hands and cry.
I have learned that being a deliberate mom is not about perfection but rather intention. With prayerful intention we practice becoming. We practice a deep breath before speaking. We practice listening to the issues and navigating the conflict. We practice smiling even when we don’t feel like it.
The practice is daily and some days are better than others.
I am not The Deliberate Mom… I am becoming The Deliberate Mom that I want to be.
Being a deliberate mom is not about perfection but rather, intention. #parenting Click To TweetThank you for being on this journey with me… for reading, for encouraging, for loving and for praying. Thank you for commenting, for sharing, for being honest, for lifting me up, and for holding my hand.
You see, you’re not just a reader… you are a friend. Whether you are a mom, a sister, a daughter, or a grandma, a dad, a brother, an uncle, or a grandpa… you are cherished. You are not one of several readers, you are you! The fact that the “no-one-like-you”, “one-of-a-kind-you” wishes to read about my journey, means the world to me!
So thank you, with all of my heart. You are treasured.
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Knowing that we are not the mum’s we want to be…yet…was one of my powerful mum-moments at the start. Knowing that I was always going to be striving to be the best I could be for my family puts me in my own category to measure up to nobody else. It settles me because whenever I start feeling irks of mummy-competition, I just remember that we are all doing things differently but so long as the choices I am making are the ones that are best for my family, then I am being the mum that Madeleine needs and deserves. Congrats on 700, that is epic!! xx
Being a mom is a work in progress. That’s the beauty of it. We think we’re raising our children but they are also “raising” us to be better people.
Thanks for celebrating with me Meg. You have been such a wonderful and lovely blogging friend. I appreciate it.
xoxo
Awesome post. thanks for sharing. As moms, we sometimes doubt our abilities but that is ok. Love will get us through it.
Thanks my dear! Thank you for being on this journey with me too. I appreciate your friendship so very much.
xoxo
Oh, good, good post. I think we are all there right with you. And congrats on 700 blog posts! Whoa!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Mia! Thank you for coming and celebrating this “milestone” with me. I appreciate your blogging friendship.
Thank you for this post. I always like when people make posts that acknowledge they have faults. Then I don’t feel as bad about mine. So many blogs (I’m guilty to) paint the pretty side of things. It’s nice to be reminded that other people have off moments to and we are not alone. Be well.
I think it’s human nature to share what’s good and hide what’s not. I never want anyone to think that I am the Deliberate mom. I am a work in progress and there is beauty in that.
Wishing you a lovely day!
Hi Miss Honesty! I loved your post today. How true is it that we tend to gloss over our failures, and just let people see our victories? I remember those trips to the bathroom when I was a young mom. It gave me a few minutes of silence…then the knocking on the door would start. “MOM! What are you doing???”
I am so happy for your blogging success, and FB too. You’ve been such a good blog friend to me, and I hope it continues :)
Monday Blessings,
Ceil
Thanks Ceil. Yes, I often get the knock on the door too. I so appreciate your blogging friendship as well Ceil. You have been a blessing to me. So… thank you!
HAPPY 700! And here’s to another deliberately living 700 posts. I remember when you were questioning whether you were the deliberate mom, or if something else suited you better. I think you’ve found your answer, in that being the deliberate mom is really becoming the deliberate mom you want to be. I love it, and I’m such a happy reader. You were one of the first few blogs I fell in love with on my blog journey and I am a forever fan (no practice required). Thanks for sharing the best and the worst with us. <3!
Awwww, Rebecca, you are truly too sweet and I can’t tell you how much your blogging friendship means to me. Here’s to 700 more my friend! I’m glad and proud to have you by my side.
xoxo
Jennifer, I swear. You have got to be the most well spoken woman I’ve ever met (virtually of course). You just have this amazing way with words and your posts are so genuine and from the heart. Congratulations on 700 posts. That is huge! And thank you for being honest. I think all of us moms have been there, and for you to be open and honest about some of those “struggles” is commendable.
Have a lovely week my dear!
xoxo
Awww, thanks Tiffany. I am a work in progress… we all are. I will never be where I want to be as a mom because there will always be room for growth. I’ve learned that I need to accept, good days and bad, that this is a journey.
I treasure our virtual friendship and I thank you for being a part of this journey of motherhood (and blogging) with me.
Wishing you a lovely week as well.
xoxo
Love your honesty in this post because so often I think a lot of us moms feel like we’re the only ones to “lose it” or completely berate ourselves for doing something we regret, like raising our voices. Intention is definitely what’s most important. And we’re in this together <3
Thanks Jessica. At the mothering journey feels lonely… like I am the only one who’s crumbling. It’s reassuring when you hear others dealing with similar issues. Thanks for your support and blogging friendship Jessica. I enjoy our visits!
Oh..Very good blogpost!!! I enjoy reading every sentence.. Thanks for your honesty and congrats on 700 blogpost!!! Being a mom is one of the most fulfilling experiences a person can have… brings the greatest joys and challenges..and learning forever!
Thank you Yonca. Motherhood is an amazing journey and every journey has ups and downs. I appreciate your support and thank you for celebrating this milestone of 700 posts with me.
xoxo
Congrats on reaching the 700 mark – what an accomplishment! Here’s to all the practice we get each day as moms – the best/hardest/most rewarding job there is! :)
Thanks so much Lisa! 700 is a milestone. What will I do when I reach 1000?! Being a mom is hard but you’re right… it’s so rewarding too.
700! A lot!!
I’m looking at your comments and seeing such wonderful mutual blogger friends. That’s how I know I’m in a good place!
I like your name. I think just being more deliberate is something that could benefit me well. I won’t achieve perfection, but hey, just a moment a day with hearing the songbirds with my kids sounds nice.
I’m SO glad I found you through SITS Jennifer! From one ‘trying to be deliberate mom’ to another- CHEERS to being real and true and always always trying…
SO lovely to meet you!!!
I am so pleased to meet you Chris! Isn’t that the loveliest thing about SITS… we can meet new friends so easily! Thank you for your wonderful and encouraging words.
Thanks for visiting Tamara and I’m so glad we’ve met!
Yes, as I shared being deliberate is not about perfection but rather intention. I am reciting that frequently now because for a while I was striving for an unobtainable perfection and that, in itself is a recipe for disaster.
I look forward to connecting and once again, am thankful that we met. Thank you for celebrating this 700th posting milestone with me.
I have been thinking a lot about journey vs. destination lately. If we wait until we are perfectly whatever it is we want to be, we’ll never get to do what we want to do. If I wait until I know how to parent perfectly, I’ll never get to parent. If I wait to go swimming until I’m perfectly in shape, I’ll never swim again. Congratulations on your 700th post!
Ooooh, deep thoughts there Jean. I think we often think of the destination as the “prize” but I think the joy comes in the journey… the highs and lows, it’s ours. I’ve dropped perfect Jean. I have to do it every single day but there’s no room for the discontentment it brings.
Thanks for celebrating my 700th post with me. I appreciate your friendship in this crazy journey of motherhood and blogging.
xoxo
I’m a work in progress…I am very conscious of my faults as a mom, although probably others are not. No one is perfect though! I’d love if you linked this post up with the LOBS link party…we’re celebrating Perfectly Imperfect Moms this week!
Thanks for your kind words Michelle and for the invite! Perfectly imperfect?! Yup, that sounds about right.
Thanks for celebrating my 700th posting with me.
{Melinda} I can so relate to this! I’m always falling short as a mom, but I want to live a life that my kids see is driven by God-led passion and intention! That is always my goal. :)
http://motheringfromscratch.com
A God-driven passion and intention… lovely.
Thanks for stopping by Melinda (and for sharing in my 700th posting celebration)!
xoxo