A Little Update

My task list is WAY too long today, but I am having such beautiful experiences that I can't help but feel happy and optimistic about life.  

I spent the morning with my friend Elizabeth.  She's 66, she had an extremely difficult childhood, she's worked long and hard her whole life, and she is now raising four beautiful children she adopted a few years ago, plus a little boy who is staying with her as a foster child.  (When the agency is having a hard time placing a child, they call Elizabeth because they know she'll take good care of any child who needs a good home.)

Speaking with Elizabeth (also making a video I'll try to post at another time) and helping out with her three-year-old foster child was an absolute privilege.  Spencer was in heaven with a little boy around, and I couldn't help but feel so grateful for mothers out there who are providing safe, loving homes for their children--or other people's children.  The value of a mother just can't be measured.

I'm also feeling excited because Saren and I spoke on the phone for a couple of hours yesterday, and we have finally selected the main essayists/editors for our upcoming book.  We're in the process of contacting them, and then we'll announce their names on the website by this Friday (if all goes well).  We'll also announce the full list of contest winners in a couple of weeks--once the main essayists/editors help us create drafts of our 12 chapters.  The book is coming together!  

Saren and I also decided on our new tag line for The Power of Moms.  Up to this point, it's been "Growing Ourselves, Building Each Other, Shaping the Future," which is good, but too long.  Our new logo and header will read:  dun-duh-duh-DUN - 

The Power of Moms

A gathering place for deliberate mothers

I love the word "deliberate."  We're not "perfect" mothers.  We're not "fashion-model, immaculate-house" mothers.  We're deliberate.  Our families are our top priorities, and we're trying to grow ourselves in the process of caring for the ones we love most.  

In the past 24 hours, I haven't "accomplished" much.  My laundry isn't folded or put away, the kitchen floors need a good mopping, and I have about 40 emails to return and 4 articles to write today.  However, I mended a soccer sock my daughter wanted to wear to her soccer practice, I wrote a note in one child's lunch (someday I'll have the wherewithal to write a note in EACH child's lunch), I helped a child with a science fair project, I made the family's favorite dinner, I gave back tickles and sang "Baby Mine," had several important conversations with my children and husband, and tried to savor every moment.  We still have plenty of squabbles and tantrums, but I am doing all I can to be deliberate. It feels great. 

For those who are interested in the website--we're getting a new logo and colors for The Power of Moms.  Here's a sneak peek at what Rebecca from Persnickety Graphics is working on:

We're also changing our entire admin site to a new system and reorganizing the whole website around the 12 Powers.  It's been a lot of work, but goodness, I can't even explain how exciting this work is to me.  

Our Trainers are holding Retreats around the country (with more being organized every month), and I can hardly wait to see the affect this will have on moms in every community. 

Spencer is "helping" me type now, so I think it's time to close up, but one final reason I'm feeling happy is because I've been able to spend quite a bit of time with my parents and siblings lately, and I just love them.  I'm the 7th of 8 children, and growing up in a home with people who really care about you (and building a home where people really care about you) is as close to heaven as I can imagine.  

If anyone wants to leave a comment and let me know what YOU'RE happy about today, that would be fun to read :)

Love,

April