These posts are brutally honest about the downfalls of being a pastor’s wife.

The problem is, these posts are not about one person. They are the conglomeration of what you get when 30 PWs sit in a room sipping coffee sharing “war stories”.

Yes, we PWs have war stories. Many of us have battle scars.

But, I’m here to tell you, that scarred or not, I would not trade the vocation of Pastor’s Wife for anything.

Yes, I called it a vocation. A calling. Not everyone can do this. The vocation of PW, like most vocations, and life in general, is not for the weak of heart.

Not everyone can do this. The vocation of PW, like most vocations, and life in general, is not for...
Click To Tweet

We’ve spent years in what could be called abject poverty. At one point, we were not sure if Dakotapastor would even have a church to shepherd. And, through it all, God was with us.

And so, tonight, I’m not going to swap war stories. They rarely do any good.

I’m going to share my heart, and share the many blessings that our family has received from living in the fishbowl of parish life.

These are my top 10 Pastor Wife Perks:

10. Front Row Seating Yes, ma’am. The front, left-hand row does not need a reserved sign. Our kids never have to wonder where to sit.

9. More Grandmas than I can count. Yes, our family lives far off. We are not likely to live close to relatives this side of paradise. But what we do have is an unlimited number of grandmas (and grandpas too!) willing and ready to fill in the gap for our parents. And when our parents visit, they regale them with stories of their wonderful grandchildren. It is a beautiful relationship! (If you are reading this and live far from your own grands, feel free to “adopt’ some church grands, it is a mutually beneficial relationship.

8. Extended Family. While somewhat related to #9, this is a little different. The pastor’s family often becomes a de facto member of many families. I cry at church member baptisms, weddings and funerals as if they are close family members. Because they are. These are the people I am blessed to pray for on a daily and weekly basis!

7. Generosity. We have been the recipients of much generosity in our time as a seminary family and as the Pastor’s family. Just knowing that these wonderful people think on us and treasure us, warms my heart.

6. My own, personal, spiritual adviser. Yes, living with the pastor has perks. While he may have to work late with meetings (don’t most working men?), he also is usually willing to answer my sometimes silly theological questions.

5. Watching him grow. Yes, this is a big perk for me. I had the privilege of watching my husband be confirmed. I watched him stumble through Greek texts. I made coffee for sem wives while our husbands debated theology until the wee hours of the morning. I watched him give his first, halting, practice sermon. I tagged along on vicarage. I beamed proudly from MY pew when he was ordained. I watched him baptize half of our children. I was a witness in the wedding he solemnized for his best friend. I watched him, quite literally build a church. Do you have any idea what an incredible privilege this is?

4. Watching our Church grow. Our pastor is the most humble person I know. And so, as our little mission start blossoms and grows, all of the credit goes to God who gives the growth. And what an honor it is to witness this flock entrusted to my husband’s loving care.

3. Watching our children grow up in the church. This is often seen as a negative in parish life. The pastor’s family ends up having to spend too much time at church. And, while sometimes it seems burdensome to be the first to arrive and the last to leave on Sundays, we know that our children have been given a gift. We make a strong effort not to “overchurch” the kids (whatever that is), and we shield them as much as we can from negative things within the church (filled with sinners as it is). We have found that the church is a place that our children want to be. They enjoy worship and even the youngest participate with gusto. The girls even have an occasional “work day” with daddy at the church office when daycare does not quite work out (they beg for more). I hope for at least one pastor, but at the very least, I pray that our children will feel comfortable with a generous church activity level as adults.

2. Watching our church family grow up. What a joy it is to see the children that I nurtured in Sunday School take Confirmation vows. How sweet it is to see the babies grow up to sing Jesus Loves Me. And how wonderful it is to watch couples become a family, then parents, and then grandparents.

1. God richly blesses us. Not always in our time, not always with our plan. However, to look back on our 16 year journey so far and see the loving hand of God is incredible. He has never left us. We have never gone hungry. We have always had more than we needed (Though not always everything we wanted). He has given me the great gift of contentment. So no, even though we will never have a million dollar career (can you imagine the taxes?) and even though my husband has to work nights, weekends, holidays, most family birthdays and anniversaries (we knew that going into this, right?), I still think my husband has the coolest job ever. The saying goes something like “Choose a job that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, that is Dakotapastor’s job. He’s pretty blessed to have it, and so am I!

My Life as a Pastor’s Wife (PW) is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post My Life as a Pastor’s Wife (PW) appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

How is motherhood treating you?

Are you exhausted, burnt out, a bit rough around the edges?

Are you aglow and bubbly, busy sniffing up the sweet smells and sights of new motherhood?

Are you somewhere in between?

Are you wondering if you will ever BE a mother?

Are you wondering why you ever thought being a mother was such a good idea?

Let me assure you. . .you are probably normal, and I have felt all of these feelings at one time.

This week one of the young newlyweds in our congregation announced a first pregnancy. All of the women gasped in joy. I’m fairly certain that as I type this there are knitting needles and crochet hooks clicking away in anticipation. This sweet dear has been regaled with stories of pregnancy cravings and stories of goofy dads who may or may not always think straight in the heat of a pregnancy moment.

Through these stories I heard how we all process motherhood differently.

Motherhood came as a bit of a surprise to us, with our first born arriving days after our first wedding anniversary. That patient and resilient child has endured through two graduate schools, several change of address forms, and schooling ranging from home school to private school to public school. Motherhood was a work in progress for me. Daktotapastor and I were raised in two decidedly different parenting styles and our efforts to merge the two often met with some clumsy parenting.

After Dakotateen was born, we systematically added another little boy to the mix every three years or so. We thought we were done and then God blessed us with the girls when our youngest turned 6. Our larger size family kind of snuck up on us. We did not consciously discuss the things that would be sacrificed for a larger family. (Warning, dinner invites stop after 3 kids.) It just became obvious that a mini van would be the car I drive. Vacations are always inexpensive, relatively close and wedged in between convergent summer camps and golf lessons. A Disney vacation? Probably not. . .those bargain Disney ads? They assume two parents and two kids under 7, not 2 parents, 2 teens, 2 tweens and a pair of preschoolers. We don’t even fit into a hotel suite anymore.

You could almost say that I take motherhood for granted. It is the very thing I have been slogging through, sometimes happily, sometimes through gritted teeth, for most of my adult life.

But I have many friends where motherhood is not a given. My dear friends and family who dote on my children while they wait, patiently or not, for their own. And though I sometimes covet the carefree freedom of my single friends, I know that they know that their situation is not all roses.

Not every mother/child relationship is wonderful. We all struggle with the effects of sin. I’d be lying if I told you that my children universally rise up and call me blessed on a daily basis. I’ll settle for once a year. heck, I realize that my best trait is my ability to keep the laundry caught up. . .or not.

The fact is, I love those little boogers unconditionally. That means I love them even when they stink, even when they steal my Cokes, even when they point out that I am “fluffier” this year than last year. I love them because they are a part of me. They have been nourished by me, nurtured, loved. They know that I am a safe place. They know that even when it seems like I am not listening, I hear. I know that God has created us to be a family.

We're all walking a very unique motherhood story. It is an adventure we all experience together.
Click To Tweet

Happy Mother’s Day to you all. . .and we all can celebrate, because somewhere down the line, we all have a mother!

How is Motherhood Treating You? is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post How is Motherhood Treating You? appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

Well, apparently I’ve been slacking off . . . except I haven’t been.

I’ve finished my first full month at my new job with the Cystic Fibrosis Association of North Dakota. I’m the Development Director, which is a fancy way of calling me the official fund raiser. I wear a lot of hats: event planner, facilitator, story teller, public relations and social media. I love it.

I did have a few moments in my first few days of “oh poop. . .I so cannot do this!” But those moments passed and I’ve literally thrown myself into my work.

What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease in the US today. It affects about 30,000 children and young adults, and occurs in approximately one in every 2,000 live births. One in 25 Americans (more than 12 million people) is an unknowing, symptom-less carrier of the defective gene causing CF. If both parents carry the defective gene, there is a 25% chance that each child they have may have CF.

There are over 800 different genetic mutations causing cystic fibrosis. The most common mutations attack the lungs and digestive system. This results in frequent, severe lung infections, which eventually kill the lungs, as well as halting the production of pancreatic enzymes necessary for digestion and nutritional absorption.

Although there is no cure, genetic research has produced several medications that have found increasing success in treating the symptoms of the disease. These medications are very expensive, and must be taken every day together with enzyme supplements, antibiotics, special vitamin supplements and mucolytics. In addition, most young people with CF must do chest physiotherapy and inhalation therapy several times each day in order to maintain optimum health.

What Does the Cystic Fibrosis Association do?

As you can imagine, dealing with a diagnosis of CF (usually in infancy, but often as late as teen years) can be overwhelming for a family. As of today, CF is a fatal disease. That means that there is no cure! There are currently devoted researches searching for a cure. They are closer than ever before, but until a cure can be found, we need to keep those with CF as healthy as possible.

It is extremely expensive to maintain health with Cystic Fibrosis. Daily medications can run into thousands of dollars a month. CF patients are often hospitalized often, which means that family members often have to miss work to help care for their sick child. The therapeutic equipment that helps keep lungs clear is very expensive.

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of North Dakota helps our members with medical costs that insurance does not pay for, we provide matching funds for life saving lung transplants, and we provide college scholarships so that those with CF can focus on studies and staying well and not have to worry about working while in college.

We also provide support groups for family members and we offer travel assistance for clinic days and travel to CF conferences.

My day is made when I hear from our members that they are so thankful for our organization! Here is an example from our Facebook page (go ahead and “like” us!)

It really is awesome to have a job that I KNOW impacts other lives positively!

The kids are adjusting well. We are so, so, so blessed to have a sitter willing to come to our house and care for the twins. When I get home the girls tell me of their adventures, and I know that they have had a good, full day. The older boys hardly notice that I’ve been gone.

People often wonder how I can “juggle” six kids and a job, but you need to know, I’ve been juggling kids and other responsibilities for some time now. I don’t always succeed, and sometimes balls get dropped. I also point out that I don’t have six small children. I have two teenagers (and I took one on his first college visit a few weeks ago!), and two upper elementary students. The preschool girls are missing out on having me full time, but what they are gaining with me working is a happier, less stressed out mother.

Dakotapastor has been the biggest cheerleader for me going back to work. He sees the benefits and he has pitched in a lot to keep everything running smoothly!

Part of my job requires some travel around the state. We decided that it was time to get a new, very fuel efficient car for my trips and for when Dakotapastor is running around town on church business. So yesterday, we added “Zippy”, a Ford Focus to our family.

Isn’t he cute? It has some really nice features and we feel so blessed to have it! I feel so much better about getting nearly 40 miles per gallon on the highway versus the 15-17 that we get with my van. Can you believe that it is our very first “new” car in our 17 (almost 18) years of marriage? It was fun watching Dakotapastor drive it right out of the showroom!

So! Since it has been a while, what have YOU been up to? Do you have any questions for me? Something you want to read about? Let me know!

Catching Up–Working Mom Edition is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Catching Up–Working Mom Edition appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

He was, understandably, nervous.

He failed to remember that his mic was live. Now, this was a bad thing to forget. I’ve put in time as an on-air personality, I always assumed the mic was live, but, in my youth, I did not always practice great judgement on-air.

A.J. Clemente muttered some obscenities under his breath, but very clearly, and into a very live mic at the start of the broadcast.

On live television.

It has become, quite literally, the newsclip heard around the world. (NSFW) He will be appearing on the Today Show tomorrow.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This was not the work of a polished, experienced news anchor.

If it was, I’d be a lot less sympathetic. But, judging from the rest of what I saw, KFYR hired a rookie. A young rookie.

I think this speaks volumes for KFYR. I love that about our local news. We don’t have many newscasters with decades of experience under their belt. We are a market that allows rookies to cut their teeth.

We let them make some mistakes, chuckle good-naturedly and rib them for years on end. But we let them make some mistakes. We’re North Dakota nice that way.

The poor guy knew that he messed up.

He tweeted this after his first (and probably last) newscast.

That couldn’t have gone any worse!

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 21, 2013

And he was right. He knew he messed up.

Big time.

But what do you want to bet that he will never make that same mistake again?

I’m going to put the best construction on the situation and assume that he was not being mean spirited, and he certainly did not want to ruin the reputation of his employer.

If anything, he gained a certain amount of fame and notoriety from the situation, and I am of the opinion that he can be a good example for our youth.

You might mess up, but own it, ask forgiveness and move on.

Everyone can learn from mistakes . .  . even vulgar slips of the tongue.

#BringBackAJ

Chime in! What do you think? Should A.J. Clemente get a second chance? Have you ever learned from a second chance?

Cut A.J. Clemente Some Slack and Hire Him Back is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Cut A.J. Clemente Some Slack and Hire Him Back appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

Our trusty weather guys (and you have to feel sorry for North Dakota weather guys) warned us that we would get 12-14 inches of snow this weekend.

I think some of us refused to believe it (me).

I figured we’d get the usual weather. . .a blow over storm and a few inches of annoying snow.

Saturday was fine, a little windy, but no snow. I should have done our grocery shopping, but since we shop once a week if we can, I figured Sunday night would be a better bet. (silly me).

We had some big plans for the weekend. It was supposed to be Confirmation Sunday at church. William was supposed to be confirmed.

Sunday morning we woke up at our usual time and Dakotapastor looked outside. “Not too bad.” he said. Then he did a quick Facebook check and remarked that two area churches had already cancelled services. I started the coffee (of course), and then peeked outside.  In the five minutes that had passed, things began to look very . . . blizzardy. It was a total white-out and the snow was literally pouring down. A few phone calls and we determined that church had to be cancelled, and with it, Confirmation.

The snow fell, and fell and fell. I did not see it let up at all during the day. Owen is our family weather dude and he made hourly measurements and we were melting snow in the rain gauge to find the precipitation totals. Our final measurements were a depth of 17 inches of new snow and a 1.61 inch of precipitation. That is a lot of wet, heavy snow!

I really tried to get in to work today, but our street has not been plowed yet, and 17 inches of snow is a lot to try and power through with a mini-van.

The biggest bother? We are the perfect storm of procrastinator and paper-tax people. We like to do our taxes on paper, and we always wait until the last minute. Guess what city in North Dakota has a closed post office today? Dakotapastor is currently hiking through the snow to mail our taxes via a big blue box a mile or so away. (he’s also going to pick up bread and butter.)

The children have literally eaten through every smidge of snack food in the house. I am super thankful for my stocked freezers.

Oh, and I sat down to type this. . . it started snowing again!

At this point, all we North Dakotans can do is laugh! Our snow is our badge of honor. We can handle this. . .and hey, at least it is not a hurricane!

April Blizzards Bring. . . is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post April Blizzards Bring. . . appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

I like to think I’ve been a pretty decent mom. I’ve potty trained 5 kids, the four that go to school are good students, most can run faster than me, they all are respectful in public, they know their catechism and more than a few hymns by heart.

But, after becoming a working mom nearly a month ago, I feel like I’m no less of a mom than I was when I was home with the kids all day. In some ways I may even be doing a better job.

At risk of starting a mommy war (not my intent. . . what works for my unique family may not work at all for yours!), I contend that I am a better mom today than I was three weeks ago. That does not mean I’m a better mom than you, or that I was a bad mom before. . .or even that there is no room for improvement.

But here it is, how being a working mom has made me a better mom:

• I’m more organized. I absolutely have to be. When I was home every day I could let things slide until the last minute. I did not have to communicate the children’s schedules with Dakotapastor as much, because I handled nearly everything. Sometimes that handling included flaking on things. Now, I rely even more on my color coded Google calendar with reminder alerts.
• My house is cleaner. Some may argue that it is cleaner because I am the slob and I am not in the house for 45 hours a week, leaving it spotlessly clean. But, in reality a few things are at play here. The bigger kids have been encouraged to pitch in a bit more, and more happily. Knowing that I can’t let laundry pile up all week so that I can wash mountains of laundry while I watch Netflix documentaries means that I actually do wash a load a day. Also, as my dear Essie pointed out, I fold that load and put it away. It is far less overwhelming that way!
• When I’m home I’m really present. When I was at home all day every day, it was easy to zone out on the kids. I could get caught up in reading, or talking to a friend on the phone, or tweeting, or blogging, or even sneaking chocolate. I took that time with my kiddos for granted. Now, when I come home, I don’t rush through eating dinner, and I spend some quality time with the little ones, snuggling and reading, and listening to them tell me of their day’s adventures. I appreciate my weekend time more. Plus, there is plenty of time to read, and blog and tweet after the kids go to bed!
• I’m getting more rest. Yes, you read that right. I just added a 40 hour workweek to my life and I am more rested than ever. Why? because in order to get up and going at 6:30 AM means that I have to actually get to bed at a decent hour. No watching “just one more episode”. So a regular bedtime and wake time is leaving me less irritable and more rested. . .which we all know results in a happier, better mom.
• Cuter shoes. Seriously, did you see those shoes up there? Adorable, though I had absolutely no reason to wear those around my house! (And, though I miss the yoga pants. . .I probably look better in business casual!)
• College. Yep, I’m pretty glad that my going back to work will enable us to say yes to helping our kids through college. I’m thankful for the degrees that Dakotapastor and I have, and I want the same for our kids, and I don’t want them unduly stressed over it.
• I’m showing a good example. My children have seen the value in my running a household. I know they appreciate it, but I also think that there is something to be gained from a child seeing his or her mother work hard in a career. I’m using my degree and I’m being challenged in some good ways, and I think that is a good thing for kids to see!

Chime in! Working mom or stay at home, which style makes YOU feel most successful? I’d love to hear from you!

Why Being a Working Mom Just Might Make Me a Better Mom is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Why Being a Working Mom Just Might Make Me a Better Mom appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

photo: The U.S. National Archives

I started a 40 hour a week, salaried, outside the home job.

It had to happen eventually. . .hello, six kids including a college bound high school junior!

I began job hunting in earnest just after Thanksgiving, and it took me a full four months to find a job. . .a good job, one that utilizes my experience and education.

But now, I’m a few weeks into my new career, and, even though the “new office” smell has not quite worn off yet, I know that this will be a good fit for me, and my family.

Today I’m going to line up some tips for moms who are considering re-entering the workforce after a stint as the hardest job in the world, stay at home mom.

• Make sure your family is on board. Getting a full time job is a big deal. It will affect everyone who lives in your home. Make sure that it is something that you discuss as a family.
• Write a good resume. Take some time to read up on best practices for resume writing today. You may be surprised at how much has changed since you last worked on a resume. Today’s resumes are cleaner, and must be optimized for email and web use.
• Learn how to sell your mom skills. Trust me, I know that you have not just been sitting on the couch eating bon-bons and watching Oprah for the past ten years, but a potential employer does not know this unless you tell him. It is likely that you have been involved in many levels of event planning, have sat on boards for school and community organizations, and, likely, have set up and run your own website. These are true marketable skills in today’s job force. . .so don’t be shy about sharing all that you have done during your time as “just a mom.” (We all know that you are much more than “Just a mom”!)
• Start arranging for childcare before you get a job. Depending on where you live, there is possibly a childcare shortage. Make sure you have considered who will care for your pre-schoolers (and your school-aged kids during the summer.) How embarrassing would it be to be offered a job only to have to tell your employer that you cannot accept due to lack of childcare?
• Get your house in order. Seriously. Remember all of those little organizing projects that you were going to get to later? Just do them. When you get that awesome job offer, you don’t want to have to come home and clean and organize for hours after work.
• Start Meal Planning Now. If your current meal plan is waiting until 4 and then digging through the pantry to pull something out to cook. . .STOP! Start planning your meals and grocery shopping now, so that when you get hired, one of your toughest jobs will be done for you. No more asking “what is for dinner?” Our family has been using eMeals.com since the new year, and it is one of the things that has made my “back to work” transition so much easier. I set out ingredients before I leave for work and by the time I get home, various family members have either prepped the meal, or completed it. . .which makes our evenings run so much smoother.
• Get used to using a family calendar. If you are like me, as a stay at home mom, I can mostly keep our family calendar in my head. There is very little delegation. If a kid has a doctor appointment, it is obvious that I am taking him. Special presentation at school? Mom, of course. But, when both parents in a busy family work, thinks need to be divided up and organized more. A calendar such as Google Calendar or Cozi.com are good choices and can be synched across several devices.
• Practice interviewing and never, ever sell yourself short! Moms! You have been doing a very important job! Raising a family is one of the most valuable things you could ever do. So don’t you dare walk into an interview and tell a potential employer that you have been doing nothing for x years. Sit up tall and be proud of your accomplishments. Sell yourself and your unique feminine ability to multitask!

Chime in! What tips would you share for a mom re-entering the workforce?

Tips for Moms Re-Entering the Workforce is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Tips for Moms Re-Entering the Workforce appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

Over the past year I have enjoyed getting to know LeapFrog products better, and my children have enjoyed new learning adventures.

The latest product that we have used is theLeapFrog LeapPad Mr. Pencil Ultra eBook.

My three-year-old twins are very different from their older brothers in that they are very interested in and motivated to learn to write.  They also love learning on their LeapFrog LeapPad2 because they so often see Mommy “working” on her tablet. They like to “work” as well.

LeapFrog understands the educational premise that for children, play is work. The educators and designers at LeapFrog have spent a significant amount of time to make sure that the Mr. Pencil Ultra eBook is not only entertaining, but educational as well.

Through the Story of  “The Lost Colors of Doodleburg” 4-7 year old children are entertained and learn through a gradual progression. The skills taught in this Ultra eBook are phonics and word families and basic printing.

I appreciate the the approach to learning to write is not presented in a slapdash manner. There is a natural progression from straight lines, to curved lines to combination shapes. The program will progress as quickly or slowly as your child needs as it automatically levels with success.

I do have to remind older brothers that “helping” their sisters through tough spots does them no favors, as it will progress them to a higher level artificially.

I am thoroughly impressed with the time and thought that LeapFrog puts into its learning program, and this is an Ultra eBook that the girls return to day after day!

I have a copy to give away to one of my awesome readers! Simply leave me a comment letting me know what age and reading level your child is, and why you are most interested in trying out this Ultra eBook. I’ll choose a random commenter next Monday, April 8!

Mr. Pencil and the Lost Colors of Doodleburg Ultra eBook Review and Giveaway is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Mr. Pencil and the Lost Colors of Doodleburg Ultra eBook Review and Giveaway appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

I am definitely a scent lover when it comes to laundry detergent.

Purex sent me a bottle of their newest offering, Purex plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance. I was really excited to try this laundry detergent, because I already love, love, love Purex Crsystals. I love that they make my laundry smell so nice and theya re safe on athletic wear and children’s sleepwear and they don’t cause my towels to lose absorbency.

Now, I’m a pretty picky laundress.

I wash clothes for all eight of us (though I am beginning to insist that the teens wash their own). With kids ranging in age from 16 down to 3, I wash a lot of really dirty laundry! On average, I wash one load a day, plus a weekly load of towels and a weekly load of sheets. That means I wash about 9 loads of laundry a week!

When I do that much laundry, it is important that the detergent I choose not only works well, removes stains, and smells good; it also has to be affordable!

Purex with Crystals fragrance has been a win for our family! I find that the laundry detergent has held up to our family laundry, and our clothes smell great too! Purex plus Crystals fragrance also offers additional value, as I don’t need to purchase the Crystals, the fragrance is included in the fabric softener. . .it even saves me a little time!

Purex is offering a Sweepstakes that is open to all of my readers! One grand prize winner will receive $1000 and a year of free Purex detergent. 500 second place winners will receive a coupon for free Purex detergent.

But that is not all! I have 2 coupons for a FREE bottle of Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance and one of my awesome readers will win both! Just enter using my easy-peasy Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Purex Brand provided me with a sample of Purex detergent plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance in exchange for a product review. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

Purex plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance: Review and Giveaway is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Purex plus Fabric Softener with Crystals Fragrance: Review and Giveaway appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.

First, a story from my bestie, Essie. . .on how even a planned, repeat c-section can have an element of surprise! (Happy Birthday, Zach!)

Another good read is from my friend Katie, as she sorts out work/life balance, motherhood, and a leap of faith. She sure did catch a lot of us off-guard last week. I know she has some great things in the works. . .along with a blog makeover! (She also made the leap from Blogger to WordPress!)

Have you ever had “Compassion Fatigue”? Does motherhood just wear you out and stretch you thin? Emily Cook shares the truth about Compassion Fatigue.

Has the loss of a mitten ever brought you to tears? Julie has five cold little fingers, and is offering a reward for the return of her perfect navy mitten. I dare you not to giggle. . .just a little (sorry Julie).

Also, this week would not be complete without Aimee’s awesome photo essay on Women and Guns. You may even recognize a friend or two (I did). (No guns for me though. . . zero hand-eye coordination! You’re welcome!)

What have been your favorite posts for the week! Share them in the comments, and I’ll check them out!

Friday Favorites: Ides of March Edition is a post from: It's Time for More Coffee

The post Friday Favorites: Ides of March Edition appeared first on It's Time For More Coffee!.