• October 6, 2016

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1.  Where are you from?  

I am from Calgary, Alberta.  Where you ask? East of the Rockies and West of everything else.  Home of the Calgary Stampede!  If you’ve never heard of it Google it, then book a trip and go to it.  Words cannot describe the beauty of Alberta.  Paul Brandt pretty much nails it in his song “Alberta Bound”.  Never heard of Paul Brandt? (Of course you haven’t, you’re not from Alberta).  Google that too.

2.  What are your hobbies and interest?

Digging in dirt, jumping in bouncy houses, riding dirt bikes, and Thomas the Tank Engine.  Oh wait, those are the hobbies and interests of my 2 year old! But sometimes it feels like those are my hobbies because life with a 2 year old can sometimes revolve around those kinds of things. MY hobbies and interests involve anything outdoors.  I like walking, hiking, fishing, golfing, camping and spending time with family.

3. Do you currently work?  If so where?  Did you ever work somewhere different before kids?  

Currently, I’m a stay at home mom to my 2 boys, Brandt (2 years) and Colter (4 months).  In my previous life I was an Oncology Nurse.  Although I’ve dabbled in several different areas of nursing, oncology has always been my calling.

4.  What do you think is the best part of being a mom?

The best part of being a mom is all of it! There are so many things I love about being  a mom.  I love watching my kids develop into their own little personalities.  And I love how everything is new to them.  Looking at the world through their eyes is so fun.

5.  What is the worst part of being a mom or what you didn’t expect?

The worst part of being a mom is all the poop….so. much. poop.  Who knew your life could revolve around poop? “His poop was green today what does it mean?”, “Has he pooped yet today?”, “Do you have to go poop?”, “Mommy I pooped!”.  Some days I feel like all I do is clean up poop.  My 2-year-old poops, I think to myself ‘excellent let’s change this kid and load everyone in the stroller and take the dog for a walk now that that’s out of the way’.  Load up, get halfway down the street and the dog poops.  Get a bag pick it up, (at this point I feel like the smell of poop is on me, literally on me) then just as I stand up from picking up said dog poop I hear my 4 months old explode up to his neck.  Find a bench, change baby (thank goodness I brought an extra shirt), start back out on the walk.  Toddler yells “Mommy I pooped!” Oh great, better head back – didn’t bring a diaper since he ALREADY pooped.  Unload everyone from the stroller, wrangle everyone into the house only to find my wonderful husband sitting on the toilet, door wide open – yep you guessed it – pooping.  Like I said – So. Much. Poop.

6.  What helps you get through the day?  

There are a great many things that help me get through the day but I think a big one is prayer.  I find myself praying for patience more times than I ever thought possible in the span of 24 hours.  

7.  One thing you struggle with that other moms can relate to and how does God help you with it?

One thing I struggle with being a mom which I didn’t expect is feeling isolated.  When I had my first son I was the first of any of my friends to have a baby.   Suddenly my priorities were way different than those of my friends.  Some moms may be able to relate to this while others may not.  My husband works away for days, or sometimes weeks, at a time so after a few months of going stir crazy at home I realized I needed to make some “mom friends”.  I had felt trapped at home trying to stick to a strict nap and bedtime schedule so when my son was finally at an age where play dates seemed a real possibility I reached out to a friend with 2 year old.   “Sounds great,” she said, “Ellie naps from noon to 2 pm so any time other than that”.  Oh great, noon to 2pm?? That’s the only time my 7 month old isn’t napping! Evenings were a really lonely time for me because often my husband was working but for most families, that’s when Dad gets home and “family time” starts. So no way was I going to ask anyone to hang out at that time! But all this isolation was making me – and no doubt my kid – crazy.  God started telling me to just go with the flow and make things work.  So what if Brandt went down for a nap late? So what if he misses a nap altogether!? Have someone over to your place, don’t worry that the house isn’t spotless.  Don’t worry about those dishes in the sink.  God is constantly pushing me to be more outgoing and more relaxed and to ‘just go with it’ which has really helped not only me, but also my kids.