My Wild Kingdom

Hello there!

Let me introduce myself, I am "The Zookeeper", better known as "Mommy"
I also respond to "Ma, Mama, MOTHER, & my least favorite...wwwhhhyyyyy????
I wanted to have a place where I could share mommy hood with other mama's who like me, are home. Trying my best to raise my little ones to love God with all their heart, soul, & mind.
However, on most days my home looks more like a zoo then anything even remotely close to God's design for family. At least that's my perception, probably not His so I suppose I shouldn't say that right?

Anyhoo, the names. Lemme explain the names.

My oldest is 15 & she's my Cow. And she'd be proud to say so (uh...maybe) Just for the record I asked her permission to blast her nickname over the Internet. She agreed =)
Her Daddy is most responsible for her nickname. When she was only about a year old he'd burst in the room callin "PoohGee Cow"....now let's get this right OK?
It's not Pooh Gee.
It's Pooh-"G", like "golly GEE willickers" OK?? Now that we've got that covered...
Anyway, she'd run right into his arms & a Cow became the sweetest animal ever to live in my home.
And like most Cows, she's reliable. I always know exactly where she is & can trust her. She's also very layed back. Real relaxed, the kinda person that takes things in stride unless of course she's having a bad cow day. We won't talk about that. Oh, & she sleeps standing up.

Then there's my 7 year old, she's the Bear....GRRRR...ARGH.
My Bear. Where do I begin? You would think the name says it all right? But not really. Sometimes she's like Pooh Bear. So sweet & cuddly. Cute as can be. Wants to just squish all up into your lap & be petted. Other times she's more like a wild angry brown bear... ready to tear you from limb to limb. What's intimidating is this girl is only 42 lbs & sometimes I'm not sure if I can take her!

Then, we have......The Monkey.
This is my 4 year old & she is somethin' else! Wow! She is goin miles a minute & barely stops to catch her breath, And yes! She climbs everything! I remember lookin out into the backyard to have a near heart attack to see my then 2 year old, & oh so dainty girl I might add, dangling on the tippy top of the fence.

And last but not least is my littlest & wee-est animal. We have yet to explore her inner beastly qualities. As of yet she's just a sweet little 5 month old tryin' to find her place in this family.

Well, I thought I'd kinda point out what I do & what I don't do. There seems to be a lot of confusion about stay at home moms. For example, we have many names. Such as housewife, homemaker, domestic goddess. Then there's the not so nice ones such as freeloader, uneducated, without goals.
But, I'm gonna stick with SUPERMOM. It fits...don't ya think??

So lets start with what I don't do.
I don't sit around all day eating bon-bons waiting for my husband to bring home the check so I can spend it. I don't hover over my kids & live solely & completely for them alone. I don't read the latest & greatest romance novels or watch daytime TV.
By the way, I heartily disagree with most everything that comes out of Oprah's mouth.

Now, to the good stuff. What I do.
I do adore my children, they're sweet little faces. Even teenager grins are good! I do run around like a maniac to "make myself purdy" before my hubby walks in the door from work. I do bake, grow a garden, & even make homemade yogurt. It all sounds super. But naaahhh....
Really, the most important thing I do is admit daily that I'm powerless. That I can't do this Mommy/Helpmate thing at all on my own.
You see I don't just have some "higher power"
I have the ultimate & most awesome power. I have the Blood of Jesus daily covering me in this adventure called motherhood.
Honestly, there are days when I forget & get caught up in the drudgery.
Yeah! I said it....drudgery, of life. Washing laundry Monday thru Friday only to come back to the same pile of dirty clothes the following Monday can get downright bland.

It's very easy to get caught up in myself.

However, I need to remember that when the dishes have been there 2 days, the laundry has grown horns & growls at me, my Monkey had an accident in the bathroom....again, my wee-est munchkin is howling to be fed & everything else is calling for my attention that I'm not doing any of this for me.

I'm doing it for Him.

To honor Him.
To praise Him.
To trust in Him.

He in His goodness has blessed me with this family. He has handed me these children & asked of me to love them, cherish them, & protect them. He has given me a husband who I can call my best friend & be thankful for.

So yes, I am "The Zookeeper"
My house is not the cleanest, my children aren't the best behaved, & my marriage isn't perfect.
But I thank God for all He's given me. It's far above what I could have ever dreamed possible.

I hope to grow in Him & I invite you to come along on all my adventures.
Some days will be good, some days may be bad, & some days will definitely be ugly!
But I'll always be honest & I hope that I can encourage you in your call to mommyhood.

I'd like to end with a scripture I think we can all relate to.
Ya know...at night when your zonked, just completely done. You've wiped noses & butts, dinner burned, phone was ringin all day & little people were just not co-operating. And here you are in bed....ahhh...sleep...."Ma??? Mom? MOMMMMEEEE!!!!!"

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

In Him,
The Blessed Zookeeper