Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??
This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m s This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m so grateful for it.

On the one hand, there’s so much to do to get ready for little one to join us—it’s been a while since we’ve had a newborn! I’m spending most of my free time writing and nesting, nesting and writing. 

And then on the other hand, I’m feeling pretty ready to have my body back. And by that, I mean just to be done literally sharing it with another being. You start to miss things after a while like being able to breathe when you lay on your back or not getting indigestion for eating a few grapes. 

Overall, there’s so much to be thankful for. Each little inconvenience is a blessing and I’m happy they’re there. I’ll also be happy when they’re over. For now, I’m just savoring being a mom of “older kids” (8 and going on 6) that can grab their own snacks from time to time and put on their own shoes. We’re going to be heading back to square one in a couple months and I’m sure there’s a lot we’ve forgotten!
Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill it and fix it. On top of this, it’s hard for us to ask for help because we don’t want to be a burden to others. 

But in the process of meeting everyone else’s needs and neglecting our own (especially our need for rest), we often become bitter towards the ones we’re helping.

Instead, one of the best things we can do as a wife or mother is to assess our own needs and make sure to leave space to meet them ourself or to ask for what we need. 

It might be time to rest, help with the next meal, time alone to pray and meditate on God’s word, or allowing yourself to leave a task un-done so you can “selfishly” enjoy a hobby of yours like the rest of your family gets to do. 

In the end, making room to find joy each day may be one of the best things you do for your relationships.
30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet yo 30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet you. We *think* we've finally settled on a first name after non-stop back-and-forth and brainstorming. Any guesses?? Or.. what are your favorite baby girl names right now??
Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be s Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be super intentional with the time we spend with David and Evy recently, knowing that big changes are just around the corner! We pray with them, ask them what questions they have, take the time to explain things. I'm hoping they'll be set up pretty well for the transition of little sis coming in March but most of the work will happen after she gets here! How did you help littles prepare for baby?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️ Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️
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Family, Feminism, Marriage, Relationships · July 2, 2017

How Third Wave Feminism is Killing Marriage

My goal here at Living the Sweet Wife is to help marriages thrive. But something’s been making that a lot harder lately. You wanna know what that thing is? Feminism.

So I’m a marriage blogger, right? Not only that, but I’m a Christian one. But Christian or not, I know that a lot of the words I write can help a lot of people. I see marriages work and I see marriages fail. I see red flags, warnings signs, bad omens. But I also see couples and have just known that they’re going to “make it” and be ok. And then I see couples thrive.

And that’s my goal here at Living the Sweet Wife. I want to see marriages thrive.

But something’s been making that a lot harder lately. You wanna know what that thing is?

Feminism.

Oh, and not just any old feminism. Third Wave Feminism. But hold up for a second and take a deep breath before names like, “1950’s Housewife” start getting thrown around.

Did you know that I respect my husband, listen to him, and think feminism is important?

Feminism- at its core- is needed and important. Do I believe our society is male-dominant? Yes. Do I believe it should be? No. But I don’t think it should be female dominant either. Do I understand that our society has a long way to go to reach gender equality? Yes! Getting talked-down-to, mansplained, and brushed off by men is not a new thing for me. Feminism has helped me to recognize when it’s happening and because of my awareness- and how I’ve grown more confident in myself- I’m able to disregard misconceptions about women (especially ones directed at me), I can address it, and I can move past it. I say “helped” because I would be nowhere near the person I am today without Jesus Christ in my life. Because of Him, I know exactly who I am, that my value doesn’t change, and that I am created with the ability to be wise, intelligent, loving, and strong.

But, yes, I still think that we have a ways to go before we reach real gender equality. Here’s a story of something that happened to me recently:

I gave birth to my daughter (second child) three months ago. Since she’s been old enough (6 weeks) to attend the childcare at my gym, I’ve been trying to hit it 2-3 times a week just to stay fit and get a little bit of me-time in. So, in 2.5 months, I’ve had three men stop me at the gym to supposedly help me with my fitness routine. Unsolicited, they gave me advice on new routines to try, how I can improve my form (I have good form), and one complete stranger (almost the age of my dad) had the nerve to touch me while he was giving said advice. I had to ask my husband if I had a sign on my back that read, “Please interrupt. Need help.” Do you know how many women have stopped to give me advice? 0. Nunca. None. Are men just that much more helpful than women?? Were they truly, out of the selflessness of their hearts trying to help me improve for my own health’s sake? …. I don’t think so.  

And while nothing these men did was actually wrong per se (except arguably the touching), it was presumptuous to assume that I needed and was open to receiving advice. Even so, I didn’t- and don’t- feel the need to crucify all men because a few were arrogant. After these men approached me, I said thanks, ended the conversation there, and went on with my workout without skipping a beat.

So yes, we’re still growing as a society and learning to treat women as equally intelligent and capable as men.

That being said, here’s what I don’t like about third wave feminism.

Remember how I mentioned that I often get subtly written-off for being a woman? Well, we’ve begun to do that- full force- with men.

So much so, that I actually get backlash from “strong” feminist women for actually respecting my husband and- gasp!- listening to him. Oh, poor me. I’m so oppressed. Not! (Sorry, I usually don’t write this sarcastically. But really, guys, come on). Far beit from me to think that my husband is capable of leadership. So many women, because of third wave feminism, feel a huge need to “stick it to the man” (see what I did there?). We feel like the only way we’ll feel validated is if we not only show men who’s boss, but leave them humiliated and emasculated!

I was scrolling through Pinterest yesterday and came across this post explaining how women are better entrepreneurs than men. It was actually a decent read and the content of the post made me feel more confident in myself as a freelancer. It highlighted the areas where women see and handle business differently and how this can give them an advantage in the business world. Long story short, the post explains that women are often more cautious and critical of their business endeavors, which actually helps them to make smart”er” business decisions. What throws me off is the title of the post and how they manipulate information to make it look like women are actually better than men at entrepreneurship. They try to convince the reader that, because of the different ways women see and handle their businesses, this makes them better entrepreneurs. The article highlights the strengths of women and the shortcomings of men. No statistics were given that show any strengths of men in the business world. Is that because there are none?? There was absolutely no mention of any strengths that are typically common for men. Only their weaknesses. And no highlighting women’s weaknesses (other than simply not believing in themselves), only their strengths.

And this is what third wave feminism does!

We highlight the weaknesses of men. Actually, we blast them out of the water. And then we propaganda the heck out of the strengths unique to women!

That’s not fair!

And don’t think I just got this notion from one blog post. Do you watch television? In any current show that depicts a modern family, the wife is almost always a wonder woman who can literally do it all while her husband is oafing around struggling to boil water. And if he attempts to show some form of leadership, the wife might be kind enough to humor him until he fails and realizes that she was right all along (cue eye roll). Silly man. Intelligence is for women.

What is it with us having to make men feel like idiots?

I know, I know. Some of us have definitely not been treated well or fairly by men (as I mentioned just one of my experiences above). We might even be a bit bitter. But do we have to put all men on blast to try to validate our competence and intelligence?

And I’ll be honest with you. I’ve actually struggled with doing this, myself, to my poor husband. I read another post the other day by a woman who I truly believe is a superwoman mom. This woman has 7 kids and balances them magically, (or so it seems from one blog post). But, even though she is a master multitasker, has amazingly efficient systems in place, and is extremely smart and sensitive, she gives way to the father of her children for his extremely significant role.

She says,

Dads speak a different language.

I spent years puzzling over what Dad was saying to those kids. Certainly I could teach him how to say/do that differently (right). Just pay attention to how I do it and then you’ll know.  But then something quite unexpected happened, the kids responded to him. Happy, productive responses. You mean that whole time he was making sense to them? Okay so I don’t speak Dad. Just because I don’t speak it, doesn’t mean it isn’t valid or doing its job.

[…]And speaking of Dads, wait for it.

Many moms make the giant mistake of marginalizing dads. In part because of [my last point] and in part because most dads are out of their depth with babies and toddlers. Moms start to exclude and marginalize at this point. Do Not Do This. By the time those kids are 13, they can’t really hear you anymore.You become sort of static. But guess who they can hear? That’s right, The Dad. Don’t marginalize. Keep that secret weapon at the ready and confident. You’re gonna need him.

So how can this woman, who clearly has no problem running a household her way (not to mention, writing a blog), respect her husband when he does things differently?

She realizes that although she has many strengths, her husband has different strengths and it would be a mistake to dismiss them. She understands that she would actually be doing herself and her family a disservice by dismissing her husband.

You know what really shows strength and character? Being confident and humble. (I seem to remember talking about that in another post, somewhere). Understanding your worth, your strengths, and also understanding and having no problem validating the strengths of others.

I’m more of an emotional person. I act on impulse and feel a lot. It makes me a great writer and great at connecting deeply with people but not naturally great at rational thinking. In walks my husband, the most rational, logical thinker I know. Which is great for obvious reasons, but doesn’t make him naturally great at dealing with emotions (especially those of an irrational 2-year-old) and communicating. And I used to resent him for it. And he used to resent me for not being more logical. Until we learned that each of our different strengths are valuable and they’re the most valuable when used together.

Because we’re so different from each other, we’ve actually learned a lot from each other. I’ve learned how to think critically and rationally and he’s learned empathy and how to see the world from other points of view, even if it doesn’t always originally make sense to him.

Once we learned how to utilize each other’s strengths, make up for each other’s weaknesses, and accept each other, our marriage began to thrive! Resentment began to fade away and respect and value began to grow.

To sum up, don’t show the world you’re a strong woman by making men out to be weak. Be a strong woman by improving yourself and being confident in yourself no matter what others think. If others put you down, remember who you are, and keep going. Learn how to like men and value them based on what they can bring to the table instead of acting like you can do it all. And try, just try, to live peaceably with others. There’s no need for more hate in the world. Third wave feminists, stop demanding change while you assume the condescending role of the people you hate.

My goal here at Living the Sweet Wife is to help marriages thrive. But something’s been making that a lot harder lately. You wanna know what that thing is? Feminism.

In: Family, Feminism, Marriage, Relationships · Tagged: competence, compliments, condescending, differences, different, emasculate, entrepreneur, equality, female, feminism, gender, hate, important, intelligence, leadership, male, marriage, men, strengths, value, weaknesses, woman, women

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Comments

  1. Tami says

    July 2, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Yes, I love this post! 🙂 I’m all about girl-power, but there’s no need to hate on men – and women who disagree with you – in the name of feminism. That’s not true feminism. Feminism is about building women up, not tearing anyone down. <3

  2. Sue says

    July 4, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Super post! I agree with everything you wrote!! Such a necessary topic for today!!

  3. Charlene says

    July 27, 2017 at 8:54 pm

    Yes! Yes yes yes! We are different, not better or worse! You really hit the nail on the head and I don’t have anything to add. Thank you so much for writing this! I respect my husband and strive every day to remember that we are different but that doesn’t mean my way is better than his. Often my gut reaction is to criticize and insist on my way but I always try to stop myself and watch the magic!

  4. Alli says

    September 6, 2017 at 6:22 am

    Excellent. I read the post title and had some hairs stand up on the back of my neck, as I was really worried about (exactly what you guessed) a 1950s housewife post. You’ll have to excuse me because I’m new to your blog and was nervous about where you were headed. But you know what? I entirely agree!

    I’m definitely a feminist. Feminist meaning that women should have the same rights and are equal to, and yet different from, men. I absolutely think men are amazing. My husband is the kindest, gentlest soul. Men and women should be partners and value one anothers strengths and your post captured that excellently!

    I’ve seen lots of shirts and paraphernalia on instagram lately that have sayings like “The future is WOMEN”. I’m going for my doctorate right now, I definitely feel empowered to get there. Yes, there are men who step down on us, but many don’t. And I don’t think men as wonderful as my husband or yours should be shot down because some individuals choose to act that way. Thank you for sharing! I especially like the comment about moms and dads doing things differently and how that can still make an even more effective team.

    Thanks and I’m looking forward to reading more!

  5. Michelle says

    September 13, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    Completely, 100% agree with your sentiment that women can be equal to men without taking them down (just because we want more rights doesn’t mean they get less, it’s not pie) but you want to talk about MISLEADING TITLES. It’s because of women who denounce feminism as a whole that this term has such a hard time taking hold as a good thing, or even has the chance to be interpreted as exactly the way that you described it. Would you denounce Christianity as a whole because of the way that some people misinterpret it or take it to an extreme? NO. Feminism is about empowering women and unitedly expressing that we are equal to men. I think you need to take a long stroll through history and recognize how women have been treated all over the world for millions upon millions of years and that men are just starting to feel a tiny bit of that treatment. Please don’t hear me disagreeing with your main points, as I said I agree that we are equal but different but I cannot get on board with the overall denouncement of the word “feminism” that goes along with the rest of your post and am extremely disappointed to see this coming from a blogger who’s opinion I had come to truly respect as a voice for the modern, Christian woman.

    • Chelsea says

      September 16, 2017 at 5:46 am

      Hi Michelle, I’m pretty sure I made it extremely clear that I was talking about 3rd wave feminism and not feminism as a whole.

      Like in the title of the post.

      And here: “Oh, and not just any old feminism. Third Wave Feminism. But hold up for a second and take a deep breath before names like, “1950’s Housewife” start getting thrown around.”

      And here: “Feminism- at its core- is needed and important. Do I believe our society is male-dominant? Yes. Do I believe it should be? No. But I don’t think it should be female dominant either. Do I understand that our society has a long way to go to reach gender equality? Yes!”

      And here: “Feminism has helped me…”

      And here: “That being said, here’s what I don’t like about third wave feminism.”

    • Sneha says

      February 6, 2021 at 10:41 am

      Absolutely agree with you Michelle

  6. Christi says

    October 20, 2017 at 8:07 am

    what you describe sounds more like misandry. as all feminists know, understanding exactly what the label means is important. Please check out the wiki for third-wave feminism. I’m not trying to be rude, im trying to be friendly and helpful (it can be hard to tell without facial expression and tone of voice).

  7. M says

    February 25, 2018 at 6:30 am

    Yikes. Unfollowing after this train wreck of a post. What you are describing is not feminism, it’s MIsandry. Just like ANY other broadbrushing it seems you missed the point and the mark on this one.

  8. Tracy says

    June 19, 2018 at 3:51 pm

    Great article. I agree. I was just talking to my 24yr old son about THIS topic recently. Thank you. You are a younger woman than me, but i am a mom of 3 kids of varying ages. I am so glad i have my husband. So many of my kids friends come from BROKEN homes and there is no balance andchaos.

  9. Dani says

    September 2, 2018 at 7:53 pm

    Yes! So much truth in thEse words. My husband and i Have noticed the trend on tv showing men as these Ignornant fools who cant do anything without help from a woman. So sad. i too have had to deal with being mansplained and labeled striCtly on appearance and its MaddenIng! But my husband and father dont and have never done that and i have a lot of great male family members and friends who show me all men are not Less than. They deserve our respect and honor for the exceptional Humans they are! We should be able to live in a society that both elevates women without demeaning men. And as michelle obama said, “when they go low, we go high”. I dont have to stoop to the level of A few ignornant men to make myself feel good or my voice heard. Truth always wins out.

  10. Quoju says

    September 10, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    I have spent the last month trying to figure out some things with myself, my life, and why I have had the problems in relationships. I have been researching things like Feminism, MGTOW, MRA, et cetera, and I think what is written here is starting to get at the core of some things. First wave of feminism was about women trying to get “basic rights” to what men had (i.e. voting). Second wave feminism brought to the surface inequality and issues where women were being forced into silence due to “the way of life”. Both of these makes sense and were necessary. There were some women who felt more was to be done, but this splintered into two parts of third-wave feminism: those women trying to get to core inequalities and those women who felt it was time for them to take over. The problem with this splinter is that the second group, caused misandry. In turn, an opposite force has come onto the surface and hence men’s rights activist and other groups. The first group of women of the third-wave did nothing to control the radicalization of feminism. This is the same issue with Muslims and radical Islam. In both situations a hate and prejudice forms and people stop listening to reason. As a man of considerable reason, the result of the “hate groups” on both sides has brought about considerable issues on both sides. I think that fourth-wave feminism should merge with well-reasoned groups of men seeking similar rights (i.e. paternity leave) and create something where BOTH men and women can strive from a true equality. If nothing changes, no one will have to worry about ruined marriages – men will tell one another not to get married, women will deny men sex, and things will get to a point of no return. My situation may be a lost cause, but I truly think the gap needs to be bridged or love will be a lost art.

    • Anon says

      April 25, 2022 at 3:38 am

      Women, I love you gals, but you have done yourself no favors with feminism. By making sex freely available, men have no incentive to commit to you. And the men who are attractive enough to grab your eyes will especially never commit. Everyone else who is not attractive enough will just use porn and “lady’s of the night”. Most of have basically given up on marriage in America.

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Hi! I'm Chelsea and we're the Damon's. We spent the last two years in WA state paying off student loans and just bought our first house in SC! I love a smooth black coffee, Josh's first love is the Seattle Sounders. Our kids are huge dorks and constantly make us laugh and we all love spending as much time outside as possible.

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Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??

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  • So I know the title of this post says, “What men want most in a wife,” but to be more realistic, this is about what men need most in a wife. Like men, there are a lot of things that we (women) would really like in a husband. Like, it’d be a huge plus if he looked like Chris Hemsworth. But that’s not really what we need in order to have a positive relationship with our spouse. If we married him, we probably think he’s pretty cute, anyway. Take a look at these 5 things a man really needs in a wife, and if you can think of anything else, share your thoughts in the comments below! 5 Things men want most in a wife
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  • Sure, they say don’t go to bed while you’re still angry, but sometimes husbands and wives just need some space! That being said, there are healthy ways and unhealthy ways (productive and hurtful, if you will) to get space away from a spouse. Let’s talk about those. The Right and Wrong Way To Give Your Spouse Space

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Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, Anyone see our other kids lately?? 😜 You know, it's so funny how some parts of the newborn phase have been like muscle memory and others have been like we've had our first born all over again. 

We were worried about how David and Evy would feel with this new family member but they have been so sweet that it brings tears to my eyes to put it into words. I was especially worried about Ev being supplanted as the youngest but, honestly, being the big sister suits her SO well and I think she's been loving it, too. 

I've also loved getting to experience this again with Josh. The way you band together during the newborn phase especially is very bonding. You rely on each other deeply and it's not always cute or pretty. 

Super grateful 💗
To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going To the best big brother and sister. Cleo is going to think she has the coolest, smartest, bravest big siblings in the world, and she's not wrong 😉
She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early She's here 🌷 Cleo Renée was born 2 weeks early on Saturday March 11 at 1:52 in the morning. 

Josh and I just had a feeling about that day (Friday), so we kept the kids out of school, went out to breakfast, and just spent our last day together as a family of four. 

My contractions started right after my 38 week appointment that morning and progressed throughout the day until around 4pm when I thought, "Mmk, I'm starting to really need to breathe through these. Better go in."

I was so convinced they were going to turn us away that it really didn't hit me that we were actually going to meet our girl that night until we'd been there for a few hours already. 

Baby girl ended up being 7lbs 15oz and 20in long!

We are all so in love. David and Evy are OBSESSED. A few times their friends have come to the door to ask them to play and they've said they'd rather stay home with the baby 😄

We are so blessed and thankful for this little girl ❤️
How to use a French hair pin. I love these things How to use a French hair pin. I love these things because they can hold up even my thick and chunky hair and I don't have a large clip sticking off the back of my head (don't get me wrong, I love a good hair clip, too)! Have you tried one yet??
This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m s This season of waiting has been weird. But I’m so grateful for it.

On the one hand, there’s so much to do to get ready for little one to join us—it’s been a while since we’ve had a newborn! I’m spending most of my free time writing and nesting, nesting and writing. 

And then on the other hand, I’m feeling pretty ready to have my body back. And by that, I mean just to be done literally sharing it with another being. You start to miss things after a while like being able to breathe when you lay on your back or not getting indigestion for eating a few grapes. 

Overall, there’s so much to be thankful for. Each little inconvenience is a blessing and I’m happy they’re there. I’ll also be happy when they’re over. For now, I’m just savoring being a mom of “older kids” (8 and going on 6) that can grab their own snacks from time to time and put on their own shoes. We’re going to be heading back to square one in a couple months and I’m sure there’s a lot we’ve forgotten!
Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill Naturally, when we see a need, we rush in to fill it and fix it. On top of this, it’s hard for us to ask for help because we don’t want to be a burden to others. 

But in the process of meeting everyone else’s needs and neglecting our own (especially our need for rest), we often become bitter towards the ones we’re helping.

Instead, one of the best things we can do as a wife or mother is to assess our own needs and make sure to leave space to meet them ourself or to ask for what we need. 

It might be time to rest, help with the next meal, time alone to pray and meditate on God’s word, or allowing yourself to leave a task un-done so you can “selfishly” enjoy a hobby of yours like the rest of your family gets to do. 

In the end, making room to find joy each day may be one of the best things you do for your relationships.
30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet yo 30 weeks and counting down the days til we meet you. We *think* we've finally settled on a first name after non-stop back-and-forth and brainstorming. Any guesses?? Or.. what are your favorite baby girl names right now??
Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be s Saturday highlights 🖤 We've been trying to be super intentional with the time we spend with David and Evy recently, knowing that big changes are just around the corner! We pray with them, ask them what questions they have, take the time to explain things. I'm hoping they'll be set up pretty well for the transition of little sis coming in March but most of the work will happen after she gets here! How did you help littles prepare for baby?
Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️ Merry Christmas from the Damons! ❤️
The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊 The 12+ hour drive is worth it 😊

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