tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post4993748397898713680..comments2024-03-26T05:30:19.268-04:00Comments on E, Myself, and I: Church After Baby (Lesson 18)Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09280580738133742344noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-77492869389723292802014-01-11T19:23:06.898-05:002014-01-11T19:23:06.898-05:00Okay, so I just found your blog via Pinterest....a...Okay, so I just found your blog via Pinterest....and I can't find any more "lessons." It looks like they atop here at number 18. As someone who is pregnant with her first child, I don't have any family, mom, sisters, aunts, grandma, or anyone to tell me what this is going to be like, so I've begun reading blogs. All day long I read what strangers think I need to know about being a first time mom....and it helps! I feel less nervous and more prepared to face this thing. But of all the articles I've read, all the blogs I've bookmarked yours is by far my favorite, and this string of posts has been amazing. I know its over a year since your last one, but would you please consider finishing it? [You promised 31 posts ;) ]<br />Thank you, you are wonderful. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-57126276204444805832012-11-18T07:27:45.410-05:002012-11-18T07:27:45.410-05:00I think as women we are just very hard on ourselve...I think as women we are just very hard on ourselves, I know I am - I am a new mom as well. Since May 1st 2010 not to one child but to two my son is 11 years old and my daughter is 9. On May 1st we arrived to NYC with our children from Russia. As far as church and religion we are Roman Catholic and have baptized our children into our faith; both children have received their first Holy Communion as well, they both attend religion studies once a week and on occasion when "mom" needs to be centered we attend church it's not once a week but we do go. They are well behaved older children so I have no excuse except that I am a full time working mom and so over-whelmed! Why? Because of me that's why I put the pressure on me- on Sunday mornings I cook for the week and after the kitchen is cleaned and I am dressed well it is nice to just relax....Truthfully I have to thank you because you rminded me of the importance of faith; the spirit of grace and the ability to include God into my life I will make sure that I will attend church! Thank you!Marisa Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09818816716586417433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-50174712694978304662012-11-17T12:57:28.148-05:002012-11-17T12:57:28.148-05:00Thank you for being so honest! I can completely u...Thank you for being so honest! I can completely understand where you are coming from. We LOVE spending time relaxing and being together as a family in the mornings:). While church is great, people can always pray even at home and that's really what matters!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-44671491988238846392012-11-16T23:32:17.721-05:002012-11-16T23:32:17.721-05:00First, I'm not the Anonymous who commented ear...First, I'm not the Anonymous who commented earlier...<br /><br />Thank you for writing this. My kids are older and it is still a big struggle--last Sunday in particular. Being a working mom, I often feel like no one understands what I am going through--probably not true and also very self-focused, both are bad things. But I appreciate your honesty and am glad to know we are not alone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-33326147114717126212012-11-16T17:47:59.235-05:002012-11-16T17:47:59.235-05:00I can so relate to what you said about feeling lef...I can so relate to what you said about feeling left out of the club. Most of my friends from my before kids days are stay at home moms. Most of the other mother of young children in our church are stay at home moms. It feels lonely a lot. But, as anonymous stated so well above church is still important. When I miss church, I feel off all week long. When I miss church a couple weeks in a row, I really start to feel off. Hang in there, it gets better :0Jennynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-77017990105988281012012-11-16T15:27:03.785-05:002012-11-16T15:27:03.785-05:00Thanks for posting this. It is a weekly struggle i...Thanks for posting this. It is a weekly struggle in our house too. My guy does really well at Mass, but getting him there is the difficulty (nap time, feeding time etc etc). I also feel that I don't get as much out of it since I'm constantly making sure he's okay and not distracting everyone else. Ugh! To top it off, my husband works crazy shifts and I'm not brave enough to go unless he's with me!!<br /><br /><br />Motherhood definitely has brought me much closer to the Lord. Thankfully He is full of grace and forgiveness, and I'm sure He understands why we're not at Mass every week. <br /><br />emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17880525494984988656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-18330982333136512672012-11-16T13:16:22.570-05:002012-11-16T13:16:22.570-05:00while we don't attend church, I can relate in ...while we don't attend church, I can relate in other ways - Trevor has a LARGE extended family and every weekend there seems to be a gathering or favor to help with. I hate being selfish but don't they know that weekends are the only days we have as a family? and that maybe Trev might want to make memories with his children instead if doing a dump run for an aunt or reshingling his gramma's roof?<br />I don't know much about belonging to a church, but it seems the beauty is that the community is always there for you.<br />And between you and me (and those who read this comment) I could NEVER be a stay-at-home mom (unless I had a nanny so I had time to pursue my own interests). Working is rewarding in more than a financial way - I like telling judgemental moms that "I didn't go to school for 5 years to not use my degree"... it's not that so can't stay home, I choose not to.Sara Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13676277456762650249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-27640846360334696512012-11-16T12:30:00.778-05:002012-11-16T12:30:00.778-05:00I adore your blog, I want you to know that. I thin...I adore your blog, I want you to know that. I think you're funny and great. BUT. I'm not going to tell you it's ok, or help you justify yourself, about church. I think about all of the people in foreign countries who don't have the luxury of being a Christian without fear, who have secret underground churches. I think about the mothers in Africa who carry their children for miles just to go to church. And I think about Christ, who suffered and died for the message he was preaching, and the apostles who were beaten, imprisoned, stoned, and killed, because they were teaching about God. They were sacrificing everything for the faith. Surely it's not that hard to get up on a Sunday morning. Again, I think you're great. I think this is an all-too common rut of Americans and the church. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-18039991305124243072012-11-16T11:58:01.721-05:002012-11-16T11:58:01.721-05:00Oh, church is just hard for me in general. Getting...Oh, church is just hard for me in general. Getting two kids ready in the morning and husband doesn't go because he's not a believer (sad face). So it's just wrangling those two boys that get me every time. I didn't go when I had newborns and I can imagine that I just would have skipped it altogether too.<br /><br />Don't feel bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-61717487415896700442012-11-15T16:02:10.619-05:002012-11-15T16:02:10.619-05:00What a great post! I am glad that you are able to ...What a great post! I am glad that you are able to realize where you and why you feel this way. I do not have a kid (and no where close to it!) but I definitely understand where you are coming from and can relate! You are doing a great job and you have a great perspective on the things in your life :)Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10954653423574061139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-18952082694254389262012-11-15T13:10:42.690-05:002012-11-15T13:10:42.690-05:00This is great. I just shared it on my facebook pag...This is great. I just shared it on my facebook page. Church is really hard, and it just gets more difficult the more kids you have. I'm glad you give yourself some grace! A little grace goes a LONG way!TheZMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024611271891021266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-30577619494661780512012-11-15T12:30:12.527-05:002012-11-15T12:30:12.527-05:00It's still hard for me to get to church and I ...It's still hard for me to get to church and I have a 15, 13, 10, and 8 year old... AND I'm on staff. :) But you're right. Having just left a chuch where I was the nursery director, many people didn't bring their children to the nursery until they started becoming a distraction in church and that's okay. :) but you're right. Community IS important. As is reaching out. Great post!Heather {Desperately Seeking}https://www.blogger.com/profile/08488525435282716602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-85006730311154412862012-11-15T10:26:24.136-05:002012-11-15T10:26:24.136-05:00Church is definitely STREEEEESSSSSSSFUL with a lit...Church is definitely STREEEEESSSSSSSFUL with a little one! We didn't put Caleb in church nursery til he was about 8.5 months old! People thought we were crazy, and they gave us a hard time; but when I quit worrying about what everyone else thought, a whole lot of things about mommyhood became alot easier! Why are we so hard on ourselves?!<br />Quick Note: A couple of the people who gave us such a hard time have since had babies of their own. Their kiddos still aren't in the nursery. ;-) Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12751354364677530959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697741219507547157.post-5034912709309090072012-11-15T10:12:13.534-05:002012-11-15T10:12:13.534-05:00This is beautiful! People need to pin this post to...This is beautiful! People need to pin this post to all their "new mom" or "new baby" boards on Pinterest! Though I didn't struggle with getting to church with a newborn (as a stay-at-home mom I couldn't wait to get out of the house at least once a week!) I did have my struggles: my kid wouldn't take a bottle, so I was also crouched in the handicap bathroom stall nursing my kid with my dress enveloping my shoulders like a giant infinity scarf. Thanks for being so real- like you usually do- but for also showing such grace! Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01735336645271043027noreply@blogger.com