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The Magic of Motherhood: The Good Stuff, the Hard Stuff, and Everything In Between
The Magic of Motherhood celebrates your life as a mom—the good stuff, the hard stuff, and everything in between.
From the writers behind the popular blog Coffee + Crumbs comes a beautiful new book to remind you of your identity, both as a woman and as a mother.
Motherhood can often feel overwhelming and isolating. You find your feelings swinging between joy and uncertainty, intense love and anxiety, laughter and tears. Through it all, you constantly ask yourself, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” The Magic of Motherhood will reassure you that you’re not alone. Full of encouragement, humor, and wisdom that will speak to you right where you are, The Magic of Motherhood is like a long-overdue coffee date with your best girlfriend.
In this book you’ll find heartwarming essays about identity, adoption, body image, miscarriage, friendship, faith, infertility, and more. The Magic of Motherhood is a curated collection of honest stories that weave together the love, joy, and magnificent heartache of motherhood. Instead of offering advice, the writers offer something even better: their hearts.
The Magic of Motherhood is a love letter to mothers everywhere; it’s a story about the magic that happens in between calm and chaos, the joy that can be found in both beauty and mess, and the valuable lessons we learn about ourselves in between cups of reheated coffee and kitchen tables covered in crumbs.
Find a new strength, beauty, and sisterhood you never believed possible in The Magic of Motherhood, an inspiring and encouraging book written for an imperfect, trying-her-best mom just like you.
A letter to my pre-mom self / Ashlee Gadd --
In defense of mom jeans / Callie R. Feyen --
The things that come around again / Elena Krause --
Asking for help / Lesley Miller --
The woman in the hall / April Hoss --
Wonder woman / Anna Quinlan --
Being the village / Anna Jordan --
Hidden gift / Ashlee Gadd --
Seven pounds of redemption / N'tima Preusser --
Which sweater? / Melanie Dale --
The glitter and the glue / Anna Quinlan --
The mom they need / Katie Blackburn --
Bad math / April Hoss --
Profile of a superhero / Callie R. Feyen --
Trust and forgotten lunches / Lesley Miller --
A sky full of grace / Ashlee Gadd --
I'm gonna need backup / Anna Jordan --
A break in the clouds / Katie Blackburn --
When love feels heavy / N'tima Preusser --
Bad words / Melanie Dale --
Blackbird, fly / Callie R. Feyen --
Climbing mountains / Elena Krause --
The family baby / Lesley Miller --
Mommy has two arms / Anna Jordan --
Still us / Ashlee Gadd --
Anxious / N'tima Preusser --
A lot of both / Elena Krause --
The invisible thread / Anna Quinlan --
Reckless / April Hoss --
The Pacific / N'tima Preusser --
My body is yours / Melanie Dale --
It's their day too / Katie Blackburn --
This time around / Lesley Miller
From the writers behind the popular blog Coffee + Crumbs comes a beautiful new book to remind you of your identity, both as a woman and as a mother.
Motherhood can often feel overwhelming and isolating. You find your feelings swinging between joy and uncertainty, intense love and anxiety, laughter and tears. Through it all, you constantly ask yourself, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” The Magic of Motherhood will reassure you that you’re not alone. Full of encouragement, humor, and wisdom that will speak to you right where you are, The Magic of Motherhood is like a long-overdue coffee date with your best girlfriend.
In this book you’ll find heartwarming essays about identity, adoption, body image, miscarriage, friendship, faith, infertility, and more. The Magic of Motherhood is a curated collection of honest stories that weave together the love, joy, and magnificent heartache of motherhood. Instead of offering advice, the writers offer something even better: their hearts.
The Magic of Motherhood is a love letter to mothers everywhere; it’s a story about the magic that happens in between calm and chaos, the joy that can be found in both beauty and mess, and the valuable lessons we learn about ourselves in between cups of reheated coffee and kitchen tables covered in crumbs.
Find a new strength, beauty, and sisterhood you never believed possible in The Magic of Motherhood, an inspiring and encouraging book written for an imperfect, trying-her-best mom just like you.
A letter to my pre-mom self / Ashlee Gadd --
In defense of mom jeans / Callie R. Feyen --
The things that come around again / Elena Krause --
Asking for help / Lesley Miller --
The woman in the hall / April Hoss --
Wonder woman / Anna Quinlan --
Being the village / Anna Jordan --
Hidden gift / Ashlee Gadd --
Seven pounds of redemption / N'tima Preusser --
Which sweater? / Melanie Dale --
The glitter and the glue / Anna Quinlan --
The mom they need / Katie Blackburn --
Bad math / April Hoss --
Profile of a superhero / Callie R. Feyen --
Trust and forgotten lunches / Lesley Miller --
A sky full of grace / Ashlee Gadd --
I'm gonna need backup / Anna Jordan --
A break in the clouds / Katie Blackburn --
When love feels heavy / N'tima Preusser --
Bad words / Melanie Dale --
Blackbird, fly / Callie R. Feyen --
Climbing mountains / Elena Krause --
The family baby / Lesley Miller --
Mommy has two arms / Anna Jordan --
Still us / Ashlee Gadd --
Anxious / N'tima Preusser --
A lot of both / Elena Krause --
The invisible thread / Anna Quinlan --
Reckless / April Hoss --
The Pacific / N'tima Preusser --
My body is yours / Melanie Dale --
It's their day too / Katie Blackburn --
This time around / Lesley Miller
240 pages, Hardcover
Published April 4, 2017
681 people are currently reading
2637 people want to read
About the author
Ashlee Gadd
7 books462 followersAshlee Gadd is a mother, writer, photographer, and the author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood. She has spent the last ten years helping mothers harness their creative talents into powerful storytelling at Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where motherhood and art intersect.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
March 26, 2019
The Magic of Motherhood
By: Ashlee Gadd & Coffee+Crumbs
This review I am going to keep short because there is just not enough time or energy in this momma to give you a personal reason why I absolutely loved this book. If you are a mother, you need this book. It goes through stories of mothers who work, mothers who stay home, mothers of autistic children, mothers of girls, boys, mothers to those husbands who act like children sometimes...you get the idea. The stories made my feel like I am not alone in this journey of motherhood regardless of how isolating it feels sometimes. You need this in your MOPS groups, for baby showers, that mother who is adopting, etc. I will always lend this book out to my mother friends.
The only reason why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because it had a bit of religion in it. Praying to god, and such. I am not a religious person therefore when a book keeps bringing it up, it kind of makes me feel uncomfortable in my status as a mother. I hope that makes sense.
Apart from that, this book felt like a community of mothers gathering around, telling their stories and making me know that I am doing my best, my hardest, my strongest, at raising my very stubborn and independent boys.
If you didn't know, I have 2 & 4 year old boys, I am a stay at home mother, my husband works long hours during the day therefore, that leaves us at home a lot. Its exhausting, isolating, and I feel like my kids push my buttons at any moment they feel. Its stressful, exhausting, at times humiliating. This book told me that it's ok to have bad days, because we all have them. Its okay to feel how I feel sometimes, because it's normal and a part of motherhood. I owe a lot of my recent sanity to this book.
Mommmmssss, I am telling you that this is very insightful and a great read. Even if you just do a chapter a night on top of whatever else it is you do, it works.
Until Next Time,
DauntlessReading
By: Ashlee Gadd & Coffee+Crumbs
This review I am going to keep short because there is just not enough time or energy in this momma to give you a personal reason why I absolutely loved this book. If you are a mother, you need this book. It goes through stories of mothers who work, mothers who stay home, mothers of autistic children, mothers of girls, boys, mothers to those husbands who act like children sometimes...you get the idea. The stories made my feel like I am not alone in this journey of motherhood regardless of how isolating it feels sometimes. You need this in your MOPS groups, for baby showers, that mother who is adopting, etc. I will always lend this book out to my mother friends.
The only reason why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because it had a bit of religion in it. Praying to god, and such. I am not a religious person therefore when a book keeps bringing it up, it kind of makes me feel uncomfortable in my status as a mother. I hope that makes sense.
Apart from that, this book felt like a community of mothers gathering around, telling their stories and making me know that I am doing my best, my hardest, my strongest, at raising my very stubborn and independent boys.
If you didn't know, I have 2 & 4 year old boys, I am a stay at home mother, my husband works long hours during the day therefore, that leaves us at home a lot. Its exhausting, isolating, and I feel like my kids push my buttons at any moment they feel. Its stressful, exhausting, at times humiliating. This book told me that it's ok to have bad days, because we all have them. Its okay to feel how I feel sometimes, because it's normal and a part of motherhood. I owe a lot of my recent sanity to this book.
Mommmmssss, I am telling you that this is very insightful and a great read. Even if you just do a chapter a night on top of whatever else it is you do, it works.
Until Next Time,
DauntlessReading
May 10, 2022
Read this on slowly on mornings I had time by myself before my youngest woke up and loved it. Essays from mothers in all different walks of life that will make to feel less alone whatever season you’re in 💛
May 15, 2017
I'm a long-time reader of the Coffee + Crumbs blog, so I was thrilled to see they were coming out with a book. I was not disappointed. One issue I've often had with bloggers that write books is that there is too much repeat material in the book--it feels as though I've read everything already. This was not the case with The Magic of Motherhood. There were a few essays that had previously been published on the blog, but the majority were new, and the ones that were repeated in the book were essays that I love and was grateful to have in print.
I've found in my own experience with reading about motherhood that writers are frequently overly sentimental or overly harsh. One of my favorite things about The Magic of Motherhood is that it doesn't shy away from the difficulties that surround motherhood, but it also presents the beauty and joy that come with it. The writers have been incredibly vulnerable in these essays, sharing things that I think most mothers think and feel but don't always share with the world. Reading this book, I felt as if I was not alone and that I was encouraged by a team of women walking the same path.
The writing is thoughtful and well crafted--no sloppiness here.The book itself is lovely from an aesthetic standpoint, with beautiful photographs and a ribbon bookmark. I will be purchasing this for many baby showers and Mother's Days in the future!
I've found in my own experience with reading about motherhood that writers are frequently overly sentimental or overly harsh. One of my favorite things about The Magic of Motherhood is that it doesn't shy away from the difficulties that surround motherhood, but it also presents the beauty and joy that come with it. The writers have been incredibly vulnerable in these essays, sharing things that I think most mothers think and feel but don't always share with the world. Reading this book, I felt as if I was not alone and that I was encouraged by a team of women walking the same path.
The writing is thoughtful and well crafted--no sloppiness here.The book itself is lovely from an aesthetic standpoint, with beautiful photographs and a ribbon bookmark. I will be purchasing this for many baby showers and Mother's Days in the future!
December 11, 2017
Nothing exceptional, but the right read for me right now. Affirming in the ups and downs of motherhood and maternity.
April 25, 2017
I want to get this book into the hands of every single mom I know. You know how when you’re having a tough day, unable to see the good in a hard season, and wondering if you’re all alone, and then a friend shares about the exact same thing that’s on your heart, and you melt into a puddle and say, “Yes! Me too!” This is that moment, but in the form of dozens of essays contained in a beautiful book.
The Coffee + Crumbs writers have outdone themselves with their best essays yet (and that’s saying a lot because their blog is already full of gems), and I’m already excited to read the whole thing again. This book will make you snort with laughter, cry big tears, and feel so deeply understood.
From now on, I’ll be gifting this book at every single baby shower I attend (along with something off the registry, because come on, we all know how long it took to put that thing together). I cannot recommend this book enough.
The Coffee + Crumbs writers have outdone themselves with their best essays yet (and that’s saying a lot because their blog is already full of gems), and I’m already excited to read the whole thing again. This book will make you snort with laughter, cry big tears, and feel so deeply understood.
From now on, I’ll be gifting this book at every single baby shower I attend (along with something off the registry, because come on, we all know how long it took to put that thing together). I cannot recommend this book enough.
January 31, 2021
I really enjoyed listening to “The Magic of Motherhood” as I washed dishes and folded laundry. This lighthearted and extremely relatable collection of short personal stories is a great book for new/young moms. It will also pull on your heartstrings in a good way.
April 4, 2017
I am thankful to have a real life community of other moms who I can walk this road alongside and share the burdens and the joys along the way with. But I have also over the years appreciated the safe haven of "Mommy Bloggers" I have found on the internet for the days when home is where I have to be but encouragement is needed badly. I really respect those women with a gift for words and a vulnerable enough spirit to not only share the beautiful things (which is easy enough online) but the hard and not so pretty things as well. A newer to me site that offers just such a comfort is Coffee + Crumbs. Ashlee Gadd began this beautiful, little corner of the internet to encourage and inspire fellow moms and she has done such a good job with that it has morphed into an even more gorgeous book!
The Magic of Motherhood: The good stuff, the hard stuff and everything in between is really a work of art- both in the text and the visual department. This is a gift worthy, luxe hardback book with a velvety matte cover and exceptionally sturdy pages. I loved the corresponding photography with each essay and full page photo/quote spreads sprinkled through out the book as well. It really feels like you took a beautifully curated and well written blog and wrapped it up into an even better book to hold in your hands.
All the writers that Ashlee teamed up with on this project offer a unified front in celebrating and uplifting the calling of motherhood but offer varying perspectives with humor, grace and truth. I was instantly sucked in with one of the first essays about the "mom jeans"- a true to life reminiscing of our overly confident pre-mom selves and in the ways we have to stretch and adapt and yet still, we are ourselves. No "mom jeans" needed, we just bring whatever "cut" we are/have and it becomes what a mom needs to embodied as.
The stories come from moms of varying forms and lifestyles- some unexpectedly becoming mothers, others thru many trials, and still others receiving children from the heart and not the womb. The essays touch on the heart aching joys and the heart breaking griefs that Motherhood can bring. This book would make an amazing Mother's day gift and I will be slowly relishing it in the lead up to that annual shout out of a day to this intense profession. I will let myself be reminded of all the gifts I already have received for being a mom.
Thanks to Book Look Bloggers for providing me with a copy of this title to review.
The Magic of Motherhood: The good stuff, the hard stuff and everything in between is really a work of art- both in the text and the visual department. This is a gift worthy, luxe hardback book with a velvety matte cover and exceptionally sturdy pages. I loved the corresponding photography with each essay and full page photo/quote spreads sprinkled through out the book as well. It really feels like you took a beautifully curated and well written blog and wrapped it up into an even better book to hold in your hands.
All the writers that Ashlee teamed up with on this project offer a unified front in celebrating and uplifting the calling of motherhood but offer varying perspectives with humor, grace and truth. I was instantly sucked in with one of the first essays about the "mom jeans"- a true to life reminiscing of our overly confident pre-mom selves and in the ways we have to stretch and adapt and yet still, we are ourselves. No "mom jeans" needed, we just bring whatever "cut" we are/have and it becomes what a mom needs to embodied as.
The stories come from moms of varying forms and lifestyles- some unexpectedly becoming mothers, others thru many trials, and still others receiving children from the heart and not the womb. The essays touch on the heart aching joys and the heart breaking griefs that Motherhood can bring. This book would make an amazing Mother's day gift and I will be slowly relishing it in the lead up to that annual shout out of a day to this intense profession. I will let myself be reminded of all the gifts I already have received for being a mom.
Thanks to Book Look Bloggers for providing me with a copy of this title to review.
September 6, 2018
3.5 Stars
This book is written in essay style with many different authors. I loved some of the chapters, but others left me wondering where God was in the authors life? Like many other Christian books there was talk about self-love, strength of self, and finding joy in community,which are not necessarily bad things. However if God comes first so many of these other issues work themselves out or are no longer issues at all. Some of the stories were heartbreaking, real and beautiful, others just ehhh!
This book is written in essay style with many different authors. I loved some of the chapters, but others left me wondering where God was in the authors life? Like many other Christian books there was talk about self-love, strength of self, and finding joy in community,which are not necessarily bad things. However if God comes first so many of these other issues work themselves out or are no longer issues at all. Some of the stories were heartbreaking, real and beautiful, others just ehhh!
June 23, 2017
This is it - the book I will be giving all new mamas, old mamas, and mama friends from now on. I'm a long time fan of Coffee + Crumbs and was so excited for this book. It did not disappoint. Honest. Funny. Touching. All without being too overly sappy about motherhood.
April 22, 2017
Me, too.
August 30, 2017
Every new mom should receive this book. It's like a giant mom hug.
June 11, 2018
Loved this! I read it over a couple months, one essay at a time. I might be biased because I love Coffee + Crumbs, so I loved this book. A book every mom should read at least once.
March 13, 2022
Really beautiful collection of essays
January 25, 2023
This book of essays on motherhood came out a while ago, but I loved seeing the familiar names of the Coffee + Crumbs team (and seeing how much their writing has changed over the years!). A few essays are dog-eared for me to come back to again and I think there’s something for every kind of mother in this book. It’s hopeful, honest, and encouraging.
July 28, 2020
Enjoyed some essays more than others, naturally
A book with a little more Christianity than I normal go for, but with enough meaningful, beautiful, and universal content to be enjoyable.
A book with a little more Christianity than I normal go for, but with enough meaningful, beautiful, and universal content to be enjoyable.
March 22, 2017
I love this book. First, let me say what draw me to review this book was the description. The book talked about being a mother without being perfect and that was something I wanted to know more about. With that said, I am not a mother, but I hope to be someday. I loved the way this book felt in my hands, the good stuff, the hard stuff and the in between stuff. This book felt raw, it felt light and it made me laugh. It weaved what I think is one of the most beautiful things in the world and the most hardest job that a woman will never get credit for, which is being a mom. AKA: Superwoman! The stories in this book are hopeful, they are written by story tellers filled with grace, joy, chaos and laughter. This book will provide a breath of fresh air to all moms. I encourage you to purchase this book for Mother's Day! Give this book as a gift. I loved this book and I'm not even a mother. Thank you Zondervan for providing me a complimentary copy. A positive review was not required. I give this book 5/5 stars.
August 9, 2017
Ashlee Gadd in The Magic of Motherhood is spreading that message of how all of us mothers are not alone in our highs and lows. I am not a huge fan of short essays or stories but I gave this book a shot based on a recommendation. The stories all had a common thread of connecting mothers through hardships and the joys of motherhood. I enjoyed the connections in each segment, however they also had a prevalent religious component which I could not connect to. This book was a quick read and was very affordable (at the time it was a deal of the day) on kobo.ca and I would recommend it to mothers who need a quick pick me up. I know some mothers cannot find time to read so these short stories may be perfect length.
June 8, 2022
“Nothing could have prepared me for that love, for the raw emotion that enveloped every fiber of my being. Nothing could have prepared me for the daily sacrifice, for the way my body and soul would change time and time again, or for the challenges I would face in my marriage and friendships now that I was a mother. As I dove headfirst into my new role, I quickly realized that I needed more than just sleep training books and a few lasagnas in the freezer. Much more.”❤️
As someone who dealt with some pretty intense post-partum anxiety this book was relatable, comforting, heart wrenching, and gave me so much joy!
As someone who dealt with some pretty intense post-partum anxiety this book was relatable, comforting, heart wrenching, and gave me so much joy!
July 10, 2019
If I could give this book an infinite amount of stars I would! My only regret is not reading it sooner! All the stories told in this book are absolutely relatable. I laughed. I cried. I sympathized. I completely understood! I related to so many of the beautifully written essays and I am so glad that I am not alone in this world of Motherhood! 11/10 would recommend as a gift for a new mother, a seasoned mother.. every mother you know! This has become something like a bible to me to look back on for hard days, happy days or even for no reason!
April 18, 2017
Highly, highly, highly recommend! This is a book of essays by a team of women whom I've never met but feel like I know. No matter how you came to be a mother there is something in this book for you - probably many things! This has officially become a nightstand book - one I keep near me so I can go back and re-read parts whenever I want. I cannot recommend it enough!
November 16, 2019
I cannot begin to explain all the reasons I loved this book; I will likely refer back to these stories throughout my journey in motherhood! The love, soulfulness and growth experienced in these women’s journeys are beautiful. I love seeing motherhood through the lens of so many different women who found their strength in their dependency of faith. Humbly empowered mommas! <3
September 18, 2021
30+ essays on motherhood, covering all aspects of the early years of being a mother: fertility, conception, pregnancy, newborn life, toddlers, mental health, marriage. I don’t think I know a single mother who wouldn’t be moved by these perspectives. Each essay is limited in length and truly captures the life of young motherhood.
For moms of newborns: this is a great read while breastfeeding.
For moms of newborns: this is a great read while breastfeeding.
August 12, 2019
A nice collection of essays on motherhood. Truly capturing the magic! Just a nice, easy light read—great if you’re in a hard season of motherhood & need some reminders of the beauty of raising littles.
April 27, 2017
Great book for Mothers.
May 16, 2017
So amazing. So beautiful. So profound. So wonderful. Everything about this is fantastic.
March 31, 2019
So MAGICAL!
This book made my Mama heart smile and cry and I was able to see myself in every one of these real and beautiful essays. ♡
This book made my Mama heart smile and cry and I was able to see myself in every one of these real and beautiful essays. ♡
March 2, 2020
This book is so raw & real & relatable. I bought a paper copy after reading it on KU so I could mark up the parts I want to remember.
March 7, 2022
This book reminded me of all the wonderful parts of being a mother and that even though I'm not perfect I'm still a good mom. I was in tears only a few minutes in!
June 12, 2017
Truly, everything about this book is magical.
It was given as a gift to me as I entered my new journey of motherhood and I loved (and needed) everything it gave. It was so wonderful to read and know that other moms felt & dealt with the same things I was. Each story is beautifully written in such a compelling way. I kept finding myself nodding along, laughing, crying, and ultimately FEELING as I read this. I can't even pick a story because each one is so compelling & necessary.
I also loved how every single detail about this book was clearly made with moms in mind. The short stories are perfect to read in the little breaks of time that we have. They aren't separated into topics because life doesn't neatly organize our needs or feelings. It's a durable hardback book without a book jacket, so it actually stays a beautiful book while you throw it in your diaper bag, put the bottle on top of it, or whatever else may happen in the day. It comes with a bookmark attached so you don't have to search/keep up with one or remember your place. And it has beautiful photos with the perfect quotes in the perfect fonts throughout the book to make for a great Instagram photo or to just make you get that point you needed!
Truly everything about this book is so well thought out and just a comfort for anyone on this journey of motherhood. It's a great reminder that it's your own adventure but there's beauty in knowing & having others to share it with you.
It was given as a gift to me as I entered my new journey of motherhood and I loved (and needed) everything it gave. It was so wonderful to read and know that other moms felt & dealt with the same things I was. Each story is beautifully written in such a compelling way. I kept finding myself nodding along, laughing, crying, and ultimately FEELING as I read this. I can't even pick a story because each one is so compelling & necessary.
I also loved how every single detail about this book was clearly made with moms in mind. The short stories are perfect to read in the little breaks of time that we have. They aren't separated into topics because life doesn't neatly organize our needs or feelings. It's a durable hardback book without a book jacket, so it actually stays a beautiful book while you throw it in your diaper bag, put the bottle on top of it, or whatever else may happen in the day. It comes with a bookmark attached so you don't have to search/keep up with one or remember your place. And it has beautiful photos with the perfect quotes in the perfect fonts throughout the book to make for a great Instagram photo or to just make you get that point you needed!
Truly everything about this book is so well thought out and just a comfort for anyone on this journey of motherhood. It's a great reminder that it's your own adventure but there's beauty in knowing & having others to share it with you.
January 28, 2019
This collection of essays on motherhood from the Coffee + Crumbs blog had me smiling, laughing and crying as I related to so many of the vast emotions of motherhood that are so eloquently described by various authors. I loved the Christian flavor of many of them and the birds-eye view of these challenges that remind us what one huge goal of motherhood is—our own personal journey in sanctification.
Not only is the writing beautiful and thought provoking but the book itself is so beautifully presented with gorgeous photography which also highlight some of the best quotes in each essay. The short post style of the book also makes it easy to read in small chunks between all of the mothering activities.
Some of my favorite quotes:
P. 12 Written by a new mother trying to juggle her passions and family, her husband reminds her, “You are always a mother. You are not only a mother.”
P. 14 I loved this entire essay about the seasons of motherhood that we wish away due to the discomfort but then wish to have back as our children grow.
P. 25 “There’s something you need to know. You are not weak if you need backup. You aren’t needy if you ask you husband to take a late-night diaper change... Mothers—whether we stay at home, work from home, work full time or work overtime—are managing a whole lot of crazy. And sometimes we need help. And I began recognizing my own needs, a very special thing happened: I also started noticing others’ needs in a way I hadn’t before. The more I’ve said yes to help, the better I’ve become at offering it to others.
P. 43 This essay starts with the child stating that her mother was like Wonder Woman because, “she doesn’t have any weapons. Just her arms and her legs, and she wonders a lot.”
“In my never-ending quest to quip myself with better tools and better systems, I had overlooked the fact that I had myself. Not just my arms and my legs, but my character, my sense of humor, my passion, and my bottomless love for my kids. In my desire for control, I had lost sight of the value of curiosity, and wondering. I was aiming far too low. I was aiming for order instead of wonder, mastery instead of stewardship, a certificate of achievement instead of an invitation for growth. I don’t want to be supermom anymore. I want to be Wonder Woman.”
P. 58 All about the forgiveness and quick forgetfulness of children when they are wronged, “...forgiving me left and right, teaching me what it means to be saved.”
P. 60 On developing body image in our girls, “I do not know how to vaccinate my daughters against the plague of self-hatred that runs rampant among young girls. But to my daughters, I will beg, ‘Fall in love with yourself, first.’ And I do not mean a tolerant, conditional, praise-yourself-when-you-look-good kind of love. I mean deeply rooted, white-hot, irrevocable, laugh-at-yourself love.”
P. 70 “I think savoring every moment is too much pressure. But I’m scooping up the moments worth savoring.”
P. 71 I very much related to this glitter and glue analogy of different parenting types and how each is important and complement each other.
P. 79 Regarding raising a strong-willed toddler which goes against all the ideals and rose-colored glasses we dream up before it gets hard, “I liked the real version of motherhood better than the fairy tale anyway, because the real version was forcing me to be smaller so God could get bigger.” “A mom I didn’t want to be. But the mom she needs.”
P. 87 On the topic of miscarriage and stillbirth not “adding up” “I held tight to the God who had to tell me over and over I was not a bad math problem. I was, I am, a story.”
P. 101 “We lose trust that He will show up at the right time, with the right lunch, just as promised. Both that’s silly, really, because my belief in God is not one of blind faith. I can see His consistent, loving character in the words of my Bible....And in the moments when I do let her down—because I will continue to, despite my best efforts—I’m thankful to know that while I might not always be mom enough, God will always be big enough. He can always be trusted. He’s always on time. He will always show up, for her and for me.”
P. 108 “Unlike us, our Heavenly Father is not prone to accidents or even capable of making mistakes. His love for HIs children is full, whole, and divinely perfect. I never understood how loved I was by God until I became a mother and realized this truth: the love I have for my children pales in comparison to the love God has for me. Just thinking about that takes my breath away.”
“You are more than your worst day. You are more than your biggest mistake.”
P. 127 “So much of motherhood is waiting, but so much of motherhood is also hoping, believing, and loving the work right in front of us. Just as the weather forecast isn’t always predictable or what we planned for, motherhood might also change our plans in every way. But that doesn’t have to change the kind of momma I am. Not when I have a God who never changes. The glory of our good, good Father shines bright in any weather. All we have to do is put on our rain jackets and go look for it.”
P. 160 “She is the daughter of the King—not ours to own, but all of ours to love.”
P. 189 On raising special needs children, “This child is going to be exactly who he is, and it’s not going to be an accident. It’s going to be hard and it’s going to be beautiful, no matter how many chromosomes he’s born with. He’s going to teach me a lot of things, and I’m going to be better for knowing him—exactly the way he is.”
P. 202 On pregnancy after miscarriage, “Help my hopelessness, my unbelief. God, keep this tiny heart beating. God, give me a reckless heart.”
P. 219 On the days where nothing on the to-do list gets done, “You’ll be tempted to call it wasted. But it’s their day too.”
P. 229 On seeing and savoring the birth of a 3rd child with all the familiar, “I may know how to birth and breastfeed and burp you, but I still have so much to learn about how to mother you. And I can’t wait for the honor of fulfilling such a mighty task. Because you, my child, are a sacred gift that will only come around this time around.”
Not only is the writing beautiful and thought provoking but the book itself is so beautifully presented with gorgeous photography which also highlight some of the best quotes in each essay. The short post style of the book also makes it easy to read in small chunks between all of the mothering activities.
Some of my favorite quotes:
P. 12 Written by a new mother trying to juggle her passions and family, her husband reminds her, “You are always a mother. You are not only a mother.”
P. 14 I loved this entire essay about the seasons of motherhood that we wish away due to the discomfort but then wish to have back as our children grow.
P. 25 “There’s something you need to know. You are not weak if you need backup. You aren’t needy if you ask you husband to take a late-night diaper change... Mothers—whether we stay at home, work from home, work full time or work overtime—are managing a whole lot of crazy. And sometimes we need help. And I began recognizing my own needs, a very special thing happened: I also started noticing others’ needs in a way I hadn’t before. The more I’ve said yes to help, the better I’ve become at offering it to others.
P. 43 This essay starts with the child stating that her mother was like Wonder Woman because, “she doesn’t have any weapons. Just her arms and her legs, and she wonders a lot.”
“In my never-ending quest to quip myself with better tools and better systems, I had overlooked the fact that I had myself. Not just my arms and my legs, but my character, my sense of humor, my passion, and my bottomless love for my kids. In my desire for control, I had lost sight of the value of curiosity, and wondering. I was aiming far too low. I was aiming for order instead of wonder, mastery instead of stewardship, a certificate of achievement instead of an invitation for growth. I don’t want to be supermom anymore. I want to be Wonder Woman.”
P. 58 All about the forgiveness and quick forgetfulness of children when they are wronged, “...forgiving me left and right, teaching me what it means to be saved.”
P. 60 On developing body image in our girls, “I do not know how to vaccinate my daughters against the plague of self-hatred that runs rampant among young girls. But to my daughters, I will beg, ‘Fall in love with yourself, first.’ And I do not mean a tolerant, conditional, praise-yourself-when-you-look-good kind of love. I mean deeply rooted, white-hot, irrevocable, laugh-at-yourself love.”
P. 70 “I think savoring every moment is too much pressure. But I’m scooping up the moments worth savoring.”
P. 71 I very much related to this glitter and glue analogy of different parenting types and how each is important and complement each other.
P. 79 Regarding raising a strong-willed toddler which goes against all the ideals and rose-colored glasses we dream up before it gets hard, “I liked the real version of motherhood better than the fairy tale anyway, because the real version was forcing me to be smaller so God could get bigger.” “A mom I didn’t want to be. But the mom she needs.”
P. 87 On the topic of miscarriage and stillbirth not “adding up” “I held tight to the God who had to tell me over and over I was not a bad math problem. I was, I am, a story.”
P. 101 “We lose trust that He will show up at the right time, with the right lunch, just as promised. Both that’s silly, really, because my belief in God is not one of blind faith. I can see His consistent, loving character in the words of my Bible....And in the moments when I do let her down—because I will continue to, despite my best efforts—I’m thankful to know that while I might not always be mom enough, God will always be big enough. He can always be trusted. He’s always on time. He will always show up, for her and for me.”
P. 108 “Unlike us, our Heavenly Father is not prone to accidents or even capable of making mistakes. His love for HIs children is full, whole, and divinely perfect. I never understood how loved I was by God until I became a mother and realized this truth: the love I have for my children pales in comparison to the love God has for me. Just thinking about that takes my breath away.”
“You are more than your worst day. You are more than your biggest mistake.”
P. 127 “So much of motherhood is waiting, but so much of motherhood is also hoping, believing, and loving the work right in front of us. Just as the weather forecast isn’t always predictable or what we planned for, motherhood might also change our plans in every way. But that doesn’t have to change the kind of momma I am. Not when I have a God who never changes. The glory of our good, good Father shines bright in any weather. All we have to do is put on our rain jackets and go look for it.”
P. 160 “She is the daughter of the King—not ours to own, but all of ours to love.”
P. 189 On raising special needs children, “This child is going to be exactly who he is, and it’s not going to be an accident. It’s going to be hard and it’s going to be beautiful, no matter how many chromosomes he’s born with. He’s going to teach me a lot of things, and I’m going to be better for knowing him—exactly the way he is.”
P. 202 On pregnancy after miscarriage, “Help my hopelessness, my unbelief. God, keep this tiny heart beating. God, give me a reckless heart.”
P. 219 On the days where nothing on the to-do list gets done, “You’ll be tempted to call it wasted. But it’s their day too.”
P. 229 On seeing and savoring the birth of a 3rd child with all the familiar, “I may know how to birth and breastfeed and burp you, but I still have so much to learn about how to mother you. And I can’t wait for the honor of fulfilling such a mighty task. Because you, my child, are a sacred gift that will only come around this time around.”
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