Finding myself

When I first quit my job to stay home with my precious Alydia, it was hard for me.  I had always had something in my life that was hard work, but gave me a great sense of accomplishment like going through nursing school or working as a nurse.  I wondered how I'd fit as a stay-at-home mom.  I read blogs, looked at Facebook seeking answers only to find myself overwhelmed and losing my self-confidence that I would be any good at this new job.  I am not a great blogger by any means, not a fantastic cook, not really good with fashion or running, crafts or photography.  I started to lose myself and feel really down.

Over the next few months I started thinking hard about where real happiness and self-worth come from.  After thinking a bit, I realized that it comes from our Heavenly Father of course!  How could I have let social media decide what my self-worth was.  Plus, don't we all often post the best of ourselves and neglect to sometimes post our own insecurities and downfalls.  So I looked to my Heavenly Father to find answers.

I wish I could quote or relay all the things that I have learned or felt, but there is too much that I could share.  Instead, I will just say that I found myself starting to try and put everything I was doing into a good, better, or best category and go from there.  As I started eliminating things that were wasteful, and adding things of greater worth I have found myself increasingly happy.  I am by no means perfect, but if I have Family Home Evening instead of watching a tv show, or listen to a conference talk instead of looking at Facebook I feel so much better!

Isn't being a mom so wonderful too!  Yeah, its tough (especially when you're trying to change a diaper and Alydia just wants to play).  But there is so much joy in being a mother!  I love this Mormon Message about motherhood.  I feel like it is perfect for where I am in life!

I also love this quote from M. Russell Ballard:

“And so, my dear young women, with all my heart I urge you not to look to contemporary culture for your role models and mentors. Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow.”

"Satan is always attempting to undermine the most precious element of a woman's divine nature—the nature to nurture.

"A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured. She is loved. She is taught and experiences firsthand what it feels like to have someone care about her enough to correct her while continuing to encourage and believe in her at the same time."

M. Russell Ballard, "Mothers and Daughters," Ensign, May 2010, 20

And I think it is so wonderful to be able to celebrate mothers this time of the year!  I love being a mother!  I love finding new ways that I can challenge myself at home.  I am learning to be good at cooking, cleaning, photography, crafts, blogging, running, and decorating; but most importantly being a good mother to my baby girl who is growing up all too fast.  So if you are discouraged, look to the Lord.  Don't look to the world.  The world will always tell you that you will never be good enough, skinny enough, or talented enough; but you are!  And the great thing is that we have been promised that  if we turn to the Lord in humility with our weaknesses He will make them strong!

Ether 12:27

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Happy Mother's Day!