what matters as a mom.

Sometimes I just want to throw my hands in the air and simply say enough.

Moms don't need to be judged. Ranked. Ordered. Categorized.

I think moms just need to be embraced.

No matter what the story.

Sometimes we look at motherhood at we try to define it based on externals. She's a stay at home mom. She works. She only feeds organic foods. She homeschools. She does this or that or this or that or this or that and start the again cycle and repeat.

Let me tell you - honestly, those things don't define motherhood.

Motherhood isn't about all the crazy things that we could be doing. Motherhood really is defined by what we are already doing. Sometimes it is throwing on our boots and going out in the cold and playing with our kids in the snow even when we have a million and five other things we could be doing. Sometimes it is about tucking our kids into bed at night, whispering prayers with them, and staying up late working so that we can pay the bills. Sometimes it is about being grateful for the food in the pantry, being okay with serving the applesauce, and simply doing the best we can do.

Motherhood is full of moments.

Little thing matter moments.

And these moments are those moments that cannot be ranked. They are the moments that each of us has in our every day normal. You have them. Right now. You have them when you wake, in the middle of the day, in the crazy chaotic times at dinner, and the peaceful evening simple moments.

Those moments are not dependent upon the external factors that sometimes we like to judge each other with. And sometimes that judging isn't even intentional - it's a judging we do ourselves and on ourselves. We'll scroll through facebook or pinterest and wonder why our homes don't look like theirs. Or we'll see the crafts, the projects, the cool glow in the dark things that we can make with thirty-two easy and not supposed to be messy steps, and we'll look at our stuff that we've done and we'll lose the power in it. 

There's no grading system for motherhood.

There's no higher level for completing 14 awesome craft projects with glitter by three in the afternoon. Or making meals that look like faces and sculptures so our kids will eat them (cutting bread into triangles is a cool enough feat sometimes). There's no reward structure set for moms that states that we need to compete against each other to achieve this ultimate hypothetical motherhood perfection ideal.

It's so enough.

You right now really are doing what you need to do. You wake up, you love your kids, you take care of your kids, you try to make today better than the next, you switch that laundry and fold those socks, you make the meals, you drive to classes and you give of yourself. Sometimes it's a giving in a life that is so far from perfect that it makes you want to throw your hands in the air and yell it's not fair. Sometimes it's simply a life that is simple and normal and peaceful and you wonder if this is all there is. And sometimes you are content, bored, tired, eager, joyful, and simply thankful - even if the room that you cleaned at nine am is a mess at nine fifteen am.



Motherhood is a rich collection of different stories from many different people. It's a beautiful tapestry of moms that work, moms that stay at home, moms that vaccinate, moms that don't vaccinate, moms that are single, moms that are married, moms that are divorced, moms that eat only organic, moms that love the convenience of boxed food, moms that are grateful to simply have food, moms with babies, moms with toddlers, moms with middle schoolers, moms with highschoolers, moms with kids that are gone, moms who homeschool, moms who send their kid to private school, moms who send their kids to public school, moms who simply need a friend, and well, we're all just moms.

The external variables don't define mom.

Let's stop comparing the differences all the time and begin to embrace each other for what we do. You need to do that. I need to do this. And on and on and on for each mom - unique. You need to be proud of who you are - right now. You are a mother who is doing awesome things in the midst of sometimes simple things. Or hard things. Or normal. Or so on.

Listen. For real.

Cutting snowflakes matters. Making pizza matters. Finding missing socks matters. Taking temperatures matters. Listening to stories matters. Writing notes matters. Driving to classes matter. Folding clothes matters. Counting to ten again and again matters. Laughing matters. Rocking babies in rocking chairs matters. All of that normal everyday motherhood stuff matters.



We all do that stuff. We all have moments with our kids where we just want to run around the house and yell and scream and throw our hands in the air and say enough. We have those moments sitting in the bathroom on the floor and we're holding a sick four year old. We have the beautiful moments of loving on our kids and watching them late at night and just being so grateful that we're a mom.

You want to read something powerful? On my facebook page I asked you all to describe motherhood in one word. And this is what you all said. These are the words that defines moms. They're your words and not mine - they're the words from your hearts. They're a beautiful tribute to the multi layers of moms.

Everything. Rewarding. Forever. Challenging. Blessed. Will. Hard. Adventure. Humbling. Adventure. Marathon. Grace. messy. Growth. Complicated. Sacred. Unconditional. Heaven. Breathtaking. Hilarious. Selfless. Chaos. Journey. Intense. Joy. Referee (that one makes me smile). Constant. Difficult. Gift. Balance. Wonderful. Inspiring. Complex. Love. Adornment. Patience. Exhilarating. Gift. Meditation. Endless. relentless. Fulfillment. Learning. Evolving. Unconditional. Emotional. Beautiful. Indescribable. Repetitive. Reward. Remarkable. Eye-Opening. Ministry. Natural. Pilgrimage. Lessons. Margin. Magical. Exhausting. Restorative. Journey.

(to add yours click here -> Finding Joy Facebook Page Describe Motherhood in One Word )

Bottom line? You are not alone.

You're a mom that is real. Enough. All of the above. Read those words from your fellow mothers. Mothers in the trenches. Mothers running victory laps. Mothers who love their kids who keep on trying. Real mothers. Just like you.

Right now. Today.

That's what matters.

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

13 Mom Truths

1. Your house is not a reflection of your parenting skills. You know what I'm talking about. It's 2:28 in the afternoon and there's a knock on your door and your house isn't perfect. Open the door. Welcome your friend in. Don't apologize for whatever it looks like in your home. Show them you're real. And remember your house isn't a reflection of your parenting skills. It's just a house - big, small, neat, cluttered, tidy, organized, whatever - that doesn't matter. What matters is you - mothering, teaching, and loving your kids.

2. Sometimes you just need to read the same book over and over again. Or teach the same truth over and over again. Or deal with the same discipline issue. Or wash the dishes (ha) again. Parenting involves a great deal of repetition. And sometimes the repetition is needed. For instance? The book reading? Kids need to hear the same one again - they recognize the nuances in the story and it's how the learn. And you? You can add that book to your books known by memory. And discipline stuff? Well it takes work. Don't give up. Just keep going.

3. Melt downs in the store happen. Just the other day while I was at Target I observed the pinnacle of child meltdowns happen. Screaming, tantrum throwing, and the whole shebang wrapped up in what appeared to be a spitfire of a four year old. And the mom? Gritting her teeth, moving calmly, putting the massive cart away, and buckling the child in. All I could think was you go mom - keep your head high. You all know they happen, guys. When they do, don't judge. Encourage.

4. You will be tired. Want me to explain this one? Probably not. Grab your coffee or chai tea or energy drink or green drink or whatever you need and rock on mom. You can do this.

5. Some days will be tedious. Other days normal. Other days challenging. Other days amazing. Motherhood is like a rollercoaster rides of days. And often those feelings can happen in the midst of the normal day. You may start out feeling like you're the queen of motherhood only to have the rug pulled out from underneath you at 8:34 am and you're ready to call in back up. Just like your house doesn't define you your days don't define. It's the constant movement that matters. And loving your kids.

6. Kids get sick. This. Especially for you new moms out there. Our kids get sick. It just happens and when it does we just deal with it. I'm still telling you though - it's an art to deal with a vomiting no aim two year old. Or to stay up all night with one with an ear ache. Or to sit in a doctor's office and fight for diagnosis. Kids get sick. Not the fun part of parenting.

7. Less things equals less stress. The more you have the more you have to manage. The busier you are the more you will feel like you are racing around running on empty. Clearing out the clutter is one of the best things to do - constantly get rid of stuff. And it teaches our kids to not get sucked into the more is better conundrum of life.

8. You'll make mistakes. Like me. I published this post originally without a number eight (that's what I get for not checking the order). But you know what? Mistakes happen. They don't define us. We can learn from them, move on, and work to do better next time. Perfection doesn't happen. Real does. :)

9. Laundry will never be done. Yeah. It will be on the list, but as we all know the 18 seconds of not having a piece of dirty clothes in the laundry basket is short lived. Put laundry on the breathing list - the things to do that are just a normal needed part of life. And celebrate those 18 seconds when the laundry is done. That's good too.

10. Get down on their level. Look them in the eye when they talk to you. Learn to love what they love. It's easy in this fast pace tweet it instagram it facebook it racing world to lose the art of looking and communicating with those we love directly. Intentionally cultivate moments in your life where the social noise is quiet so that you and your kids can have space within the busy.

11. Sippy cups leak. Toys break. Those things don't matter. Those things in life aren't what you're going to remember at the end of your days. I think I remember a couple of my toys from childhood - my Mr. Owl Math Fact Calculator, a Barbie that had on a glitzy gold outfit, a lego set, and a keyboard. You know what I do remember? Going to the lake and fishing with my parents. Seeing the Ice Palace on a cold Minnesota winter morning. Playing Skipbo with my family. Riding bikes. Racing in the backyard. Simple little things.

12. Don't worry about savoring every single moment. Give yourself grace, really. Going back to the kids being sick point - there are simply times in life where the little moments aren't really the best. Don't stress about that. Instead be grateful for the moments tucked within the normal. So often we don't realy expect them - they're the you're the best mom moments after you cut the pbj into triangles and get them a glass of milk. Moments matter, but not all moments need to be savored. Make it a habit to record the good so that you can remember.

13. There is no supermom. There is only the real mom. And the real mom is brace, tenacious, funny, crazy, excited, tired, giving, crying, hoping, loving, challenging, working, worn out, loving life, loving those kids, and amazing. Real moms are amazing. Normal moms are amazing. You, the mom who loves and gives and cares for her kids, are fabulous simply because you are mom. Remember, just like I'm writing about in my book - being a mom is enough.

Thirteen Mom Truths. What would you add?

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

Real Mom. Superhero in Disguise.

It's not even eight in the morning and the craziness has begun.

He called me a bully.

Everyone is too loud.

I don't want to wear that shirt.

Leave me alone.

Can I play the ipod right now? (when the rule forever has been no media until 2:30)

I'm hungry but I don't want that cereal. 

He's looking at me. (yes, for real)

Then there's the kitchen. Dishes waiting to be put away that were supposed to be put away last night and a counter with mail on it waiting to be sorted next to apples with two bites out of them. Or the laundry or vacuuming or the still waiting summer clothes to be sorted and stored and the large oversized Rubbermaid tubs from Target with winter clothes still waiting to make their way upstairs or there's that list that is just full of things that were on the list to complete yesterday.

Then there is the holidays. So that adds just a bit of pressure. Let me take that back - it adds pressure.  I have heard but they have their tree already at least twice an hour for the last three days.  I look at my purchasing of gifts for this year and I humbly realize that I have not purchased even one. (Want to know what I think about Christmas? Read 25 Things I Want My Kids to Know.) 

It can make me wish for three cups of coffee by 8:30 in the morning.  Sometimes I wish I was like Mrs. Incredible from The Incredibles - with the ability to sit at the table at hold a conversation and keep everything under control and smile at those little kids of hers who are racing around the table. But, well, truthfully, I'm not. I'm often wishing for Starbucks to deliver and that I had crazy patience, but I'm really wondering how in the world I'm going to make it to 8:45 am. 

I don't really want to be the mom that is overwhelmed or tired by nine.

But, it's easy to let that happen or to feel that way. 

I know you probably feel this way too - you're looking at your life and wondering why caked on macaroni and cheese in a bowl that should have been rinsed yesterday but now is sitting on your counter waiting for you makes you so frustrated. Or why every single time they go outside they have to dump out the bucket of gloves and that there never seems to be a matching pair. I mean, seriously, that wasn't in the What to Expect When You're Expecting Books. I don't think anyone ever told me that sometimes there would be days where every single member of the family woke up on the wrong side of the bed. And let me tell you - that's a talent - because almost everyone's beds are against the walls. I don't think they told me that children can fight over the silliest little things and that you will spend your time trying to decide what is fair or whose turn it is or trying to decide if someone really looked at the other one and gave a mean look. 

Motherhood is often this treading water, dealing with throw up (or trying to avoid it with massive handwashing and hand sanitizer scrubs for all of winter), negotiating over whose turn it is to use the ipod, rushing out late to work or soccer or where ever, days full of the same old thing. It's full of days of answering questions, sweeping the floor again and again and again, racing through Target for just a few things and getting to the back of the store with a full cart and the potty training child all of a sudden who needs to use the bathroom immediately.  It's full of helping with homework and wondering why in the world those math facts aren't sticking in your 9 year old's head,  working hard for your kids at home or at work or volunteering, and all sorts of crazy normal motherhood things. 

It's also normal to sit in the living room and wonder what in the world am I doing right now and why is the three year old out negotiating me with regards to tshirt choice? 

Moms aren't made to be superheroes. 

Moms are real.

And honestly, being real might be the coolest and most powerful superhero there can ever be. 

Moms are like superheroes in disguise.

Think about this: 

You have the ability to negotiate and deal with two children who have both decided that they are right and you come up with a solution that would make Solomon jealous. You can get kids into the van, strap them in, and still make it to class only three minutes late. Or early on good days. You know exactly how to wipe faces, wipe counters, and wipe down tables that have remnants of spilled milk and hot chocolate spilled there from kids who just weren't neat. Or who were arguing because their sibling was sitting a little bit too close and that led to bumping of each other which led to hot chocolate on the table.

You can look through a basket full of laundry and immediately find the clothes that are needed after your ten year old has informed you that those clothes aren't anywhere to be found. You can handle multiple questions, negotiations over bedtime, laundry timers beeping, laundry piles that block the doorway, knocks at the door, emails overflowing, paper and homework stacks, answers to why, why not, it's not fair, how come, when, and I don't want to. 

And you don't just do this once. You do this, you handle this, you deal with this every single day.

You may feel overwhelmed, tired, or that you can't do this. But the truth is - you are strong. You are amazing, powerful, a warrior of a woman, in the every day normal.

I know, us mothers have had to do this forever, this motherhood thing. But, just because we have had to do this doesn't mean that it's easy or not to be celebrated. Do you know why? Because for you and me and the mom next door and the mom ordering the triple espresso in Starbucks and the mom in Target with the kids throwing a tantrum on the floor or the the mom who doesn't have Christmas presents yet and doesn't know how she's going to get them or the mom whoever - well, for all of us, even though motherhood has always been around for us it's new.

Motherhood is a new journey for every single mom.

You and I and all of us have had to learn how to be brave, how to fight, how to deal with kids who grab cereal with the cover open and spill it everywhere, how to stand up for ourselves, how to negotiate, how to manage a home, how to not compare and just live,  how to deal with the same question which has the same answer a million times infinity times a day, and all of that.

You've had to learn it all. One day, one step, one morning, one negotiating afternoon, one moment after a time. You've had to learn how to mother in a world of expectations, should have's, could be doings, facebook status updates, and sometimes a celebration of perfection when honestly we need to just celebrate being real.

You are a superhero called a mom.

You maybe feel like you can't handle all of this. But, you can. You'll pull up the bootstraps of motherhood and you'll keep going. And you will not be perfect. But, you will be the best you that you can be. And that you, that mother, will make mistakes, but will give yourself grace, and will learn and move on and fight for your kids.

So today, today when you say no yelling or go to your room or look at a kitchen that was clean 15 minutes ago that now looks like you never clean and all of that remember that you are doing amazing things. You are the one who at the end of your days can look at those little people who are now adults and you will remember how did it and you will see that you were amazing. 

Breathe. Breathe deep. Step back. See all you do everyday. 

You are awesome. 

For real. You superhero called mom in disguise.
(and if any of you has the magic answer for the keeping of things fair let me know....)

******

Looking for a calendar for 2014? I've put together a calendar that celebrates motherhood, the bravery within, and the awesome simplicity in the everyday. It's full of images from my site along with some of the most requested phrases and quotes - being a mom is enough, brave mother, and little things matter. #momsrule

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Today's photos? All real life live from the instagram feed. Find me there at finding_joy
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

25 Things I Want My Kids to Know About Christmas.

My facebook stream is littered with posts about the Black Friday craziness. There are youtube videos of people fighting over $2 toasters and people punching people and crazy lines and just this overall crazy entitlement to stuff. I don't mind deals, shopping, and having fun. I've gone shopping on Black Friday before and I love the deals. I don't love the pushing, shoving, and waiting forever for my Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks (it's always Starbucks, right?) But, truth is, it's just stuff.

Stuff that we're going to have to put in our homes and deal with and manage and garage sale and complain about and purge and clean and dust and take care of as the days pass.

So it got me thinking - what do I want my kids to really know about Christmas?  And because I started thinking that led to me making a list for my kids. Which I'm sharing with you today.

So here are my 25 Things.

1. In our house, Christmas is about Jesus. That first. The rest follows.
2. The stuff goes away. Relationships do not.
3. Always smile and at least thank the Bell Ringer at the store. Do not look away. Gather change beforehand to give.
4. Take time to slow down and appreciate the little things. #littlethingsmatter

5. Always say "thank you" to those working at the stores. And look them in the eye. And smile.
6. A handwritten note is always worth the effort.
7. Family matters. Take time to learn about family. To invest in family. To love.
8. Better to be less busy than to be crazy busy
9. The number of presents received does not matter.

10. Baking makes a mess. It also makes memories.
11. It's okay if the bottom of the tree is full of ornaments. Someday it will look perfect.
12. Christmas music should only be played after Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. (haha - my own silly rule.)
13. Traditions matter. Establish them. But always allow room for new traditions.
14. Even if life isn't perfect there still can be beautiful and joyful moments.

15. Give to others first. And giving back isn't just a December thing - make it a year long thing.
16. Sometimes the Christmas tree falls over. Fact. Just pick it up and try again.
17. Smile. Smile. Smile. And give others grace.
18. Cultivate and celebrate the spirit of wonder in little kids.
19. If other kids believe in Santa Claus and you don't - don't ruin it for them.
20. Always buy your wrapping paper after Christmas when it's 70% off at Target.

21. You won't get everything you want. Be grateful for what you are blessed to receive.
22. Write a Christmas list. Save your list. Someday you'll enjoy looking back at them.
23. Take time to listen to others and to learn their stories. So really, just slow down.
24. You can say "Merry Christmas" to others even if they just say "Happy Holidays" to you.
25. Be grateful. Be thankful. Love your family. And remember why you celebrate Christmas.

It's not about stuff. When we lose focus then this Christmas season has the potential to become this crazy hectic want to pull our hair out month where we breathe the sigh of relief that it is January. And you know what else? Remember number fourteen - even if life isn't perfect or what you expect or all of that - there can still be good and joy. It's the little things. Look for the joy, the good, the wonder, and all of that first.

What's on your list?

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

the gratitude challenge. #littlethingsmatter

The little things matter.

Today, today on this week of Thanksgiving I am choosing to see the little things, the joy moments tucked in a life of busy. We talk about adopting it,  sweet moms, in the midst of our days - this finding joy posture of life. Yet, so often it's easy to live life on hold - waiting until this fixes or we have things the way we want them or until tomorrow - to let ourselves really live. I know, I've done it. I've lived on holding waiting for things to get a certain way and then missing out on the simple, beautiful, little things gifts found in today.

Let's not live on hold. 

Let's live today in the midst of crazy, normal, hard, beautiful, challenging, crazy, sad, ordinary days. And in that process of finding joy I challenge you to connect those joy moments with gratitude moments. It's really a matter of perspective. So today, today, we're about perspective. It's about slowing down in the middle of a season that has the potential to make us crazy with busy and us pausing to be thankful and grateful. It's a gratitude challenge.

This is my list of gratitude. 

I am grateful for little boys who wake in the morning, just a bit too early, who come to find me sleeping, ask if I'm awake, and tell me that they love me. And for daughters who love to cook and play games and watch silly reality television shows with their mother. And for moments around the table where we all just laugh and smile. And for the silly faces they sometimes make.

I am grateful for a family that loves me in the midst of the busy, who supports my book and speaking writing ventures, who cheers for me when I travel and cheers for me when I return, and who does the quick mom is coming home in thirty minutes let's straighten the living room clean. I am just so thankful for an amazing family.

I am crazy grateful for the abundance of gluten free food. Let me write that again. I am thankful for the abundance and always lowering of prices gluten free food. All of this gluten free food is a blessing and makes life normal for my sweet Samuel. And with that I am humbled to be a voice in this world for gluten free/Celiac Disease awareness. What a blessing to share that life can be beautiful and to bring a message of hope.

I am unbelievably grateful for dear friends, amazing business partners, and a team of people who believe in me and encourage me in this writing, speaking, and book publishing journey. I know, without a doubt, that their investing in me truly has blessed this process and helped in grow in unbelievable ways.  Friends matter greatly and I have amazing friends. Life is a grand adventure for sure.

I am grateful for the freedom to write, the internet, the time and space to write, and most of all the community of mothers that has developed in the process. Each email, comment, tweet, like, and all of that blesses me. But more than that, to see a group of women rise up and say I am enough is a beautiful blessing in the midst. I love the interaction on the Finding Joy facebook page - how it is a page, a place that is full of mothers who know there is no perfect, only real, and support each other and love others for their bravery.

I am grateful for the opportunity to travel to Haiti this past year. Traveling there shook my perspective, opened my eyes to real joy, and changed my life. I am thankful for the women that I was blessed to work side by side with and how they taught me to truly appreciate the little things in life. I mean look at that little face - he was thankful for so much that I had forgotten to see - I will simply never see the world through the same lens.

I am grateful for the little things - the sun that shines in the window in the morning and dances on the floor in my living room, the John Deere blanket that Samuel carries around with him, the red cups at Starbucks, the box of crayons that sits on my table every single day, listening to sweet stories from my six year old, the ipod with the Oregon Trail on it, my favorite black boots that will need to be replaced, warm gloves, coffee in the morning, and the gift found in normal. I am grateful for today. And in that, want to live today with joy.

Little things matter.

In the midst of the busy, my challenge for you, right now, is to stop, and to write down your gratitude things, perhaps ten little things that matter or ten amazing big things, down. It's easy to race through the day seeing everything we should be doing or could have been doing or forgot to do or need to do and to miss all the amazing things that we've done.

Don't miss the beauty, the joy, tucked into the crevices of life. It's the head on the shoulder moments, the I love you's that are whispered, the notes from a friend, the smiles in the store, and the moments where you just keep on trying, loving, giving, fighting, and still seeking joy, good, and beauty.

Ten things. Write them down. Share them with me. With your friends. Challenge them to do the same. Spread gratitude.

You can do it.

#littlethingsmatter

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

why motherhood is not a competition

Do you feel it?

This crazy measuring up pressure on mothers? On you? Right now in the midst of motherhood? In the midst of a life of mothering and caring for children? This unwritten rule of what perfect motherhood should look like? Be like?

And does it make you tired like it makes me?

When I  am blessed to speak face to face with moms (like I was blessed to do in Florida where I spoke this weekend) almost every time during our conversation we end up talking about the ridiculous pressure, this unwritten competition, that could/can/may/does exist between mothers. Eyes would well with tears as we'd talk about motherhood and this feeling of being out-of-breath and trying to do our best and yet feeling overwhelmed and alone in this journey where support and friendship is most needed.

There is not one perfect motherhood choice out there.

There is not a manual on how to have the perfect motherhood life and children and house. Yet, there is often this crazy unspoken about competitive world of motherhood out there where we as mothers could feel like the measuring bar of what one needs to do is so high and unattainable and we'll never reach the top.

Do you know what I believe you and I need to remember?

This.

Moms don't need to one-up each other. Moms need to embrace each other.

When we compete we lose seeing the heart of the person sitting in the room with us.

We need to learn to love each other in the midst of lives that may look different than our own. To extend a hand to another and to accept help from another. To be real with where they are and to work together to get better. To not judge one's present based on the present of another. To know that our kids aren't our measuring stick of motherhood success. To know that there are many many many different choices that we make and that the choices don't define the perfect mother.

We could get stuck thinking that there is only one way to do motherhood. Then we're back into comparing - working versus not working versus staying at home versus part time. Comparing medical choices - vaccines versus no vaccines or breast feeding versus bottle feeding. Education choices, sports choices, extracurricular choices, parenting choices,  housing choices, and on and on and on.

And then? Then beyond the big life choices there are the pressures. The pins, the trips, the crafts, the projects, the not caring about doing those things, the cars, the houses, the decorating, the extra-curricular activities, this and that and a world full of millions of things to do that can clutter our brains so that we miss seeing the important.

Those things don't define mothers.

They don't define you.

You.

You might have to work and don't want to work  and realize that it's the best choice for you and your family  but you get yourself out of bed every single morning and you love on your kids and you work. You are a good mom. 

You might want to work and love working and realize that it's the best choice for you and your family and you get out of bed every single morning and you love on your kids and you work. You are a good mom.

You might stay home with your kids and you realize it's the best choice for you and your family and your get out of bed every single morning and you love on your kids and you stay at home and work. You are a good mom.

Listen to me. You and I could list every single choice that we're presented with as moms - all of those things that often get debated and cause such animosity between people and at the end of the day and the end of the list you and I would still need to put at the end - you are a good mom.

Motherhood and motherhood success and beauty and the root of motherhood cannot ever be determined by those externals. We are all different. With different paths - which includes bumps in the road that push us in directions that we never ever imagined that we must work through. And yet, sweet mother, we are all women who are in the midst of the motherhood journey. It's can be easy to look at externals and forget the heart of the person, the mother, standing in the room with you.

What if the excess of information, the options to have more and do more, and the comfortableness of life was removed? What if instead of dealing with soccer camps, decorating living rooms, and which grocery store we were going to shop at we just had to all survive? You know as well as I do that the competitive measuring up parameters would be simply erased. We wouldn't care how perfect our schedule and planner looked - we'd focus on living. We'd see how valuable and important the simple giving of self motherhood things truly are in life.

I think that's the thing, the truth, that we need to remember in motherhood.

Let's look at what matters.

It's the giving of self in the midst of a period of life where you are pushed to exhaustion and yet you have to give, give, give even when it's not often reciprocated or appreicated. It's the late night rocking and singing of songs while you let the dishes wait. It's the times when you have to work simply to put food on the table. It's the moments where you gather all the courage, tenacity, and bravery that you can find and you fight for your kids and family. It's in the good mornings and I love you's and tucking in at night. It's in learning to love and to thrive in the midst of crazy busy.

All this comparing robs joy and distorts from the being enough moments and beauty of motherhood.

And often creates a culture of aloneness and feeling like one doesn't measure up.

Enough.

You are enough. (link)

You are amazing and a fighter in a world of expectations. You love on your kids. You do what is best for your kids. And your story will look different from my story from the story of the moms that I met this weekend from the moms reading this in London to the moms in New Zealand to the moms at the doctor's office and from everybody else.

You matter. You make a difference.

It is not a competition.

So your decisions, your choices, your external things that so often grade motherhood aren't a grade of success. They are simply part of your story. What if we as women decided to strip away all of those things that could make us compete and instead look at the mom, the person, the friend, the woman that is standing in preschool next to us?

Do you know what we'd find?

A mom. With her story. Real.

A mom with her own moments of bravery. A mom, just like you, living in a world where there is crazy competition. A mom with ups and downs and good times and bad times and moments where this whole motherhood thing makes her need a good cry. Or laugh. A mom whose life isn't perfect.

Underneath it all, underneath the expectations, the parameters, the never ending ladder of what mothers should be doing, underneath that are moms.

Moms are amazing.

So keep fighting for your kids. Rising up. Brushing their hair. Gathering your courage. Driving where you need to go. Laughing with them. Working. Making dinners. Helping with homework. Saving passwords on the computer. Dealing with sibling issues. Folding socks.  Or doing whatever you need to do and know that in it all that it makes a life difference.

It's not a competition.

It's motherhood.

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

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the mom confession.

I am writing this in my hallway at the top of the stairs because my two little boys won't stay in their room and go to bed unless I sit up here at the doorway and utter words like go to bed and stay in bed now - I mean it and no more water and you will lose media time if you get out of your bed again until they both decide to give in, slip under their covers and go to sleep.

That's the truth.

I've tried charts. Bedtime routines. Stickers. Time outs. All of it. And I've resorted to working at the top of the stairs for an hour each night and muttering those phrases. I've actually gotten quite used to emailing, tweeting, facebooking, and writing with my back against the door to my room and my eyes constantly looking in their room to see if they're asleep.

(they're not right now... in case you were wondering.)

My life isn't all together. I've got my share, well more than my share, of ups and downs, fails and do-overs, highs and lows, and sitting at the top of the stair moments because I can't seem to think of something better to do.

I make boxed macaroni and cheese for lunch with the little powdered cheese.

We don't eat organic apples.

I buy my kids fruit roll ups.

Sometimes my kids play too much media.

I skip words, okay paragraphs, in long books at bedtime.

I don't fold all the little boys clothes because they just dump them out anyway.

My sock basket is rarely ever folded.

I don't like doing dishes.

My living room right now (which I can see because I am sitting at the top of the stairs) has throw pillows on the floor, papers on the couch, a lamp shade that's crooked, shoes scattered by the door, and a couple empty boxes waiting for the toys to be dumped back in.

My pinterest board however, has pictures of perfectly organized living rooms.

I love Starbucks and will drive there sometimes with the kids in the back and then I will take the long way home.

I get impatient with my kids.

And I'm normal.

My kids? Well, they're normal. Or as normal as kids who want every single thing fair are ever going to be.

Motherhood isn't based on perfection. It's not based on having gluten free (which we must have in my world) or whole wheat macaroni with organic apples and socks that are matched and never getting impatient and a perfectly picked up living room that looks like a pinterest board.

Motherhood is simply real.

Real with real moms who lose their patience, who want to throw in the towel, who have kids (like my Samuel who is now in the hallway next to me telling me he doesn't want to go to bed now) who don't stay in bed. It's full of moms who have to work who'd rather stay home. Or moms who stay home who'd rather work. Or moms who are simply tired with the every day same routine.

It's full of real moms who take their kids to the apple orchard and the zoo and the coffee shop and the grocery store and the doctor and to school and all of that normal stuff. It's full of moms who feel like all they do is the laundry again and again and if they see clean clothes stuffed in the hamper again they threaten to take them away and sell them (or maybe that's just me). It's full of moms who are happy, joyful, sad, overwhelmed, and well, let's face it real.

That's the being enough mom. (link)

That's my confession. It's not that I don't want to be better. I think at heart we wake up each day and want each day to be better than the next. That's why I celebrate pulling up the boot straps and trying again and again and giving yourself grace. (Don't forget grace. Ever.) Motherhood has moments of extreme patience, extreme trying, and really learning to not compare.

Motherhood isn't based on external markers of perfection.

Motherhood is an act of learning. Every single day. It's being okay with the fact that maybe you like the convenience of that boxed macaroni and cheese. You know why? It's because it's not based on what other moms are doing - it's based on you - on you knowing your family, knowing what is best for your family, and being brave and confident in what you're doing.

Motherhood, and in fact life, is often this journey of waking up and discovering self.

That's the truth.

So I tell you, you right now, you the mother in whatever stage of motherhood you may find yourself that you are doing just fine. You are doing fine if your kids don't stay in bed, you hate potty training (does anyone like that one?), your kids have melt downs in the store, you get exasperated, you sneak the last bit of ice cream for yourself, and well, you're just you.  Just keep trying, keep doing your best, and keep growing more and more confident in your ability to mother.

You know what your kids need? Of course you do. They don't need perfect.

They need you.

You, the imperfect wonderfully perfect for your kids, mother.

That's my mom confession today.

Oh yes, and we're having hot dogs and peaches and macaroni and cheese for lunch.

******

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All photographs used by permission and credited to Hannah Nicole.
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

Want to read some inspiring letters to moms? Grab my ebook with 21 original letters.

to the mom with kids under five.

You're my hero.

For real.

My youngest is four. Four years old, and for the first time I feel like I can catch my breath again. I don't have to worry so much about him wandering the house and playing. He just plays. I don't have to spoon feed him, change diapers, potty train, have safety gates, chase him around on the playground, have him in my sight every second, and have some who cannot communicate back to me. I can take a shower now and not have to keep the door open and even though I still get the cries of M-oo-m most of the time it's because one of the boys is irritated that their brother took the Ironman Lego set pieces from the other or they're desperately in need of a snack even though they had one 14 minutes earlier.

When my kids were under five it was crazy.

It was me, the mom, not really getting many moments to catch my breath.

I know you're there.

You wake up before you want to wake up. You change diapers, brush hair, choose shirts and then are met with resistance because there's a tag on the shirt and so now you go and try to find the scissors to cut it off and by that time the baby is crying and hungry. You make breakfast for everyone, try to unload the dishwasher, the cereal spills, and the sounds of Disney Jr come from the family room that instead of being neat has piles of duplos and cars and toys spread everywhere.

And you want to do this right.

I know that.

You're looking at those creatures who haven't yet hit school and you're thinking that you have to do it right so that they're ready for school. There are crafts that you're told you should be doing and classes that will make you're child "ahead" and all of this tremendous pressure to measure up in this competitive motherhood world.

I want to tell you to not compete. Or to at least not worry about doing it right. Truth? Every single mother had to start out as a rookie. Everyone. There wasn't one of us who didn't wake up at 4:30 am with a baby wishing that we could roll over for a bit longer and wishing that breakfast would magically would appear or that SuperNanny would show up at our door and deal with the four year old who has all of a sudden developed quite a spitfire personality who now refuses to help pick up those blocks and hates getting his hair washed and decides to run off in the grocery store.

Motherhood is tiring. My post, to the tired mom, was published on The Huffington Post and received over 100k facebook likes in four days.

Four days, moms.

That's a great deal of tired moms. That's many of us knowing that we're tired but just needing a note that it's okay that we're tired. It's about a group of mothers who despite being tired just want to be acknowledged for those crazy motherhood moments that we plow through day after day after day. I'm here to tell you that being tired doesn't mean that you don't measure up in a hypothetical world of should do's, nor does it mean that you're not a good mom, or any of those worries that runs through your head when you are trying to teach colors and they can't seem to grasp the between green or blue. Or that your friend's child can skipcount and your kid is still stuck on fifteen. That's just real stuff. Kids learn. Don't let yourself get tired trying to compete to the crazy, and I mean crazy, expectations that can be pushed on moms.

Do you know what I celebrate about you? That you're not perfect. That you've had to learn how to do all the mothering things. That you've learned to make the best choices for your family in a world that will scream that this is the best and only choice and you have to sift through 48 different best choices.

I celebrate real.

Real. Authentic. Moms.

And because I celebrate being real I'm here to tell you this morning that when you have kids under five years old you will be tired. You will give of yourself more than you thought you could give. You will look at other moms and wonder if you're doing it right. You will have to learn everything.

You will learn your strength.

You will learn that you are brave.

For months and months and months I've been writing about the brave mother. Mothering little ones is an exercise in bravery. Don't argue, tired and awesome mom of little ones. You, right now, live a life where you are almost always dictated buy the schedule and whims of little humans that you love. They're the ones that you teach Memory to and only use six cards. You teach them to write their names with broken crayons. You cut their grapes, hotdogs, and prepare food that is safe. You wipe faces and hands and then later marker from the wall. You sleep with your ears not turned off so that the cry of the baby wakes you up. You say good morning dude to your four year old and they get upset and say don't call me that.  You slap your hair into a pony tail, push the giant cart at Target, order your lattes, shop the clearance aisle, know which cereals makes your kids crazy, know how to avoid walking by the toy section even if it means making your shopping trip better, and can balance a kid on your hip while finding a nuk while paying and smiling at the cashier.

That is amazing.

So you, today, in your home or at work or wherever you read these words of mine, I want to tell you that you will first of all get through these crazy years. You'll get through. Your kids will grow, they'll  start school and instead of flipping the channels between Nick Jr and Disney Jr you'll now spend time trying to explain the difference between a predicate nominative and a direct object. You'll have rules on media and curfews and will have to enforce sassy talk. Bottom line: you will get through. They will grow. And you will make it.

Breathe.

Or at least attempt a breath in the midst of the giving and cleaning and loving.

You are brave. Powerful. Patient. Inspiring.

Culture may try to make you think you need to be perfect, but I'm here to tell you, there is no perfect, there is only real. You, sweet mother with kids under five, you are the perfect real mother for those kids that can drive you a bit batty. I know sometimes you're worn, tired, doubting your own strength, or just want a break. That is normal. Do not worry. Just keep being awesome. Keep getting up, brushing their teeth, remembering to floss with those little dino flossers when you can, keep making lunches - even if it's boxed macaroni (link), keep driving to preschool, keep calling a friend, keep doing the awesome things that you do.

You are doing fine.

You know what?

You are more than fine - you are amazing.

You can do this today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next week. And the next year. And then, someday, someday you will look back and you will not only think that you survived but that you thrived.

Brave motherhood.

That's real. And that's you.

****

Oh yeah, and moms whose kids are grown or beyond the crazy under five stage - today would be an awesome day to tell those moms in the under five trenches how awesome they are and how you're proud of what they do. Those things matter. Send them this post, grab them coffee, watch their kids for an hour, or just simply give them a smile. Don't forget those under five years. #littlethingsmatter

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Today's photos? A mixture of real life live from the instagram feed. Find me there at finding_joy
Images and original content are sole property of Rachel Martin and may not be used, copied or transmitted without prior written consent.

Want to read some inspiring letters to moms? Grab my ebook with 21 original letters.