I am sitting here on the eve of Christmas Eve listening to "Hallelujah" watching a digital fire on the television and feeling very blessed.  By now I thought I would be holding my newborn baby in my arms, but unfortunately my baby is very comfortable in my womb and has not made its appearance yet.  However, I can feel it kicking and squirming in my womb as I am typing this.  My son is running around laughing and shining his brown eyes at me.  My hardworking husband has fallen asleep upstairs and we are all mostly healthy besides a little cough and stuffy noses.  God has blessed me so much.  Our bank account is almost empty, whose isn't around Christmas?  But our needs are met and my son is happy.  My heart is full tonight.  I am so thankful for this beautiful life I have been given, and for the beautiful blessings I have been given: my wonderful husband and two beautiful children.  My parents and my in-laws are so amazing.  They are so supportive and such fantastic grandparents to Elijah.  I am truly blessed this Christmas. 

Even though most of me doesn't want this baby to be born on Christmas (the child wouldn't have a day that is focused on them for their birthday, and I don't want to ruin my midwifes Christmas), part of me thinks it would be kind of neat to be birthing a child on the day that we honor Christ's birth.  I know that December 25th is not really the day Christ was born, it was more likely in the summer sometime.  But I think it would be a very spiritual moment laboring on the day that we think of as the day that Mary was laboring in the stable, working very hard to bring the Savior of the world into the world.  No matter what, laboring and birthing a child is a very spiritual experience, and I am looking forward to being able to do it again.  I am excited to be doing it in the place that, at least for now, I call home, with loved ones surrounding and supporting me.  But most of all I am looking forward to holding my new baby and looking into their eyes, their soul.

Hopefully my time will come soon.  I am eager to meet my baby.  I hope you have a blessed Christmas and I truly wish you love, peace, and joy!

With Much Love, Caitlyn (The Sustainable Mama)

Waiting for Baby

I really thought last night was going to be the night I was going to go into labor.  I had a sudden burst of energy to get everything cleaned and organized.  I also felt some very strong Braxton hicks and had a bit of mucous on the tissue when I wiped after using the restroom. 

I am a little over forty weeks and getting anxious to meet my sweet baby.  I want to hold it, and look into its precious eyes.  I want to kiss it and pat its little bottom.  I want to hear its sweet coos and watch it as it suckles at my breast.  I am so excited to meet my sweet baby.  I hope I go into labor soon.   
 
So today I am waiting patiently, some more, for my sweet baby to arrive.  I will take this time to get some laundry done, more cleaning, sewing our matching family Christmas pajamas, and playing with my fun little boy. I hope you are having a good day.  What are you up to this weekend?  Anything particularly exciting?  I hope all is well for you and wish you many blessings!
 
With Love, The Sustainable Mama

I have value, especially when I am wearing my Proverbs 31 Pants.

I am fed up today.  I am fed up with people, especially family, not treating me as if what I am doing has value.  I am sick of people equating my level of importance with whether or not I am earning money or if I am using my college degree.  I have my degree, so that if for any reason my husband can no longer provide for our family, I will be able to do so.  But being a wife and a mother is THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB I have been given and therefore it is my main focus.  Raising my kids in a healthy, loving, and safe environment is more important to me than money. Teaching them right from wrong and to trust in the Lord is way more important than earning money.  Training up my children and being the one to teach them, love them, hug them, go through their frustrations and struggles with them is so much more important than whether or not I earn a few pieces of paper with some old guys face on it.  I don't get why people don't understand how valuable being a wife and mother is.  This is my passion.  This is my focus.  If you don't like it, I don't care.  I am over feeling overlooked and unimportant.  I know what I am doing is of the utmost importance.  I am more focused than ever to be the best wife and mother I can be.

If you are a mother, you are important.  You are valuable.  Your children need you and they know how valuable you are.  Don't worry about what others are saying or trying to pressure you to do. 

I understand that times are tough and our husbands may be struggling to make ends meet.  That is when we put on our Proverbs 31 Pants and get to work, but we don't need to leave our homes.  Lets look at what that 31 woman was doing to help her family financially...

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.²² She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

 

In verse 15 it says that she rises while it is still night, which shows her hard work ethic as a homemaker.  Later in verse 27 it says she does not eat of the bread of idleness, also showing her hard work ethic.  This can be manifested in helping financially in some of the points we are about to look at.  Verses 18, 19, 22, and 24 all speak of her making things, particularly clothing and other household goods.  This doesn't mean every woman needs to take up sewing and making all their families clothes, but I believe it means she should seek ways to save money on clothing and other household goods.  This could be making homemade soaps, detergents, cleaners, food, clothing, blankets, curtains, and many more things.  It is just emphasizing the importance of being a frugal and handy woman.  It also says that she sells some of her homemade goods, therefore earning some income for the family.  In verse 16 it says she invests in a field and plants a vineyard from its profits.  This is another way she is earning an income for her family, buy being resourceful.  She saw the value in the field and profited from it. Yet another way this homemaker was able to provide income to her family by just doing her day to day work within her life as a wife and mother. 

 

I find so much reassurance and guidance by reading proverbs 31.  I am encouraged by this woman's diligence and grace.  I am more focused than ever to be more like her, and more like the woman, wife, and mother God has called me to be.

 

Here is a little about me.  A few months after I had my son I really started to examine the American culture and how I adhered to it in my own life.  I became particularly disturbed by our dependence on manufacturing companies and the money mindset in general.  I already was on this path as I refuse to buy things from walmart and try to purchase items that are fair trade or made in the USA.  But after I had my son I wanted to start making things on my own and becoming more sustainable.  Thus, the idea for The Sustainable Mama was born.  I started documenting my adventures in making my own household products and it has bloomed from there.  Now I know how to do canning, sewing, crocheting, knitting, making cleaners, and much more.  I am truly a Jack of all trades, master of none.  In this blog I will share some of my ideas and adventures with you.  You can also check out my YouTube channel, Thesustainablemama, if you would like to see some of my videos I have already made.  Here is my introductory video in which I explain my transition into sustainability.

 

So thanks so much for reading this and I look forward to getting to know you more.  This should be fun!

 

-The Sustainable Mama