Puddle Jumpers

Every month Puddle Jumpers showcases a M.O.M {mom of the month}, one of our preschool moms, on the blog. My hope is that this will help connect kiddos with parents {oh, that is who _____’s mom is!}, and hopefully make you laugh/think/be inspired.

May’s M.O.M is Diane Brownlee {but most people just call her “Dee”}. Both Dee and her husband, Mike, our some of my faithful preschool volunteers during 2nd service Sunday School. They are both such a blessing to me and to the kids! If you get a chance, be sure to stop by and meet them {and thank them for all they do}!

Name: Diane (Dee) Brownlee.  {Husband: Mike.  Married: 14 blissful years this July!}

How long have you attended PCC:   8 years.

Kids/Ages:  Grant (5), Gage (3)

Best Mommy Moment: Being a mom is life-changing and packed with entertainment so naturally, like the other moms, my first response to this topic is “just one??”  However, twist my arm and I can narrow some of the better mommy moments to those times when I get to see Jesus or reacquaint myself with Jesus’s teachings through the eyes of my children.  Each week our driving routine brings us to a stoplight that inevitably has a homeless person.  On one particular week, there was a homeless man in a wheelchair.  Shortly after seeing the homeless person, my son, Grant, raised some questions about the situation and voiced his concerns in the best way a five-year old can muster (e.g., why don’t we just buy him a home, etc.).  This event led to a heart-to-heart discussion about why some people might be homeless and how, as Jesus followers, we can help.  I went into discussion about the power of prayer and how, even if we might not know someone, we can pray for them and seek Jesus.   The very next week we approached the same stoplight and, lo and behold, there was the same homeless person.  This time, however, walking and clearly without the assistance or need of a wheelchair.  I’m embarrassed and not happy to admit but my first thought (luckily I didn’t vocalize) was “fraud!”  I was upset with this person — a person that I didn’t even know and with life circumstances that I likely couldn’t even begin to relate – and felt tricked into giving money by the false impression of his being wheelchair bound.   While all of these “not-so-proud-of” thoughts were running through my mind, I was interrupted by my son’s bold voice from the backseat saying, “Look mom, it’s the same homeless man and Jesus has healed him!”  Wow, was that a powerful and humbling moment for me!!

Most Shocking Mommy Moment:  For the sake of this topic, I’m going to be vulnerable and divulge a great fear of mine (hopefully, my divulging won’t result in some practical jokes).  That fear happens to be slugs.  Yes, no typo here, it is S-L-U-G-S.   I know I’m a grown woman and this seems ridiculous but I haven’t seen too many cure-your-fear-of-slugs therapy groups so sympathize with me, even if for a moment.   I can without hesitation tell you that I love God and rarely question His creations, but I must be honest that I’m thoroughly dumbfounded why slugs exist and question if they really are God’s work.  I think about this most often in autumn when slugs love to mingle directly outside my front door and seem to have mind-reading abilities to know exactly where my foot will land and choose to either sit or slime directly under my stepping path.  Slugs are the most disgusting creatures and are bound and determined to have their unnecessary lives taken by my foot (sometimes barefoot).    I know what you’re asking, how does this fear relate to my most shocking mommy moment?  Well, simply put … since having two outgoing and outdoor loving boys, my life has become a Forrest Gump episode but in substitute of tasty and useful shrimp are slugs.   My boys love slugs and attract them as easily as bees to honey.  Not only do my boys love slugs but they want to share this love with others and when I say “others” I mean me!!  I’ve been handed big slugs; baby slugs (which Grant loves the most); multicolored slugs; handfuls of slugs; dried-out slugs (I’ll spare the details); squished slugs; “mating” slugs…  I’ve been presented slugs as a gift in jars; in flowers (so sweet); in the kitchen (of course, moments before dinner); in the car (of course, while I’m driving); in the bathroom (of course, you can guess where I was sitting)…  Okay, okay, you get my point.   Yes, I see that this is a roundabout way of sharing one of most shocking/surprising mommy moments [to date], but I am literally shocked that (1) my children find slugs beautiful and love them as if they were precious flowers and (2) God gave these slug-loving boys to me!  I’ve always believed that God has a sense of humor and only God, though some shocking moments, can allow me to see beauty (and a good laugh) in something that I have always feared and viewed as ugly!!  All in His perfect plan!

Go to snack:  I would crumble without yogurt-covered raisins, pretzels, Odwalla bars, pita/hummus, yogurt and fresh fruit!!

Final words: As Mother’s Day falls in this month of May, I thought it appropriate to share a prayer poem.  Happy Mother’s Day!!

A Mother’s Prayer

Help me dear Lord, as a mother, I pray
And bless these hands folded in prayer today;
May they be ever strong as they guide, as they teach,
Beings never too far for a child to reach.
May they never, with selfishness, try to dissuade,
Nor too quickly punish, nor too slowly aid.
May they point out the pleasures in laughter and song,
And may they show, wisely, the right from the wrong,
So that one day I’ll know that I’ve helped all I can
To make her a woman, to make him a man.

- Mary A. Loberg

Thanks again to Dee,  for sharing with us about your {slug-filled} moments in motherhood!

Every month Puddle Jumpers showcases a M.O.M {mom of the month}, one of our preschool moms, on the blog. My hope is that this will help connect kiddos with parents {oh, that is who _____’s mom is!}, and hopefully make you laugh/think/be inspired.

April’s M.O.M is Kristi Bailey. I have known Kristi since I was little girl. In fact, I was over at her house quite a bit {probably more than she would have liked}, because her little sister {Kayla} was my best friend. For most of my late elementary and teen years I knew her as Kayla’s super cool older sister {I am sure she saw me as a nuisance}. It has been fun to grow up and get to know her as more than the “older sister”. She is an amazing mom, wife and has a side business  on Etsy called Bebe Boutique where she creates that most DARLING hair bows for little girls {seriously… if you need something darling for your child’s hair,  talk to her}!

Name: Kristi Bailey {Husband: Nathan// you may recognize him as one of our awesome Sunday Morning check-in guys}

How long have you attended PCC:  We moved to Tualatin the summer before I went to 3rd grade.  Portland Christian Center was the first church we visited and we never went anywhere else!

Kids/Ages:  Andrew 4 1/2 years old, Ava- 2 in May!

Best Mommy Moment: I’m not sure I have just one best mommy moment.  Most of the greatest moments with my children revolve around their growing relationship with Jesus.  The first time Andrew said amen after we prayed, praying with him at bedtime and listening to him talk to God when he thinks we aren’t listening.  I also love just hearing my kids laugh together.

Most Shocking Mommy Moment:  Finding my 1 year old playing in the toilet….yuck!

Go to snack: Both of my kids are super picky eaters.  I try to have a lot of healthy snacks like bananas, apples, grapes and yogurt.  But I’m not gonna lie….they eat a lot of gold fish crackers.

Kristi’s thoughts on being a good mom: Sometimes as moms we try to do it all: have a clean house, keep up on all of the daily household chores, take them to ballet, soccer, gymboree, keep up on playdates, etc.  In reality the most important things our kids want is our time.  Time to just sit and read a book or play a game or watch a cartoon together.  They just want to be together.  They don’t care about all the extracurricular activities or if the house is clean, they just care about spending some time with their parents.  I have to remember this daily, to just sit and be with my kids; try and have one on one time with Andrew while Ava is napping.  They grow up so fast and I want to have these daily moments with them.