name: Jennifer

age: 33

current city: Bartlett, TN

living situation: We’re happily living in a suburban house, surrounded by awesome neighbors, shopping, school, and extended family. I live with my high school boyfriend, who smartly married me in 1997; our older daughter, Grace, who was born in 2002; and our younger daughter, Paige, who was born in 2004. Because I have allergies, we have no pets (unless you count the stuffed animals that seem to multiply faster than bunnies). By the grace of God, I have been able to keep a few houseplants alive, and the children as well.

occupation: I am currently a full time mother and wife. 

how do you structure your time and space? I love organizing my home and the feeling I have from knowing it is clean. Strangely, when I am the most stressed, my floors are the cleanest. Vacuuming helps me work through problems. Plus, it is great exercise! I am a big list-maker. I even have lists of my lists! One of my favorite apps on my android phone is the one for lists. I’d be totally lost without it.   

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives,

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? Since my husband is a meteorologist, it seems appropriate to describe our seasons in weather terms. I would say that I’m now in a calm season. I recently “retired” from my job as a Director of Youth Music in a church. Although I loved working outside of the home and was pretty good at what I did, I always had a sense of guilt that I was neglecting my children and husband. I felt as if I couldn’t do anything to the best of my ability while juggling so many things at once. It wasn’t an easy decision for me, and I feel as if I’m giving up a part of my identity and passion, but I know it was the best for us at this point in our lives.  

I feel blessed that we’re financially okay to do without my paycheck, and I owe much of that credit to Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace principles. We’ve been following Dave’s teachings for almost ten years, and it has been such a blessing for our marriage and family. 

I love that my children are so much more independent at ages five and eight. They can go to the bathroom by themselves, get a snack if they’re hungry, help with housework, entertain themselves, et cetera. I’m not a slave to their tummies, bowels, or nap schedules. I love that they can carry on conversations like little adults. It is neat to glimpse the people they are growing up to be.     

-what season(s) preceded this one? The last season was stormy. It was stressful juggling work and family and never quite meeting the expectations for either. I couldn’t fully enjoy things because I was worried about how I was going to tackle the next week’s schedule, project, event, holiday, meal, load of laundry, et cetera. It was exhausting. We were fortunate that the church where I worked had one of the best preschools in the area, so both of my children were able to attend preschool while I worked about 30 hours per week. It was difficult on holidays and breaks, though, trying to find a sitter or take them with me to my office. And it never failed that during my busiest times, one of my children would catch strep throat, have an ear infection, break an arm on the swing set, or get a chicken tender stuck up her nose. Yes, you read it right.  A chicken tender up her nose. We’re still not sure why she thought to put a piece of poultry in her nose on the day of a big concert at church. We’re just grateful that the pediatrician was able to get the chunks of chicken out without a trip to the ER, and I’m especially grateful to my husband who took her to that visit without me because I had to be at the concert. 

I can’t believe how quickly my children have grown up and I feel like I missed the opportunity to truly enjoy it because I was so stressed over all the things I thought I had to get done. In hindsight, I wish I’d not been such a perfectionist and just enjoyed the precious stages they were in. 

-what season(s) might your future hold? This fall marks a huge change for our family since both girls are in elementary school all day (kindergarten and third grade). I look forward to volunteering at their school. I might substitute teach there for some extra income. It will be nice to have the flexibility and freedom. I’m looking forward to enjoying the moments more, not worrying about things as much. Perhaps, when my children are older, I’ll return to directing music, because I did enjoy it, but for now I’m content and very blessed

 favorite family activities: swimming, playing wii together, dates with my husband, and  random Mystery Trips to surprise my children (ice cream, snow cones, movies, swimming, Levitt Shell, Memphis Zoo, Dollar Store, library, nature walks, concerts, et cetera)

 favorite solo activities: reading, catching up with friends and family on Facebook, shopping, and finding bargains.

source(s) of inspiration: God, my mom and dad, my siblings, my friends, and my wonderful husband. 

best MakeShift moment: Our Toy Jail has helped cut down on my children’s clutter. We remind the kids once (okay, maybe twice) before bedtime to make sure their things are put away. If the toys are left out, we simply put the toys in Toy Jail (a laundry basket at the top of the closet). 

If the kids have a clean day and/or have been helpful, they’ll get to pick one or more things from the Toy Jail. When the jail gets full, we throw away or donate toys. It teaches them responsibility for their things, we don’t have to nag, clean-up isn’t a battle, and our house pretty much stays clutter-free. 

I also use “creative descriptions” for things a lot. For example, we have a fluffy brown towel that neither child liked to use after bath time. One time I called that brown towel the “Chocolate” towel, and now they argue over who gets it. The once-coveted soft green towel is now second choice as the “Mint” towel. Go figure. 

jennifer invites you to check out her husband’s amazingly accurate weather website at http://www.memphisweather.net/. 

[if you or someone you know would make a good “mother of invention,” please check out the nomination process and questionnaire located on the sidebar to your right.]