Confessions of a "Perfect" Mother

I don't claim to be a perfect parent.  Or someone who has the "right" advice for every child... Or even my own child in every situation.  Sometimes parenting has me in tears with my head shaking in despair needing answers from all the mother experts out there.  Parenting is hard work.  It's constant teaching.  I find a teaching moment needs to be re-taught, over and over and over again and again and then AGAIN!  Teaching doesn't stop.  EVER.  Infact my mother is still teaching me things today.  Sometimes as parents we think we know best because no one else is raising our children but us... fair.  But sometimes we as parents need to be teachable to.  We need to be humbled, and often it's through the actions of our kids that this lesson is proven.  As my mother would say, "I hope you have a child just like you!" :) Does this sentence sound familiar? hehe... I remember as a kid thinking, YES, I hope I do to, as I'm always right!  hmmmmm..... Not sure I feel the same way now.  Honestly, I hope my kids take after their father with many of his character traits over mine.  But as parents we do the best we can.  At least I will be able to look back and say, I tried my best with the knowledge I had.

As mothers it's easy to judge other mothers when we see children not behaving in a certain way.  I'm guilty of it.  I'm guilty of being that mother who thinks "that child" must come from a bad home, or a home with no boundaries.  But hang on, then I need to remind myself of those other kinds of parents... The ones who do teach their kids.  Who do set boundaries and still their children go wayward.  I might be that mother one day!  My kids are not teens or adults yet, so best I keep my muzzle on before I speak too soon.  I could do all the right things that the text book instructs me to do and could still raise young adults who choose to live lives contrary to my teachings.  It happens.

I look at my parents.... They taught me the best they knew how.  We attended church every Sunday without fail.  Even when I made district in running, high jump and long jump, my parents insisted I attend church instead of competing on the Sabbath day.  At the time I was so angry at Mum and Dad, but looking back I hold no anger towards my parents for being firm in their rules.  They are my parents and that was the rule. My Dad was a bishop of our church during my early years, and by profession he was a Marketing professor at QUT University, so as you can imagine he was very powerful in my eyes.  I was afraid of him when I was little and then as I got older, not so afraid of him.  My parents raised six children and out of all of us, my devoted parents have had their fair share of ups and downs thanks to us kids!  Oh boy,  they're still experiencing the trials now and they are grandparents to over 20 grandchildren.  It doesn't stop when we turn 18!!

There comes a time when children and adults choose for themselves and have to live with their own consequences of those choices.  But as we all know those choices can have an ongoing affect with our posterity.  I'm grateful for my parents.  I'm grateful for trials that have taught me patience, humility and how to problem solve.  My Dads parenting techniques were not perfect.  And often my mother turned a blind eye to reality and preferred to not know truths.  BUT they are my parents who actively tried, cared and loved me regardless of my own shortcomings.  I love my parents.  I respect them and to this day feel blessed to have been born into my family.  I feel blessed to be apart of my ancestors legacy.

With each generation comes new trials, different peer pressures and things that our kids are exposed to that we as parents from a past era are thinking, "WHOA!!!"
 I tell you, I have three children and I just hope I don't stuff up too badly so my kids can look back and say, "Thank you Mum.  You were my rock."

As a primary influence in my children's lives, I want them to grow up knowing they are loved.  I want them to know they are children of a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers their prayers.  As a teen and young adult when things got hard, I always knew I could kneel in prayer and open up my heart and soul in honesty to my Father in Heaven.  I've never doubted his love for me.  No matter how bad or desperate things may have seemed at the time, I knew that Heavenly Father knows better for me, than I know for me.  This was a wonderful thing taught to me by my parents.  Heavenly Fathers love for me lifted my burdens and gave me hope and to this day, when I feel this way, I kneel in prayer and pour my heart out to him for his help.  I may not be the perfect parent, But Heavenly Father is and he created me so I trust his judgement, even if it seems too hard to bare.  I trust him.  One day I will look him in the eyes and wrap my arms around him with so much love for never closing the door on me even when I closed the door on him.  Parents never stop loving their kids.  They never stop caring and they will always be parents no matter what age we are.

I look up to my Grandmother who is 95 years old with so much love and admiration.  What a woman of faith and endurance.  She has lived a full life. Worked in many jobs, raised many children, lost children through death and has been a continuous reminder of faith in every footstep.  I sallute her!

I love my kids.  I love when they express love to eachother.  I love that they think home is the best place on earth.  This is something they've told me many times.  I even love that they ask those "cringing" questions, because this tells me they trust me enough to express their curiosity's and concerns and I can be the one to answer to them.  What a blessing!!! I love that my children are so forgiving and show Christlike attributes to other children who many not like them.  They are my teachers of how to love others.

Parenthood is a sacred calling.  So as I finish this blog which feels wonderful to express,  I feel peace in my heart that I'm doing ok as a mum.  That I'm a mother who cares.  One who will make mistakes but never give up.  One day I will be that perfect parent like my Heavenly parents.... One day! :)

A Box for a Queen

For Mothers Day this year Mark made me the most beautiful and precious gift.... A jewellery box.  I think this piece could possibly be my most treasured item in my home.  Every time I catch a glimpse of it, open it, or touch it's silky and sheer surface it tugs at my heart.  Such a romantic present I will always treasure.  The amount of time that he spent designing it, cutting all the pieces, sanding it, and dove tail joining all of the little compartments makes me feel so special and cherished.  I love that there is no one else in the world who has one quite like it.  When I look at it, I honestly feel like it's a piece that could have been made for the Queen herself.... *Hand crafted by the finest cabinet maker in all the land* :)

  The hinges and handles were welded, beat up and put in the fire to give them that lovely rustic look which I absolutely adore.  The dove tail joins are so neat and I love the smell of the wood basted in danish oil.  I love that certain timber still holds it's smell for years.  

Like everything Mark makes, he uses materials of what he finds locally.  My jewellery box is made of all different timbers... cedar, rosewood, gum, oak.  Quite simply it is worth more to me than any jewellery that will ever be placed it it.

All of the compartments laid out..... Even a secret compartment!  

 These rustic, little handles remind me of mini, railway nails

 A lovely big mirror on the inside of the lid

Hand made hinges, with a celtic appeal

Be Inspired with Nature

We Mathers are adventurous!  We live life to the fullest.  Much of our inspiration comes from a love of nature and being one with the outdoors.  We hike...We explore...We swim... We rock climb... We abseil, and we do it together as a family and often.  Nature brings out deep emotion in me, taking me back to my childhood in a tree house, or swinging from a monkey vine.  There is nothing quite so beautiful as the Australian bush.  The texture and the smell of our trees and flowers, take my mind to that piece of paradise.  Beautifully hand crafted furniture does the same.  

When designing and building our furniture, each piece has a story.  Each piece represents a labour of love and care, history and a timeline in our life and marriage.  Parts were sought from various places, and the detail he puts into his work is next to none.  We have created heirlooms precious to our family that will be passed down to our children, and our great grand children..... As will our stories.  

One of my favourite photos.  Grandpa Mathers, Mark and my boys at Cabbage Tree

Exploring

 Glow worms at Burralow Gorge

Jetty pole dancing on our log lamp

 Mark found this old window from a renovation he was doing, and it was about to be tossed out by the owners.  He sanded it, and gave it a new lick of paint.  A window into our family.

 Jett, not quite big enough for his chair yet :)  

The three little rocking chairs made for our children for Christmas.  Each with their names engraved and a signature piece to lock the chair in place on the back

 Enjoying the beautiful Tomah Botanical Gardens

Hunter's chair has a sword locked piece

Lexi has a butterfly

And Jett has a jet plane.

All individual

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