Dear Mushka,

As a mom of 5 little ones, I try to carve out time to get some of my favorite life-giving rhythms done, before they wake up in the morning.

5:30-5:40 Alarm goes off. I put on workout clothes, make my tea to enjoy later, grab my prayer cards, put on tennis shoes, & head out the door.

Here's my favorite pair of workout shorts, tank, and tennis shoes (they're pricey but worth it if you're going to be using them for miles on end!)

And here's my London Fog recipe. Yum!

5:40-6:00 Prayer walk. I walk about 1.5 miles as I listen for God's voice, praise him outloud, and surrender my day and wories to him.

Here are the cards I use to pray from. I pair them with this system so I can just grab and go!

6:00-6:30 Workout (with the Bodi app) in our bonus room.

6:35-7:00 Read my Bible plan, journal, and jot down any verses I want to carry with me throughout the day.

Here's the Bible I use. My journal is a DIY... I plan to share more about it soon!

7:00-7:15 Work (quickly prepare myself for the days' content and check email mostly). 

Take a look around the site if you haven't already!

7:15 Get our little two up. (Our bigger kids can come out of their rooms at 6:30 but they say "hi" and then head to the playroom until breakfast is ready.)

Here's the clock we use so they know when it's okay to come out!

And with that, the kids are all up and we begin breakfast + family devotions, which is a blog post for another day! Xx, Katie

Every year, I take time to record my kids' answers to these questions. I spread it out over a few days, pausing when I can tell they're over it. If a question isn't appropriate for their age I just skip it. 

I print out a copy to save in their file boxes (made up of these and these). I also write a birthday letter to each child, describing their current personality and how I see them growing. 

Feel free to copy these as a starting place to create your own list or download a printable version of my full list below!

1. Write your name:
2. How old are you? 
3. What was the best thing about being (previous age)?
4. How would you describe yourself?
5. Favorite thing to do inside?
6. Favorite thing to do outside?
7. Favorite animal?
8. Favorite color?
9. Favorite breakfast?
10. Favorite meal?
11. Favorite TV show?
12. Favorite movie?
13. Favorite song?
14. What's a book you enjoy reading?
15. Favorite subject to learn about?
16. What makes you happy?
17. What makes you sad or angry?
18. How would you describe yourself?
19. What are you thankful for?
20. What do you like to collect?

Two years ago, we got a Peloton bike. I wanted a way to do cardio exercise inside my own home, and also wanted the option to do strength training alongside it. 

I knew there were ways to convert other bikes to the Peloton system so I researched, crunched numbers, and even searched Facebook Marketplace for a good bike. When it came down to it, though, we landed on an actual Peloton bike (the basic version) for a few reasons.

1. I did not want a headache when it came time to workout. I didn't want to rig a system, have to convert numbers for one program to match another, buy another screen to watch the class on, prop up my phone, etc. I wanted the process to be seamless and easy. Otherwise, I just wouldn't do it. 

2. I knew we'd have 3+ users in our home. (Me, my husband, our oldest son). Because of this, paying for the Peloton app (around $44) each month made sense. We all have an account within this price and can use it as we need to, which is less than the cost of a gym membership. Our eight year old loves to hop on the bike when he's stresses or needs to burn energy, and I imagine other children will follow him as soon as they're tall enough. 

Three things I'd recommend: 

1. Change out the pedals for slip-ins instead of clips-ins. That way, you don't need specialty biking shoes. Anyone can hope on with their regular tennis shoes. It certainly saves money! We have these. 

2. Buy a seat cover. I do think your bum gets used to a bike seat quickly, but I'm always glad to have a little extra cushion! We have this one. 

3. Consider adding a swivel to your screen so you can do non-bike exercises from the Peloton screen. The Peloton+  bike comes with this feature, but you can also buy a swivel and add it to the less expensive bike yourself. So far, I've just screen mirrored my Peloton app to our TV to do a non-bike exercise (our weights are in our playroom but our bike is in my office on this.) 

How I love using the Peloton program right now: 

1. Post-partum core work. There are multiple programs created to gain core strength back in a safe way. Robin Arzon is my go-to instructor here. She's encouraging, upbeat, and fun. 

2. 15 minute bike rides. I did "low impact" at first and am now up to more difficult rides, but I rarely spend more than 15 minutes on the bike due to time. I love that I can hop on, get a great workout in, and hop off. Ally Love, Emma Lovewell, Robin Arzon, Hannah Frankson, and Leanne Hainsby are my favorite insructors. 

I also love the scenic rides. My son loves the "lanebreak" option, which is like a game you play while you ride. 

3. Arms with Tunde is a great 4 week program to work on upper body strength. I did one of these this morning!

4. Various other strength or stretching workouts. You can chose the body part you want to focus on, your instructor, your time availability, etc I now search for short core workouts 2-3 times a week to continue gaining strength back. 

5. I'd like to try the running instructors one day, too! It's just audio but they coach you during outdoor walks and runs. 

6. I like to schedule out my week ahead of time. I pick 5 15 minute rides and 5 10 minute strength training classes, for a total of 25 minutes/day. I take the weekends off. Sometimes I do my ride and strength class back-to-back and sometimes I cram them in whenever I can while kids are content to hang near me. 

Enjoy!

P.S. These are my favorite workout shorts. I've now purchased three pairs (sized up to a large for extra length.)

Every month or so we answer some of your questions! I don’t feel wise or deserving enough to share with you, but we’re honored to have you share these insights into our lives. And always remembering, we’re imperfect and completely in need of Jesus. 

This weekend, my Dad got remarried, 10 years after my mother’s death (you can watch the highlight called “My Mamma” here). The wedding was a little weird due to Covid, but the Lord truly brought beauty from ashes and we’re so grateful. The boys did great too.

Have we experienced any adoption hardships or unexpected difficulties?

The short answer is absolutely. You just can’t know until you’re in it. 

In fact, one moment happened at the wedding this weekend. As we were getting our boys ready, an older couple I grew up knowing saw us in the parking lot. This couple loudly asked “Are your boys real brothers?” (If you haven’t adopted, I know how easy these questions are to ask. It’s another example of not knowing until you know.) 

Family friends who heard answered “no” (meaning not biological brothers) and then corrected to “yes” (understanding that adoption makes them 100% “real” brothers).

Then the couple continued, asking where we “got them” and how long we’ve “had them” - a lot of questions that aren’t appropriate in a non-intimate conversation. This isn’t small talk - this is heavy and personal.

Please don’t ask these kinds of questions in front of children. It can be really harmful and shows a lack of understanding of the gospel of adoption! We are 100% God’s children through adoption. Praise God! 

Our kids have heard these questions often and it sparks good and necessary conversation, but it’s still hard!

I wish I’d said, “They are as much brothers as we are children of God.” I always have a great answer after the fact, but the Holy Spirit leads and we can rest in that. It’s never graceful or easy. We’re learning as we go.

The point is, this is something that was unexpectedly hard. It’s harder outside the home (for us) than inside. Inside our walls, conversations are beautiful and hearts are receptive. Outside our home, we have a lot to explain (especially as we adopted trans-racially). We get a lot of stares. It’s lonely, but God is always present.

Do We Do Bible Studies Together?

I get this question all the time. We don’t. 

I wonder where this pressure comes from. Why do we as women feel we should be sitting together with our husband every morning opening the same Bible passage together, reading the same devotion? There is nothing wrong with studying God’s Word together in a formal setting, but it isn’t mandated in Scripture. It also isn’t more holy than studying God’s Word apart from your spouse.

We study and read separately and freely share with one another. I don’t think we’ve ever done the same study. We learn and process differently. And truthfully I think we’re also too competitive for this - I think I’d turn it into a debate about who made the best point.

I’d encourage you to take the pressure off! If you want to do Bible studies together, bring the idea to your spouse and go for it, but it’s not a necessity.

Thoughts on Matthew 22 and No Marriage In Heaven?

Robert used to feel really sad at this concept. He says he had an underdeveloped theology of union with Christ. He felt like he’d be alone in Heaven. 

It’s really hard to understand what we’ll have in Christ when we’re face to face with Him! Everything you love about your spouse (being loved and seen and cared for) will be the ever present reality in Heaven. Marriage will find its fulfilment in Christ. We gain what an earthly marriage was created to point us towards. 

When Robert’s in his “abandonment issues” headspace, it feels scary and sad. He doesn’t want to do anything without me (other than Bible studies)!

But that’s when he’s thinking about Heaven as a loss to earthly things rather than a gain of Godly things. My encouragement would be looking toward that union with Christ and what oneness with Christ will mean in Heaven, and in that you’ll have such joy.

I think the concept goes into parenthood, too. The idea of not being a family unit with my children is weird. It will be SO MUCH better, whatever happens, but it’s hard to imagine. Our greatest longing will be satisfied in Christ, the righteous and pure versions of those longings. 

How to trust God in the waiting (for a spouse, children, job, health, etc.)?

Trusting God always comes back to knowing his attributes well enough, meditating on God’s character as the foundation and Him being bigger than our circumstances.

We have a product coming soon for this because it’s so important. I want God to become greater and greater in my own heart and mind. I want the things of Earth to grow dim in the light of His glory and grace. We study who He is in the Bible and see how He has shown His faithfulness time and time again. 

The Old Testament is full of examples of the Israelites marking God’s faithfulness (via an alter, feast, etc) with the purpose of even their children knowing and remembering who He is. We can claim His character in our own life. We’re grafted into Israel and all God’s promises find their yes and amen in Jesus. 

We have an all knowing and all powerful God. Tim Keller says that if we knew what God knew, we’d ask for exactly what He’s given us. 

Romans 8:28 reminds us that He’s going to work it all together for good. He can’t do anything else. The waiting is less about “having the wrong thing” and more about wondering “why it’s the right thing for this moment”.

What are we most excited about for the future of our family?

We’re praying about the idea of a fourth child. We’re often asked how we’ll know when our family is done growing. I think we just pray and ask for guidance. 

I feel like I’m at max capacity right now, and also that someone is missing. I’m not sure what will happen, but I know God will provide exactly what we need. 

I’m trying to just enjoy these moments. I”ve been thinking about what Phylicia Masonheimer says: “Don’t plan for seasons you aren’t in.”

How do we handle holiday decisions with our family (Like Santa and Halloween)?

We looked at examples around us, grateful for older and wiser friends! Santa felt like a “no” for both of us right away. We didn’t think he would draw our children’s (or our own) hearts to Jesus. We both remember feeling disappointed on Christmas morning because it was about gifts. Satan/sin is sneaky!

We aren’t "anti-Santa” - our boys know the story and not to ruin it for others, but we want the holiday to stay about Jesus without competition.

We’ve been on the same page about most holidays, which I’m grateful for. The Holy Spirit has led us similarly.

For Halloween, we celebrate the celebratable parts of it. We talk about the history of Halloween. We enjoy being with friends and candy and the fall weather. 

Not everyone agrees with us here and that’s okay! I think the Spirit leads us differently. We  talk about lightness and darkness and what the world may believe versus what Christians believe. We have a hands open approach. Every year I bring it to God and ask for guidance as I grow and mature.

We trust that He will redeem all the zillion ways we fail as parents. And we watch the reactions of our kids - they’re built differently and may need different responses to holidays. 

What was the most helpful to me from Robert as he helped me walk through the death of my mom?

I didn’t grieve, really, until this year. I shoved a lot down. I celebrated her Heavenly healing instead of also experiencing sadness. I’m working on it. What he did really well was help me grieve when I was ready - even 10 years later - to cry, talk it out, go to counselling, whatever I needed.

How do you walk through grief together?

Everyone grieves so differently. Communicate as best you can. Be compassionate, love each other, be attentive and listen. Don’t treat emotional wounds like they’re radically different to physical wounds. 

Robert would feed and bathe me if necessary for a physical wound or illness. For emotional wounds, be washed and fed by the Word - help one another experience God’s words if they can’t on their own due to sorrow. Pray scripture over them, read scripture to them, and play worshipful music. 

Thoughts on loving opposite-sex friends?

View the person as someone made in the image of God instead of means to an end. The more immature and younger you are, the more difficult this can be. With wisdom, this view can definitely be achieved.

Opposite-sex friends can also be brothers and sisters in Christ. Seeing people in that light really helps us love one another appropriately. Handle with Care by Lori Ferguson handles this issue really well.

Welcome to our September Q&A where we try to answer some of your questions about marriage, family and walking with the Lord.  We clearly aren’t experts on any of these topics, mostly we’re just real people who love relating to you! You can watch the Instagram highlight here!

How did you prepare your relationship for children?

We did a marriage counselling tune up specifically about children. We wanted to address a few things in our marriage and we just did about three sessions. Other than that, we read some books and said, “I love you - we’re in this together!”

What are your favorite practices for setting the tone in your home?

Robert has decided to be the “chief repenter” in our home. He sets the example for everyone. When we make mistakes, we apologize and we try to make it right. 

Also, we have some sayings or phrases that we frequently say. Robert likes to ask in teachable moments, “What is everyone worthy of?” and the boys have been taught that it’s “dignity, honor and respect.” We also use the catechism answers along with scripture to guide and teach. We frequently remind our boy of how and why we love them.

I like to use the phrase “Telling the truth makes it better, telling a lie makes it worse” for dealing with little moments where one of the kids may not be telling the truth. 

Every family settles into phrases that naturally come out. We’ve never had a “what is our family about” meeting; we’ve just tried things out and course-corrected along the way. We’ll add to this as our kids get older. Certain principles and ideas that matter to you will set the tone for what matters to your family.

What is something about marriage you’ve changed your mind on after getting hitched?

I theoretically knew marriage wasn’t about me, but 10 years in, I feel that in my bones. Marriage is a chief way I’m being sanctified. It’s a regular opportunity to serve someone else and display the beauty of Christ and the church.

Robert’s view of male headship has changed a little during our marriage. If we can’t agree on something, it’s an indicator that we shouldn't do anything yet. This approach has really helped us! He values my opinion and wants to arrive at a decision we both agree on, being led by the Holy Spirit. 

If you were going to have a different business (not jewelry), what would it be?

Robert would like to be a landscape architect! (I didn’t know this about him!) I’d have a cut flower business. Looks like we’re a match in a dream world too! 

For real, he’d have a business assistant company, helping new business owners get their business off the ground. He’s such a champion of other people’s ideas.

I think I’d be a life coach or an author. 

How did you take time to talk and learn about each during the busy time of engagement and working?

You just have to do it! Life doesn’t slow down. You have to prioritize.

I recently heard this analogy about juggling glass and plastic balls. Balls will always have to fall, but you have to keep the glass ones in the air. A marriage is a glass ball. You might have to drop a plastic work ball to hold the glass. 

The Bible story of Martha and Mary is a helpful story. Entering into a covenant relationship with someone else is more important than your job. We can all only pour out what has been poured into us. We’ll experience burnout if we don’t have other people pouring into us. In a marriage relationship, your spouse should be one of those people.

Advice for when your life gets hard and your faith is shaken?

The Puritans had a phrase that said, “Pray until you pray.”

We would advise the same: worship until you worship, believe until you believe. You just make a decision to stick to your faith and ride out the valley of shadow.

Try this illustration: Someone was setting off on a plane. They went through a storm full of clouds and rain and then got above it all to the glorious sun. Of course, the sun was always there, but they needed to get through the storm to see it.

You need community for this. Make sure you’re a part of a local church or body of believers. I re-read books of the Bible until the message sinks in. We just trust that God is not going to leave us, that He uses suffering and sorrow in a beautiful way. 

There are also times when we’re working for future fruit. Right now at home, we’re working in my literal flower garden. There’s nothing in my garden beds, but we’re working the soil for the fruit that will be coming in a few months time. We still do the work now! Even when you don’t feel like the Lord is near, stay in the Word, memorize the verses - the fruit will come.

What would be your advice for someone struggling with assurance of salvation?

Robert lived this for many years. He re-dedicated his life so many times as a child. Assurance comes from the Holy Spirit as you feel the kindness of the Lord calling you to repentance. 

There are times when you don’t feel it! In those seasons, call the Lord up on His promises - to never leave you or forsake you - to honor His promise that whoever has been placed in His hand, no one will take them out. Rely and count on these promises. Ask the Holy Spirit to make Himself known to you. 

We have to trust the Lord to do the work He said He did. 

I think that using the word ‘feel’ can be misleading. Salvation isn’t always an experience and we can put too much weight on needing to ‘feel’ it. 

I wish I could sit down with you to hear your why. Do you feel like you’re not good enough to earn salvation? Are you falling back into a sin pattern?  My encouragement for you is to meet with someone you trust to walk this out together. 

Tips for baby proofing your home?

Put locks on all the dangerous cupboards! We try to keep our home kid-friendly. We don’t have a ton of breakable items. We also set boundaries on what’s okay to touch and not touch. We let our kids touch the shiny new thing and then their interest wanes. Sometimes we say “no touch” and enforce that. Our kids don’t need allowance for all areas. There’s no need for them to play in the fireplace, the litter box, the stove or Robert’s office. The children need boundaries, but don’t make your house unlivable. It’s made to be lived in.

How do you show respect to your spouse?

We had an example today: I could have handled a situation myself in a way that Robert wouldn’t love OR I could ask for prayer to help respect him here even if his way was different to what I’d do. 

Robert is aware of how he treats me in front of our boys. We don’t mind having an argument in front of our kids, but we try to demonstrate patience, respect, kindness and repentance.  Our body language also demonstrates respect. We treat others the way we want to be treated and we love one another. Respect is a natural outcome of seeing someone else made in God’s image. 

Thoughts on date night!

Robert thinks people put too much pressure on date nights - like it’s the thing that makes or breaks your marriage. If you’re living your week in such a way that date night is the only time to connect, your week is the problem, not your date night. Admittedly, he works from home and we connect daily - we’re privileged! Ultimately, we’d recommend you to figure out a way to make your week more enjoyable. 

Also, Robert doesn’t need a lot as far as needing to try out the newest restaurant or the latest adventure. He isn’t longing for that on a date night. We get takeout every Tuesday and eat it after our kids go to bed. We’re intentional with our few hours in the evening together. We try to schedule a date night out once a month alone and once a month with another couple (this is my date night of choice). We do dinner, errands, and then home before it’s too late so we can enjoy some relaxation time at home. 

Maybe this just sets the bar a little lower. The point is to love one another. Find time for one another at home on a daily basis. And we try to teach our kids to respect the times when mommy and daddy need to talk.

Today on IG stories, I shared a day in my life as a Christian mother of three boys! You can find the highlight here.

6:00am: I wake up around now and spend 45-60 minutes with the Lord. I have an Instagram highlight saved here on how I use this time: how I use my verse memorization box, how I use my prayer journal and how I read my Bible.

If I have some extra time, I spend it in prayer, read a chapter of a Christian book or dig into a passage of Scripture.

For the record, I built up to 45-60 minutes each morning (and didn’t do it with a newborn). It takes discipline to go to bed on time and to get out of bed when your alarm goes off. But God always shows me it’s worth it!

7:10am: We’ve taught our boys (6,3, and 1) to stay in their rooms until I get them. Our chaotic mornings were a pain point in my days, so I’ve learned to get a few things done before they get up. 

In answer to a question I often get about how we get our kids to stay in their rooms until we get them in the morning, I see it this way: We are the parents and set the tone for our household. Just because they want to come out doesn’t mean it’s best. (It may be! Every home for themselves!)

This is what we said to our kids (of course, you could change the rules): “Mommy will open your door when it’s time to wake up. You can turn on your light, look at these books, play with these toys".

They’re allowed to say one time, “Mommy I’m awake,” and then play. Sometimes they come out and I have to correct them, “Remember, this is how we do things in the morning.” 

I get the dishwasher unloaded, breakfast started, etc. I want to welcome them with joy and excitement instead of stress.

The boys will eat a smoothie for breakfast. They like the Orgain Organic Protein Powder and it helps fill their bellies. I add flax seed, banana, milk, frozen berries, lots of spinach or kale and frozen riced cauliflower! They really enjoy it and it’s packed with nutrients. 

Over breakfast, we use the Child Pack and Scripture Memorization Tabs to learn verses. Our mornings are not perfect and there’s often lots of noise, but that's the point! We need Jesus in the broken!

If you’re curious as to how young you can start Scripture memory, I always say that if they can learn words to songs (like Twinkle Twinkle) then they can learn verses. Put them to a tune if you want!

8:00am: I do a workout almost every weekday around 8am. I’m about to finish this Barre Blend in the  Beach Body App and have loved it. Sometimes it’s chaotic around me while I exercise and sometimes the boys play perfectly. Sometimes I have to stop to hold my littlest, but something is better than nothing!

9:00am: I’m showered and dressed! Some of you have asked how I manage to shower in the day with a little one. I keep my one year old in the bathroom with me while I shower. He makes a mess and that’s okay!

I don’t wash my hair everyday. I’ll often just use dry shampoo and my cool Hair Curler Comb which refreshes my hair really well. It even takes away the ponytail line. 

Finally, I’ll put on some WUNDERBROW Waterproof Eyebrow Gel and choose a pair of earrings or a necklace. Today I’m going with the Progress Earrings after I read Phillipians this morning: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

9:20am: Time to fill these little one’s love tanks. We read together on the couch for about twenty minutes. We’re reading Tiny Perfect Things today. 

10:00am: Our eldest started kindergarten this year and we’re homeschooling! My husband takes 20min a day to do maths with him.

While they work on that, I’m taking my middle son to his first gymnastics class! This is our first time doing any kind of sport activity, but he isn’t getting to do preschool this year so I wanted him to experience something special.

I listened to the Alisa Childers Podcast on the way to gymnastics. Alisa is a great resource as we learn to think critically about progressive Christianity.

12:00pm: It’s lunchtime. I’m drinking my smoothie to break my fast. I do intermittent fasting so I eat for the first time at 12 (not counting the celery juice I had this morning because it’s under 50 calories). My delicious smoothie is made of chocolate protein powder with peanut butter. I love it!

The boys are eating lunch while I quickly scan my eldest’s reading curriculum. There is basically zero prep time required, but I like to skim it quickly. 

We have only one child in kindergarten, but I love the flexibility and freedom of homeschooling. This is typical for me and the reason I started my own business! For the program we use, there’s only 40-60 minutes of scheduled curriculum a day. We plug that in wherever and pause if needed.

My three year old likes to learn with us too, but my one year old toddles all over the place. Robert works from home and if I really need him to help for a moment, he does.

1:00pm: Nap time! I’m ready for a break! This is our quiet time / work time around here.

My six and three year old play quietly in their rooms from 1-3pm. My one year old naps from 1-4pm.

As my eldest two got older, I taught them that they didn’t have to sleep, but they did have to play quietly. They have age appropriate toys and an audio book of sorts.  They do LEGOs or blocks and just use their imaginations. They really enjoy this time!

Their nap time is my work time! I work from 1-3pm. After almost 7 years of business at home, I’m learning to set good boundaries. We have a studio space with three employees who make/package everything now. My husband runs Dear Mushka full time, too, but I limit my capacity to a few hours.

Today I’m uploading new product listings. This is also when I record IG stories, write emails, create new products, etc.

3:00pm: Time for me to get my big boys up. They usually eat a snack and watch one 20min show while I meal prep. We’re having nachos tonight! After that we’ll play outside. Robert is usually done working and we can just enjoy one another.

A side note on intermittent fasting: 

I talked about the FASTer Way in this highlight. Basically I limit eating to eight hours a day. I eat between 10am and 6pm. I drink mostly black coffee and celery juice before noon. I feel great doing it! It took about one week to adjust and I almost never get headaches. If I’m hungry though, I eat! I’m not strict.

5:20pm: Dinner is in the oven! My eldest is my cooking buddy! To be honest, I’d love to cook alone while I listen to podcasts, but this time is just so valuable. He’s learning and so chatty during this time!

This mealtime, we’re asking each other what our highs and lows were from the day and then we go over our catechism. I didn’t learn catechism growing up, but they’ve already been such an encouragement to my heart!

Kids are little sponges; they love to memorize and do it so well. My three year old memorized some of these questions in a day or two! The beautiful thing about catechisms is that they begin great conversations and learning together. 

A note on our dinner table chats:
1. We haven’t done this forever - it’s just too chaotic in some seasons. We also acknowledge that sometimes our children are too little! But...

2. The dinner table time is valuable! Be intentional - even if the only thing you can accomplish is being present and keeping your kids from choking.

3. It’s OK to know your own strength in your marriage! Robert had the idea to do the catechisms, but I’m the one who moves things to action. I put it into a plan and encouraged him to do it. My encouragement to you is to work together. And don’t forget to pray for God to grow the gift of leadership in your spouse, whatever that may look like for your family.

06:30pm: We’ll play outside for a little while before baths and bedtime.

7:40pm: The boys are in bed and we’re watching an episode of the West Wing while I work on a puzzle. 

8:54pm: Heading to bed to read for about 45 min and then sleep. I believe that you can set yourself up for success tomorrow by how and when you end your day. Hopefully, we’re learning to turn to Jesus in increasing measure every day, no matter what it holds!

Join me for a virtual coffee date as we chat about motherhood, finding balance and glorifying God! Watch the live chat here on the Dear Mushka Instagram stories.

Q: How do you balance time reading with the craziness of life?

A: My goal is to read an hour a day outside of Bible reading. Fulfilling this goal sometimes means missing out on a TV show in the evening, but it’s worth it!

Q: What is the importance of following Jesus as a mother and wife?

A: To be honest, I don’t know how women are wives and mothers without Jesus. Every day I find myself praying for strength and wisdom, praising God that my sins of anger and impatience are forgiven. Keeping my eyes on Jesus is a constant reminder to offer my children lasting hope instead of worldly hope. 

Q: Share tips on balancing and maintaining energy for marriage, motherhood and work

A: I think that sometimes we try to get more done in our day than God wants us to have done. It’s important to fuel and care for our bodies - getting enough sleep and eating properly. If God has called us to do something, let’s make sure we’re fueling ourselves. Also, are we taking the time to pray? Don’t rely on your own strength!

Q: What’s your favorite podcast?

A: I have almost zero time right now to listen to podcasts. There are so many awesome ones, but Young House Love’s podcast is my favorite at the moment. I’ve followed their family for years and I really enjoy listening to it. In other less busy seasons of my life, I’ve preferred more serious podcasts.

Q: Talk to us about self care as Christians.

A: The topic of self care comes up a lot. Ultimately my answer is that we need to remember that we were ‘bought with a price’, 1 Corinthians 6:20. Our bodies are not our own; our goal is to glorify God with our bodies, to honor Him and serve His kingdom. 

If you’re coming out of a trauma situation, then the goal needs to be to get healthy, to heal, to go to counselling, to put in the work to recover in that area.

Self care in day to day life circles back to the question on maintaining energy as we go about our lives. We need to fuel and care for our bodies so that we have the energy and strength to do His work and to glorify Him in all that we do.

We haven’t done a Q&A in a while, but as we celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary today, Robert and I took some time to reflect on our marriage journey. It hasn’t been all smooth sailing! Marriage can be challenging. For those of you feeling like marriage isn’t what you thought it would be or just needing a little encouragement, we’re sharing some lessons we’ve learned and progress we’ve made.

In Robert’s words, “The worst thing you can do in your marriage is decide that you need to be the Holy Spirit for your spouse. It’s not your job to constantly point out what is wrong with your spouse’s behavior.” 

Look inward rather than outward. God is always doing work in Believers. Let Him do that and be a fellow champion for your spouse, not a constant critic. Do business with God in your own heart instead. This is true for any relationship. What should be first and most important is our relationship with God. Trying to control will always result in disappointment, but drawing close to the Lord will result in joy and peace. 

Let trials push us into God’s presence. He uses these moments to draw us towards Him. Learn how to immediately take your frustrations with your spouse to God, over and over again.

In 10 years, we’ve both changed a lot.

I have gotten softer. I’ve grown in love and selflessness. Although this is still a battle for me, I love it when we can do things together. I’ve grown in emotional awareness and learned not to withhold love when someone else doesn’t meet my desires. Learning how to sit in hard emotions instead of hiding from them has taught me so much. I’m so grateful for how the Lord works in us and makes us more like Him. 

Robert has grown in his ability to communicate well. He was reluctant to explain his thought processes in the beginning and it led to frustration on both our parts. He’s grown as a father in this area, too. We’ve both learned to slow down and meet one another's needs, laying down our own desires. Ten years ago, Robert wasn’t the kind of leader I wanted. Demanding what I wanted didn’t work. God needed to do the work! Prayer has sustained me and brought about so much growth in our life together. 

And with that tiny bit of encouragement, we wish you all a blessed day!

This year, Easter will look different. Instead of gathering with our church families inside buildings, we'll be safe at home watching a service from our couches. We won't be having large egg hunts or hosting all our friends and family for a big meal or dressing to the brim in our finest dresses. 

But the reason we celebrate Easter... He is still very much risen. And we can celebrate all the same from within the walls of our homes!

This week on Instagram, @augustcloth and I are going to be sharing ways to make this Easter extra special. A thoughtful menu with Christ as the center, a beautiful tablescape, meaningful baskets and DIYsfor your children, etc. 

Join me @dearmushka and pop back over here for all the links!

For Your Table:

1. This tablecloth comes in so many color and length options!

2. I've wanted a set of plate chargers for years; the price was right on these and they look beautiful against our dark wood table

3. Bud vases with baby's breath tucked inside is the perfect addition to your table. Consider dropping one off on your neighbor's porch, too! (Baby's breath dries well so grab some anytime between now and Easter. Snipped branches from outside the morning of are also a great idea.)

4. Candles in the middle of the table signify the light of Christ that we celebrate on Easter morning. You could light simple candles or grab a candelabra like this one to pull out on special occasions all year long. This one comes in multiple metal finishes. 

5. Cloth napkins make everything more celebratory. This is an adorable set of 12 for just $14. Go on, let your kids use them, too! 

6. My earrings in the tablescape IG videos. The Comfort Earrings-- so lightweight and full of meaning. 

What to Wear:

This dress from August Cloth has my name all over it (literally haha). There are so many good ones in her shop and she's shipping in time for Easter!

Grab yourself some jewelry that can be an anthem for this season in your life. Do you need a reminder to rejoice in suffering? To praise Him for caring for you more than wildflowers? 

I'm wearing The Daughter Earrings, The Wrapped Necklace, The Believe Bracelet, and The Priority Earrings. 

For Easter Baskets:

Children are never to little to begin hearing the Gospel. A stuffed lamb like this one (so soft!)  to celebrate the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and a board book about Jesus are perfect treats for Easter morning. 

For our older boys, a great book about Jesus and an activity are perfect. These Water Wow pads are our favorite.  I'm also going to split this shovel set and give the boys a packet of seeds and some dirt as we celebrate The Creator and New Life! 

Resurrection Eggs are something our family loves. Gift them this year and then use them for years to come. The book Benjamin's Box is a great add-on with them.

A few years ago, I spent some time learning about the church calendar and how its seasons are in place to follow the life and death of Christ. Very simply, Christ is born (Advent), he is acknowledged as divine (Epiphany), he is tempted in the desert and dies for our sins (Lent), he is resurrected (Easter), and then the Spirit comes upon believers (Pentecost). 

Following the calendar isn't meant to be "religious" or another thing on a to-do list. Instead, it's meant to stir up our hearts and challenge us to pause and reflect in particular ways throughout the year.

For Lent, the idea is that we deny ourselves something for 40 days to represent Jesus fasting 40 days and then being tempted by Satan in the desert. During this time, we stop filling ourselves with all the pleasures of the world and instead empty ourselves long enough to see our sin and brokenness. This may look like fasting from certain foods, social media, Netflix, shopping, nightly baths, etc. 

In A Hunger for God (which I highly recommend!), John Piper says, "If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great." 

Lent provides us an opportunity to set aside our normal go-tos and instead think on our fallen nature + Christ's beautiful sacrifice. It is meant to be a more sober, heavy season that ends as we welcome in the glory of Easter. 

This year, Lent starts on February 26th and goes until April 9th, with Sundays being "off" days. I plan on giving up something different the six weeks of Lent. For example, a fast from Instagram one week and certain foods the next. 

In addition, I will use this season to focus what I teach and talk about with my boys. In this post I talk about some of our daily habits. During Lent, I'll use our meal times to focus in on discussing passages on our sin, repentance, and why Jesus had to come. 

I plan on reading the daily readings from this book aloud (mostly for myself) and perhaps doing some of the family activities it mentions. 

I'll also leave these books out on the shelves for us to grab and read all season long! 

1. A beautiful book! My boys are captivated by the pictures and story. 

2. Great for the week before Easter. Simple, perfect for the littlest ones! 

3. We love this book; read it with these eggs (we start them twelve days before Easter). A favorite around here!

4. We love this one, too. 

5. And of course, this Bible. There are lots of "lent" reading plans to follow with your little ones if you'd like!