Most nights I would go from room to room, but I did feel that there was always something that could use some emotional support. You know, “I’m here. I’m here and you can count on me.”

I launched morethan on August 29, my mother’s birthday. And since that day, I’ve known that this interview was coming. Liza is wife to Kirby, mom of 5, grandma of 14, and my mom. She’s the greatest influence on my life and the voice in my head, and I don’t know how to sum up who she is in a few paragraphs.

But I can tell you that she always knew (and made it clear to us) that motherhood was and is her greatest calling. Its what I have tried to do with this space: highlight women who love to be mothers, who lean into their strengths, and enjoy the growth that comes from this kind of work. Women like my mom. Liza has been a positive influence on so many women in her lifetime, none more than her daughters.

So it seemed right to end this series of mothering interviews with Liza. I hope you enjoy her vigor for life and enthusiasm for motherhood as much as I do. Thanks Mom, for everything.

I will also note that the video on this interview has me cropped out. That was not intentional, and it’s maddening to me that after 34 episodes I’m still making these kinds of rookie mistakes. There was of course the option to redo the entire thing, but I always like the conversations to feel fresh and real, and I thought the content of this was too good not to share. My mom will hate being center stage, but you’ll be able to enjoy her even more.

The post Episode 34- Liza appeared first on More Than Mothering.

She is such an intentional teacher of children. When there’s a child in her house, there’s nothing casual about that.

Judy is kind of the matriarch of all matriarchs as far as I’m concerned. She has 9 children, (resulting in her current 45 grandchildren) and she ran a tight ship. They are all grown, married, successful, and have children of their own now, and in this interview I talk to four of her daughters to get their perspective on Judy as a mom. It’s clear how much her girls value and appreciate the way they were raised; they know how well they were taught and how deeply they were loved.

Judy is one of the most intelligent and capable women I’ve ever met, and she could have been a great many things; she chose to be a mom and she made it her life’s work. Thanks to Tamsin, Julia, Karine, and Gillian for sharing your mother with us, and thank you Judy, for your example and your clarity in purpose.

The post Episode 33- Judy appeared first on More Than Mothering.

I try to make resources that anybody can use. You’re putting that power in the kids’ hands and the parents’ hands, and then they can make the decision that’s best for their family.

You can view part 1 of this conversation here.

Andrea is the creator of Better Screen Time. As an intentional mom, she has done more research than most about the effects of screens in our homes, as well as practiced ways to establish boundaries WITH her family, even the teens. She shares that in content on her Website and through social media platforms. She answers my questions about her business and best screen practices in this part 2 interview.

You can visit Andrea’s website here for free downloads and blog posts, as well as for her two courses “Untangling Teens and Tech” and “Creating a Tech-Healthy Family.” You can also follow her @betterscreentime on Instagram.

The post Episode 32- Andrea part2 appeared first on More Than Mothering.

That concept of whittling down what’s essential, and really making sure you’re putting your time and your resources into the things that matter most.

I was thrilled to get a reply back from Andrea agreeing to be interviewed! She’s the creator of her website Better Screen Time, and runs that business with her husband. They offer resources for parents who are trying to navigate a world of technology within their homes, and do such good work for families. I’ve been following Andrea for a while now, and listened to several interviews with her, but they all focused around her products and services. I was more interested in her mothering style, since it is obviously such an important part of her life. 

Andrea is incredibly intentional and deliberate in her mothering. She researches, prays, and asks questions, then takes answers back to her family, and I was grateful to get to pick her brain in this interview. 

Part 1 focuses much more on her personal mothering. Part 2 will air next Wednesday, and takes advantage of Andrea’s knowledge and understanding on screen usage in the home- it will be more focused on her platform at Better Screen Time. 

You can visit Andrea’s website here for free downloads and blogposts, as well as for her two courses “Untangling Teens and Tech” and “Creating a Tech-Healthy Family.” You can also follow her @betterscreentime on Instagram.

The post Episode 31- Andrea part1 appeared first on More Than Mothering.

I always saw that as such a gift, to be able to teach those kids and have them be a part of my life. And I loved the kids I taught, I truly loved them.

Brenda’s interview is a very special one for me. She was my 1st grade teacher, and we have somehow stayed in touch over the years. She was the most incredible elementary teacher I ever had, and that’s largely because of the way she made me feel. I detail in this interview just how big and important I felt as a member of her class, and I know she did the same for the other students she had in her 38 years of teaching. She genuinely loved all her students, and she made sure they knew it.

Brenda and her husband Tom wanted a family, but partially because of a paperwork mix-up were unable to have children of their own. She talks about processing and grieving that, not only once but several times. She was gracious in letting me share such a personal story, and also putting her through one more parent/teacher conference and asking all my questions. I had to take advantage of all her years of teaching experience. Brenda is a gem.

The post Episode 30- BrendaS appeared first on More Than Mothering.

It’s not, ‘Oh, I can’t ride that roller coaster because I have a heart condition!’ It’s a PART of my life, it doesn’t DICTATE my life.

My friend Ayana nominated Cassandra, knowing that she had heart surgery and is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle, in part so she can stick around for her little girl. It turns out, Cassandra has had 4 heart surgeries, with more in the future. She is a survivor, and she doesn’t take that for granted.

She talks about living her life on her own terms, ways that can cause friction in her marriage, and not getting breaks from her toddler. This is a young mom, fully in the trenches, and I’m grateful she found a few moments to share her mom reality with me. Thanks Ayana for the nomination!

The post Episode 29- Cassandra appeared first on More Than Mothering.

Focusing on other people and their challenges, and finding ways to serve, and finding joy in the moment really helps me push aside those thoughts that are all about myself.

This episode is a continuation of last week’s story. You can watch part 1 here.

Merilee kindly shared some of the feelings and experiences from her recent health struggles in the previous episode. In this continuation episode, I ask her more questions about things she has learned from hardship overall. She talks about her relationship with her husband in the most beautiful way, and also shares great parenting wisdom on allowing children to struggle. 

I edited very little of Merilee’s conversation with me, because I felt strongly that her goodness needed to be shared. She has been through more in the last fifteen years than I can imagine, and has done it with patience and wisdom. She has sought answers, not demanded them, and given herself a long rope of grace in the process. I’m learning from her example, I hope you loved her episodes as much as I did.

The post Episode 28- Merilee Part 2 appeared first on More Than Mothering.

That became something really important as a mom. To not become angry. To not become bitter or resentful for the challenges that seem to come just one on top of the other, but to still find joy.

Turning lemons into lemonade has never been such an understatement as when referring to Merilee. After living in healthy, active ways for most of her life, she has faced several life-threatening diagnoses, losses, surgeries, and periods of frustrating rehabilitation for the last 15 years. With every challenge Merilee has had a seemingly undending supply of optimism and strength. All while raising 7 children, and then becoming a guardian to their 8th. 

She’s lived a self proclaimed extraordinary, ordinary life, and her example is one I want to shout about to every mother, everywhere. In this episode, she talks about some of the periods of difficulty she has experienced. Part 2 will come next week, where she reflects on what she has learned overall. Please learn from Merilee’s humility with me.

The post Episode 27- Merilee Part 1 appeared first on More Than Mothering.

We joke that it is our 3rd child. Diabetes is just another member of our family. It sits behind us in church. It is present in family pictures. It accompanies us on family vacations…

Emily is articulate and passionate and was such a joy to interview. We have a mutual friend, Cortney, who thought we would be a good connection for each other. When her introduction to me was liking books and Parks and Rec, I was sold. 

Emily is a mom of 2 littles, and her oldest (age 6) lives with Type 1 Diabetes. This conversation was such a window into living with chronic illness, and how present it is in their life as a family. I was amazed to hear how independent their 6 year old is able to be in her own food choices, and that they have made no food off limits, while still keeping her safe. 

Emily also runs the blog The Backyard Adventurers and contributes to the Corpus Christi Moms Blog, inspiring families to appreciate what their own communities have to offer in terms of fun and exploration. Oh, plus a registered nurse. She knows what it is to be busy, and talks about the constant efforts to be “centered.” 

So glad to be acquainted with Emily, thanks to Cortney, and you can follow her on Instagram @thebackyardadventurers.

These are a few books that Emily found particularly helpful after the Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis:

-Kids First, Diabetes Second: tips for raising a child with Type 1 Diabetes by Leighann Calentine

-How to Raise a Mindful Eater: 8 powerful principles for transforming your child’s relationship with food by Maryann Jacobsen

The post Episode 26- EmilyS appeared first on More Than Mothering.

We were pretty vulnerable. We allowed them to see the sides of us that even we didn’t want to see. And that it was okay, this was part of the journey to figure that out.

My husband worked closely with Michelle for about two years, and has consistently said she is one of his favorite people ever. They’ve both since left that company, but have stayed in touch. She’s full of energy, doesn’t take herself too seriously, but is passionate about everything she touches. She’s just so darn likable! So I finally took the hint and considered his respect for her an official nomination.

Michelle is a wife of 25 years and mom to 2 adult children. They are independent and thriving, and as a recent empty nester I ask her to reflect back on the various stages of her mothering and tell me what she loved, what was hard, and what she learned. 

Michelle’s gift, other than being a joy to sit in the same room with, is conciseness. She effortlessly answered every question in only a couple minutes. She shares some really wonderful wisdom in this interview!

The post Episode 25- Michelle appeared first on More Than Mothering.