If I’m being completely honest I haven’t been the most content mother for the past few weeks.

New schedules, lots to do, feeling unappreciated, and as if I am always missing or forgetting something had taken over my thoughts constantly. No matter how on it I was, I always felt like there was something missing-something that I was either forgetting or not doing correctly.

And please dont even include the added stress of being a foster parent to an actively inquisitive toddler whose birth parents I’m currently not on the best terms with.

Or thinking about how can I best help the young moms that I work with that have so many hard things going on in life.

Or just the reality that I am a wife and mother to six children…SIX!!!!

Laundry. Meals. Upkeep of our home. Schedules. Appointments. Work. Transporting to and from. Finding a babysitter.

I took on alllll of these things witb such a tight grip that I was starting to feel slighty anxious and just down…like nothing that I did was right and somehow or another there was going to be a a let down in my day. The only way that I can describe it was that I just wasn’t happy…not so sad that I couldnt get up in the morning and there were good parts of my day. But the type of sad that is bubbling right underneath the surface that showed itself when work was done. This sadness was put on display for my husband and children. A sadness that had penetrated so deep that the discontent was visible, palpable. My children would ask me if I was upset with them and I’d tell them no but they didn’t believe me…heck I didn’t believe me. My husband would ask me what was wrong and I would tell him I was fine but he could sense the shift in our home.

My family would be on edge and I was feeling like I was looking down a black hole of all the things that we undone.

But yesterday it hit me…I haven’t been good at putting me first. Yes, this is so hard for me (like so many other moms) for me to do. If I dont make myself a priority, others will follow suite. I have to be able to do the things that help me to recharge. I have to be able to create moments of peace while I have so many things going on.

I HAVE TO DO IT!!!!

And sometimes for me it isnt about spas and all of the typical things that come to mind when you think of self-care…its just taking the time to stock up on and take vitamins/supplements, walking/working out, or even taking a day off from my typical moomy duties.

So, I’m learning. Learning to listen to my body to resist burnout. Learning to take the time to recharge. Learning to say no when needed…. I want to not only live but thrive in this place called the Mommyhood.

I have a friend, Noelle Beck, who is hosting a women’s conference next month and “I Am Enough” is the theme…since I talked to her about this a few weeks ago, these three words have been ringing in my ears.

“I Am Enough” is something that I question myself about and also something that I tell myself daily.

Am I a great wife and mother? Am I a good enough Christian? Am I leading and loving my young ladies well? Am I stewarding my gifts correctly? Am I setting a good example? Am I setting the right atmosphere in our home?

Am I Enough?

I know I cant be alone with questioning every aspect of my being with those three little words, that are so heavy in weight. Am I Enough? In those moments when I feel that I’m not, I tell myself that I am. But it doesnt end with the proclamation…I ask myself where I fell short, what I can do better in that specific area and ask/thank God for His grace to get it, whatever it is, right.

So, to you my fellow mama friends…You Are Enough. Tell yourself you are, make the adjustments and accept the grace.

Happy Monday y’all!!!

**To learn more about the conference mentioned above please visit akrononpurpose.com **

Around this time last year, I got a phone call that would forever change everything. Social Services called and asked if we would be willing to take in a newborn of a young lady I know. We said yes. A couple of weeks later, we were picking up a three week old. 

Picking him up was surreal. I don’t think I drove over thirty miles an hour because I was thinking “I have a little package to get home”. Yes I had done this four times before but this time was different.  This “little package” wasn’t delivered by me. This “little package” was entrusted to my care. After bringing him home and doing all the family introductions and answering hundreds of questions from our other children, it was time to do my formal introduction…
“Hi sweet boy. My name is Stacy Boyd but everyone around here calls me Mommy.💁🏾 I know that this might be a little much knowing that you’ve been in two other places in the last two weeks. By the way, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. But we are here to take good care of you. As you’ve seen, we aren’t new to taking care of little ones but you are our first bonus baby.  I have no idea how long you’ll be with us but please know that as long as you’re here you’re ours. We will always love and treat you like our son. I promise that we will do the best we can to ensure that your time with us is safe, secure and that you will always be treated like family. I also promise to pray for your birth parents and that they can get some things together to be positive examples for you. Like I said, I dont have a timeline for you but I do know that I love you already and that this, this very moment was meant to be.”

If nothing else, I’m learning that love, true love, involves grace. Grace that sees others through the lens of empathy. I still can’t tell you a timeline for this sweet boy where our home is concerned…however I can say that without a doubt he is our #5…

Y’all, Mom-Shaming Is real out here on the internet…

Last week I randomly saw a post by one of the Duggar women that showed pics of her home. So the basis of her post was to show what her day to day is really like being a mother of two. The pics on the post included a pile of unfolded laundry, a stove that needed to be cleaned, a dusty end table and a pile of dirty diapers.

Well, some of the comments were horrid to say the least. People were calling her lazy, disgusting, questioning her motherhood and more. Honestly, they made me reflect. Reflect on a time when I would have been thinking the same thing. Saying what I would never do and even patting myself of the back for not being like her…

However, I’ve learned that my opinion is just that an opinion. Just because I have a certain way of doing things and standards set for myself doesn’t mean that their law, and that every other mom should have to live by them. 

I can remember thinking that bc I was a SAHM and handled all of the housework, cooking, shopping and keeping up with our crews (our children) schedule that every mom must have did the same thing right?  NO!!!! I know people who’s husband’s do the laundry, cook the meals and some who do the cleaning. Is that weird? Absolutely not!!! Every family has a different dynamic and has to do what works best for them. Because it’s not my way doesn’t mean it’s wrong. 

So please make sure that mommy-shaming isn’t a part of your social media persona. Just  because someone shares their life in motherhood on social media doesn’t mean that we should comment negatively on their  post. Sometimes opinions, especially harmful, mean ones, aren’t needed. 

Lets be a community of mothers’ who are encouragers and who share with a tender heart and respectful words….

So, we are 8 days in. I’m 8 days into having 6 children in our home. 

It’s been good. We are making the adjustments. Adjusting to having a newborn and a 10 month old, along with a pre-kindergartener and 3 elementary schoolers. Some days are better than others. I get enough sleep. I’m up and on it with breakfast and my house is mostly in order. 

Then there are the days when I’ve been up with my baby boy for hours and breakfast is cereal. I’m barely getting Maj to school by 830am and even though I have help I feel as if I’m doing somethings wrong bc I should be better organized.

But what I’m learning is to make the adjustments. Tomorrow I’ll probably be sleeping in and turning my phone off. My husband is on homework duty and he’s been the one in charge of communicating with our children’s teachers. 

I can’t do everything…so the adjustments have to be made. And I’m trying my best to not feel guilty throughout the process.

He’s here!! He’s here!!! Our newest family member Matthias Andre Boyd was born on 9/7 at 915am, weighing 7lbs 7oz, 19 1/2in. 

Can I just say that labor was exhausting!! I went in to be induced at 5pm on Wednesday and didn’t deliver my little buddy until the next morning at 915am. For some reason I thought that being induced was going to mean that my labor would be shorter…obviously I was wrong. Labor was long but delivery seemed to go by pretty quick…after about 10 good, gut wrenching, angry face pushes–my dude was here!!!

Our little guy is perfect! Healthy, content and getting all the love from his parents, 5 other siblings and family. 

What I can say is that Im still getting used to our new normal. I’m so used to getting my babies up and ready for school, fixing meals, supervising homework and handling all that comes with managing our household that when my husband tells me to go lay down and relax, it’s foreign to me. Relax? Lay down? For what…Im not tired!! There’s only so much napping I can do and just getting my brain to stop updating my constant mental to-do list is a task in itself. 

So, I’m trying…a little. To sit down. Relax. And allow myself to be helped. It’s hard but I’m attempting to take it easy…to heal and enjoy our new little guy…
Matthias Andre Boyd 

It’s that time…for years I wasn’t ready. And couldnt fathom making the decision.  I thought about it. Contemplated. But back then, ultimately I wasn’t ready. 

But now it’s a new day. I’m ready. Ready for what you ask? Ready to get my tubes tied…yeah, almost 6 kids later I’m sure. I’m sure that I’m good on having more children. I’m 37 years old and my baby making days are over. If God saw fit, I would definitely take in more babies, children through adoption and foster care. But as far as me carrying another human…I’m good. My body is so done with those days. This wasn’t the worse pregnancy but I just know that I can’t do it again…

So here’s my advice to any woman who wants to know when do you know if you’re ready…you just know. Nobody can tell you when, it’s just something you know deep within you. So whether it’s 2 babies in or 20, do what you know is best for you❤❤❤🤰🏾

Time is winding up…sometime next week I’ll be giving birth to our baby boy. The last of the crew (I think, unless we adopt more babies😊). 

We will be a family of 8. Myself, my husband, 11 y/o daughter, 8 y/o boy/girl twins, 4 y/o son, 9 month old son (we are doing kinship and now have temporary custody) and then a newborn…for the most part, I think I haven’t really taken in the fact that we will have 6 kids. I’ve said it. But now it’s really just sinking in. The logistics of having 6 children is starting to settle in mentally. And the qusetions are starting to swirl arpund in my head: Do we need a conversion van? How am I going schedule cooking, cleaning and make sure kids are well prepared for school? Visitation with baby boy? I’ll be home with our 4 y/o and two babies…yes, I’ve done it before bc we have twins. But having a young toddler and a newborn is all new territory. I’m sure I’ll have days where I’m beasting it…schedule on point, meals prepped, clean and happy babies and house smelling good and intact. I’m also sure that there will be days when the exhaustion will be real, babies will be testy, no meal in sight and put house will look like a tornado has ran through it.  

So before the start of it all, I’m thanking God for grace. GRACE to be the best wife and mother that I can be. GRACE to maintain peace and love in our home. GRACE to say no. GRACE to rest when needed. 

GRACE. GRACE. GRACE. That’s my focus…

This week is Spring Break, so we decided to continue our family tradition of going to Tennessee to visit my husband’s grandmother and family. 

Instead driving all the way through, the time we stopped and met some friends at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. It was amazing and our children really enjoyed it!!!  Then after the weekend, we trucked it to Birmingham and are spending the week there. Our children are loving on their garndparents and we get to take unlimited naps and trips to Sonic for happy hour drinks😎🙌🏾

More than anything I’m thankful. I so appreciate my family and the example that we get to show our children about marriage. I can whole heartedly say that I enjoy being married; I truly like and love my hubby. Spending time with him and just laughing is good for my soul. Even being physically attracted to each other 😍 is a blessing…I guess all of this came into play just seeing family either divorced, single or even somewhat hardened from past relationships. Just being in a good place in our marriage and growing is at the top of my “grateful list”.

So as we enjoy spring break and love on each other,  I am constantly reminded of how good God is to us and how my life is a complete testament to God’s grace. It’s good to be content and growing all that once…hoping Spring Break brings you lots of love, times of reflection and a deeper appreciation of all that you have!