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Working Mom Essential: A Meal Plan
Long before I got pregnant, I worked really hard at cleaning up our diet. I started researching food chains, ingredients, products, and healthy eating. I doubled my grocery shopping time because I started reading each and every label. It’s been a slow process. And we are still by no means perfect. (if you open my freezer, you will find two pints of Ben and Jerry’s because sometimes you just need ice cream) After I made it through the first trimester and actually started to feel like eating again, I was meticulous about what I ate because what I ate, the baby ate. But for all the planning and preparing, cooking with a newborn is a whole different game. Add cooking with a newborn after you work all day and it makes me tired just thinking about it.So after one too many frozen pizzas, I decided we needed a plan. Eating healthy is not always easy or convenient, but it is a high priority in my life so a meal plan is essential. I have started printing off a blank calendar near the end of the month and meal planning for the entire month. I have done it weekly as well, but it takes about as much time to do it weekly as it does to do it for the whole month. I usually tweak my weeks throughout the month, but at least I have a general idea of what I am going to make each day. If you haven’t done much meal planning, I have included a few of my favorite resources to help you get started.
Pinterest
What did we do before Pinterest? I use it for quite a few things, but overall my favorite way to use it is for meal planning. We get our meat from a local farmer and so once I have figured out what type of meat we have for the month, I spend time looking for healthy recipes using what we have. Pinterest is great for searching for something specific like “healthy desserts with strawberries” or “crock pot meal using hamburger”. There is also a huge variety of healthy options. You can find my Pinterest boards here and follow along if you want!
I have used this website off and on for a little while. I love the fact they curate a variety of different types of recipes to accommodate different healthy eating styles and different schedules. Do you need a quick meal, crock pot, or something more elaborate? They are all pretty easy to find. You have to sign up for a subscription to use all of their features such as already-prepared weekly plans and grocery lists, but if your pretty savvy you can just clip the recipes and create your own plans.
One of my favorite things about this service is the recipes are seasonal. This means you can prepare healthy meals and lower your grocery bills by capitalizing on the in season produce. This is a subscription service so there are plenty of other free ways to meal plan, however, so far I have been really impressed with the taste and ease of the recipes I have made. One caveat, I tend to adjust the meals to use meat I have on hand to save costs. I also sub ingredients if there is something I know we won’t eat.
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Shares
Purchasing a CSA Share is another way to incorporate healthy eating into your diet at a slightly lower cost (as compared to buying equal quality items at a grocery store). We signed up for a vegetable share for this growing season with a local farm and I am so excited. First off, I LOVE knowing exactly where the food I am eating is coming from and second, the service you get with a local producer/grower is second to none. We are also have a meat share we purchase from a different local farmer. This past weekend, he hand delivered our meat to our house- talk about excellent service!! Living in Southern Indiana means fewer options for Farmer’s Markets and local produce, but a movement is growing locally and I love being part of it. I am also looking forward to challenging myself to try new recipes with the veggies I get in my crop share.
Odds and Ends
A few other things you need are a crock pot, a willingness to try new things, and a detailed grocery list. The worst thing in the world is getting to Thursday night to prepare a meal only to find you forgot a key ingredient. I have done this one too many times so now my grocery lists are laid out by department. I am a huge fan of meal planning and will try to highlight some other resources I have used in the future. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below and I will try to answer them!
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Why #boycottTarget is Not the Issue
#boycottTargetIf you pay any attention to social media, you have seen the #boycottTarget hashtag. Petitions are being formed and hundreds of thousands are flocking to sign them. I have seen flyers circulating telling people to stop shopping at Target, to call your local store manager and express your disappointment, to stand out front and make your voice known, and even one which suggested printing more and hanging them in your church.
Normally I like to shy away from political things. I would rather write about sunshine and unicorns than anything politically popular, but sometimes something just strikes a chord in me so today I have to add my voice to the myriad of voices speaking for and against the decision made by Target Executives.
Because the thing is, Target is not the issue. Changing the bathroom policy isn’t the problem. And quite frankly, 500,000 of you boycotting Target because of it is frustrating. I get it. I get you are scared. I understand you want to protect your wives and daughters. I understand the statistics on rape and sexual assault. But what I don’t understand is why it took something like bathrooms to cause you to raise your voice.
Where have you been the last 5, 10 years as human trafficking has continually been on the rise? Why are you not boycotting companies who use slave labor in their supply chains? Why have we allowed runaways to fall through the cracks and into the hands of pimps who care less about them? Why are we so concerned over our daughters using Target’s bathroom, but not equally enraged about the girl working in our local strip clubs? Or the 12 year old being sold online to the highest bidder? Or the person working 18 hours a day for pennies to make the dress we will wear once?
#boycottTarget may be your platform today, but what happens if you succeed? What happens if Target reverses their decision? Do you immediately breathe a sigh of relief because your daughters are safe and resume your Target shopping? Have you really done anything to change the underlying problem or simply convinced Target they need a new PR manager? And what about the trans-gendered who have been equated with sexual predators? How do they recover from all of this? I may not understand or agree with the lifestyle, but I know I was commanded by Jesus to love the least of these. And when I read a post referring to how small the trans-gendered population is (as justification for the lack of need for any type of policy), I can’t help but think, are they not among the least of these? Are they not children of God as well?
We live in a dark world. I can relate to the fear. I get the anger. But I also know perfect Love casts out all fear. And I want so desperately for those around me to see it’s not about Target. It’s about the bigger issue. It’s about fighting for a world where sexual perversion is not welcomed, accepted, or allowed. It’s about fighting for the least of these whether they be the girl in the strip club or the runaway from the down the road or the 12 year old on Backpage. And it’s ultimately about how the Church shines the light of Jesus in a dark, broken world.
So please before you call your local Target manager and express your disgust over a policy they had ZERO control over, call your state senator and ask them to increase funding for safe houses and sexual violence prevention and education programs. Take a minute to stop and pray for the trafficked, the trans-gendered, and your own sons and daughters. And if you still feel you need to #boycottTarget, do it quietly. Because those of us working each and every day to fight for the least of these want you to use your voice for the bigger issue, not over who can use a bathroom.
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The One Bag Essential To All Working Moms
On Friday’s, I am going to try to give you a review of some of my favorite products. My goal is to mostly highlight gear helpful to working moms, but I will probably throw in a baby item here or there because that is what mostly consumes my life outside of work. For this first post, I have to write about the one product I believe is essential for any working mom-the most amazing Sarah Wells Bags.
After a week back to work, I realized quickly something had to change. I was lugging 3 or 4 bags with me everyday- my gym bag, a pumping bag, a work bag, my lunch box..and I still could barely get what I needed in the door. I felt like I was moving in everyday. Also, the pumping room at work is two floors down from where I work and I felt really self-conscious carrying my make-shift pumping bag down there twice a day. I had been following Sarah Wells on Instagram and had read about her bags from several other websites, but I was stuck on the price. I am not an expensive purse girl and I had already bought a really expensive diaper bag. Thankfully my birthday happened to fall very shortly after I returned to work so I asked for one as a gift. I ended up deciding to go with the Kelly bag because I tend to carry around a lot of stuff and I love backpacks. I have a Spectre S2 pump (more on that later) which has a different shape than most breast pumps. I also got a Sarah Wells Pumparoo bag to try out.
As soon as it arrived, I was in love! The color and pattern are super trendy and the bright pink inside makes it easy to find stuff. The section that holds my pump also holds my hands-free pumping bra, the cord, and tubes. Plus it has a nifty little pocket you can slip a picture of your little one in which I love. I can fit my planner, work stuff, whatever book I am reading, extra clothes, and more in the main compartment. The front pocket has a key chain which I have attached our pumping room key to so I always know where it is.
The Pumparoo bag is a must. Even if you can’t justify the cost of the pumping bag, pick up a Pumparoo. I love the fact I can wash my parts and throw them in the bag without worrying about getting everything else wet. It also saves me from giving everyone a show of my pump parts on the mornings I am rushing and forget to zip my bag. And once I finish pumping, the Pumparoo bag is plenty big enough to throw my sweaty gym clothes in!
The bag has been a lifesaver. It has decreased the number of bags I carry to work and given me a new level of confidence. In fact, I have even gotten some compliments on my bag! Sarah Wells has some new bags coming out May 1st I love so if you aren’t a backpack girl, check out her new bags. But seriously, do yourself a favor and invest in a bag. I promise you it will be a purchase you won’t regret. Being a working, pumping mom is tough and companies like Sarah Wells are helping to make it easier, trendier, and normal. Check out my pictures below and then head over to Amazon to pick up your own Sarah Wells bag today!
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The First Day
We found a wonderful daycare. I started searching before I even told anyone I was pregnant because around here, the waiting lists for infant daycare are months long. Typically you find one, put your name on a list, and then call and be as annoying as possible until you secure a spot. This is not me. And so, when I found a daycare I liked and they also promised me they would have a spot and I didn’t have to call back until H was here, I was overjoyed. The Friday before the first day, I went up to the daycare and spent way too long in H’s room asking questions and mostly just standing there. This was where, in a few short days, I was going to drop off my tiny, 12 week old baby. Thankfully, I am not the first new working mom to walk through those doors and the ladies who love on H every day are amazing. They calmed my nerves and loved me through it all.
I cried dropping H off at daycare the first day. Like ugly cried. Right in the middle of the room. And it did not faze a single soul in the room. It was as if they understood. After Monday, my gracious husband volunteered to drop H off. This made the most sense with our jobs and I am not sure he wanted to see me cry every morning. 6 or so months later, it is still tough on the days I have to cover drop off.
After saying good-bye and composing myself, I headed back to my job. It was a lovely first day getting back into the swing of things and chatting with co-workers I hadn’t seen in a while. The ladies at daycare sent me updates and pictures throughout the day and at 5:00, I hurried home to snuggle my sweet boy. I was pretty proud of myself for not crying at work and for successfully navigating a full day of work, pumping, and being away from H.
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The Faint Line
To catch you up to my current life, I have to go back a little. It all began with one faint line. Ok, well, it began before that, but this is not a lesson in human biology. After one faint line, I went and bought a pregnancy test that declared you pregnant or not pregnant just to be sure.
Yep. Pregnant.
In your late 20s, this is an acceptable thing. Especially if you are married. And especially if you live in southern Indiana. In fact, I was late to the baby game. Several of my friends were on number 3 or 4. But the faint line was not my plan. Fast forward 10.5 months (because H as I will call him did not want to come into this world), and I was holding my handsome little man. (also, pregnancy is actually 10 months, not 9..)
After a rocky first week, we started to get into a routine and by week 7 of my maternity leave, I actually started venturing out of the house with H. This was nerve-wracking and I realized very quickly how horrible everyone else drives. (and also got honked at several times for going to slow-PRECIOUS CARGO PEOPLE!) I had the great luxury to take a full 12 weeks off work. I cherish those 12 weeks and have become an increasingly strong advocate for paid maternity leave (which I am sure will come up later). H and I got into a routine, figured out breastfeeding, and bonded in some incredible ways. And while those 12 weeks we by way too fast, when it was finally time to head back to work, I felt ready. I wasn’t sure what I was ready for, but I also did not feel the depression and agony most people described I would or should have.
And so I spent a final weekend snuggling with my little man and preparing everything we needed for Monday. I packed diaper bags and work bags and lunches and bottles. I doubled checked the car seat and laid out my clothes and his. I avoided talking about it and even avoided church because I could not deal with one more person asking me about the impending Monday.
..stay tuned for The First Day.
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Adventures of a Working Mom: The Intro
The other day I was driving and lamenting to myself about something..I honestly can’t remember what it was at this point and in the grand scheme of life, I am sure it was petty. In the course of my internal wrestling, I realized how much I missed writing. Becoming a mom certainly changed my entire life (more on that to come..) and I realized I missed this little corner of my world. I abandoned it for a while because I felt I had nothing to say. My former adventurous, traveling the world life has been replaced with a job in corporate America and I often found myself struggling to find any purpose or sense it in all. Mostly though,I was struggling with hitting the publish button because I while I have countless blogs written, I would get to the end and think to myself, no one wants to read this and so it would be put on the shelf and another few months would go by. Near the end of my drive, I decided I was going to stop lamenting and take up writing again. But I was going to shift my focus to write about the adventures and joys and struggles of being a working mom. I landed on this because here in little southern Indiana, I feel like somewhat of an anomaly and because it is something I do every single day.
According to a statistic from Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of women (with spouses) working with children in the house under 18 is 67.8% . There are a lot of us moms who work out there. And yet, there is still this stigma attached to it which somehow seems to translate being a working mom into a task we grudgingly do while we spend our days wishing we could all stay at home. I do not say this to start any mommy wars, because come on, being a mom is hard enough, we should all just stop with the drama and pettiness. I say all this to give you a point of reference. Because.. deep breath..most days, I love being a working mom.
Ok, now pick your jaw up off the floor and stay tuned. I promise to write about the highs and the lows, I promise to not to impose my decision on you, and I promise to keep it real (also to write more than every 6 months). Because let’s be honest, one of my daily thoughts is, “I hope I don’t leak milk all over my shirt during my meeting.” And now I want to ask you for something. The next time you encounter a working mom, don’t pity her or ask her about staying home. Don’t add any guilt on her lap (trust me, she has enough of that). Just invite her for lunch or dinner or coffee because I promise you, she wants that more than anything and if you are fellow mom, you have plenty in common aside from your working vs. not working status to talk for hours.
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2015: The Year of Patience
This time last year, I was considering my resolutions for 2015 and rather than a list of things I wanted to accomplish, I chose a word. Ironically the word was patience. Somewhere along the year, I lost track of my word, however, my word never lost track of me. This was a year of patience. The definition I used last year was quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence. I can definitely see those themes woven throughout the year, even when I may not have even realized it.
Perhaps because I was pregnant a good chunk of the year, patience was consistently a theme. Growing a baby is a slow process. And our sweet little guy waited an extra two weeks to make an appearance. I had to laugh today when I looked back and saw my word for the year was patience. Whether I wanted to learn it or not, my baby boy has taught me a lot about patience and a lot about living in the moment. From his late arrival to his sweet baby coos and snuggly demeanor, I never knew I could love so fiercely. And I have a feeling he will keep me on my toes for the rest of his life.
I also learned a lot about patience through launching and running a ministry to women in our local strip clubs. I kept telling people it would be a slow ministry, but telling people and fighting the discouragement that can bring are two different animals. As I look back over a year of consistently hanging out in a strip club, I can tell you I learn more about patience each time I go. I am continuously reminded pursuing relationships with broken people is never easy and takes time. However, this is what Jesus called us to do and time and compassion are exactly what is needed inside those walls.
The list could go on of ways I have seen God build patience in me. And while I am no master at patience, I can honestly say God used this year to grow in me a quiet perseverance. 2015 has not been one of long lists of accomplishments, career climbing, or resume building. However, it has been a year of sweet conversations, baby cuddles, and saying no to a myriad of activities. It has been a year of refocus and new identities. It has also been full of plenty of moments when I wondered what God was doing. I am still not sure in a lot of those moments, but I do believe with all my heart each moment was and is being used to teach me patience.
So see you later 2015. Thanks for the memories, lessons, and experiences.
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One Last Update..
I am officially due in 4 days. Several of my co-workers stop by each morning to check in and see if I am still here. When I see other friends they ask, “are you still pregnant?” (if the belly wasn’t a dead giveaway, I am not sure what else would clue you in) In their defense, two weeks ago I told them I could have the baby any day after a different doctor seemed convinced our little guy was going to come that day. He was all like, “have you packed? installed the car seat?” and I was like “nope, I have three weeks left and my doctor doesn’t get back until the 8th.” He seemed very convinced I wouldn’t make it until the 8th. So I went home and packed and had my dear husband install the car seat. Needless to say, the doctor seemed a little surprised when we showed up to our appointment a week later still pregnant.
Two and a half weeks have now passed and yes I am still pregnant. I am sitting at a little over 39 weeks and the baby is sitting on my bladder. So I make what seems like 100 trips to the bathroom a day and endure the daily barrage of “are you still here?” questions. Technically our little guy still has a few days left and I gave him strict instructions he was to wait until our doctor got back in the country so maybe he is listening. My blood pressure is perfect and the baby is fine so no one is in a rush for him to come except for my sweet husband who is beyond ready to meet our little guy. It’s precious really, but then again, he doesn’t actually have to go through the whole labor and delivery process. (although he gets major props for all the preparation he has done for the process)
Honestly though, I am tired of being pregnant. This was the first time I have actually felt ready to be done. I have had a very easy pregnancy so I felt like I had no room to really complain, but I am tired, nauseous, and ready to be done. Everyone assures me this is normal. I think the worst part is I have spent the better part of the last two and a half weeks thinking I could go into labor at any moment. Not the most fun way to spend your time let me tell you. And for the past three days I have had what I suppose are contractions, but apparently they are not the real deal because they are just mostly annoying.
Aside from the “are you still pregnant?” question, the other question I get asked most often is “are you ready?”. It takes every ounce of me to hold my sarcasm in check when people ask this as I know they are well-meaning. But let’s be serious, how do you actually get ready for a baby? Sure, his clothes are washed, the crib is set up, the car seat installed, diapers bought, and freezer meals are made, but according to everyone else this little guy is going to change our lives. How do you actually prepare for that? I don’t think you can. This is really hard for my Type A personality, but as I have learned the past two weeks, babies don’t come with schedules. Despite walking around for two weeks being told I could have the baby anytime, I am still pregnant. And it’s totally fine. In fact, it’s been awesome because I canceled everything on my calendar and have been able to spend a lot of sweet time with my husband. We have talked and laughed and enjoyed our time together just the two of us. Because our lives are about to change. And no one can prepare us for what lies ahead. So we are just waiting. And walking. And eventually this little guy will come! Until then, yes I am still pregnant.
See you on the other sleep-deprived side.
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Called to Heart Ache
Seven months ago I stepped into a local strip club for the first time. Unprepared and unsure of what would happen next, we went and simply asked if it we could keep coming to support the girls who work there. I believe with my whole heart Jesus loves them and His love compelled us to go. While I believe God can open any door He feels like, I was still a little surprised when we were met with excitement and an absolute yes. In fact, the #1 question I get when I talk about our ministry is “what do the club owners think?” And honestly, I can’t explain it. Perhaps they understand at some level the job is tough and perhaps they are just curious. I think they struggle to comprehend why a group of church ladies would care about them or their club. We are typically the ones picketing outside, not the ones sitting across the table from a dancer asking her about her day and her kids.
Seven months later, going into the clubs hasn’t gotten any easier. As I left last night, my heart was broke in a million pieces once again. I listened to a girl recount a story of incredible loss and addiction and I struggled to respond. My heart ached for her. Over the last seven months, not only have I worked hard to grow a ministry, I have been growing a child inside of me. Perhaps more than anything in my life thus far, this has changed me. As I sit and listen to the girls we serve, my new mom heart gets so easily overwhelmed. I ache for them. I hurt for them. And some days, I want nothing more than the ability to wave a magic wand and change their lives. But I don’t have a magic wand or all the answers. All I do have is a deep relationship the One who can heal broken hearts. The One who can take loss and hurt and pain and make it new. So we pray. And we keep going. And we keep loving and pursuing. And my heart keeps aching. I am confident this is what God has called me to do. To ache for them as He does. To pursue them as He does. And to point them to Him. Because I don’t have the answers. I can’t change their life. I can’t make the hurt and loss go away. But I can sit with them in their hurt and listen. When the words escape me, I can simply be there. And isn’t that what we all want? Someone to listen. Someone to care about our story. Someone to ache with us or rejoice with us or laugh with us.
So while I will never say going is easy, I will keep going because God has called us. His heart aches for them and He has called us to the mission of aching for the things that break His heart. It’s messy. It’s tough. It breaks my heart. And it pushes me to dig deeper into Christ and pray hard for my own heart and for the ladies I see week in and week out in the club.
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35 weeks.. 35 days to go..
This week, I started to feel pregnant. I mean, uncomfortable pregnant. On Sunday I got so hot I thought I might pass out. Mind you, it wasn’t super hot, but my body has lost all ability to control its own temperature. Then I must have gotten an awful leg cramp at some point because on Saturday and Sunday I limped around looking pathetic because it hurt so bad. Yesterday I got up and when I tried to lay back down, the baby had wedged himself into the most uncomfortable position possible. I just sat in bed at 5am debating on whether to just get up or try to poke him enough to get him to move. I could go into more details of uncomfortable pregnancy woes, but I will spare you and leave it with these days, pregnancy is getting tougher.On top of feeling pregnant, my doctor told us last visit he has conveniently planned a trip to Greece the two weeks before my due date. I am still hoping he changes his mind given the current crisis, but I have also given baby Schmitt strict orders to stay inside until August 11. (and of course, he will listen to me because I am his mom:)) In all reality though, I am super thankful Jordan and I have done so much preparation for birth. As sad I will be if I deliver while my doctor is overseas, I know we will be just fine. Plus, my doctor already gave me permission to tick off another doctor just in case he doesn’t make it.
Perhaps the craziest thing to me is how close we are to meeting our little guy. 35 days is just barely over a month away. The nursery is mostly done and I think I have almost everything we need. My dear friend took some maternity pictures this weekend which makes me feel better about the fact I have failed on the whole “take-a-bump-picture” each week trend. We have been good every 5 weeks or so, but it usually takes about 10 tries to get one I like and even then they aren’t anywhere close to high quality. I mostly do it for my mom and grandmas who live far away. I have returned most of my birthing books-at this point, I have read and researched enough. The next 5 weeks are going to be all about relaxing, yoga, and deep breathing. My brain is so crammed full of information about labor and delivery, I need to just let it rest. At the end of the day, we have done a lot to get ready for this and I just need to enjoy the last couple of weeks. Soon enough I will miss the kicks and punches in my belly and have a tiny baby for which I am responsible. Not to mention, the next five weeks include finishing up work, the county fair, transitioning some ministry responsibilities, and cleaning. That’s a plenty long to-do list!!
So baby Schmitt, we love you and we can’t wait to meet you, but please please don’t come too early. Greece isn’t close to the hospital.
