Tag: interview

Categories
Kids/Parenting Ryan/Married Life Fulfillment

Interview with . . . Me!

I’ve been doing several interviews lately, so I was excited to be interviewed as part of an interview meme by Mountain Mama. (I was even more excited to learn that she’s from the Old North State. Come on, you know, where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great.) (North Carolina. Geez.)

On to the questions!

Where is the one place in the world you have always wanted to go and why?
Europe. Probably because I’m an American. And beyond that, because I have a completely romanticized view of Europe. I dreamed of living in England when I was a teenager, and have since been quite taken with Spain (minored in Spanish in college). I’d also love to see Italy (again, highly romanticized view). Beforew we started dating, I learned my husband had backpacked through all these places. I could have smothered him with jealousy. I’ve made him promise to take me one day. I would have made him take me on our honeymoon there, but we thought it was better to go to New Zealand to meet his parents (they were missionaries there at the time).

What about you will most embarrass your children when they grow up?
Probably something terribly normal and stupid like driving them to school or wearing sweatpants or mom jeans. Possibly something obnoxious like this terrible tendency I have to always have to be right. Hopefully not our beliefs or a complete inability to shut up.

What skill or talent have you always wished you possessed?
Having a little boy, I should say athleticism. The only sport I can play is kickball. However, lately I’m really wishing I possessed patience. Man. And after playing the piano for 15 years, I wish I could play by ear. That’s probably the one I’ve “always” wished for. Or the best I can come up with right now.

Who or what do you think has been the greatest influence on your growth/development as a person and why?
Hands down, my religion. I made a quick list of things that it directly influenced: where I went to college, who and when I married, when we decided to have children, the closeness of my family of origin, the things I eat/drink, the standards I keep, the shows and movies I watch, the goals I have in life. Of course, my views on motherhood. It’s all encompassing and beautiful. Also, if it weren’t for my religion, my parents wouldn’t have met, being from opposite sides of the country—so basically I owe my entire existence!

What brings you the most satisfaction in life right now?
The little moments. Today, it was sitting on the couch with Ryan and Hayden. Snuggling with one (or better yet, both) of my boys and not having anything else in the world that I have to think or worry about, even if it’s just for that one minute. It’s especially sweet when Hayden initiates the snuggling. (I do like Ryan to initiate the snuggling, too, it’s just really special coming from my little boy who doesn’t have any other way to express his love.)

Want to be next?
Since this is a meme, it gets passed on. You know, memes are like viruses. Here’s how this one works:

1. Leave a comment, saying “Interview me.”

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to choose the questions.

3. Update your blog with the answers to my questions.

4. Include this explanation and offer to interview anyone who asks.

5. When someone asks to be interviewed, you will email them five questions of your choosing and they will answer on their blog. And so on and so forth.

Categories
Fulfillment

Interview with Michelle (scribbit)

I asked Michelle of scribbit, one of the top ten most popular parent bloggers what brings her fulfillment in motherhood. She responded in an eloquent essay about the relationship between creativity and fulfillment. Read on for more of her excellent insights!

How do I define fulfillment? How do I find it in my life? How do I find fulfillment in motherhood?

Fulfillment is primarily about creativity. To be actively producing, creating, planning and working to make something—anything—is satisfying. Whether it’s as simple as making a dessert, writing a short story or growing a garden or as complex as giving birth to and raising a successful human being for me to find fulfillment I have to be creating. When I can look at something I’ve made it is physical proof that I’ve existed improved my surroundings.

Having small children can mean that finding time to do anything outside of providing basic necessities is impossible but I’ve found that even a few precious moments in each day for creativity—maybe as simple as writing in a journal—helps me to feel fulfilled. Keeping a list of my goals or “to-do” items then crossing them off as I complete them makes me feel as if I’m making progress. Cutting out anything that is unnecessary—prioritizing—helps me focus on the essentials and allows me to stay on-task.

Creativity and production being such vital parts of the job, I’ve wondered if perhaps women who find themselves dissatisfied with motherhood are in a strictly reactionary mode, dealing with one crisis after another (for whatever reason) rather than being in control of their circumstances. On days when I’m so busy all I’m doing is running from one place to another or dealing with multiple emergencies there isn’t time to savor the small joys and triumphs or to feel as if I’m in control of my schedule—it drives me crazy.

As I’m in a job that has no paycheck, no retirement benefits and stock options it’s up to me to find fulfillment because it won’t be handed to me. My goal has been to create a home environment where, when my children and husband walk through the door, they immediately feel they’re in a safe, comfortable, peaceful place among friends—a refuge from whatever might have hit them during the day and a place that they can’t wait to come back to. If I can do that then I’ve made their lives better and thereby made the world a little better. It may sound
corny, but it makes me happy.

Thank you so much, Michelle! I definitely agree that creativity plays a fundamental role in fulfillment, and so do many other people that I’ve interviewed. It’s literally awesome to remember that having a child and rearing a child are creative activities and the important role that mothers play in the lives of their children—and in shaping the future of society.

To read more of Michelle’s thoughts, visit scribbit, a blog about motherhood in Alaska (yeah, Alaska) and one of the top ten popular parent bloggers. Enter her May Write Away Contest for fun, prizes and intellectual exercise!

Categories
Fulfillment Faith

Interview with Shannon (Rocks In My Dryer)

Another one of the most popular parent bloggers has been gracious enough to answer a few questions for me—Shannon of Rocks In My Dryer. Yep, the home of Works-for-Me Wednesday, a weekly compendium of tricks and tips from around the momblogosphere. As always, we talked about motherhood, blogging and fulfillment.

How do you define fulfillment?

Doing what you were created to do, and doing it well.

How do you find personal fulfillment in your life?

I’m a mom, a wife, a Christian, a crafter, a reader, a writer (not all in that order—actually, the order changes almost daily!)

How do you find personal fulfillment through motherhood?

I reject the idea that a woman “defining herself” through her service to her children and husband is somehow demeaning, and that she’s bound to lose herself in the process. It doesn’t have to be true. One of my favorite quotes (I believe it’s from Ralph Waldo Emerson) is “When you serve another’s dreams, you will find your own fulfilled.” That is so profoundly true. I take great personal joy in taking care of the people I love. It fulfills me, it defines me, it makes my own life richer.

Anything parting thoughts?

I do think it’s important for a woman to find something she’s good at, something she enjoys, and pursue it with excellence. Blogging and sewing are two amazing outlets for me. For me personally, creating something (something I’ve sewn or written or given birth to!) is the most fulfilling thing in life.

Thank you so much, Shannon. I love your straight-to-the-point answers and your faith. You’ve hit on many of the themes I find as I examine fulfillment in my life, especially the creative impulse. Thanks again!

To read more of Shannon’s thoughts, visit Rocks In My Dryer, one of the most popular parenting blogs around—and with good reason!

Categories
Fulfillment Faith

Interview with 5 Minutes for Mom

I was privileged to interview the #1 most popular parent blogger, Janice of 5 Minutes for Mom. 5 Minutes for Mom, maintained by Janice and her twin sister Susan, focuses on bringing moms the best stuff on the Internet—parenting, blogging, shopping, you name it. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about motherhood, blogging and (of course) fulfillment.

How do you define fulfillment?

I guess I will start here – but it is a tough question…

In essence, my fulfillment – any kind of true fulfillment for me – comes from living out what God has created me to do. So my greatest fulfillment comes first from my relationship with God and my salvation through Christ. That is the foundation for any other forms of fulfillment in my life.

Motherhood and work both bring me fulfillment as I live out particular callings and gifts that I believe God has purposely given me.

I am called to be a mother. I prayed for years to be a mom and now that God has blessed me with motherhood, I believe I must treasure and respect that calling. It brings me the greatest joy that I have felt here on earth. The intense love I have for my son allows me to understand more fully how powerfully God loves us, His children.

As for my work, I also believe that God has given me certain gifts and goals. While I need to be careful that I do not put these in front of my role as a mother and wife, I feel that they are integral to my personal fulfillment and the fulfillment of my callings.

How does the fulfillment you find through work differ from that which you find through motherhood?

I am sure every mother would agree that they wouldn’t trade anything for the incredible gift of being a mother. Nothing can touch the joy of loving and raising a child.

But as I am sure most mothers would admit, motherhood is the toughest job out there and some days it is enough to drive a woman crazy!

After a miscarriage, I found I needed to get back to my creative side and start writing again. I love my son desperately, but I needed a distraction from “waiting” to get pregnant again. The daily routines of mothering were not doing it for me! Spiritually and emotionally I needed to write and work. I needed to use my creative gifts. I needed an outlet.

From that place, came our blog. It “saved” me in so many ways from the grief of losing my baby and the months and months of wondering if I was ever going to have another child. That tangible effort – the creation of something – brought me a new form of fulfillment. No it isn’t as powerful as motherhood or as important as my relationship to God, but it is a part of my life for which I am so grateful.

Thanks, Janice. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions, and I really appreciate your thoughts and your testimony of fulfillment in motherhood.

To read more of Janice’s (and her sister Susan’s equally good) thoughts, head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom. Oh, and did I mention that they were ranked #1 on the Popular Parent Bloggers. Yeah, they’re good.