Mitten Strings For God, Reflections For Mothers In A Hurry

by Katrina Kenison

This book is another book club book. It's completely perfect for where I am in my life right now. Kenison is a working Mom, raised during the feminist movement, who has chosen to slow her life down and really be mindful of the fleeting time she has with two sweet little spirits. Kenison has re-prioritized her life around finding joy, simplicity, and peace while nurturing her children and her own inner spirit. The book reminds me a bit of The Creative Family although it is focused more on finding peace rather than inspiring creativity.

The book is definitely colored by the Waldorf philosophy but it is mostly reflections on embracing the best parts of parenthood. So many times I wish I had known how short childhood would be and savored it a bit more. Mitten Strings For God celebrates the simple pleasures of childhood and reliving those joys through parenthood. Parenthood is a chance to see childhood all over again from a more grateful perspective. There are so many moments that can be made even more wonderful by allowing a deeper peace and simplicity into our homes.

Growing up, I pictured my life as going down two seperate paths. I pictured a career and education driven life and then a family life with children. I never pictured them together because I could never quite figure out how they would coexist. Sometimes I still feel that way but the more I time I spend on this journey of motherhood, the more I realize that motherhood is as Kenison says: "my true vocation." Lately I've been especially aware of how precious my time is and how fast it slips through my fingers. Being a wife and mother is a truly lovely life and the more I concentrate on it, the more everything else seems to fall into place.

One of the biggest battles I think I will face as a parent is trying to protect my children in a media/consumer driven world where their peers might have a greater impact on them than I will. Creating a family bound together with love and a deep connection is becoming a more elusive task with every passing decade. I think slowing down and really concentrating on important values and fostering a more meaningful connection with my family is the only antedote for the accelerating worldliness my children will face.

The last chapter on choices resonated deeply with me. We make choices on a daily basis about what our priorities are. We choose how to treat our families and we chose how we express our love to each other. I've been trying really hard this year to try and find a rythmn for our life and make sure we are making time for the important things. This book definitely empowered me to keep trying. Kenison's reflections also inspired me really concentrate on the great moments in motherhood.

Great things that happened this week-
• Hearing Red Fish and New Fish giggle together and seeing Red Fish tickle her little sister.
• Doing head stands and summersaults with extended family and seeing Red Fish practice them with her Dad today.
• Sitting in church with my little family and feeling that rush of happiness at actually getting a peaceful moment together.
• Hearing my husband reading to my girls in the other room several times this week just because Red Fish asked.
• Waking up to a sweet two year old climbing into my bed with a stack of books prepared.
• Rocking my baby for an extra long time.
• Holding New Fish while she sleeps on my chest.
• Laying on Red Fish's bed and giggling with her while Daddy sings us goodnight songs.
• The smell of a freshly cleaned baby all ready to snuggle.

There were a lot of moments this week that I really stopped to think about what a great life I have. What a wonderful family I have and how deeply I am blessed. We had friends who unfortunately had a failed adoption this week. It just brought back a rush of memories of that deep longing on wanting these babies in our family so deeply. My family members are little pieces of my heart that I never knew were missing until that ache for each of them took over.