Here is the article that Beth read last night. I would love to hear your takeaways. By A.The Parents’ Review, 1892, pp. 93-95 It is written somewhere, “A mother is only a woman, but she needs the love of Jacob, the patience of Job, the wisdom of Moses, the foresight of Joseph, and the firmness of Daniel.” But a mother has not only to have all these things; she must have them all at once, often when she is quite young, and too often when she has had no previous training of any kind for the marvellously varied duties she has to perform. All at once (to take an extreme case), a young girl who has all her life been sheltered and shielded, not only from every trouble, but from every experience of life, is made responsible for the home happiness of her husband, and (as if that were not enough) for the health and happiness of a smaller or greater number of grown-up human beings whose help she hires for money, who have to be directed, controlled, encouraged, or reproved, and conducted safely along through the infinite dangers of domestic service. Before she marries, she pictures to herself little of the extreme difficulties of managing that most complicated of machines, a household—not for one week only, during her mother’s absence, but for year after year, without stop or stay, for the rest of her time. If these two things are difficult, how very much the case is complicated when a wholly untried responsibility comes upon her, and not only her own health, but that of another depends on how she manages her life. And then, perhaps, just as she is grasping the situation, and one child fills her whole heart, more room is wanted, and more and more, and the servant question goes on, the management of expenditure goes on, the desire to be more than ever her husband’s companion grows stronger and stronger, and the centre of it all is one little woman—wife, mother, mistress all in one! Then it is that she gets overdone. Then it is that she wears herself out. Then it is that, in her efforts to be ideal wife, mother, and mistress, she forgets that she is herself. Then it is, in fact, that she stops growing.

Happy December, mamas! As we enter this beautiful season of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, I’m keeping things simple and light. Our book study will meet once this month, and instead of reading ahead, we’ll read Chapter 7 together—it’s short and perfect for a live reading. We’ll also have Mothers Hour, where you can share a Christmas poem, story, or one of your family traditions. Can’t wait to slow down and enjoy this month with you. Merry Christmas!

How is everyone celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

Mamas, I'd like to invite you to something simple yet significant over the next 24 days. As we move through the rest of this month, I’ve been reminded how powerful gratitude is—not just in our circumstances, but in shaping the atmosphere of our homes and our hearts. It’s so easy to focus on the negative or the things we wish looked different in our lives. But gratitude slows us down, lifts our eyes, and helps us see the goodness already around us. So for the next 24 days ( remainder of November), let’s practice gratitude together. Each day, you’ll return to this thread and share something you’re grateful for. It can be big or small—it all matters. If you want to join, comment “I’m in!” below, and check in each day with your gratitude. I’m excited to walk through this with you. .