Friday Features: Guest #3: Alex

My journey to stay at home motherhood & lessons in humility:

Living this quote to “do small things with great love,” has a special place in my heart. Raised as a cradle Catholic as the oldest of eight children in a high-achieving family, doing “small” things was never something I aspired to. My prayer was always to do “something big” for God! I married young and completed my Masters degree as a board certified Nurse Practitioner. As we were blessed with more children and decided to homeschool, the balance of working outside the home became a struggle. After having my fourth baby this past year, I’ve finally decided to step away from my career for this season and be home full time with my children. Although this is definitely a blessing, I’m learning how to unite the small, hidden things I do as a mother to the Lord! Learning to perform well without the paychecks or the external accolades has been a struggle and lesson in humility for me! However, Mother Teresa has always been a favorite saint, and her quotes truly inspire me in the day to day. I have hung this one on my wall & it’s become a sort of daily devotion for me, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” It reminds me how the “small things” I’m doing at home, are actually the “big things,” I’ve always dreamed of. For women coming from high-performing careers or similar healthcare fields who have a difficulty in this transition to at home motherhood, I encourage you to pray to Mother Teresa and the understanding of what true humility is. It’s an on-going journey for me and learning prayers like the “Litany of Humility” or “Litany of Trust,” has also been helpful along the way! You can follow along my journey where I offer encouragement in joyful motherhood & more at @alexandriaderose on Instagram and my blog joymamablog.com. I’ll leave every mother with another favorite by C.S. Lewis, “Children are not a distraction from the most important work, they are the most important work.” May all mothers everywhere know the dignity and worth of this beautiful vocation! 

Love, Alex 

About Alex