The Spark. Apple Blossom. Mind reading.

Happy Monday, Valley Moms!

💪 Mom thought of the day! We are master multitaskers. Studies reveal that moms can switch between tasks faster and more efficiently than those without children — it’s practically a superpower!  

👀 In this week’s issue:

• The relationship “spark”

• Apple Blossom Festival Fun

• Mind reading…

Up first…

MARRIAGE

What’s the deal with “the spark”?

My husband and I went on a weekend getaway recently (here’s where we stayed), and it was, in a word, sublime. We hiked, we laughed, we talked for hours, we ate great food, and we enjoyed every bit of married life sans children. 

It was almost too good. 

On our way home, I got incredibly emotional. I was torn. One part of me could have stayed in our little vacation bubble forever, another couldn’t wait to get home to my little ones, and yet another felt miserably guilty for not wanting to go home just yet. 

When we did arrive home, and reality came crashing down around us (complete with poopy underpants), I asked my husband, “Do you still like me?” I feel like the girl I was in our cabin isn’t the same as the touched-out mother, distracted wife, and hurried writer I am day-to-day, and I was worried about losing “the spark” we had just rekindled.  

As my husband hugged me and reassured me that yes, of course, he likes and loves me, I had a thought. Those getaways are amazing — necessary even — and we plan to take at least one a year. However, they only last a weekend, and we plan on being married for a lifetime. I decided to become committed to fanning the flame in our marriage. Here’s what that means to my husband and me:

📵Phones go to bed when the kids do — hello, do-not-disturb mode! Post-bedtime is our time to play a game, talk (or not talk), read; the list goes on.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Prioritize alone time. My husband has Mondays off, and we’ve made sure to get one-on-one time on that day, whether that’s running an errand, going to lunch, or just relaxing on the couch. You might not have that weekly luxury, so do your best to find the little moments where you can be alone together (read: alone together, not alone with your devices). 

✨Not panicking when it feels like the spark has died out. Every couple goes through slumps. The good news is you don’t always have to jet off on vacation to get it back. Intimacy is in the details, the way you talk to each other, the way your hands touch as you pass by each other. We’ve put a lot of stock in “the spark” and freak out when it feels like it’s fading when, in reality, it’s likely right in front of you. 

🙏 Praying for each other. We’re really bad at praying with each other, but we both do a really great job of praying for each other and our marriage. Get good at at least one of those disciplines, and you’ll see the Holy Spirit move in some powerful ways — beware: your prayers more than likely change your heart, not your husband’s. 

QUICK QUESTION!

AROUND THE VALLEY

Apple Blossom Festival is in FULL SWING!

The Apple Blossom Festival is one of the most cherished Wenatchee Valley traditions — and there’s so much left to enjoy! If you’ve missed out on the fun thus far, here are some important dates coming up:

May 1

• All Service Club and Community Luncheon*

May 2

• Apple Blossom Arts and Crafts Fair (thru Sunday, May 4th)

• Tour de Bloom (thru Sunday, May 4th)

• Classy Chassis Parade and Car Show (thru Saturday, May 3rd)

May 3

• Annual Downtown Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast*

• Confluence Health & Ballard Ambulance Apple Blossom Run*

• 4th Annual Road Apple Roulette*

• Stemilt Grand Parade

May 9

• Washington Trust Bank Apple Blossom Appreciation Golf Tournament*

*Indicates required ticket purchase or registration

For more information and/or to purchase tickets/register, visit appleblossom.org 

MOM THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Your kids can’t read your mind

One of the best pieces of parenting advice I’ve ever gotten is, “Your kids can’t read your mind.” You know there are five minutes until dinner, but your kids don’t. You know you’re going to Dutch Bros after grocery shopping, but your kids don’t.

The moral of the story? Over-communicate with your kids.

Tell. Them. Everything.

Most days, I’m narrating each step of our to-do list. It has significantly reduced (not eliminated — there’s no magic spell for that) tantrums and made my day and my kid’s day go much smoother.

ONE LAST THING

You’re not enough — and that’s okay!

The world wants you to think that you’re all you need in this life. You can farmboy (farmgirl?) your way through your daily to-dos without help.

This is a harmful lie.

Truth is, Mama, you’re not enough — and that’s okay! We were never, ever designed to go through life alone. You’re not a failure if you lean on your village; in fact, we’d say if you have a village to lean on, you’ve got a leg up in life.

Don’t have a community? We want to be the first members! Reach out to us, and we can connect you with tons of great resources for moms!

💝 Thanks for reading! Who’s got a good date night idea? Email us and share your best date night memory with your better half!

🗒️ This just in! Only 75% of our subscribers have read through the entire Bible!

👯‍♀️ Keep up with us @valley_moms on IG. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].