Mommy Monday
Welcome to Mommy Monday! In honor of the upcoming holiday, for the next 6 weeks I will be posting interviews with Mothers who I admire. These are women from all different backgrounds and walks of life that I have been lucky enough to be acquainted with. Some just for a brief time, others almost a lifetime. I hope that you will enjoy these Mommy Mondays and walk away with a lighter step and a smile on your face.
My first interview is with Cyndi Anderson, who resides a few miles up the road from me in a small town called Goldbar.
I chose Cyndi for a few reasons. (Truthfully the first reason is she is about one of the best cooks I know!! ) Cyndi loves to serve, and does so all the time, with all her heart. I’ve rarely seen her slow down over the years. When other women at her point in life are starting to say enough, she just keeps on giving.
She really is an inspiration.
She is Mother to three daughters, Tricia 30, Melody 25 and Karly 20.
I’m super excited she agreed to be interviewed for our first Mommy Monday.
I know you don’t like to talk about your current age (29 right??) but how old were you when you found out you were expecting Tricia?
I was 24. I had married at 20 and immediately wanted kids so 4 years seemed like a long wait.
How did you feel about being pregnant?
I was so excited! I had been told about six months before I became pregnant that we would most likely never have children on our own. We had barely started the adoption process when I found out I was
pregnant.
As a young Mother, was there anything that you said you would never do?? As in, “ I will NEVER give my kids macaroni & cheese!” but of course ended up totally changing your plan after she arrived?
I had to think about this one.. I think that Tricia had it the hardest. I didn’t let her play with Barbies or watch cartoons. I was very strict. When Melody and Karly came along I had grown up a little and relaxed those restrictions. I didn’t have a lot of set ideas in my head about raising kids.
I have always admired your heart for teenagers. Many adults RUN from that age, even now that your own kids are grown you seem drawn to them. Why?
I love teenagers! They both inspire me and drive me crazy. I love that they are making life decisions and being able to be apart of that. I like how funny they are and how if you just love them they respond. They don’t always become Christians, which of course is what I want for them, but I always tell myself that I am planting seeds in their lives. I love to be able to teach them truth and tell them stories about what God has done in my life.
There is a time that I’m thinking of particularly, you had 3 extra girls living with you!! Tell me about that time and what lead up to it?
The first girl we brought into our home was Hosannah. Her parents had promised her she could play soccer in High School and then moved. They asked us to take her for the soccer season. Our daughters were 16, 11 and 6 at the time. A few months after we took in Hosannah there was a family we knew could not cope with one of their daughters. They were going to put her into foster care and I could not sleep thinking of it. I knew this girl had gone through hell in her life already and I just could not do this do her. We then brought her home. A couple of months after that a family in the youth group had a struggle with one of their daughters so we brought her home to live with us as well. She stayed about a year. It was a time of teenage girls at our house. Every day was a different crisis, sometimes multiple times each day. We were a house of females.
She really is an inspiration.
She is Mother to three daughters, Tricia 30, Melody 25 and Karly 20.
I’m super excited she agreed to be interviewed for our first Mommy Monday.
I know you don’t like to talk about your current age (29 right??) but how old were you when you found out you were expecting Tricia?
I was 24. I had married at 20 and immediately wanted kids so 4 years seemed like a long wait.
How did you feel about being pregnant?
I was so excited! I had been told about six months before I became pregnant that we would most likely never have children on our own. We had barely started the adoption process when I found out I was
pregnant.
As a young Mother, was there anything that you said you would never do?? As in, “ I will NEVER give my kids macaroni & cheese!” but of course ended up totally changing your plan after she arrived?
I had to think about this one.. I think that Tricia had it the hardest. I didn’t let her play with Barbies or watch cartoons. I was very strict. When Melody and Karly came along I had grown up a little and relaxed those restrictions. I didn’t have a lot of set ideas in my head about raising kids.
I have always admired your heart for teenagers. Many adults RUN from that age, even now that your own kids are grown you seem drawn to them. Why?
I love teenagers! They both inspire me and drive me crazy. I love that they are making life decisions and being able to be apart of that. I like how funny they are and how if you just love them they respond. They don’t always become Christians, which of course is what I want for them, but I always tell myself that I am planting seeds in their lives. I love to be able to teach them truth and tell them stories about what God has done in my life.
There is a time that I’m thinking of particularly, you had 3 extra girls living with you!! Tell me about that time and what lead up to it?
The first girl we brought into our home was Hosannah. Her parents had promised her she could play soccer in High School and then moved. They asked us to take her for the soccer season. Our daughters were 16, 11 and 6 at the time. A few months after we took in Hosannah there was a family we knew could not cope with one of their daughters. They were going to put her into foster care and I could not sleep thinking of it. I knew this girl had gone through hell in her life already and I just could not do this do her. We then brought her home. A couple of months after that a family in the youth group had a struggle with one of their daughters so we brought her home to live with us as well. She stayed about a year. It was a time of teenage girls at our house. Every day was a different crisis, sometimes multiple times each day. We were a house of females.
6 girls in the house at once!! Crisis indeed!! Do you still remain in contact with these girls?
I am still in touch with all of them, although they all live out of state. I still pray for them all and love them very much.
Talk to me about having adult children. Is it harder than having babies at home?
No, for me it is not harder. For me, the teenage years were the hardest. The decisions are so life altering that they are making at the time. When they are adults you influence them, but you also understand that they need to make their own decisions. The hardest part of that time is adjusting to them making those decisions and not stepping in too quickly or too much. Sometimes I have to refuse to help them. That part is hard. With teens you still feel responsible and have that worry of doing it wrong. I remember praying when my kids were young that I would remember what it was like to be a teen when my kids got there and hoping it would help in those years.
Do you have any ‘Cyndi Words of Wisdom’ for young mothers?
Pray all the time. It is God who will draw your kids. Don’t wait until your kids are grown up to do the things God has given you passion for. Your kids will be better for having watched you serve and use your gifts. Be content. Make as few rules as possible, then stick with them.
I am still in touch with all of them, although they all live out of state. I still pray for them all and love them very much.
Talk to me about having adult children. Is it harder than having babies at home?
No, for me it is not harder. For me, the teenage years were the hardest. The decisions are so life altering that they are making at the time. When they are adults you influence them, but you also understand that they need to make their own decisions. The hardest part of that time is adjusting to them making those decisions and not stepping in too quickly or too much. Sometimes I have to refuse to help them. That part is hard. With teens you still feel responsible and have that worry of doing it wrong. I remember praying when my kids were young that I would remember what it was like to be a teen when my kids got there and hoping it would help in those years.
Do you have any ‘Cyndi Words of Wisdom’ for young mothers?
Pray all the time. It is God who will draw your kids. Don’t wait until your kids are grown up to do the things God has given you passion for. Your kids will be better for having watched you serve and use your gifts. Be content. Make as few rules as possible, then stick with them.
Enjoy your kid’s, it’s not boot camp!
Ok here is the fun question (I mean this can’t be ALL serious)
If you could bake and share anything, what would it be and who would it be with?
That is a hard one because I am a little torn. I love to bake bread pudding and share it with Elaine Tolson because she makes me feel special every time I make it. I also love to cook Thanksgiving dinner. It is my favorite meal of the year to cook and bake. I would share it with everyone I know and love, which you include you dear sister. That might be a lot of people but I would still want it to be cozy. Probably wishful thinking. In my mind it is chaos! I love to cook and try everything different. I have a rule that I cannot posses a cookbook that I don’t try the recipes from. That keeps me trying new things and stretching as a cook.
A very big thanks to Cyndi for doing this interview with me!! What a blessing.
Cyndi is also a fellow blogger, her musings and wisdom can be found here.
Ok here is the fun question (I mean this can’t be ALL serious)
If you could bake and share anything, what would it be and who would it be with?
That is a hard one because I am a little torn. I love to bake bread pudding and share it with Elaine Tolson because she makes me feel special every time I make it. I also love to cook Thanksgiving dinner. It is my favorite meal of the year to cook and bake. I would share it with everyone I know and love, which you include you dear sister. That might be a lot of people but I would still want it to be cozy. Probably wishful thinking. In my mind it is chaos! I love to cook and try everything different. I have a rule that I cannot posses a cookbook that I don’t try the recipes from. That keeps me trying new things and stretching as a cook.
A very big thanks to Cyndi for doing this interview with me!! What a blessing.
Cyndi is also a fellow blogger, her musings and wisdom can be found here.
Comments
I am excited to read them all....
Cyndi, Please make the Bread Pudding for Sunday...You asked and I couldnt think of something..Please make that...
I have to say, when I read the last question, I immediately thought, "well, my mom would say she should make bread pudding". I smiled when I read her answer ;)
(btw, great idea amber!)