Hello from Guatemala!!!
I am so excited to be here! For the past few years, our church has sent a group of teens and youth leaders to a remote area there to serve with a ministry for kids and teenagers. Many of the moms will bring their kids to these events and then just stick around, so it’s been on the heart of our church leadership to send some moms to just be with these moms and help them feel seen, to pray for them, and encourage with them. So, I’m here with 3 other moms from our church getting to do that for the next week. I’m so grateful and humbled to be here!
This is a bucket list experience for me. Many of you know David was adopted and he was born domestically, but he is Guatemalan. I have such a heart for his mom and ever since we adopted him I’ve wanted to travel to Guatemala and see where his family is from. Getting to do that along with getting to minister to the women here in the country where he is from is such an incredible experience!
Stay tuned for next week when I will share ALL about my trip — and be sure to follow along on Instagram. I’m sharing daily updates of our time here. It has been AMAZING!
Before I left home, we celebrated TWO birthdays in our family this week!!
Happy 4th birthday to my baby boy, Micah! You are the sweetest gift to our home and a constant source of laughter, kisses, and hugs!
You often run up to me and hug me and say, “I love you, mama!” And it melts my heart!
I’ve loved watching you step into new things this year — going to preschool, getting potty-trained, learning your ABC’s and basic addition, learning so many songs and verses and poems! You have an insatiable love for learning and an incredible memory, too. I love that you are hiding God’s Word in your heart from an early age and have such a desire to honor the Lord with your life.
Watching you have such kindness for David and how you are always looking out for him and protecting him makes me fiercely proud. God knew he needed you as a brother and advocate. I’ve also been so touched to see you care for the sweet baby girl we are babysitting for every week! You can give her a bottle entirely by yourself now and you have such a nurturing heart for her.
You are so loved by all your siblings and the joy you bring to them is so sweet to watch!
You ask me often to tell you about what your name means and I love reminding you that you are a tangible reminder to us of “Who is like God?” We are so humbly grateful for the unexpected and surprise gift of your life.
We love you so much, Micah Timothy Paine!! ❤️❤️
(See more photos in my birthday post to Micah on Instagram!)
And, happy 19th birthday, Kaitlynn! I have LOVED watching you step into your giftings so clearly this year as you’ve gone to cosmetology school.
You picked up the skills so quickly (as I was sure you would!) and have become such an incredible stylist and colorist! I love that you will just spur-of-the-moment give someone highlights in our kitchen (with their permission!) on a random weekday night! I’m so excited to watch you graduate and get a job at a salon come September!
I’m pretty spoiled to have you constantly teaching me how to do my hair better and what products to use for it. Plus, I’ve gotten so many blowouts from you this year — which have been the best! It’s incredible to have a live-in stylist for all things clothes and hair and more!
You have such a sweet relationship with your younger siblings and I love that you are always going out of your way to spend time with them and make them feel seen and special.
You’ve also been such a help as we’ve been watching baby girl + you’ve spent countless hours babysitting for our family and others.
This year I’ve also seen you walk through some challenging situations with such maturity and grace. I’m so proud of the woman you are becoming and how much you care for others and have such a compassionate heart — especially for those who are struggling.
You bring beauty and laughter and joy to our lives and are such a gift to our home! I can’t wait to see what this next year holds for you! I love you! 💕
(See more photos in my birthday post to Kaitlynn on Instagram!)
Related to teenage parenting, I got this question this week:
Good morning. I have followed you for years. Do you have any Christian books you would recommend for parents on dealing with the transition to parenting young adults? My only miracle baby this side of heaven turned 18 and graduated this spring. He is taking a gap year and will be living with us until he goes to Bible college next year. We homeschooled throughout, he has always been so easy-going, and we have a very strong bond. But I am really struggling with this transition and I don’t know how to do this with grace and balance, and where and what limits are appropriate, letting go, and also — my heart is breaking. We struggled with infertility and while I am beyond words grateful for him, I never wanted an only child. It’s bringing up a lot of BIG feelings. Thank you.
I’m so grateful for this question. First off, I think you want to acknowledge the grief that you are walking through. This is grief! You’re moving into a new transition and there’s a lot that you’re leaving behind that you want to grieve.
But also there’s a lot to look forward to! So I would just encourage you to allow yourself space to grieve but also look for the gifts and the goodness. You don’t want your child to feel like, “mom is not excited with me about what is to come.” So be excited with them and give yourself space to grieve.
And also, I’d recommend you ask yourself, what is this opening up for you that you might not have had space for before? If you still have a heart to nurture, are there children, other women, or someone else God is calling you to take that energy and pour into with that instinct that He has given you to nurture. I would just really pray about that and ask Him what is that next season for you and what is He calling you into?
I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is to slowly let them go as they grow up. To empower them with more and more responsibility and ownership for their life and to teach them how to ask for help instead of always assuming they need our help. Give your kids appropriate opportunities to make mistakes and fail when they are still under your roof so that you can walk with them through failure and challenges and setbacks.
If we always clear a path for our kids and take care of everything for them so they don’t have to struggle, we are doing them a huge disservice because we aren’t giving them the ability to build the muscle needed to have wings to fly.
So whether they are 8 or 18, be asking: “What can I let my child take ownership of/be responsible for that they are almost ready to do so?” And then start giving them the ownership and the encouragement in that direction.
Encourage them to ask for help when they need it, but when they do ask for help, see if there’s a question you could ask them to encourage them to problem solve.
I think a lot of moms struggle to let their kids be adults and try to overprotect and micromanage because they unknowingly are scared of the future and of their child growing up. Their identity is too tightly wound in their child. They often create dysfunctional and codependent relationships with their kids in the name of trying to “keep them safe” or “protecting” them. This process of slowly letting go, letting yourself grieve these changes, and then choosing to be excited for them and taking advantage of your own new opportunities will help you and your child as you step into each new life stage.
We often see most what we look for. Look for the good, the beautiful, the gifts and you’ll likely find so many around you! ❤️
May we have eyes to see the goodness of God in the midst of the mundane. 💕
Beauty Brands Liter Sale! Salon Liter Products as low as $17.98! (Redken, Kenra, TIGI, Paul Mitchell, CHI, and more)
For a limited time, Beauty Brands is once again hosting their popular Liter Sale and you can get up to 70% off brand-name salon favorites! Choose from over 400 items including CHI, TIGI, Biolage, Paul Mitchell, Redken, and more!
Plus, get an extra $5 off select $24.98+ liters when you use code 22371 at checkout (select liters are marked on the website)! These are AMAZING prices on professional hair care brands like these, so be sure to snag some before they’re all gone!
*SUPER HOT* Sam’s Club Membership Deal — Just $15!
Want to purchase a Sam’s Club membership? Right now, you can get a one-year membership for just $15!
This is a HUGE discount off of the regular price of $60 and a HOT Sam’s Club membership discount and the LOWEST price we’ve seen in months!
This is a GREAT time to lock in the price as they raised the membership fee on May 1st to $60.
Valid through July 5, 2026.
Wondering what the best things to buy at Sam’s Club are? Check out this post with 30+ can’t-miss, must-buy deals at Sam’s Club, compiled from our readers’ suggestions!
In Case You Missed It — Links from Recent Weeks:
10 Genius Side Hustles for Teens — Most teens only hear about mowing lawns and babysitting…but there are so many other creative (and higher-paying!) ways for them to make money! This freebie suggests jobs that will help teens develop important skills and earn significant money this summer.
Free Summer Bucket List for Kids — Looking for fun activities to do this summer with your kids? (And, all on a budget?!) Download our FREE Summer Bucket List with 100 ideas for frugal fun!
Hire a Registered Dietician for Zero Out of Pocket + My Honest Review of Nourish — Are you wanting to make healthy changes in your diet but don’t know where to start? Struggling to hit your health goals or feeling overwhelmed by trying to stay on track? I was there too — and my experience with Nourish has been truly life-changing. Check out this post for my full review and my best tips for getting the most out of your dietician appointments.
French Toast Casserole and Baked Scrambled Eggs ($10 Dinner Idea) — This French Toast Casserole has a crunchy cinnamon topping that takes it completely over the top — and you’ll love how quick and easy it is to assemble. Baked scrambled eggs cook right alongside it at the same temperature and balance the casserole’s sweetness.
My Favorite Non-Fiction Books — As many of you know, I’m a HUGE fan of books and reading. Making reading a priority — even if it’s just a few pages a day — can make a big difference in your life! These are 14 of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I hope you love them as much I do!
