Bethany Vitaro - Honest yarns of faith and family
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Bethany Vitaro - Honest yarns of faith and family

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Share Four Somethings May 2025

Share Four Somethings May 2025

June 1, 2025
  • My Books
  • Five Minute Friday
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Family, Parenting

Remembering What Didn’t Happen: Recovering from My Miscarriage

October 25, 2011 by Bethany 3 Comments

I suddenly realized last week that my due date was coming up. I’m referring to the baby I lost last…

Parenting, Women's Health

It’s Official: Baby #2 is Well on the Way

September 1, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

After twelve anxious weeks of waiting, I am pleased to announce that we are expecting our second child. As some…

Parenting, Writing

Wife, Mother, Writer?

August 30, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

I’ve struggled for the past year to get onto a regular writing schedule. No sooner would I have one than…

Parenting

What Happened to Support Without Judgment? Questions from the Mommy Trenches

August 25, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

One of the things I used to love about girls friends, is that unlike most males, they simply offer support…

Faith, Parenting

Mommy, I Love You: Things I Learn from My Daughter

August 23, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

My daughter has begun spontaneously expressing affection. “Mommy, I love you,” she says as she cocks her little head to…

Parenting

Leaving your Child in Someone Else’s Care

August 18, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

When I agreed to send my two year old daughter to the beach with my mother, sister and brother-in-law, I…

Parenting

Mommy’s Day Off

August 16, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

Last Monday afternoon I was suddenly offered something I’ve never had before: a Mommy’s Day Off. My sister and brother…

Parenting

Heat, Humidity and Toddlers Oh My!

July 26, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

The last week the heat wave that swept the nation hit record levels locally. I’ve been feeling sick myself and…

Organization, Parenting, Simple Living

The Ultimate Decluttering and Transformation Project: Back Bedroom becomes Big Girl Room

July 21, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

We only have three bedrooms in our house and the smallest is only big enough for a crib, a dresser…

Parenting, Simple Living

What Children Really Need, Contrary to the Consumer Mentality

June 21, 2011 by Bethany No Comments

I was browsing some sale items on Target.com when an advertising slogan caught my eye: “Babies Need Lots of Stuff,…

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This girl! She just comes to life on stage. The la This girl! She just comes to life on stage. The last three months have been grueling for us all. (Hard work for her trying to learn all the songs, dances and lines and for us managing schedules and transport). 
She'd never done a musical before and it's been quite an experience. In the end, I know she's proud of what she and the rest of the cast accomplished. (And still has two more shows to go!)
So grateful to @chrysostomacademy for opening their doors to homeschoolers and giving her this chance to shine. 

#musicmanjr #chrysostomacademy #parenting #parentingteens #theaterkid #homeschoolkid #babygirlgrowingup
At least seven years, possibly longer. I've lost t At least seven years, possibly longer. I've lost track at this point. 
There is still tons more work to do but I'm officially done with my first full manuscript edit and ready to send this well loved (and sometimes hated) project off to my beta readers. 
Holding my breath and hoping it's as good as I hope and not as bad as I fear. 

#manuscript #firstedit #betareaders #actsofwives #amwriting #amediting #historicfiction #onwriting #amwriting #writerproblems #theendisnear #musedontfailmenow #writingonthego #writerslife #wordcount #80000strong
#justafewmorewords #honestyarns #author #writing #workingtitle #AuthorsOfInstagram #WritersOfInstagram #alwaysawriter
What does rest mean to you? I've always thought of What does rest mean to you?
I've always thought of rest as either physical rest (sleeping) or something like a vacation when there is a freedom from responsibilities. 
I'm taking some time off from work this week and it's harder than I thought it would be. I'm not actually going anywhere so the daily needs of the house and family remain. 
If anything those needs loom even larger because without my job taking priority I suddenly feel responsible and even guilty for all of the undone projects. 
There is a sense of panic about what my in-box might look like when I return, and the need to feel valuable at my job.
Perfectionism raises its ugly head as I try to figure out the ideal, most efficient way to spend my week. 
But instead of galvanizing and exciting me, it paralyzes me. 
All the usual things still need to happen (laundry, cooking and cleaning), my children are still here and my husband is still working his paying job. 
Perhaps what I need most is freedom for my mind and spirit. 
The freedom to not be in charge of everything. The freedom to let go of the outcome (even though it wasn't truly within my control to begin with.) 
While I have always tried to create some sort of Sabbath rest, I wonder if this is the part I'm the worst at. Because the responsibility of life and parenthood never takes a day off. The weight of responsibility for their present and future needs is palpable. Some days I can almost feel my body bend under the pressure. 
Except these children are not mine alone, they are given to me to steward. The same power that spoke the world into motion is at work in their lives too. There are good plans for their life that I have no knowledge of or responsibility for. 
I may not be able to take the week off from parenting but I can take a break from worry and strife. I can be present without having to be pressured to produce perfection, in myself or in them. 
Now I just need to take a deep breath, and begin. 

#honestyarns #sabbathmonday #parenting #sabbath #rest #timeoff #presentoverperfect #freedom #recoveringoverachiever #preventingburnout
The only thing better than having a garden is havi The only thing better than having a garden is having a friend with a bigger, better garden. ☺️ Especially one who lives out in the country and invites you to come harvest berries (and peas) during a heatwave and it's a good ten degrees cooler than at home. 
So grateful for a community of friends that continue to be part of our kids' lives and education in so many ways. Last night was the most relaxing, fun I've had in a while, especially considering this heat. 

#garden #gardenlife #harvestoffriends #berries #summer #summergarden #natureday #notaschoolday #alwayslearning #alwaysgrowing #communityeducation #communityhomeschooling #microfarm
In the last week this kid has turned 15, and finis In the last week this kid has turned 15, and finished her first year of high school. She's become more independent while still being very aware of the benefits of childhood dependence. She's strong and stubborn, funny and deep, delightful and exhausting. 
I see glimpses of possibility and hear whispers of intermittent competence. Most weeks I'm not even sure how I feel about her growing up and I'm for sure grateful that she is my first and not my last. 
But this week has mostly been the joy of milestones completed with cautious moments of optimism. 
They get older. The problems are different. There is still joy, there is still struggle. But we change too. Our shoulders grow stronger and our hands open wider. 
I'm not ready to let go, but I'm getting used to the idea. 

#thisis15 #babygirlgrows #growingup #rootstogrow #wingstofly #celebrate #endofyear #homeschoolyear #honestyarns #faithandfamily
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