Restore Issue No. 05 | Back to School | August 2022 Thoughts and photos from this year's event Restore Highlights What's a mom to do when this time of year has her feeling overwhelmed? The Back-to-School Blues In This Issue
What's Inside Copyright © 2022, ABF Communications, LLC ~ P.O. Box 1804, Queen Creek AZ 85142 Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERATIONAL VERSION. © Copyright 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. All articles written by Andrea Fortenberry, unless otherwise noted. Some articles contain affiliate links. Photos on Pages 3 6 by Josh and Jennifer Photography. From My Heart to Yours Page 3 RestorePagesHighlights4-6 The Back to School Blues Pages 7-9 Happy Mail Page 10 What's New on the Podcast Page 11
We were able to do new things because we were in a new place and because we carved out the time. We went strawberry picking and did an adventure ropes course with ziplines and learned how to axe throw. We took a two hour day trip to Leavenworth, an adorable Bavarian town in the Cascades. We made great family memories. from my heart to yours Andrea xoxo, 3 It reminded me of the importance of getting out of our normal environment and routines for a bit. It gives us inspiration to try new things and expands our worldview. It doesn’t have to be a big vacation, it could be to a new town, restaurant or coffee shop. It’s taking the scenic route and making the time to slow down a bit.
I hope you’ve had a chance to take a break this summer too. We had a great family vacation in Seattle. We did a house swap with a cousin and her family and it worked out so great! I highly recommend house swapping with family for your next vacation!
When the last days of June rolled around, I realized I hadn’t spent any time on the July issue of the magazine. Much of my time had been focused on Restore (see page four). I could have tried to crank it out between Restore and our family vacation the following week, but I decided not to. I realized it was okay to take a break.
I pray that we’ll all take the wonder of summer with us as we get back to routine and the rhythm of back-toschool. I lost sight of that a bit, as you’ll read on page seven, but I’m resolving to try again.
Sometimes your greatest need will be the exact place God will show up and then ask you to go out and help someone else: At the end of 2016, I was in desperate need of encouragement and restoration as a mom. As I sipped a chai latte at Barnes & Noble after my husband sent me out for a break, God gave me the idea for Restore. If you’re going through something hard right now, trust that God will not waste it. Do not despise the day of small beginnings: When I held my first Restore in 2017, 35 women came. Slowly, God grew it year by year and 240 women attended this year! I’m grateful that God gave me the gift of slow and steady growth instead of a quicker pace. Although I will admit that I’ve been impatient at times, I’ve learned so much along the way and am grateful that God knows what we need and the pace at which we need it.
Restore
After Restore: Soul Care for Moms, I’ve been reflecting, praying and thanking God for all He did. I wanted to share a few thoughts with you: 4 Highlights
Ask people to help you: I have a hard time with this, and this has been an area where God has grown me. You cannot do all God has called you to without help!
Do your best and give God the rest: I’ve learned to stop striving for perfection and instead do the best I can with what I have and trust God with the rest. God can make our little much. He fills in the gaps of our imperfections and our limitations. It’s so freeing when we release control and watch Him work.
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Thank you to everyone who helped with Restore, everyone who prayed for me and the event, and everyone who attended! My cup runneth over.
Partner with amazing people. Ask your friends and your family for help. Don’t let pride get in the way. Asking for help isn’t weak, it’s wise!
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Back to school can be hard on a mom. Some years I handle it with ease, but this year not so much. In my little corner of Arizona, we start school at the end of July, as we’re on a modified year round school schedule. Mid July, I felt completely overwhelmed by my to-do list, by the dozens of appointments to make or reschedule and the myriad of errands and places to go. It felt like death by a thousand papercuts. If someone would have called me and said, “Hey, I randomly have an oxygen tank that I don’t need. Do you know of anyone who could use it?,” I would have taken it in a heartbeat! I felt like I just couldn’t catch my breath and maybe the oxygen would have helped. If you’re thriving in the back-to-school craziness, I’m so glad! Teach me your ways. If you have the back-to-school blues like me, it’s okay. It’s normal and you’re not alone! This too shall pass. to School Blues
The Back
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As I’ve analyzed the past few weeks, there are some things I could have done to make this time of year smoother. Perhaps they can help you now or in a school year to come.
Ask for help: This is my biggest problem most of the time. I try to shoulder everything myself and am surprised when I feel depleted and defeated. Old habits die hard, and this is one I will probably work on the rest of my life.
Simplify: I always enjoy taking my kids school supply shopping, or maybe I just think I enjoy it. Haha! I loved going supply shopping as a kid, but sometimes as a parent, it can be overwhelming. I told my literary agent about this recently and she said that when her kids were old enough, she gave them a budget per child and her debit card and let them do their own supply shopping. She sat at the Subway at Walmart and let them pick out and purchase their supplies from their lists. She said everyone enjoyed it. I think I’m going to try that next year!
Online shopping is always a great option too and makes life easier on a mom. One other way I’m going to try to simplify going forward is to spread out some annual appointments that we have so that the last month before school isn’t so crazy. I’ll sprinkle them out between June and September to make things easier on myself.
Say No: Another reason I felt so extended is that I kept allowing extras, things we didn’t have to do, but wanted to do. At the end of the day, I needed to remember what was essential and say no to what wasn’t, even if they were good things.
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Don’t try to bear the burden of back to school alone. Ask your spouse, a family member or a friend for help. Make your kids pull their weight in taking care of what they can take care of. Asking for help isn’t weak, it’s wise.
Treat Yourself: Every year on the first day of school, I try to do something nice for myself as a summer completion award. Some years I go for a massage or pedicure. Some years, it’s a quick trip to Target to buy myself some new pens or pajamas. This year I went to a 40-minute sauna session and reveled in the quiet. I hope you’ll do the same, treat yourself to something that will make you smile, you deserve it!
----After I dropped my son off at school on the first day, I sat in my car and texted pictures to grandparents. Both my dad and my Abuela wrote me back and told me how they were so proud of me for raising great kids. I sobbed. It was a release from the back to school craziness, but it was also because their words hit a need of every mom: to be reminded that we’re doing a good job. So, in case no one has told you lately, I’m proud of you! You're doing a great job! Even if it feels like no one else has seen or appreciated the thousands of things you’ve done to get your kids ready for back to school, know that God sees! Nothing is hidden from His sight and He knows all you’re doing.
Rest: When life is busy, it can be super tempting to skip out on rest. I don’t know about you, but I get grouchy and more irritable when I’m tired. Don’t neglect rest. When mama needs a minute, it’s okay to take a minute (or many) to take a nap or go to bed early so you can start the next day fresh.
Moms make the world go round and the world is a better place because you’re in it! P.S.
A silly little tradition I have on the first day of school is to play the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” on the first day of school. (I got the idea from a Staples commercial that came out when I was a teenager. My parents thought it was hilarious and now I do too!) Sometimes I play it for my kids and they roll their eyes, but sometimes I play it to myself and have a little laugh. Try it sometime! ��
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One of my favorite things to do as a kid on summer vacation was to send postcards to my friends when we traveled. I also enjoyed being a pen pal to friends both near and far. I'd love it if you sent me a postcard while you're traveling or a letter just for fun. You can send it to: Andrea Fortenberry P.O. Box 1804 Queen Creek, AZ 85142 10 Don't You Love Happy Mail?
What's New on the Podcast Please subscribe, rate and review wherever you listen to podcasts. And even better share it with your friends! Have You Tuned into Our Summer Series? E51: Summer Series Part I E52: Friendship Myths Part 2 E53: How to Make Friends as an Adult Woman Part 3 E54: Vulnerability in Friendship Part 4 E55: When Friendship Hurts Part 5 E56: Friendship Lifecycles My friend Stacey Morgan and I are chatting all about friendship this summer. We hope you'll listen in and that you'll share these episodes with your friends: We have two more episodes to release and hope you enjoy them! You can listen in here or wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. And please don't forget to share it with your friends! 11
