Feeling accomplished

I mentioned before that part of my struggle as a new mom who happens to be staying at home is feeling like I'm not doing anything. I know I am nurturing a child and maintaining a household, but nobody seems to want to pay me for that. And for a very, very long time, I have not really been maintaining the household, just basically keeping the walls from falling down around us. There's a poem, "Song for a Fifth Child," that says "Quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep! / I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep." 

I've tried to keep this stanza to heart as I watch dishes pile up, but I am starting to believe part of my recovery or sanity, if you will, has to be finding the time to keep a tidier house. I am using Pinterest to find chore schedules and tweak one to our house's needs, and I'm using an app called "Unf*ck Your Habitat" to motivate myself. 

I feel like a major mood booster at the end of the day is being able to say, I went on a walk, the baby tried a new food, we read three books, AND I organized the pantry, folded and put away three loads of laundry and tidied the kitchen and living rooms. 

I know some days are always going to be better than others, but I think taking pride in my household is important to keeping my head up.

I'm a Warrior Mom

The timing for the opportunity that just came into my life is almost too good to be true. Just as I was starting up this blog, it came to my attention that Postpartum Progress, a charity whose mission is to "improve the health and wellbeing of women and children by increasing awareness of postpartum depression and all other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth..." was looking for volunteers to be part of something called the Warrior Moms Battalion. 
More than 200 women across the United States have signed on to the Warrior Moms Battalion. Hopefully, we are going to spread awareness about PPD, but my personal hope is to reach out to mothers and families locally by starting a support group. I was browsing the Postpartum Progress website, and was shocked to discover there are no PPD support groups in all of downstate Illinois. Nowhere for moms like me to go, to know they aren't facing the battle alone - it seems ludicrous. One in seven women experience postpartum depression or anxiety, according to Postpartum Progress. I think there is a definite need for us to come together and help each other. 
Because I was lucky enough during my pregnancy to stumble onto a great group of moms online, I have seen firsthand the difference that a caring group of people can make, whether they are in your town or online. I know how important it is to have a supportive group of people standing with me as I experience the joys and trials of parenthood for the first time. 
It is so exciting to have this mission. I feel filled with purpose. My best friend just shared a quote on her Facebook: "Allow your passion to become your purpose and then it will become your profession." I feel like that is happening for me right now.