This is Amber Haines (along with hubby Seth). She’s super smart and fun (even though we’ve never met in person, I already like her.) She embarked on a rather creative and cool endeavor in writing/editing a book for moms, entitled Mother Letters. Click the cute graphic below to find out more.

I figured it would be best to let Amber tell you her journey. I pray it’s an encouragement to you to think about what God is doing in your life, then possibly create an amazing book from the experience. Here’s my fun interview:

Tell me the journey it’s taken to write/compile this book.

I studied to receive my MFA in poetry, but decided to drop out to have these babies. I gave up writing for a while, started a blog to show my far-away mother photographs of my babies, and then one day, I found a blog by a woman with a ton of kids, and she wrote powerful creative non-fiction.

It set me free to share my heart. In my sidebar, I linked to my favorite bloggers. In an effort to create a gift gift for me, he asked those bloggers to write me a letter of encouragement. Those bloggers started spreading the word, and for Christmas that year, I received nearly 600 letters that all began with “Dear Mother.”

My kids are now teens, and I have to be honest. I’ve FORGOTTEN what it’s like to parent younger kids. That I survived is a badge I wear proudly, and I’m utterly enjoying the teen years. Give me and my readers a picture of what it’s like to parent younglings.

Parenting younglings sometimes feels like one of the dreams where you’re trying to run, but your legs just won’t work.  I can load the dishwasher, nurse a baby, order pizza, and teach reading all at the same time, but I can’t seem to catch who it is ripping the cereal bag clear down the side, and I’m always saying, “I can’t remember what it was I came in here for.”

What parenting books blessed you in the past few years?

I love the poet Beth Ann Fennelly who wrote Tender Hooks. Most often, I’m not looking for some how-to’s. I just want encouragement and understanding, and Fennelly gives me that even if I’m just reading her in Southern Living.

What is the most important thing you’d like your kids to know-know-know by the time they go to college?

God loved you first, before you ever even considered Him, before you messed up, or even thought of messing up. The world isn’t on your shoulders, so do the next thing God’s telling you to do, and release the rest, and know that you are loved.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

I’m a vanilla girl! Make it homemade with some hot fudge and a sprinkling of walnuts.

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Here’s a little bit more about the process:

 

Mary here: If you’re interested in the very amazing book, click the link below (full disclosure: this is an affiliate link). Right now the price is $6.99.

Note: Her photos are from mgb photo: http://www.malloryberry.com/