Talk to me Tuesday-Marie Holleman

Today, we are lucky to hear from an amazing woman, mother and author. She is also the brains behind a great site called the Mother Myths Tribe. Feel free to visit her site HERE after reading her interview.

Pearls: First off, what exactly is the "Mother Myths Tribe", and what inspired you to start it?

Marie: Mother Myths Tribe is a place where moms can come together and talk about the good things and the hard things about motherhood. Just being totally open and authentic with out any fear of judgement. What I have learned about motherhood is that it is the greatest accelerator for learning and growing. That all of the hard things about motherhood are given to us so we can learn from them and become more than we would have been with out them.

I started by writing a book called "Confessions of the Everyday Mother" which is just a collection of all my experiences as a mother. Through writing that book I started to feel what I now know as my "soul purpose". In starting a website for moms at first I thought it was just about giving moms a place to chat, but what I came to realize is that I feel deeply connected to serving those moms who feel like they are drowning in motherhood.

Not every mother feels that way, but between cleaning, cooking teaching wiping noses and trying to be everything to everyone, a lot of mothers get lost. They start to see the challenges as a sign that they are not good enough, and looking around see perfection in everyone else but themselves, and start to question whether or not they are really doing what God would want them to do or if they are just a big failure. They see the hard times as a sign of their weakness, where as I see them as a chance for us to just get stronger. Those mothers are the ones who are in my "tribe". Through the things I have learned, I hope to give other mothers the hope that they can make it through, the voice to speak their truth, the tools to learn what to do with the hard times and the knowledge that they are not alone.

Pearls: What do you think is a myth that many women have come to believe?

Marie: Oh man! There are so many....the biggest one is that there is such a thing as perfection (in this mortal life anyways and especially in motherhood). I don't believe in perfection in motherhood, and I don't believe in the word failure. Everything is just a stepping stone and a chance to learn and move forward. So many times we are striving for perfection in motherhood and when we don't make it we just decide we have failed. When in reality, we are striving for something that doesn't exist and when we decide we are a failure we miss the chance to learn what Heavenly Father is REALLY trying to teach us.

Pearls: What are 3 things you love about Texas?

Marie: I love a LOT of things about Texas, one is the weather. Some people hate how hot it gets, but I LOVE the heat and I love the winters here.

I LOVE the bluebonnets in the spring!

Most of what I love about Texas is that my life is here. My husband loves his job, we have great friends here, and we are here.

Pearls: Something you dislike about Texas?

Marie: I don't like the mosquito's! But that's not just in Texas, and I miss those who aren't here....

Pearls: What are some of your hobbies and when do you find the time to do them?

Marie: Most moms (and people in general) see their time in scarcity. I on the other hand have an ABUNDANCE of time, and I still don't know how....

I LOVE TV and movies. I know its silly, but I think in another life I would be a movie and TV producer and writer. I love watching how they lay out story lines, and the camera angles. I love critiquing them and deciding how they could make them even better. I have always wanted to start a consulting company where I tell them how to tweak their movies and TV story lines and "fix" them.

I love to go out to eat, I love girls night outs, I love photography and video editing. A lot of it I do when they are napping or sleeping at night, somethings I can do with them, like photography and video editing, and as for the rest I make sure that make a little time for me. You cant serve from an empty pitcher so I make sure mine is full....

Pearls: What are some things that you do everyday to keep the spirit in your home?

Marie: I will say I am not perfect at this, but things we do are reading scriptures at night, and praying in the car on the way to school. The best advice I ever got about this was to make sure that Jesus Christ was a part of every day conversation. Sometimes we think we have to be careful when using His name so we end up not using it often, but I add it in as we talk about bugs, and the weather, and how grateful I am that Jesus gave me them, and about kindness, and how Jesus gave them their fingers.

Pearls: What is something interesting about yourself? ( ex. quirks, things you like or dislike, clothing you like to wear)

Marie: Quirks....hmmmm.....I don't love pajamas, so 90% of the time my kids wear their clothes for the next day to bed....why make more laundry and take more time for just a few hours of sleeping right? Most people think that's weird....

I also am coaching for a company called called Paid to Play Academy for 5 hours a week which I LOVE, and started another website and piece of this puzzle called Revolution Motherhood. It is always growing and expanding, it's fun and crazy as I just keep moving forward and following this path and LIVING my life. Where as I used to just let my life live me.

Pearls: Where is your favorite spot in the whole world?

Marie: I love a lot of places and hope to see the whole world so I can really decide, but honestly, I do just LOVE my house.

Pearls: Do you have a church calling? If so, what is it?

Marie: I just got called to teach the 14 yr old kids Sunday school. I was in primary, and will really miss my class, but I'm excited to connect with this new group of kids.

Pearls: How do you balance life with 4 kids, blogging, hobbies, church, mothering, school, etc...?

Marie: I take things as they come and live in the moment. Otherwise I am so overwhelmed thinking about the past and worrying about the future. I have an amazing support group, especially my husband and kids, and I know that anything that is handed to me I can conquer with my best friend....Jesus Christ. I know it sounds cheesy and over said, but I have had experience after experience, especially lately that have just reminded me that I get to rely on Him and Him alone! motherhood is part of His plan and He has set it up so that we can become exactly who He planned us to be through it! Even and especially THROUGH the juggling and balancing act called motherhood and life!