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Bethany Broderick

Bethany Broderick

Finding God's Grace in the Everyday Moments of Life

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Category: Motherhood

Motherhood

My Daughter’s Playlist

March 18, 2022April 27, 2022 bethanygwb

When my daughter turned two, she began crafting stages for herself. Any rectangular surface worked—the fireplace hearth, an overturned toy container, even shelf liner pulled from a kitchen drawer. She would grab a makeshift microphone (a flashlight, a princess wand, or a marker), center herself upon the stage, and take a deep breath before belting… Continue reading My Daughter’s Playlist

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Growing in Grace, Motherhood

Love Is

February 18, 2022April 27, 2022 bethanygwb

At 6:41 a.m., love is patient. He is patient with me as I press “snooze” on my phone alarm once, then twice, finally a third time. He waits as I check my email, scroll social media, and sip my coffee before finally pulling out his Word. He does not hold my tardiness against me but… Continue reading Love Is

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Motherhood

Confession in Motherhood

November 12, 2021November 10, 2021 bethanygwb

On a whim the other day, I asked my three-year-old daughter, “What does mommy say a lot?” I hoped her answer would be something like, “I love you,” or “You are my precious treasure,” or even better, some profound Gospel truth. Her blue-gray eyes gazed at mine while she pondered my odd question, then she… Continue reading Confession in Motherhood

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Growing in Grace, Motherhood

Lessons from Daniel Tiger

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 bethanygwb

“Grown-ups come back.” “Find a way to play together.” “If you have to go potty, stop and go right away.” If you’re currently a parent of toddlers, you will know the melodies that accompany the lyrics above from our favorite friendly jungle animal. Each day, my daughter jumps out of her bed after naptime—excited for… Continue reading Lessons from Daniel Tiger

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Motherhood

Tiny Discipleship

June 18, 2021August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

My daughter chatters and slurps her yogurt and honey at the breakfast table while I feed rice cereal to my son in his highchair. She narrates her favorite parts of the new Disney movie we watched last weekend, Raya and the Last Dragon, and raises her voice and spoon for dramatic effect. I’m half listening,… Continue reading Tiny Discipleship

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Motherhood, Theology

The Better Parent

June 11, 2021August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

One rainy Monday morning, frustrated tears slid down my two-year-old daughter's cheeks before we even made it out of the bedroom. I coaxed her sobbing body into the kitchen, still insisting she wanted Play-Doh not breakfast, but she slumped to the floor seeing the waffles I made. Already exhausted from the morning's conflicts, I conceded… Continue reading The Better Parent

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Motherhood

Gray Toy Baskets

March 19, 2021August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

For four years, we hosted weekly dinner parties with friends in our tiny newlywed apartment. What we lacked in space, we made up for in homemade dinners and a large board game collection. Two or three couples would squeeze around our hand-me-down table eating lasagna and playing Settlers of Catan. Some of our sweetest friendships… Continue reading Gray Toy Baskets

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Growing in Grace, Motherhood

Look Up

November 13, 2020August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

I massage the back of my neck after laying my son down in his bassinet. Three months of nursing and constantly looking down to check on him has worn my weak neck muscles. I stretch out my neck and shoulders one more time then walk towards to the kitchen to begin preparations for the day,… Continue reading Look Up

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Growing in Grace, Motherhood

This Is Just a Season

August 7, 2020August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

She sat across from me in the food court as I scarfed down a Chick-fil-A breakfast biscuit and squeezed in words of anxiety between bites. I was a college freshman stressing about my spring final exams and wishing the week was already over. My college mentor offered to meet me for breakfast before an exam… Continue reading This Is Just a Season

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Motherhood

A More Beautiful Picture

June 22, 2020August 31, 2021 bethanygwb

The cold, sterile environment of the “special care” nursery I knew had to be foreign compared to the warm, comforting womb she just exited. The nursery was always dark, and while I knew it was to help her adjust to this bright new world, I wanted to flip on the light switch and make everything… Continue reading A More Beautiful Picture

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This month, we’ve overcome COVID and RSV. We’ve advocated for therapies and talked with our families about the complexities of transracial adoption. We’re learning to steward her story (and her birth mom’s story) well. We’re finding new rhythms as a family of 5 (and showing grace when things fall apart). We’re still waking up every three hours at night, still weighing every morning, still praying for each and every ounce. We’re still praising God for the countless little miracles that brought her into our family. “Do you think we’ll ever feel rested again?” my husband asks and gives me a half smile from the driver seat. We were traveling home from a long weekend at the beach, and while the family memories made in the waves and sand were well worth it, we felt exhausted. Maybe it was all five of us sleeping in one room. Maybe it was how our older two refused to eat anything but goldfish and ice cream the whole trip. Maybe it was the collective mental baggage we brought along with our overpacked minivan. We spent the past week celebrating my grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary! All twenty of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren travelled from across the country (and ocean) to honor the legacy of love they have left for each of us. My jaw dropped when my four-year-old daughter willingly donned her puddle jumper and sauntered into the water without protest. Holding onto her daddy’s hand, she laughed as the foaming cold waves slapped against her thighs. She yelled for them to go deeper, and eventually I could only make out the tops of their goldens heads.

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About Me

I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and three children. A recovering perfectionist, I write about resting in God’s grace in the everyday moments of life as a woman, wife, and mother.

I am a regular contributor for Momma Theologians and The Joyful Life. My articles have been also featured on Risen Motherhood, Coffee+Crumbs, and She is Kindred.

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