Welcome to Save Pray Smile! I’m Heather- newbie to the mommy club since May 2010.  Since becoming a mom, I’ve added a new title to my ever-growing list– student.   Motherhood is no job for sissies.  It’s like entering freshman year of college—so many things to learn, so many responsibilities and very [repeat] very strict deadlines.  Diaper changes and meal times don’t wait for you to relish those final few paragraphs of a suspense novel or to take that first, perfect sip of the coffee you just brewed.  And here’s the kicker- your teacher hasn’t learned to talk yet, so it’s a guessing game… silly animated dancing, singing, making funny faces, rocking, burping, bouncing, walking around… anything to hopefully earn at least a B rating from your child at the end of the day (although an A would be so much more satisfying).  Thirty-minute showers turn into four-minute washing sprees.  Styled hair turns into ponytails.  Home-cooked meals turn into sweet memories.  It sounds daunting, but every single second of it is worth it.

In my opinion, parenthood is the best job you will ever take on, but be prepared because it doesn’t come without moments of doubt.  It’s inevitable- during a sleep-deprived moment of self-assessed failure, there are sure to be mini-meltdowns when you just have to stop for a moment and feel sorry for yourself.  During one of my meltdowns when my son was around a month old, a new idea was born.  I decided I wanted to create a resource for parents such as myself that need help and guidance along the way.  (How do you balance life with an infant?)

Meet Save Pray Smile, my second child, whose purpose is to offer a positive environment where fellow moms (and dads) can access information and resources that have been so helpful along my way thus far.  What better way to give back than to offer an outpouring of helping hands all at the click of a button?  This website is written with love to offer ways to balance parenthood with life– money-saving tips, convenient online Bible studies, inspirational thoughts and stories, prayer lists, mommy advice, fresh ideas on activities and crafts to enjoy with your child, do-it-yourself project ideas, recipes, a list of family-friendly activities and restaurants to look forward to visiting, once-a-month cooking information and so much more.

I’ve come a long way since my little man was born, but I have a long way to go.  I’m excited to pull information from the pros and learn right alongside of you.  Words can’t express how grateful I am to have found the best gals ever (Royale and Sarah) to help make this website complete.  But of course, let’s not forget Kevin Shoffner with Gatecity Media & Designs, who created this site from scratch… and very patiently, I might add.  Thanks guys!  Royale, Sarah and I will be contributing our knowledge and resources in an effort to empower you, our awesome readers.  There will surely be other intermittent authors along the way such as the lovely Suzanne.  Each one of these people is a gift from God to me and an inspiration to all.  Please click here to read our contributor bios and then enjoy getting to know us along the way.  Combined together, all of us are a wealth of knowledge at your service.

Let us know what you like.  Let us know what else we can add.  And most importantly, let us know that we are doing our job by “liking” Save Pray Smile on Facebook, following us on Twitter and signing up for email updates.  The more feedback we get, the better this website will become for you!

Cheers to New Beginnings!

Heather and the Save Pray Smile Gang