Welcome back to a new week in the Mom Set Free Bible Study. This week we are focusing on finding freedom in the places that we get stuck.

What are some parenting decisions you’re grappling with in this season?

I do not feel like I am “grappling” with anything at this time. Life is in a beautiful place for us right now and our main focus is on gratitude and faith. However, life is never perfect and there are a few big-to-me decisions that I’ve been trying to work out lately, but I am certainly not grappling over them.

I recently struggled with whether or not we should go through with joining a new co-op for the fall, but after lots of prayer, the decision was a crystal clear no. I was listening to a video of Erika Kirk from one of her Biblical Young Women Leadership Summits and when I heard her say the words “do not trade the spiritual world for the secular,” it felt like God was directly talking to me, answering my prayers through her message. I am absolutely certain we made the right decision.

I am currently having major convictions to get off of government assistance for good. Our large family has been on SNAP for awhile now & it was a God-send when my husband was in his season of unemployment. Knowing I had funds to feed my family kept my strength going to be able to make it through that time. I really improved my cooking skills & learned how to make anything out of nothing. I am grateful for that time & that helping hand. However, after being used as an actual pawn by Democrats in “leverage time” negotiations, I want nothing more to do with it. I will make sure that my children learn from this, from MY mistake, to NEVER accept or support government handouts. I messed up as a mother & I will never, ever put my family in a situation like this again. When you give the government the power to feed you, you also give them the power to starve you. I knew better – my ancestors lived through Holodomor – & I didn’t choose better because of convenience & I learned the consequences of what happens when you do that first hand. I refuse to play these games & let my children be used as “leverage.”

Look at the words below: Cross out* the ones that reflect our parenting when we forget God’s sovereignty and grace. Bold* the words our parenting will be laced with when we remember God’s sovereignty and grace.

Worry – Wonder – Fear – Anger – Grace – Love – Pride – Gentleness – Shame – Humility – Guilt – Compassion

On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 meaning “white knuckles” and 5 being “open handed,” how would you say you parent on most days?

3. I give my children much more freedom than most I have personally witnessed. I try my best to lead my children to feel self-sufficient while still being a safe base for them to return to. I teach them real-life adult skills and trust in their abilities. I will not tolerate disrespect. I will not tolerate harmful behavior. I make my children right their wrongs (for example: returning/paying for stolen items face to face with a verbal and written apology). We have home & school responsibilities that need completed each day, and as long as they are completed I want my kids to spend their days being kids. I really try to be an 80/20 mom. Some things I am more strict about than others, such as not wearing polyester clothing and not eating processed foods, but I will cave for holidays, gatherings, & Papa George.

I do have some rules that are non-negotiable that others would see as outdated & probably iron-fisted, such as no personal smart devices until they are adults & paying for said devices on their own, but I am strong in my convictions for not allowing and unconcerned with others opinions on the matter. I grew up before devices existed and will preserve that same freedom & pure childhood joy in the mundane for my children’s minds. I have experienced the internet, there is not a whole lot of good on it. My husband & I share one cellphone between us – we are not a device family, so it isn’t unusual to our children. In fact, they find children who are sucked into their devices to be the unusual ones.

But here’s the important thing we have to remember when we focus on parenting our children’s hearts. There is only One who can transform it. And that one isn’t you. It is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We can Shepard our children’s hearts, but we are powerless to transform them.

How does that last sentence make you feel?

It is similar to how I feel about addiction – you cannot get sober for anyone but yourself. Not your kids. Not your spouse. Not your friends, job, or anything else. Only you. I can do my best to lead them, but I am an imperfect human & ultimately it is between them & God. I cannot live their lives for them. I cannot control their actions. I can do my best to protect their minds and hearts from the evil that is in this world, I can teach them right from wrong, and pray over them daily that they continue to be steadfast in their faith as they grow and not choose a different, darker path. But just as my values differ from my parents values, I have to be understanding to the fact that as they grown into adults, they may not share the same values that we do as parents and that is still going to be okay. God grows us in holiness through our hardships and I am well aware that in order to find your life’s purpose that God put you here on Earth for, you have to go through some hard times first. I am a strong believer in hard times create strong individuals & that you’ll never find your authentic self in easy times. I’m raising warriors who can withstand hard times with ease, knowing that God is their armor in battle. Even if or when they stumble off the path, their foundation & footing is with Jesus and through Him, I am confident they will be able to find their way back.

Let’s explore the passages that speak directly to this:

What aspects of these verses bring comfort to you as you parent?

God must draw my children in, not me. I can lead them to God, but it is only God who can call them & initiate their relationship, and it is up to them to answer. I cannot force them to live as Christians and I cannot blame myself when they do not live up to the Christ-like expectations that are set for them. I can lead by example and I can share the Word with them, but I cannot persuade them to love or live for Jesus. They have to want to answer their calling on their own free will. God knows exactly when and how that will happen in their own lives & what circumstances will fully bring them. He knows them & knows their hearts, because ultimately, they are His children before they are mine. He is watching & waiting for them to come to Him.

Who is the source and perfecter of your children’s faith? What does that mean for you for your role as their mom?

Jesus. My children are my witnesses & they will follow what they see me do. I must keep my own eyes on Jesus & they will follow. It is not my job to be perfect. I will never be, because only Jesus is. It is my job to lead them to Him. He has everything they need when they get there.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. What is our role in our children’s salvation?

To plant seeds & water them

What is God’s role?

To grow them

How do you plant and water seeds of faith in your child’s life?

We are currently following through the Kids Bible Recap daily devotional & Scripture Journals in our homeschool which we are really enjoying working through together. We pray together at meals and give thanks for our day. Our girls have been actively participating in Grace Girls at church, learning how to grow into Proverbs 31 Women for the last 4 years. They attend VBS at church each summer as well! We watch shows like Veggie Tales & Bible Adventure. We read the Bible together & talk openly about God & Jesus regularly. Trying to live as an example of Biblical Femininity.

How do these verses empower you to parent more open-handed when teaching your kids the gospel and seeking to nurture their faith?

I feel like I am already very open-handed, but they definitely empower me to remind myself that it is not my job to control their behavior, only correct it. I need to do a better job of being more disciplined in getting to my family to church on a regular weekly basis again. I had made Ukrainian школа our top priority for the past few years now, which is held the same hours as church: 9-12 on Sunday mornings. I have been putting church off for only Sundays we weren’t busy with школа, but this year школа is bi-weekly, and I need to make sure our family is at each & every service possible, without excuses.

Who began the good work?

God

How long will He continue His work?

Until it is written

Who produces righteous character in our lives?

Jesus

And this will bring much praise to our parenting or to God?

God, they are his children first.

Now read Isaiah 64:8. Who sits on the potter’s stool?

God does. I love this verse ❤️

Close With Prayer – Let’s close today by praying Psalm 139:1-5. Write your thoughts after these verses and allow God to remind you that He knows your every need.

When I read the words Psalm 139, I stopped dead in my tracks & messaged my friend, Kelly. Last weekend, we suffered a miscarriage at 7 weeks+3 days after 10 months of trying. Devastated is an understatement to how I felt, but I have no doubt that Jesus sent Kelly to me in my time of need & spoke directly through her to bring me comfort. I don’t share my vulnerability or emotions with others, but I did with Kelly, and she prayed for me, and prayed over my womb. The last thing she told me was to pray Psalm 139. I do not believe in coincidences, only synchronicities. It is for a reason that this verse has been recommended to me not just once, but twice in the same week.

God, you know me. You know my needs. You knew exactly what I needed to hear so that I could find peace & not be discouraged. You are close to the brokenhearted and right now that is me. I thank you for the comfort than only You bring, and for your protection against the enemy as you heal my body & restore my mind. Please help to heal my children’s hearts as they also grieve the sibling they looked forward to, but never got to meet, and my husband’s heart for the baby he too lost. He is not as outspoken as I, but I know he is aching privately. I thank you, Lord, for the life you blessed us with for this short time and for the confirmation that my body is still capable of carrying life inside after after being told it would never happen again – You perform miracles! We trust in your plan & perfect timing, and know that you keep your promises. Please keep my angel babies safe & loved until I get my turn to be with them. Amen.

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov

We celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary last week! I can’t believe it’s already/only been eight years married, 12 years together. It feels like a lifetime already!

I’m not a romantic/wedding person. I never spent time as a girl fantacizing about my “prince charming” or “dream wedding.” Neither of us like to have attention on us like that.

Our wedding aligned with my husband & I’s values, and it was truly a perfect day for us. It was really important to us to pay for our wedding by ourselves. It was absolutely freezing out; but I got to marry my soul-mate outdoors, surrounded by nature, in my favorite season. It was perfect to me.

A Look Back at Our Wedding

We had a private ceremony in the woods with only our closest friends and family. I believe that a wedding should be a personal celebration of the union of your love, rather than an event to impress everyone else.

I borrowed my wedding dress from a friend. I was pregnant with Sasha & the dress had a corset back so it was perfect for adjusting to my pregnancy-size. I don’t see the point in paying hundreds to thousands of dollars on a dress that you literally wear one time in your lifetime then shove in a box in your closet for the remainder of it. I felt beautiful in it & that is enough for me.

My sister-in-law painted a cute wooden sign that our oldest daughter Ella carried that said “Daddy, just wait ’til you see Mommy.” My oldest son, Kaden, was our ring bearer. Our daughter, Mia, carried a basket with eco-friendly leaf confetti that I hand-stamped to be conscious of the Earth. I saved some of the heart shaped leaves in a heart shaped bottle my dad gave me for Valentines Day one year that was full of cinnamon mints.

My best friend made my bouquet with faux flowers that we picked out at Michael’s Craft Store. She did such a good job and I loved it! It looked so beautiful & lasted as Fall decor for a few years following our wedding which always made me really happy to bring out.

My childhood babysitter, who hosted our wedding in her backyard woods, built this adorable nature arch for our backdrop. She decorated it with fall flowers, pumpkins, string lights, and other fall decor. It was so perfect!

Our rings were heirlooms passed down from my father-in-laws parents who are deceased. I absolutely adore mine & always feel extremely grateful to show it off.

Our first photos as husband & wife and married family:

My husband picked our catering, his all-time favorite restaurant: Jim Dandy’s BBQ, which has sadly since gone out of business due to Jim’s health declining as he aged. Jim had known Niko since he first came to America and really hooked us up with a lot of food which we were so grateful for.

I picked our wedding cake from my personal favorite Bakery: The Bon Bonnerie. It was a white cake with a raspberry layer & SO delicious! We, of course, saved a slice for our first wedding anniversary!

This year for our wedding anniversary I thought it would be really cute to get our family a small pumpkin cheesecake to share & a couple (buy 1, get 1) eclairs for Niko with mini leaves on them that were used on our wedding cake. Eclairs are one of his favorite desserts & we used to love picking up new cheesecake flavors each month before covid killed off The Grand Finale Restaurant – it was our special little treat we looked forward to as a family and I really wanted to try to recreate that.

Our Family 8 Years Later

I am so happy to be married to my best friend & the love of my life. He has been my actual rock in life. He found me when I was pretty freshly sober, and he led me away from my old life that I had always kept running to. He helped me get through probation successfully & stood by me while I went through all of my court baggage while trying to right my previous wrongs from my life in active addiction, before him. He was the first person in my life who made me WANT to be a better person. He helped me to let go of my cigarette addiction in 2018 – my first & strongest addiction of all, one that I never imagined I would give up and here we are almost 8 years later nicotine free! He taught me to love myself as God made me & encouraged me to go 100% makeup free which I can proudly say I have been since 2017. He helped me grieve the loss of my son’s dad & kept me grounded through that. He led me to Jesus!! He has strongly led & provided for our family, and I have picked up the slack when he needed to tap me in, as partners should (although, I definitely threw more than a few tantrums along the way.) He has our best interest at heart and has never steered us wrong. He puts himself & his needs last so he can meet our kids, our animals, and my needs first. He lets me run with all my crazy ideas & helps me make my dreams come true. He defends me always, but puts me in my place & calls me on my bullshit when I need it. He is honest, faithful, & strong in his values. He keeps our family safe. He builds me up as a mother & wife. He is the best dad, loves his children with everything he’s got, & is always looking for ways he can improve in fatherhood and marriage. He makes me want to be the best mom & wife I can be too. He’s my own personal Charlie Kirk & I am SO grateful for the amazing husband & father that God has blessed me with. I am even more excited for what God & life continues to bless us with.

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov

We are currently working through our U.S. Constitution course and I have to say I am beyond obsessed! This is such a great course and I think it is one that every single American could benefit to re-take as an adult, especially before being allowed to vote.

My favorite part of homeschooling is learning alongside my kids. As a kid, I loved learning, but loathed school. I went to a private, Catholic school and was labeled as the misfit “bad” kid at the very young age of 3 in the Montessori years. It only got worse as I got older and each teacher warned the next of my incoming. I talked too much. I asked too many inconvenient questions. I wouldn’t follow the crowd or participate in group activities, like the parachute. Eventually, I was heavily medicated so that I would be forced to sit down & shut up, since I wouldn’t comply with the system willingly – a clear-to-me sign of the invisible slavery to the indoctrination that is VERY much being used today at alarming rates. The label followed me through the rest of my years in school, until eventually I dropped out of the American school system in my junior year of highschool with a whopping zero credits to pursue independent studies through a brick-and-mortar “credit-recovery” for troubled teens type of school that I only had to attend a few hours each day, and had autonomy over which assignments I wanted to complete each day. It definitely wasn’t all sunshine, but while there I began receiving straight A’s in my classes, was selected as our graduation speaker, and still earned my High School Diploma – 6 months ahead of the rest of my class that I had left behind.

As an adult, I learned that the American school system was heavily influenced by Prussia/The Nazis, developed through the Massachusetts Board of Education in the mid-19th century by Horace Mann, an American education reformer, otherwise known as “The Father of the Common School Movement.” It is a “factory-model” system that is designed to promote obedience & subserviance to the State and industrial employees. It does NOT foster critical thinking or creativity, or even true education. Standardized Testing was used for the Nazis to ensure ideological conformity and social control for suitability to their regime, not for academic achievement testing, but to make sure you fit into their standards. Standardized testing is still being used today.

I have to throw this story in here because it’s an absolute favorite memory of mine 😂: one year I decided to purposely fail my standardized Testing horribly. I didn’t read a single question, just filled in the bubbles as slowly as I could in random patterns so it looked like I was taking my time. When the results were in, I, of course, got in trouble with the school and when they asked why I did this, my reasoning behind it was that I wanted my teachers to believe that I belonged with the Special Education kids in “The Van.” The Special Education kids in “The Van” were thrown an ice cream social day in “The Van” instead of standardized testing day in the classroom, which obviously sounded like the better option 💁🏼‍♀️.

In 1903, John D. Rockefeller, founder of the Rockefeller Foundation – The same Rockefeller Foundation that funded the Eugenics research of the holocaust –  founded the General Education Board which aimed at another reform to “modernize” the public school system to what is still used today. His goal was to have “a nation of workers, not a nation of thinkers.” He succeeded.

It’s no surprise that the children then grow up to become adults that just blindly accept the narrative that the media feeds them. That is exactly what the school system taught them to do – willingly accept what is told, no questions asked – “It is true because we say it is true.” Don’t think thoughts, just repeat what is told to you by the propaganda-machine – the more “buzz words” you can remember, but not properly define, the better.

I wanted to share this part of our lesson from our course because I believe a lot of adults have forgotten how to question; not by the fault of their own, but by the design of the schooling they received, and sadly, many do not even realize it. Algorithms keep us in echo-chambers and unless we actively seek out the truth ourselves, we’ll continue to be fed only the “news” they want us to hear to fit the Puppet Master’s narrative.

AI is taking over and it is getting more difficult to distinguish what is real. My oldest son showed me an app the teenagers are using today that turns them into AI and can create very realistic imaginary videos of themselves (or whoever) doing whatever prompt they ask it to, as if it were real. It’s an app of only fake AI-generated video reels that people spend their real time wasting, I mean… watching, knowing that it is fake. The willingness to accept a false reality by the masses is astonishingly surreal to me. It is exactly what we are being warned against accepting. Fake has officially become the new standard.

1. Distinguishing between types of sources
2. Digging up trusted sources
3. Determining bias of the author
4. Detecting an underlying or hidden agenda
5. Discovering context

I urge you to find unbiased, Independent journalists rather than defaulting to any mainstream media sources. Use sources like ground.news that compare media perspective coverage side by side, and search engines like Duck Duck Go. Always follow the money & never trust anything at face value. Research everything & Cross-reference everything you research.  Include words like “dangers of” in your search bar for health-related topics rather than yes or no questions (for example; what are the dangers of using Tylenol? Instead of “is Tylenol safe?”). Be incredibly specific in the words you enter into the search bar – understand that words are your keys, and you must use the right one to unlock the truth. Don’t accept/give up after the first answer, sometimes you’ll have to try several keys before you find the right one, this was done by design.  Never accept the AI overview answer – EVER. Learn to read between the lines and recognize patterns.

I hope that this guide helps you on your journey to becoming a Truth Seeker.

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov

Food costs are still rising through the roof and because of that, food waste has probably earned it’s place as my #1 pet peeve. I recently found out about a really cool app called Too Good To Go that I want to share with you!

The Too Good To Go app is designed to eliminate food waste through restaurants & grocery stores by offering discounted food at the minimum of half price. Select locations and times of the day also offer additional discounts making the food that you receive in your Surprise Bag almost free! The app is nationwide and can search for participating locations near you, but keep in mind that larger cities will have a larger selection of participants.

Once you select a location to grab a Surprise Bag from, you reserve your bag(s) and pay through the app. There is no limit to the number of bags that you are allowed to “rescue,” but because the leftover food varies so greatly, there is no telling what you’ll receive & each bag could contain different items. I think that is such a fun way to be adventurous in the kitchen & try new things you otherwise wouldn’t grab on your trip! You could pick up a few bags and set yourself up a little brunch or dinner buffet, or challenge yourself to find a few new recipes with what’s inside!

After you’ve paid, you’ll head over during your scheduled time and pick up your reserved bags using your collection code & enjoy! You can feel good knowing that you saved money while keeping perfectly good food from going to waste!

Get the Too Good To Go app HERE to start saving money & food today!

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov

Welcome back to the last day of the first week of our Mom Set Free Challenge. After my last Mom Set Free post, I had received such a huge blessing 🥰. My oldest son, who lives with my parents, sent me a message saying that he never wants me to feel silenced and that even though my mom & I don’t align at all politically, he still wants to hear what I have to say and listen to my opinions. He told me that he is old enough to hear both sides and make his own informed decision.

That was SO healing and freeing for me! I’ve spent the last 12 years of his life that he has been in the custody of my mother worried that he has heard so much of only one side that his mind would be completely closed to accepting & still loving me if he knew where I stand. I was afraid that he would misunderstand me, based on the information he’s been told. Knowing myself & knowing who his father was while he was still earth-side, I should have given Kaden so much more credit in his ability to navigate this world with an open mind. I am SO proud of him and have so much respect for his maturity, willingness, openness, & curiosity to listen to both sides and forge his own values, rather than blindly following & accepting what he’s been told to believe. That shows me that he knows HOW to think, not WHAT to think, and in this world, knowing how to think and how to question absolutely all information laid out before you before accepting it is crucial.

What a great burden to have been lifted! I feel like I can finally breathe & be my fully authentic self. I can let go of these worries that have been not only weighing me down, but keeping me stuck in place. I can let go of another layer of my resentment I have carried towards my mom for pushing her beliefs on him so strongly, and let go of my fear that he is being conditioned to hate me. I can speak freely without worrying that I’ll be either banished from seeing my son, or rejected by my son for my beliefs. God is so good!

God is big enough and strong enough to bear the burdens and worries that are weighing you down. Will you join me now in casting it all on Him?

Absolutely ♡

Today, we’ll look at a few Scriptures that convey peace and repel worry. Look up one verse, or a few, and personalize them, making them into prayers to God for peace in the midst of worry and fear.

Psalm 5:3

God, please be my light first thing each morning as I wake, before anything else. Fill our home with wisdom and worship instead of stress and worry. Let our mornings be slow and centered in Christ. Keep us grounded in your spirit throughout our days. Keep us focused on your word and not the words of man. Thank you for all of the prayers that you have answered and for the beautiful life you have blessed us with. Please fill me with patience as I wait for the silent prayers between you & I to still be answered in your perfect timing.

Psalm 118:5-9

Lord, thank you for watching over me with protection, keeping me safe through every storm I have endured. Thank you for showing me the way out of darkness, releasing the chains that kept me bound in addiction and mental strain for many years. Thank you for showing me my own strength through my trials in life, giving me all of the armor & tools I need to make it through my toughest battles. Please continue to be my shield, footing, and guide as I lead my children, please watch over them as fiercely as you do me. With you, there is nothing we can’t endure.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Lord, please keep me focused on living according to your word & plan in all that I do. Continue to be the brightest light so that I am able to fix my eyes on you and away from worldly temptation. Thank you for each day that you have blessed me with, thank you for the love of life that you ingrained deep in my soul. Thank you for removing the urges & cravings of addiction that the enemy once had control over me, keeping my path straight and narrow. Please keep our paths free from people who don’t have our best interests at heart or who want to cause us harm. Please watch over my children as they are growing older and being met with their own temptations and tribulations. Keep their paths straight and hearts pure in this world of sin and confusion, let their strength be stronger than the enemy.

Isaiah 26:3-4

Lord, thank you for the steady peace that you have given me. Peace in knowing who I am and what I am here for. Peace from chaos and addiction. Peace in motherhood & healthy children. Peace, trust, and faithfulness in marriage & a strong husband and father to lead our family. Peace from being confined to pharmaceuticals. Peace in navigating the world, living without fear of the unknown. Peace to clearly see & calmly prepare for what’s to come. My life and my mind were a mess before submitting to you, but through submission, I have found true peace. Please continue to fill our home & our hearts with peace and light. Continue to keep us humble and know that because of you, we have enough & are always enough, and we could always have less. Please help me to be the peaceful mother & wife that my family deserves, in your name.

Philippians 4:6-7

Thank you for your words of wisdom and instructions for life that you have freely given to us. Thank you so much for loving me always, even though I am such an imperfect human. When there are troubles on my heart please be my lighthouse and remind me to look towards you. Continue to guard my heart and mind from these people and situations that bring uneasiness to me and my family. Do not let my heart become infected by the things others say & do. Let my faith and trust be in you and know that you are on my side and have never let me down as long as my focus is on you. I have made it through so many storms with you as my anchor and know there will be many more to weather in this lifetime. Remind me that I am not meant to carry the burdens of these storms alone and allow Jesus to rise me up and keep the enemy from having access to me and my family.

This was a really great exercise for me to write my prayers out and inspired me to begin to a physical daily prayer/gratitude journal to continue this practice in my life. I struggle a lot with communication and articulating my thoughts – I always have – but in writing, I am able to say the things my brain & mouth cannot connect to say. I am able to stay focused on one thought, one word at a time, instead of shuffling back and forth through the running lists, endless projects, timelines, & compartmentalized sections in my mind all at once or getting side-tracked. I am able to sort my feelings and organize my jumbled ball of thoughts. I am able to clear the clutter that no longer serves a purpose in my mind, freeing up space to focus on what really matters. I think that it will be very beneficial in all aspects of my life.

Thanks for following along on the Mom Set Free Bible Study and I will see you back for the first day of Week 2!

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov

While doing another declutter of my desk recently, I found this essay that I had written while I was in 7th grade at Saint Ursula Villa that I had saved, stuffed away in a folder from a previous desk declutter:

If I could do one thing to make the world a better place, I would stop people from littering. I hate driving to school through Madisonville and seeing piles of trash all over the ground. Why should other people have to walk over trash just to get next door? If I could clean up the streets then the people might see how good the streets could look if they just took a little time to pick up the trash. It would also show people that they shouldn’t throw away their trash on the ground. God made thus world and He wanted it to be beautiful, but with all the garbage everywhere, it isn’t beautiful like He wanted.

First, I would try to get more trash cans and recycling bins around the streets. If there were more trash cans, people would throw away their trash in the cans instead of the ground.

After there are more trash cans, I would try to pick up all the garbage on the streets and throw it all away in the new trash cans. I would try to organize a couple of my friends to come clean up the streets with me for maybe one or two days a month so we can keep our city clean.

There are so many people who throw their unwanted materials out of their car windows. If I made a sign and put it on our car, then maybe a couple people would see it and start to think about what they have done to the world when they threw out their junk on the street, making them stop before they threw anything else out the window.

Next, I would try to show people that littering makes the world dirty. I would try to organize some of my friends with me to talk to people about how dirty the world is because of how many people just throw everything on the ground, because there is no where else to put it. I would tell them to hold onto their trash until they saw a trash can or recycling bin.

In the parks there is a ton of litter. I would go pick it up. Little kids are running around playing hide-and-seek, then one little boy that is hiding near where a couple of teenagers were smoking. He picks up the cigarette butt and begins sucking on it because he saw the teenagers doing it. His friends come over and find him smoking it, so now they want to try. Those teenagers wouldn’t know that from them throwing their cigarette butts on the ground, that these little kids who were watching them are now pretending to smoke their trash. Cigarettes are the most common piece of trash you’ll find on the ground, so I would tell smokers to carry a little baggie with them so after they Smush the cigarette, they could put it in the baggy instead, then throw it away when they spot a trash can. People walking dogs should also carry baggies with them. The dogs will go to the bathroom and their owners just leave the dog droppings sitting their for other kids or adults to step in.

When one kid is out with his friends he might see trash on the floor, so he decides to throw his trash right there next to it, since the other kids already did it. I would go over there and pick up the other kids trash and put both his and the rest of the trash inside of a trash can.

Most people don’t care about throwing trash on the ground because they will never have to see it again, but what about the people that live there? They are the people who will have to see the trash again. They wouldn’t have to pick up other peoples’ trash outside their home.

I am hoping people would listen to me and stop littering and stop throwing things out of their hands or car windows. There is no need for that.

Reading it made me feel really grateful to have been taught to love & care for our earth so deeply from a very young age and made me feel proud to look back and see that I have stayed true & consistent in my values in regards to my love for the earth and Mother Nature. I haven’t compromised or forgotten this as I’ve gotten older; in fact, I believe that I can honestly say I have become someone that this little girl, my younger self, would be SO proud of. Looking back, I can say that I completed the mission that I set out to do, plus so much more…. seriously, how cool is that?!

I have grown to become a steward of our earth in my daily life: growing gardens that I have had Pollinator Garden Certified through our local zoo & recognized my home as a Cerified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. I have deeply instilled these values in my children: picking up litter wherever we go, even when we are laughed at or told it’s dirty to have children touch trash (although most of the people who witness us out & about do stop to tell us we’re doing a great job), as well as placing a huge emphasis on Nature Studies in our homeschool curriculum. In our home, we strongly believe in leaving the earth better than we found it. We have been learning and developing our mini homestead as a family, growing & preserving as much of our own food as we can while learning & honing down our skills as we go, learning about propagating, foraging & Natural remedies. We are fully against the use of herbicides and pesticides. We’re adding bee-hives this upcoming year, to give our already hundreds of bees a safe place to live, hopefully, in exchange for a little raw honey for our family. We do our best to eat organic, shop local, and support other farmers- something that we are very grateful and fortunate to be able to do more of with my husband back in the workforce. We consciously buy clothing made from natural fabrics and we shop second-hand, shop people’s trash, and repurpose items to keep items in use & out of the landfill. We buy in bulk and heavily limit the amount of plastics and single-use items that we allow in our home. I can truly say we are a family of environmental activists, doing our little part to make the world a better & more beautiful place.

If we want to change the world, we first have to make the changes ourselves and in our own homes. I think that any change that makes a difference in creating a better, more beautiful world, no matter how small, makes a big difference.

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov