Katrina Berg: We’re Learning and Growing Together

There are amazing, devoted, wonderful, deliberate mothers out there, and each week we’ll spotlight one of them here at The Power of Moms. Do you know a mom who deserves a little time in the spotlight? Email rachelle.price (at) powerofmoms.com. We can’t wait to meet her.

Introducing Katrina Berg

How many children do you have and what are their ages?

My husband and I have three children: the builder is our 8-year-old son, the dancer is our 6-year-old daughter, and the explorer is our soon-to-be 5-year-old-son.

What are some unique and interesting aspects of your family or your approach to mothering? What do you do that is a little different than what seems to be the “norm”? What have you decided to prioritize in your mothering that you see as somewhat unusual?

Early in our marriage we adopted a favorite quote from the late James E. Faust as our marriage/family motto:

Marriage [Family Life] is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine.

It has become our family quest. Truly, there is not enough time and we lack the energy to do every good thing or enjoy every beauty that the world has to offer. Instead, we’ve decided to carefully chose and enjoy as much as we can together. Where I spent much of my childhood in the car shuttled between private lessons, we are constantly seeking ways for us to learn and grow together. When the kiddos were young (and now during summer), we would spend our mornings hiking, biking, doing literacy-based activities, cooking, working/cleaning, and painting. Now, I find us multi-tasking wherever possible: at meal-times we are reading, reciting, and sharing as we eat. In the winter, I volunteer at their after-school ski program so that we can ski together as much as possible.

Our latest goal is to have family music nights/lessons, where we learn and share music (vocally & with instruments) in an open, loving and creative atmosphere (at home). We’ll invite musically-inclined locals to join our journey once a week and see where it leads.  I’d love to read comments below of experiences from families/moms who’ve done something similar or have suggestions.

What have been the biggest challenges of motherhood for you?

Motherhood has been such a classroom of learning for me. There are so many aspects to the way a family functions and we’ve felt a bit upside down this past year. We’ve been blessed to live with my husband’s very patient mother as we build our non-traditional home with an unexpected move-in date. Tight quarters, belongings boxed away and new schedules and rules to learn…it has been an adjustment and a great growing experience for each of us. Things we would normally do and feel comfortable about (dancing and singing loudly to the stereo while cleaning, inviting families for dinner and games, messy art projects, etc.) just doesn’t work right now. We are looking forward to all the quirky things that make our family tick. More than anything, we’ve learned to show more love, respect, and patience while remembering what really is important: each other. Personally, I’ve redrawn goals and expectations, and have learned to be more forgiving of myself and others. This alone I know will help me become the mother I truly desire to be.

What coping strategies do you have for getting through hard times and hard days?

The family photo above was taken a couple years ago.  It was an extended-family photo shoot, with my parents and siblings. Our children are the only grandchildren, which can sometimes be a fun-filled benefit for them, and yet at other times, it is hard being the only children (like during a formal photo shoot on a cold, early morning, with so many focused adults). The younger two were not feeling photogenic; they were shy and reclusive, to be exact. They didn’t know the photographer and where I will follow them around to take photos of them naturally, they were asked to hold still in very formal positions. Surprisingly enough, they were not enjoying the experience. 🙂 We wanted just one good shot of our little family. On a whim, my husband turned the youngest upside down which made everyone laugh, et voilà, a beautiful shot that has become our favorite family portrait. I’m so blessed to have a partner that is willing to jump out of the box at times to make the most of the situation.

What has surprised you about motherhood?

Motherhood is so much broader than I had ever imagined. I’ve been blessed by so many great women throughout my life who have set such an inspiring example. I am constantly reminded that being a good mother is about friendship. I’m learning to follow others and be available (within our home, neighborhood, and beyond). Our family has been blessed in big and small ways by those with big hearts and open enough schedules. We have discovered that life’s bumps and bruises seem so much easier to bear when we take the time to lift others and think beyond ourselves.

About Rachelle Price