In addition to being a Shameless Mom to Charlie (14) and Pepper (9), Nichole Nordeman is an award winning singer-songwriter and acclaimed worship leader who just wrote her first book, Slow Down: Embracing the Everyday Moments of Motherhood. The book is based on Nichole’s song “Slow Down” that pulled the heartstrings of mothers everywhere—with 14 million views in five days and has exceeded 21 million total views. Nordeman’s viral video showcased the reality of how fast children grow up and why it’s important for parents to be intentional.    Slow Down discusses the heartfelt feelings and memories of parenthood in her book—it is filled with stories, song lyrics, photos, wisdom, and encouragement. Nichole encourages parents to be intentional and slow down, so that they can appreciate the beauty and joy of raising children.    Nichole and I had such and enlightening and powerful conversation about the joy and pain of parenting.  I will fully admit that I did some stalking of Nichole before and after our interview and I have just fallen in love with her music and her writing.  I am so honored she made time to share with us in the Shameless Mom Academy.     There are a lot of treasures in this interview.  I hope you love them all.     Listen in to hear Nichole share: How to step away from the traps that pull us out of our own reality Why it’s ok to be ok with average What actual steps we can take to slow down and be more intentional How to manage emotion around the limits of our precious time in motherhood How to manage the inevitable pain and joy of motherhood The importance of always maintaining your identity outside of motherhood    Links Mentioned: Nichole’s Website: http://www.nicholenordeman.com/ Nichole’s Book: Slow Down – Embracing the Everyday Moments of Motherhood Nichole on Facebook Nichole on Instagram Nichole on Twitter Nichole’s Album: Every Mile Mattered  YouTube video: Slow Down SMA Ep 149: Stop Saying Sorry