Port standing in the pantry pulling each item off the shelf and saying, "wan dis? noooo. wan dis? noooo." At least he was putting everything back where it was supposed to go.
Earlier, he was eating a hot dog and spinning in circles. He would spin a couple of times, then stop and with a huge grin on his face and hot dog sticking out between his teeth he would say "I silly! I silly!"
When we arrived at church on Sunday we were a bit late. I was walking with Kiddo and Hubby was behind us walking with Port. Hubby was telling Port that we needed to hurry because we were late. As we walked in the front doors, Port yells, "we LATE!". His voice was so enthusiastic and adorable.
When he brought me a crayon, I told Port it was green. He said "oooh geeeen!" then looked at me and yelled "It's not LELLOW!"
Port is at that adorable and frustrating age where everything he does say is so incredibly cute, and everything he can't say brings him serious anger and frustration. He is a hitter and a head butter and I am really struggling to keep him from hurting himself and his brother when his temper flares. He's going to be a great football player or wrestler some day. I have a feeling contact sports are going to be his thing.
This will be published late, but since it was technically Monday when I started, I should post some gratitudes (lookie there I made up a new word!).
1. my sweet Hubby, who made Mother's Day weekend so very lovely this year. We went out to dinner Friday night, he brought me a cake Saturday night after the boys went to bed, and Sunday Kiddo gave me the card he made, and Hubby gave me his "card", a $5 Starbucks gift card. He totally rocks! 2. my friends, who, when I really need it, bring me drinks from Sonic and special coffee from their trips - I love them so much and thank God for them every day. Specifically, Kim, who is such a sweet person and an amazing friend. I cannot tell her that enough! 3. my God, my Savior, my Redeemer! I have to praise Him every day! It is so amazing to me that when I am totally down and out, He surrounds me with people that lift me up and with words of encouragement everywhere I turn. And I am so thankful to be "just a little smoother in His hands". 4. podcasts - haha! I know it seems silly, but this whole new world of podcasting has led me to some of the most amazing people and experiences! I am so excited to see where this experience takes Kim and I in the future.
It is Monday, my last week from heck is over and I am looking to this week with a positive attitude and a heart full of hope. It's the last week of the month so I am sure I am forgetting about something I should be doing, but I have faith that I will be able to get some work done this week anyway and still take care of the day to day.
I have 6 sessions to edit this week, lots of writing to do and various other projects are on my plate as well. It is a good kind of busy and I love it.
This morning the boys both slept late (Port until 7:45 and Kiddo till almost 9!) and woke up in a good mood. That always makes the day start so much better.
I think Kiddo may be having a growth spurt. He woke up again Saturday night and had an accident. The whole thing was pretty traumatic. Hubby was out with some friends downtown and I had some friends over at the house. The boys went to bed just fine but when Kiddo got up at midnight to go to the bathroom, he didn't make it. The bathroom door was pulled to (not completely closed) and I think in his half awake state he thought it was occupied. He went back to his room and couldn't hold it. The commotion from all of that woke up Port, and totally freaked him out. I had to hold and rock him for about 20 minutes before he calmed down. He cried for a couple of hours (off and on) after that.
So yeah, I had some friends over on Saturday! Yay me! Random things like that just don't happen around here. I had a great time. I really, really had to try hard to not cook up a storm and make all kinds of food (there were only 3 of us! lol!) and I think I did pretty good. I did make one pan of PW's rosemary rolls, but they didn't turn out very good to me. I used too much sea salt and at the last minute I added a pinch of garlic powder. The garlic was nice, but there was too much and that topped with the over abundance of sea salt made them really rich. Less is definitely more with those rolls, unless you are talking about the rosemary. Rosemary=goooood!
I had some cake balls in the freezer from when I made too many for Port's birthday party, so I pulled them out and put some chocolate in the fondue pot. It was fun dipping the cake balls fondue style.
The whole get together came from a mutual need between the three of us to have someone to talk to about all the dark and twisty stuff going on in our lives. I definitely need someone like that - non judgmental and understanding. And it was really nice having the girls over. I think if we make it a regular thing, eventually we will get over talking about the kids so much and really talk more about the things we need to get off our chests. Last week was really just a bad one for all of us. And if it hadn't been for Kiddo's accident, I think we might have talked all night. It was probably a good thing that it happened; since I had been up since 5AM I was starting to get pretty droopy by midnight. So today is Monday, which means I should take stock of some of the things I am grateful for.
This week I am reminded of:
1. friends. old and new, good and best - they are all very special to me and such a blessing 2. God's complete and perfect timing. I may ask for things right now, but He knows so much better how things should be and when He reveals His timing I am thankful for the reminder that He is always faithful. I wonder why I worry and fret so much, because it always works out in the end. 3. My Kiddo. He is driving me crazy these days, but I was reminded last night that kindergarten registration is next week, and the thought of him going to school is breaking my heart. Of course, he wants to start tomorrow...I am not sure I can take it. 4. Hubby's motorcycle. Last week we were without the CRV for a few days and I was so thankful that we have the bike to fall back on if we are down a vehicle. Hubby was miserable riding in the rain a mist, but it was very nice to know I had my car available if I needed it. 5. My Hubby. He drives me nuts sometimes, but I am so thankful for him. I need to tell him that more.
Are you grateful for something and want to share? Grab the button and link up in the comments. I would love to see your list.
One more thing, if you are local to the Austin area and have small children that would enjoy soccer lessons, hop on over to Little Austinite and check out their latest giveaway. You could win an 8 week session of Soccer Tots training for your little one! (but don't enter, because I want to win) Enter before May 2nd for your shot at this great prize. :)
Today I took the boys out for a spur of the moment session in the bluebonnets. I wanted to check out a spot I found last week, so we stopped in at Walmart, bought 2 white shirts and headed over. It was difficult to do a session with them by myself; it is always easier to have someone else be the baby wrangler. But, I think I got a couple of good images.This is the beginning of a very busy week for me. I found out last week that the twin momma I have been in touch with about doing a newborn session gave birth and on Friday she went home with 2 brand spankin' new (as Kiddo would say) baby boys!! I am so excited and happy for her; it seems everything went really well. So, I get to go into Houston this week and do a twin newborn session for her. I am beyond excited! I love newborn sessions!!
I should be back by Thursday, and then this weekend I am shooting a wedding in Wimberly. I am so excited and nervous and anxious about that - it is a very big deal for me. I hope that my planning and preparation calms my nerves some. Thankfully I have an awesome assistant coming with me, the fabulous Jen of Jen Barnes Photo. I can't wait to work with her again! She assisted me on my last senior session and was so great!
So the wedding is on Saturday and then I have a family session on Sunday. Then a senior session the next week and Bluebonnet Mini Sessions on the next Saturday! Whew! Then on the 18th I will collapse in a heap and sleep for a few days. After that I will be strapped to the computer forever. ;-)
And somewhere in there I have to find time to finish my taxes. boo.
The twin session is on Wednesday morning and I need an assistant. Anyone in the Houston area free to come with me? All you have to do is help me with blankets and baby sculpting (lol!). Desirable abilities include being quick with baby wipes, the ability to fold large numbers of blankets quickly, to remember which items have been um, blessed and if you are good at swaddling, I might even take you to lunch! Please send your resume to me via email. Thank you.
hee hee!
Seriously, I do need some help if someone is free. And I really will buy you lunch after. Email call or text me please!
Ok so the first day after the spring forward, daylight savings, change your clock fiasco that most of the country still does (another reason to miss AZ) went fairly...ok. The boys woke at a reasonable hour. Port fought nap time a little more than usual, but it wasn't too bad. Bed time was a different story though. According to Hubby (I was at my weekly Starbuck's meeting) Port went to bed ok, but about 30 minutes later he woke up and started screaming.
It lasted for a while, I was told, but it wasn't too bad.
This morning, at about 3:30AM, the screaming started again.
Port's pajamas were soaked, though the diaper wasn't by any means full. He must have been lying just right to make everything leak the way it did. I changed his diaper and put him back to bed and he then screamed for about 2 hours.
We shut the door to our room so we didn't have to listen. I hate doing that.
This morning everyone slept a little late, but not too bad.
Nap time however... colossal FAIL.
He screamed and screamed and wouldn't lie down for anything, so I eventually took him out of the crib. So, he hasn't napped today and I am anticipating a ginormous fight come bed time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So yes, bed time was quite the experience. He was pretty good about putting on jammies, but he did NOT want to go to bed. He screamed angry, violent screams for a good 30 minutes before going completely silent. No wind down, nothing. It was a bit nerve wracking.
Hopefully he can make it through the night without waking. I dressed him a little lighter so he'll stay cool - the last time we had a lot of trouble with night waking it was when we had a couple of warmer nights. If I get hot in the middle of the night, it has GOT to be hot in the house. I am always so cold that it really takes a lot to get me out from under the covers. However, the in last week or so I have woken up several times at night a little warm. So I can imagine Port has been warmer than usual.
1. My business. Even with it's ups and downs (and this past week has really been a roller coaster week. ugh) I still love it. And if I never make a cent in real profit, I will still be thankful for the joy it has brought me. 2. The Musing Mommies Podcast. How can something be so much fun? We get to meet new, exciting people, talk about whatever we want, and people listen and tune in every week. It's been almost a year since we started and I can't imagine going a week without it. Also, we got some great news today from one of our past interviewees and I can't wait to share it with you! 3. My friends - I am so thankful that I have managed to make some pretty awesome friends here in the Austin area. We lived in AZ for 3 years and I can honestly say I did not make any friends while we were there. I am so glad to be surrounded by wonderful, supportive, hilarious and intelligent women to lift my spirits and keep me sane. I thank God for all of you!
And you. My readers. I am thankful and grateful for you. Thank you for coming by my little corner of the web and reading my ramblings. I so very much appreciate it!
And if you have something to be grateful for and you would like to share, grab a button on my sidebar and participate. Leave me a comment letting me know so I can come visit. :) Have a wonderful week!
What a crazy weekend it was! After a round of a stomach virus early in the week, I was looking forward to some adventure this weekend. Thankfully, I had lots to look forward to as I was hired to second shoot 2 amazing weddings with my friend Allen at Doberenz Photography. Allen is so amazing to work with; he is just the nicest guy and extremely talented.
On Friday, I spent all morning preparing 2 batches of homemade lasagna and a loaf of PW's famous Olive Cheese Bread. I took one pan of lasagna and the bread with the boys over to my friend Jen's house because she so graciously offered to watch them for me (um, watch the boys, not guard the lasagna or anything. lol) . I had to be at the wedding site at 3pm, and there was no way Hubby could get off work that early. I knew that Jen would have my 2 and her 3 boys together right around the normal dinner prep time, so I made the food to take that stress off her. She saved me with the boys - I had to do what I could to thank her! Oh yes, and just so you all know what a saint Jen is - with my boys there she was watching 5 boys, ages 5, 4, 3, almost 2 and 1yr all at the same time!!!
There was a big front coming in so the temps were dropping and the wind was blowing hard and gusty. It was quite the feat getting the boy and all the food out of the van without someone or something blowing away! But I got it all where it needed to go and headed over to the wedding location.
The wedding was gorgeous and the people were really fun. Because of the cold and the wind everything had to be moved inside. It didn't seem to mess anything up though; everything still looked gorgeous! I just fell in love with the venue. The grounds and all the gardens were planted with edible plants. Barr Mansion promotes itself as the nation's first certified organic events facility. As I was walking the grounds, I began to notice some of the plants looked familiar. I saw all kinds of lettuce, garlic, onions, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower...an endless array of beautiful, edible greenery! The mansion is a zero waste facility, diverting 97% of it's waste stream. Even now, with things being still somewhat brown from the winter, the grounds were beautiful and omg, looked so amazing in pictures!! You can see a sneak peek from Allen here.
I got home sore and exhausted at around 11:30 and fell into bed in a crumpled heap after downing some ibuprofen and a big glass of water. It wasn't enough though; I woke up at 2AM with a severe leg cramp. I really hadn't had the chance to eat or drink much of anything during the day nor at the wedding (I still feel very incomfortable eating when I am working, even if the bride and groom say it's ok. lol) so I guess I was a bit dehydrated. Saturday morning I had to leave at 9 to meet Allen at his house by 10. The wedding that day was in San Antonio.
We drove out to San Antonio and met up with the bridal party at the Westin Resort near Six Flags. They had a gorgeous 2 bedroom suite that held a hair stylist, make up artist, the bride, the mother of the bride and 10, yes 10 bride's maids! There were also a couple other close friends hanging out too. It was pretty chaotic, but a lot of fun. Once everyone was dressed and ready we did some bridals on the resort grounds; the weather - PERFECT. The sun was high which made the light harsh, but we managed to find some great shady spots anyway. After, I stayed with the girls and Allen met up with the guys at the church. I rode over to the church on the shuttle with the girls and hung out with them until go time. The wedding was beautiful! There must have been over 200 people there!
The reception was about 30 minutes away (out in the middle of nowhere) on a ranch. We pulled up to find 3 of the biggest longhorn steers I have ever seen. I was not too certain the wire fence that surrounded their pens was strong enough. The horns on those beasts were at the very least 3 feet long each! We got some amazing group shots in a field next to the arena area. Dodging cow patties was totally worth it for the shots of all 22 of them standing in a gorgeous field with the sun at their backs. I can't wait to see those images!
The ranch was so awesome; the food amazing, the decor absolutely perfect! I loved everything about this reception; from the people to the band to the venue and even the time (it was a short reception - much nicer in my opinion than the long drawn out ones that seem to go on forever). We got all the gear packed up and were back on the road by 11ish and got back to Allen's house around 12:30AM. I got home at about 1:30AM.
Of course, the boys did not sleep in so I was up at 7 and starting to feel the pain. We went to church and came home for lunch and then when Port was napping I headed out to Home Depot and bought about 300 pounds of garden soil and compost. I hauled it all in through the house and into the back yard by myself while Hubby was out letting Kiddo ride his bike.
Needless to say, between the weddings and hauling the dirt, my arms, back and legs are quite sore.
I have had a terrible time staying awake today. The dreary weather isn't helping any.
March is going to be a busy, busy month for me. This weekend starts with a session and of course my birthday. The next weekend, another session and a party and the rest of the month goes about the same. I am completely booked for March and am looking forward to my sessions and events!
On this gratitude Monday I am so thankful for: 1. My health. Being sick sucks, but I thankfully recovered quickly and none of my family got that nasty virus. 2. The rain. As much as I complain about it and as bad as it makes me feel, I know it is going to produce some of the most amazing and beautiful wild flowers in the spring and I cannot WAIT to get out there with my clients and capture some beautiful bluebonnet shots. 3. For Allen Doberenz. He is a true professional (even when others are not *wink wink*), a genuinely nice guy and someone I so enjoy working with. He is supportive and helpful and every time I am around him I learn so much about not only wedding photography, but about myself and what I want to do with my business. I wish more photographers out there were as open and supportive. He is a blessing to my life. 4. Again, my sweet boys. I missed them so much while I was working this weekend! I think I may have taken an extra batch of images of the kids at the weddings because I was missing my own little guys! I am so thankful to be able to stay home with them and cuddle them just about any time I want.
May you be blessed and grateful today. Grab a button in my right sidebar and join in!
Yesterday was the most perfect day weather wise. It was sunny, warm (about 76 degrees), there was a light breeze, the air was clean - it was PERFECT. I spent a good 2+ hours out in the garden digging my little heart out. I made a nice sized trench in between the 2 raised beds and I plan on planting zucchini there. I was going to put them on the fence line, but I think the full sun the area between the beds gets will be better for them. Instead, I plan on putting beans and maybe some corn along the fence. We just need to find something to use as a trellis first.
It's funny how curious birds become when you toss a bunch of grubs out on to a hard, flat place on the ground. The grubs start to squirm and the birds begin to gather...
Digging in that dirt, man it really does something for my soul. And, it really does something for my body as well. Talk about a work out! At one point, I had been on my knees digging out the trench by hand because I encountered a large group of limestone rocks that I couldn't get around with a shovel. I was bending forward and scooping the dirt out and digging around the rocks with my hands and my legs were trembling violently. After 2 hours of doing that, my body was so worn out I felt weak. By bed time last night, I was in pain.
But it was so worth it - I just love, love, love digging in the dirt. The smell of the earth, the feel of it in my hands, the silence of being outside with no one talking to me, and the air and the sun all combined just warmed my heart and my soul. My mind raced with thoughts that all week collided in my head as I sat indoors. Outside, it was as if they had more room to maneuver, and I was able to think things through so much faster. Everything I had been trying to hard to unravel in my head suddenly became clear.
I can't wait to go pick up my fertilizer and compost and get planting.
It was a nice release from the tension and anger I experienced when we came home from church yesterday. We left our dog in the house like we normally do, and when we got home we walked in to a huge, disgusting mess. While we were gone, the dog thought it would be fun to completely demolish a bag full of trash and distribute it's contents all over my house.
ugh
Thankfully that was the only low in a pretty terrific day.
Our church service was awesome. Brad Johnson from Mission of Hope Haiti was the speaker. His message was extremely powerful. He gave me so much to think about. I will have to marinate on it some before I can share. I am still not sure of what to do with some of the thoughts in my head. Some of the music was led by Mission of Hope Haiti's worship leader, Claudel Senat. It was such an amazing, spiritual experience.
After the dog/trash debacle, the big boys left on a hike and Port and I played in the back yard for a bit before nap time. I needed to transplant a few veggie plants I am sprouting in the kitchen and so I collected some random containers to put them in. I found a place in the yard with nice soil and started to dig, and the next thing I knew my little man had joined me with another small shovel and was helping me fill the pots. He had great coordination with that dirt - not much missed the mark. I was really surprised since I don't know when he's ever practiced scooping materials and filling containers. He did a great job, and it was so fun digging with him.
Port's speech is still kind of hit and miss, but it seems to be getting much better when he is on. He's begun to address Hubby and I before he says his gibberish; "Mum, bleeble blobble bleeble blobble. Um, Dad, bleeble blooble, bleeble, blobble." It's so cute. He has been mimicking his brother a lot. Sometimes though he will actually say real sentences. If he falls he will say "I ok". He'll also say "Let's go!" and "I'm ready!"
Today Kiddo handed Port a bag of marbles and just as plain as day he said "Woah, what ees dis?!".
Cracked me up.
Pretty soon I won't be able to shut him up.
With today being Gratitude Monday, I would like to make a gratitude list.
I am thankful for... 1. the rich, dark earth in my yard that will soon be providing nourishment for my family. 2. my sweet babies and the moments I enjoy spending with them 3. the sound of a young child speaking in that sweet high pitched voice that makes everything sound cute. Sometimes, even when he says "no" it makes me smile. 4. my church; the music, the message, all of it. I love attending there.
Feel free to join me. Grab a button and tell me what you are thankful for!
We had a nice little weekend - drove into Houston to see the inlaws and take their oldish big screen TV off their hands. They recently decided to replace theirs and so we got the old one. It sure beats the little 20-something inch we had. However, we had a serious TV watching problem before...I can only imagine how it is going to be now.
But the kids love it and I am sure once Kiddo gets a taste of playing video games on the thing he will finally turn into the full fledged couch potato I have been grooming him to be since birth. I am so proud!
haha! Anyway...
The weather is back to rainy and dreary again, thankfully though it isn't quite as cold. I can handle almost 60 degrees and wet much better than 30s and 40s with wet. Yuck. I am seriously needing some sunshine though - the hour or so I soaked up on Saturday while Port played in the inlaw's back yard just didn't last me very long. My internal batteries need something more like a weekend on the beach in order to get a full recharge. (anyone have a beach house? my birthday is coming up!)
I have been craving the ocean for a while now. It is starting to become a nuisance.
I am hoping to be very productive this week. I just finished a book that was inspiring, motivating and frankly, frightening (but in a good way!). I would love to accomplish the things it talks about, and while I think I am for once in my life actually on the right path, the book has clarified for me that 1) there are not enough hours in the day nor enough milligrams of caffeine in my coffee, 2)my patience needs to be at maximum levels for an extended period of time if I really want to see the best results, 3) I need to start making some long term plans, 4) I have so much work to do that I can't even see straight.
But the best thing is, I think that what I really want to do with my life is starting to take shape. I have never been able to say what I want to be when I grow up. And now, well, while I still can't really define it in one particular profession, I have a better understanding of what I want. And the best part is, I think I am on the right path, doing the right things. I just need to connect the dots a little better and hopefully things will start falling into place.
How's that for being cryptic?? lol
So, today I am trying to organize my thoughts and plans, though it is proving difficult because I seem to be developing a nasty sinus infection. My addiction to afrin is growing stronger as I am struggling to breathe more and more. This has really got to stop. I need to get healthy for a while. The damp, moldy, cedar laden air isn't helping things. The beach is sounding better and better... Today is Monday (in case you weren't aware) and so I should be doing a wonderful, inspiring Gratitude Monday post. Today though I would like to just highlight a few people I am so very grateful for this (and every week).
1. My main girl Kim. The more I get to know her, the more amazed I am that we are not somehow blood related. 2. Julia - who, almost every single day makes me thank God she is in my life. She is by far the most thoughtful, giving, amazingly knowledgeable and connected person I know. I don't know how I got so fortunate to be a part of her life, but some day I will figure out a way to thank her for all that she's done. I just haven't thought of anything grand enough yet! 3. A fellow photographer, Sandy - who, for no reason other than just possessing a HUGE heart and a gift for expressing it has boosted my confidence and made me feel valuable in the photography community. That means more to me than I am sure she knows. 4. my Hubby - he complimented me at least twice this week on my cooking, and it was something I really needed. To get such praise from him is like being handed a most precious treasure.
Happy Monday Everyone! I hope those of you with the day off are enjoying the time, and those of you who had to work (sorry Hubby!) are having a slow, peaceful day.
We had a busy day here today. With a birthday party to attend at 2PM, I had to put Port down for an early nap. He was not a happy camper about it, but he still managed to sleep for a full 2 1/2 hours before I woke him so we could go. He probably would have slept 3 if we weren't going to be late. Poor little guy, I don't think he's getting enough sleep.
So today is Gratitude Monday and honestly, I don't have any one person on my mind. Sure, I could pick someone and write about them on the fly, but I would much rather be motivated by emotion and real, in the moment gratitude than do something forced. Thank you to those who participated, I have enjoyed reading your outpouring of love for your friends.
I am just grateful for so much right now! I am involved in a bunch of new endeavors and exciting projects. I am motivated and working hard on my business, and I really feel like things are headed in the right direction.
And even if they are not, I still feel really good about things right now.
God has blessed me in so many ways. I am looking forward to what He has in store this year.
So, I guess, in lieu of a traditional Gratitude Monday post where I talk about one person, this is a post about...
well, everyone.
I am grateful to God for all He has given me. I have nothing without Him.
I am grateful to my family and my friends who are loving and supportive.
I am grateful to my clients who are supporting me in more ways than one.
I am grateful to my church family, who show me love and encouragement and inspiration just by being there and doing what they do.
I am grateful for the opportunities that have fallen into my lap. I can't wait to share them with you.
I am grateful for days like the last few I have had that show me that it is ok to be happy, and hopeful, and excited.
I am grateful for the readers of this blog and all my supporters here, on facebook and in daily life that encourage me to do more and do better.
I pray that I can be all that you think I can be, and feel confident enough in my abilities that I never lose courage and hope for the future.
Because right now, I am encouraged, hopeful, excited and ready for the challenges ahead.
And I don't want that feeling to end any time soon.
Encourage and show your gratitude for someone or something today. It is a freeing, wonderful thing to do.
Here it is, the last day of November, and the last day of NaBloPoMo. I can't believe I actually made it this year!
Hopefully now I can get back to more meaningful posts, rather than the play by play day to day stuff I've been writing. Though I have to say, I like having to write every day for the most part - I think it helps keep things flowing. So often during the rest of the year I think of all these great things to write about, and then have no motivation to sit down and write it. Perhaps I should challenge myself more with the blog.
Speaking of challenges, since it is Monday, I am supposed to do a Gratitude Monday post.
There are so many people I can post about, I just don't know how to choose. God has placed so many amazing souls in my life. And to say something about them here simply won't be enough - I could never express in written word what they mean to me. They would have to hear my inner most self; they would have to feel the things I feel and get inside my head to truly understand. But still, I try. The post for Kim a few weeks ago was only the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more I can say, but the words are never quite right. I will someday write about a life long friend, Rhonda, and a new friend, Rachel. When I can find the words that are right; when my head can focus and I can wrap my mind around something more than the immediate "to do" list on my desk, I will talk about them too.
On her private blog, Julia wrote a post about me and it was so moving and touching that I get weepy every time I read it (and yes, I go back and read it often). Her post encourages me to write one about her, and when I try to focus on Julia and the impact she has had on my life, my thoughts fly out in a million directions. She blows. my. mind. on a weekly basis. I have never known someone so giving, someone so brilliant, so intuitive and kind; someone so incredibly amazing. Julia has a heart that is immeasurable. Her soul is a soul of true giving and uninhibited charity. And her mind, my goodness, her mind is open to everything, full of ideas and thoughtfulness, facts and figures.
She speaks rapidly but with clarity and intelligence. She is funny and clever. Her body and mind knows no stillness, yet she is still able to make everyone around her feel welcome, relaxed, appreciated and wanted. She is an amazing hostess; thinking of everyone and everything and attending every need. She is a great mom to 2 amazing and gifted children and she beams with pride whenever she speaks of them. She is observant, a planner, a problem solver and critical thinker. And she has encouraged me and lifted me up on so very many occasions. She has shown me what giving really is. In observing her life, she makes me aware of how selfish I can be and how being charitable doesn't always mean giving "things" or money, but instead it can mean giving time, giving encouragement, giving knowledge and giving support.
She makes me want to be a better person.
She is a blessing to my life, and for that I am so grateful.
There is so much more I could say; so much more I want to say but I just can't find the words.
I hope that you, my readers, are able to find the words today about someone in your life. Pay forward the gratitude - tell them what they mean to you.
Bless someone with your thoughts and feelings today.
I know today is supposed to be a Gratitude Monday, but I am dealing with a very sick and cranky boy today and no sleep last night so I just don't have it in me for a long post. I will try to get a GM post up some time this week, hopefully when we are all feeling better.
In the meantime, I will leave you with the cute little ditty I overheard Kiddo singing to himself as he was preparing to brush his teeth this morning. He was recently introduced to the Popeye movie by his Happy, and so now all day we hear variations on this tune.
"I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, toot toot! I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, toot toot! I always brush my teeth, So I can be super strong. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man, toot toot! I love to go swimmin wif bowlegged wimmen, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man! Toot toot!"
Well it's Monday again and since I started this thing I had better stick with it. Of course, this will probably post late because my head is just swimming right now with deadlines, client edits, client orders, bills, laundry and cranky children. After a few days away from home, the stuff I need to do is crashing down on me with brute force.
But there should always be time in my life for a little gratitude, right?
Today I am going to talk about someone I have never met, but who has impacted my life in a profound way.
To know their blog and their story is to know -how to use lots of tissues. You will cry when you read their story. -true strength that comes only from the supernatural power of God -miracles do happen -that even the smallest of humans can invoke prayer and conversations with God all over the world -that someone so incredibly cute and seemingly perfect can be so terribly sick, near death, and still amazingly perfect -that God has the perfect plan for all of us, and that even as humans we can trust in His infinite wisdom and grace.
The MckMama and Stellan story is a world wide phenomenon that has reached people across the globe. It has brought people to their knees, started movements of picture taking and prayer gatherings, and touched so many lives that every time I check her blog I am blown away by the sheer magnitude of it. It is an amazing display of God reaching out to us, to spread His word, to reach the multitudes. It is a gift.
It has made me appreciate my babies even more. It has taught me to slow down, step away from the computer and appreciate the blessings I have. Because, it has taught me that you never know how long you have with someone.
Thank you MckMama for giving us all an amazing gift. For sharing your story with the world and allowing us into your lives so that we can lift you up in prayer, cry with you, cheer with you, and generally be involved in most every thing you do. You have taught me so much, and for that I am truly grateful.
Baby Stellan had an extremely risky surgery yesterday that, by all accounts so far, was completely successful at eradicating his SVT without any life long complications. Praise God for an amazing, mind blowing miracle!
Until, D :)
If you participated in your own Gratitude Monday, leave me a comment in this post and I will come visit your blog. Thanks so much!
In church on Sunday the preacher was discussing the lost virtue of Gratitude. I was a very good message and it got me thinking about a lot of things.
I do believe that all things come to us through Him, and good or bad, we should always be thankful and grateful for the experiences. Everything that we experience, every person that crosses our path makes us who we are.
I like to think of my life as a stone wall. Always a work in progress, my life is made up of many different sizes of unique stones. Each stone, or person, is carved by God's very own hand. Each one fits into my life like a perfect puzzle piece. The gaps between the stones are filled with the mortar; the experiences, feelings and emotions of life. And as the stones are added, the wall is built, and my personality and life grows bigger, richer and more complex.
Last week, the Musing Mommies challenged their readers and listeners to tell someone how they truly felt about them. The challenge was in response to one of my blog posts, where I told the story about the DJ remembering me from a job I had long ago.
Since this is November and I am participating in NaBloPoMo, I thought I would try to take the challenge each Monday, and describe what it is like to know one particular person in my life.
The response to the challenge at Musing Mommies was next to nothing (many thanks to Shannon for her contribution), but I would like to take it myself and describe what it is like for me to know my friend, Kim.
Kim is my Musing Mommies Podcast cohost, a good friend, a relatively new friend and a fellow mommy.
I was thinking it might be too obvious to describe her, but after considering other options, I decided that sometimes it is the people who are the closest to us that really need to know how we feel the most.
So, this is what it is like for me to know Kim. :)
To know Kim is: to know someone who is fiercely loyal, who is good willed, who is slightly frightening when she gets that look on her face, who is strong in her beliefs, who is confident in her knowledge, who is passionate about her causes, her interests and her loves, who is not afraid to express her opinions, but doesn't want to offend anyone either, who is not afraid of offending someone if she thinks she is right, who is surprising in her humor and her capacity for silliness, who is not afraid to ask for or go after what she wants.
Kim is a supporter. She pulled me out of a place that I didn't want to be. She lifted me out of a spiraling hole of depression and she showed interest in me when it felt like no one else cared. She got me out of the house. She let me talk until her ears bled and she allowed me to spew my frustrations and hurts to her. She never makes me feel bad about dominating a conversation. She taught me how to show that same interest in someone else, simply by asking a lot of questions. She has pushed me to do things I was afraid to do, things I put off simply out of fear of failure, and things I never thought I would be able to do. She is that forceful yet loving cheer leader that someone like me needs.
I know that God put Kim in my life for a very important reason. And while I may not ever completely understand the full scope of her influence on my life, I know that she will forever be a major stone in my life's wall. And I know the mortar, the experiences and feelings and emotions we experience together, that adheres her to my wall of life will be thick and strong.
And I am so grateful to God for building my wall this way. I am so thankful to have her in my life.
I would like to extend the MuMo challenge to all of you, especially if you are participating in NaBloPoMo, to have your own Gratitude Monday. (after all, we all need blog post ideas, right?)
I even made you a cute button! Go ahead, grab it and join us this month!
I put the code in a box in my side bar so you can grab it for your site or posts. YAY!
I can't wait to read your posts! And if it is fun for you, leave me a comment so I can check it out and pass it on! If I get enough response, I may add a MckLinky at the bottom of my posts so that we can all have easy access to the participant's blogs.
