.jpg)
 |
| the night he came back! |
Wetting the bed...My Noel
Showing posts with label Inspiration/Faith/Personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration/Faith/Personal. Show all posts
Husbands & Handmade Notes
Tie with a little note and accompany it with a thermos of hot water/milk for his lunch.
and you all know how much I love to sew paper:)
Remembering The Lasts, Encouraging moms
Tired Of The Same
Who's That Blog?
Good News and Promises
On the rare occasion that I decide to get a little personal on" the blog", I never know the balance I should take when I am writing a post. Sometimes I write a whole post and then take some out. Sometimes I add more. Do people read my blog for photos, for the DIY projects, for my attempt at inspiration/ faith topics?? I just don't know, so all I decide to ever do is be myself...which as you can see = wordy!
I don't want to be fake or change just because I am concerned about my number of "followers", because in life I should be caring more about those who chose to follow Christ, and not those who choose to follow my blog. The catch continues to be, though, that my blog (and eventually business) is aimed at the handmade/photography world.....hmmm...the back and forth.
Well, if you've been with me a year now, you may remember the days we were making the decision to leave the Marine Corps.
We did not know what we were going to do for a job, we didn't know if we should move...etc. Our house we owned in another state was in the short-sale process for a year...basically, we were tied down in many ways waiting for God to open a door. We knew He would have a plan, because He urged us to leave the Marine Corps we had known for 9 years. His promises never fail.
In June, a job nearby and with amazing hours was offered to my husband.
In October our house finally sold, and in November we found out about this little cutie...
This was his/her first picture back at the 8 week mark, so I am excited to be at 14 weeks now..due in July.
If you have ever been pregnant, or want to be pregnant, you know the delicateness of this miracle. I have to admit, that with my first daughter, I was oblivious to any of the "what ifs". My pregnancy was a dream (minus my husband getting deployed when I was 5 months along) and everything was pretty "textbook".
With my second daughter, I was a couple of years older, had friends who had unfortunate experiences, and just knew in my mind that each pregnancy is really a bunch of "what ifs" that I have to leave up to God.
This 3rd baby will be our last.
From the beginning (this 8 week marker) I had many "what ifs" in my head. One of them actually happened.
What if it was twins?
This 8 week appointment did reveal another baby...to the left of this one....you cant see in the picture. I wasn't even going to mention it to you when I finally announced our good news, but maybe my story can comfort someone out there in the blog world.
He/she was small and motionless. The doctor said it was already reabsorbing into my body, so there was no reason to worry or take further action. It had happened around week 5 according to her. I had no idea our bodies could do this!
I didn't know whether to be relieved or sad. 4 kids was not in my plan.
{But I guess I should have been thinking about His plan}
I didn't know that another baby was there, and had no indication this had happened, so was I supposed to be sad?
At a follow up appointment a few weeks later, the second baby was completely gone. The doctor replied as she scanned over my belly "it has been fully absorbed, and is now a part of you." Those words stuck in my mind and I thought "Yes...a part of me."
No matter what stage of family building you are in, what line of work you do, what your family situation is, please know that (like I mentioned in this post), each experience is a part of you. You are daily being shaped and made to make choices and use your life for impact on others. Your life has a plan full of promises.
I've said before that blogging is like a letter to an imaginary friend in the computer. Who know who reads, or who is impacted. Your life can impact someone else.
Go out today, practice your craft and find out how you can positively impact another person with it. Share good news, and have a great Monday!
Turning A New Leaf, Hello 2013!
Have you ever heard that saying about "turning a new leaf?"
My parents used to say it while we were all growing up, in reference to my brother who often found himself in some sort of big trouble. When they had all decided (or my parents decided) he was going to start behaving, they'd declare "he's turning a new leaf!"
After a while of "turning new leaves" I started saying "he's turned enough leaves to build a forest!"
Looking back, obviously that wasn't very nice to say..... but sisterly?...maybe ;)
In all seriousness, I hope 2013 finds you as blessed this year as you were last year. Looking back, there may have been "leaves" you were happy to shed, and excited to replace with new ones, but each leaf made its mark and had its purpose.
To bring out the cliff notes version of the Science geek in me again....look at leaves from a nature perspective. They aren't just on plants because they are pretty, but in fact they are made up of chlorophyll and a bunch of other things with long names that allow sunlight to be captured, food to be made and transported throughout the plant to where it needs to be (photosynthesis).
Leaves are vital to a plants nourishment and growth.
Whatever leaves you are glad you shed this year, or ones you rather have "turn over" and start anew, the 2012 leaves grew you in ways you may not know yet. Maybe you learned a new skill, but it wasn't so easy to begin. Maybe you had to give up someone or something?
I'm not into "resolutions", but I do have a goal to be overall more optimistic and faithful.
After all, I have more blessings than I can count, I know God's promises are true, so why shouldn't I be?! HAPPY 2013!
Below are some pretty nature pictures I took recently...enjoy
My parents used to say it while we were all growing up, in reference to my brother who often found himself in some sort of big trouble. When they had all decided (or my parents decided) he was going to start behaving, they'd declare "he's turning a new leaf!"
After a while of "turning new leaves" I started saying "he's turned enough leaves to build a forest!"
Looking back, obviously that wasn't very nice to say..... but sisterly?...maybe ;)
In all seriousness, I hope 2013 finds you as blessed this year as you were last year. Looking back, there may have been "leaves" you were happy to shed, and excited to replace with new ones, but each leaf made its mark and had its purpose.
To bring out the cliff notes version of the Science geek in me again....look at leaves from a nature perspective. They aren't just on plants because they are pretty, but in fact they are made up of chlorophyll and a bunch of other things with long names that allow sunlight to be captured, food to be made and transported throughout the plant to where it needs to be (photosynthesis).
Leaves are vital to a plants nourishment and growth.
Whatever leaves you are glad you shed this year, or ones you rather have "turn over" and start anew, the 2012 leaves grew you in ways you may not know yet. Maybe you learned a new skill, but it wasn't so easy to begin. Maybe you had to give up someone or something?
I'm not into "resolutions", but I do have a goal to be overall more optimistic and faithful.
After all, I have more blessings than I can count, I know God's promises are true, so why shouldn't I be?! HAPPY 2013!
Below are some pretty nature pictures I took recently...enjoy
On my mind...Declaring Who You Are
All of us hold so many titles....maybe mom, wife, DIY-er, chef, accountant, teacher...etc.
In whatever you do, do you ever feel like a misfit?
Did it ever feel strange to call yourself whatever it's is you are and own that identity?
I always dreamed of what it would be like to call myself "doctor" after I graduated vet school, but those plans never came through. When I first got married, the sound of my new last name sounded strange, not to mention the new "Mrs" in front of it.
Maybe you are afraid of all of the questions that will come from others once you take that leap...after all, you may not feel like you have all of the answers.
Recently, we snuggled as a family to watch a classic favorite Christmas movie.
Those claymation ones with Burl Ives are our favorites....ones like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.
The beginning scenes where the characters are calling themselves "misfits" is always a little sad to me. Hermie, the elf, wants to be a dentist.
Rudolph, the misfit reindeer with a red nose, meets Hermie and asks...
Rudolph: Who are you?
Hermie: Well, actually...I am a dentist!
Rudolph: A dentist?
Hermie: Well...I want to be... someday...right now I'm just an Elf. But I don't need anybody...I'm independent!
This is a question I have been battling...I know I am a mom, a crafter, a friend.......but when do I say I'm a photographer?
For so long I've been calling myself an amateur newbie, but when does that end?
When do I take that jump and declare who I am?
For a while I have been almost begging friends to let me take pictures of them....and I'd do them for free...and give them the whole Cd...but should I? I don't think so anymore.
In reality, am I diminishing the value of the photography world by giving people handouts and offering services for free, when we already live in a "how can I get this cheaper" world?
There are many "professional" photographers who work hard for their fees, and I may seem like just another person with a camera who thinks they take pretty good pictures sometimes.
I know you've seen the books by Eric Carle...his famous art makes the books you have probably read at one time. We recently got The Mixed Up Chameleon. Such a simple, yet profound book.
Maybe I read too much into it, but its about a chameleon who is "blah" about who he is.
He sits, catches flies and sits some more.
Through the book, he wishes he could be as strong as ____, or as tall as ____, etc. By the end of the book, he's trying to be so many things, he is no longer able to eat and catch the fly.
So, my whole point of this post is.......when do we accept and declare who we are?
You may not be the best sewer, but don't be afraid to say you sew.
Your art is YOUR art....that's the point.
Enjoy what you do and don't be afraid to declare it and be proud of what you produce.
The motto of my blog and shop is this verse I have mentioned before:
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
PS....If you do happen to love teeth, that doesn't make you a dentist....;)
Becoming Real
Last night as I snuggled my daughter and read her a story, I realized my talent of being able to read a book, and think about other things as I read. I don't do this often, because I do enjoy my story times every night, but last night my mind seemed busy.
The words on the pages were being processed and repeated out of my lips, but my brain jumped from topic to topic, unbeknownst to my daughter.
The story was The Velveteen Rabbit.
A few of the paragraphs stood out to me.....
...."the Rabbit sighed. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished he could become it without these uncomfortable things happenings to him."
Sometimes uncomfortable things happen to us.
Sometimes we have sharp edges, or put a guard up, afraid we may break easily.
Maybe someone has betrayed our trust, and we are having to learn to trust again.
Maybe a devastating event has happened, and we need our friends and family around us to love us where we are, and love us into reality.
Just remember to love. Love them even if it is uncomfortable, or even if it is from afar.
Right now there is a whole East side of our country in pain. Mothers whose children were swept away, homes that were a labor of love and filled with family memories. Its easy for me to sit in my 80-90 degree Arizona weather sipping my iced tea, and say "That is over there, and I am over here.". I pray daily for them, and also for me, that I can have compassion and be daring enough to love even those I do not know.
First God loved us, so we can love others too.
Don't be afraid to let people get close and make your rough edges smooth.
The rubbing off of fur, and loss of our whiskers will reveal the real heart underneath.
The words on the pages were being processed and repeated out of my lips, but my brain jumped from topic to topic, unbeknownst to my daughter.
The story was The Velveteen Rabbit.
A few of the paragraphs stood out to me.....
Rabbit: "What is Real?...."Does it hurt?"
Skin Horse: "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt"
Rabbit: "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, or bit by bit?"
Skin Horse: "It doesn't happen all at once....you become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, have sharp edges or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because when you are Real you can't be ugly, except to the people who don't understand.....Once you become Real, you can't become unreal."
...."the Rabbit sighed. He longed to become Real, to know what it felt like; and yet the idea of growing shabby and losing his eyes and whiskers was rather sad. He wished he could become it without these uncomfortable things happenings to him."Sometimes uncomfortable things happen to us.
Sometimes we have sharp edges, or put a guard up, afraid we may break easily.
Maybe someone has betrayed our trust, and we are having to learn to trust again.
Maybe a devastating event has happened, and we need our friends and family around us to love us where we are, and love us into reality.
Just remember to love. Love them even if it is uncomfortable, or even if it is from afar.
Right now there is a whole East side of our country in pain. Mothers whose children were swept away, homes that were a labor of love and filled with family memories. Its easy for me to sit in my 80-90 degree Arizona weather sipping my iced tea, and say "That is over there, and I am over here.". I pray daily for them, and also for me, that I can have compassion and be daring enough to love even those I do not know.
First God loved us, so we can love others too.
Don't be afraid to let people get close and make your rough edges smooth.
The rubbing off of fur, and loss of our whiskers will reveal the real heart underneath.
Frozen Moments...and a challenge!
Last week my family and I went to the Arizona Science Center....I was in geek heaven as I got to walk around exhibits talking about Biology, weather, Botany, etc. I could have stayed there a while just reading everything- but its largely a kid's place for exploration.
We took our kids, and staying in one place longer than 3 minutes was a rarity-there was so much to explore! We mainly went to take in the amazing dinosaur exhibit!
In the lego room, I remember walking up to a car made of legos to find a little boy yelling "mom, take my picture- look at me!"
His mom had her phone out, and replied "I can't honey, my phone is full". She proceeded to flip through past photos, deleting a few to make room for new ones. It struck me {a little in a sad way}, that so many past photos had become frozen moments- stuck on that phone.
I was reminded of this instance last night as I tuned into a new show that's on TV called "Revolution". The show revolves around the idea that the earth is existing with zero electricity or energy of any kind. In the episode we were watching, the earth had been in this condition for 15 years, and one of the characters had saved her IPHONE all of those years because it was the only way she had to see her kids' pictures. When the power eventually got restored, she wanted to be able to see those pictures she had in her mind, but not in her hands.
Photography is a cherished art that preserves memories. I urge you, don't just let these memories sit in your digital device of choice, unable to be enjoyed. Get prints made, put them in frames, on the walls, in scrapbooks. Make those memories memorable.
You may even find some amazing pictures you forgot you had!
What Influence Means
If you haven't heard about the Influence Conference that just happened, or a blog called Life of A Pint-Sized Mama, then you need to go check it out!
Because of this conference, the pint-sized mama (aka Mackenzie) has been inspiring readers to think about their influence.
It kind of got me thinking about what influence means to me.
Influence (in my mind) sort of brings back the laws I learned in Science about there being a reaction to every action....ignoring the equal part...sometimes those you influence don't always react equally.
If I act and do something that influences someone else, I hope it would be for the positive.
I hope that person is influenced enough to spread it to another person.---think of it like a good virus ;)
In a marriage, the way I behave could influence the mood of my husband and the quality of our household. I think I have great influence at home, simply because I am always there. Wives were made with great purpose in mind- to be a good influence.
I see myself in my kids every day.
My 3 year old now says things I say, and even mimics my tone when I say them. 99% of this is good things- like when she tells me to "take small bites" :)...but it is clear to me I influence in many ways that are not even verbal. Moms (and dads) are some of the most influential people in the world.
Where do you spend your time? Is your influence a positive one?
I was hoping blogging could be a positive experience, but it is hard to break out and have people invested. I feel like I have had little to no influence in the blogging world.
As far as the photography stuff goes, I want to do it and influence others with photos I take, but I am just trying to figure out how. It is hard when I can't seem to get feedback and am slowly figuring out where to start. I have to keep reminding myself that even experts were once beginners. I heard that last week from another person who influences and inspires me.
I am on this earth to live for eternal influence, but figuring out how to do that is a constant task.
I feel like that chick running around with only its 2 legs out of the shell.
"Eternal influence" is the ruler I am daily trying to pick up and use to measure the projects I take on.
I wish I could have more eternal influence and do things that matter.
and I mean things that REALLY matter.
Because of this conference, the pint-sized mama (aka Mackenzie) has been inspiring readers to think about their influence.
It kind of got me thinking about what influence means to me.
What is influence?
What influence do I make everyday?
Who do I influence?
Do I influence in a positive or negative way?
Influence (in my mind) sort of brings back the laws I learned in Science about there being a reaction to every action....ignoring the equal part...sometimes those you influence don't always react equally.
 |
| Erosion is an example of influence in that the constant wave of water over rock influences the eroding of that rock. |
If I act and do something that influences someone else, I hope it would be for the positive.
I hope that person is influenced enough to spread it to another person.---think of it like a good virus ;)
In a marriage, the way I behave could influence the mood of my husband and the quality of our household. I think I have great influence at home, simply because I am always there. Wives were made with great purpose in mind- to be a good influence.
I see myself in my kids every day.
My 3 year old now says things I say, and even mimics my tone when I say them. 99% of this is good things- like when she tells me to "take small bites" :)...but it is clear to me I influence in many ways that are not even verbal. Moms (and dads) are some of the most influential people in the world.
Where do you spend your time? Is your influence a positive one?
I was hoping blogging could be a positive experience, but it is hard to break out and have people invested. I feel like I have had little to no influence in the blogging world.
As far as the photography stuff goes, I want to do it and influence others with photos I take, but I am just trying to figure out how. It is hard when I can't seem to get feedback and am slowly figuring out where to start. I have to keep reminding myself that even experts were once beginners. I heard that last week from another person who influences and inspires me.
I am on this earth to live for eternal influence, but figuring out how to do that is a constant task.
I feel like that chick running around with only its 2 legs out of the shell.
"Eternal influence" is the ruler I am daily trying to pick up and use to measure the projects I take on.
I wish I could have more eternal influence and do things that matter.
and I mean things that REALLY matter.
Wood Growth Board Project and Life Updates
What a week it has been, and so I haven't been around the blog much!
Here are some updates...
---I participated in my first ever kid's consignment sale. It was a lot of work to iron, hang, and tag things, and I now know I need to start that process weeks in advance and not the day before. Over 45,000 items were at this sale, and it filled an entire vacant grocery store, so you can imagine the women were there ready with their baskets and Black-Friday attitudes.
---I have 105 snowman kits to finish up for the Indie Gift Boxes going out next month.....wow- this is going to be fun!
---Spare time practicing food photography in my own kitchen because everyone else fails to write or call me back.
---My 1 year old and I have bad head colds. She acts like the snot sucker thing is evil, but she needs it. Its one of those things you wish you could explain, but they just don't understand. Not to mention my 3 year old came down with a UTI....giving her antibiotics isn't too fun either.
Managing the house, my husband, dealing with bank issues on our short sale has left me pretty wiped out. I had one night where I eeeked out a project for me, and it turned out 99% how I envisioned.
I visited LOWES and spent $2 on a piece of Redwood fence. I liked this piece's grain pattern and it was already the perfect size, so no cutting is required. BUT- I do recommend you sand your board down to make it smooth. You don't want splinters and rough wood to be accessible to your kids!
Fencing is 6 feet tall, but because my husband is 6-3, I knew I would need a way to make up for that.
I ended up starting the ruler at the 6 inch mark, so that wherever I hung it, it would be 6 inches off of the ground. This would also help me with the issue of hanging it out of the way of the baseboard, and now my board would reach up to 6ft. 6 inches if I wanted it to....I let it just go to 6ft. 3 inches so I could write our name on top.
I printed numbers 1-6 in a font I liked. Covered those pieces with contact paper, and used a hobby knife to cut the numbers out and form stencils.
I used a ruler to measure out inches, and a foam dauber to apply the painted numbers.
In all, this project cost just a few cents over $5, and took about an hour.
I am happy to have a way to measure our growth as a family.
Have you wanted to make one of these?
Comment below, and I will mail one lucky person a package containing contac-paper stencils in any font you like (if I have it), a piece of snad paper, and a foam dauber. All you will need is a ruler, paint and your board. :)
Thank you for the 103
I know that I am supposed to be getting in the Fall mood, but its a little hard to enjoy hot chocolate or pants when it is 103 degrees outside almost every day. The weather person says NEXT week we should see relief, so lets just hope they are right, and that they don't say "next week" when it is next week. :)
Until then, I say thank you Lord, for the 103 degrees, because it means that I am alive.
I get to enjoy the splash pad another day with my kids.
In other news, I may be a little absent for the rest of the week. I am getting mailers ready for my food & product photography endeavors, and have some ETSY orders to fill.
Are you in the festive mood yet? Any Christmas present ideas floating in your head?
One thing I would love, is a spot in JessicaNDesigns Holiday Gift Guide...go check it out!
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Even Monopoly Man Got Turned Down
Sometimes the world's voice is louder that Gods (it seems) but only He can whisper to our heart.
The world's voice constantly yells "COMPARE COMPARE COMPARE".
Its enough to make a person crazy with feelings of inadequacy.
The inadequacy makes us not want to try new things, and we keep repeating the cycle of being in one place, and hoping for another. For me, photography is one of those things.
As I delve into books and websites about product photography, I realize it is right up my alley. The first sentence in the first page of a book I just bought perfectly describes what I like to do with photography, and what I have unknowingly been doing for the past 3 years. Being able to control every aspect of a picture: the lighting, the angles, the setting...its just what I love, and is also why taking pictures of people/things that move is so much harder for me.
From the time I made my first invitations, I was unknowingly "staging" or "styling" my own photos with my little point and shoot camera. I would create some invitations or place cards, get my TV tray and move it to the front porch where there was better light. I'd lay down a pretty napkin, and adjust the invitation and whatever else on the table, and take a bunch of pictures, trying to capture what I want the viewer to see. Here are a few with zero editing from the 2009 archives....you can tell I was just starting out
a picture I took at her workshop
I am realizing that sometimes I craft just so I can take the picture of whatever I make.
Crafting is feeding my photography.
I feel like its time to make a leap!
Having a crafty shop on ETSY is fine, and I love it, but I think I want to take photography of handcrafted things to the next level.
I want to find a way to make it profitable.
How will I make this work? I am not sure.
I've still got A LOT to learn, but everyone has to start somewhere.
I can continue to write local bakeries and shops, hoping for at least a reply-even if its "no".
I can keep praying and keep practicing, and remind myself that even the maker of Monopoly got turned down by Parker Brothers when he submitted his game for review.
If you are feeling led to make something- make it!
If you've been feeling like you want to go somewhere or do something new- do it!
Do let the appearance of things keep you from trying something.
Product photography is a key example of making things appear how they really are not. This picture from one of the books I got teaches me how to trick customers who look at fashion.
Don't be tricked into thinking you have to be more than God made you to be.
Handmade Is Treasure
Dear friends,
Its Labor Day, and something new this year for us is the fact that my husband is at work. With the Marine Corps, we knew there were holidays he'd be home, but with his new job, holidays are considered "floating". Will he work Christmas? Yep!...New Years too? You betcha!
We have to take the good with the bad, and we are so blessed to have a job that he enjoys and is good at. God provides.
We had hoped to move out of this rental house we have been living in for the past 2 1/2 years, and into a house with grass (not rocks)- and nearer to my husband's work. As we punch the numbers, it is a disappointing reality that we won't be able to afford a move, so it is in this house we stay. This is testing my contentedness, but growing my appreciation for the many things we do have. It is only 20 minutes to work for my husband, and it meets our needs. Besides the lack of grass, I can't really ask for more.
{Noel misses grass so much, that when we took her to a MLB game last month, she tried to run out on the field yelling "GRAAAASSS!!..Mommy can I go on the grass??"....yes, it was green, beautiful, and a rare sight to see around here.}
Im sure you've seen or heard a "When You Buy Handmade" quote, but this one touched me. When it comes to LifeCreated, this is completely the truth.
My shop is what keeps me at home. If you support LifeCreated, you are seriously helping to fill my car with gas and stay home with my daughters.
I've added a bunch of things to the shop today, and would love if you shared my name with others you know.
I know first-hand that for every blog you decide to read, there are about 1000 more out there. When you support LifeCreated, you are supporting us. When you read LifeCreated, you are reading about a real life....created with purpose, just like yours.
Thank you!
Its Labor Day, and something new this year for us is the fact that my husband is at work. With the Marine Corps, we knew there were holidays he'd be home, but with his new job, holidays are considered "floating". Will he work Christmas? Yep!...New Years too? You betcha!
We have to take the good with the bad, and we are so blessed to have a job that he enjoys and is good at. God provides.
We had hoped to move out of this rental house we have been living in for the past 2 1/2 years, and into a house with grass (not rocks)- and nearer to my husband's work. As we punch the numbers, it is a disappointing reality that we won't be able to afford a move, so it is in this house we stay. This is testing my contentedness, but growing my appreciation for the many things we do have. It is only 20 minutes to work for my husband, and it meets our needs. Besides the lack of grass, I can't really ask for more.
{Noel misses grass so much, that when we took her to a MLB game last month, she tried to run out on the field yelling "GRAAAASSS!!..Mommy can I go on the grass??"....yes, it was green, beautiful, and a rare sight to see around here.}
Im sure you've seen or heard a "When You Buy Handmade" quote, but this one touched me. When it comes to LifeCreated, this is completely the truth.
I've added a bunch of things to the shop today, and would love if you shared my name with others you know.
I know first-hand that for every blog you decide to read, there are about 1000 more out there. When you support LifeCreated, you are supporting us. When you read LifeCreated, you are reading about a real life....created with purpose, just like yours.
Thank you!
Negative Nancy
Blogging, for me, is like writing to an imaginary friend. I don't really know who's listening or who really cares. Sure, I can make some cute dollhouse furniture, and I hope you enjoy my crafty posts, but behind the pictures are hands who do a lot of things. I'm only 29, but I'm living a life that isn't as shallow as pins on pinterest.
I hope I can share a little life story and lesson today, without being thought of as a "negative Nancy". After all, blogging can be therapy---FREE therapy ;)
__________
Name calling is nothing new to me. I am the oldest of 3, and yes, my younger siblings terrorized me growing up. You may think siblings do this sort of stuff all of the time, but it wasn't just to me. My parents were even victims.
My brother was almost 2 years younger, shorter, and wider than me.
He used his size to his advantage.
I remember getting beat up and being called a "dog" with barks to the face.
The endless "you'll never find anyone to love you" and "you're a scrub" comments weighed me down.
My sister was also shorter than me...we were friends until she hit the 4th or 5th grade and she met friends that weren't so nice. We are opposites, and the only thing the same about us is our big Italian noses and the fact that we are both left-handed.
Both my brother and sister went down roads I didn't go.
I did everything "in order"...graduated high school, went to college, graduated again, married, kids...I was the rule follower.
I won't go into my siblings' lives, but lets just say they've done things differently. Even now we only talk maybe once a year, and the other day my brother contacted me on facebook by commenting on a blip I wrote about a short sale issue we were having. He proceeded to tell me, in the shorter and cleaner version, that I am a "negative Nancy" and complain too much about my life.
I thought I had gotten over this lack of relationship with my siblings, but the truth is, any words they say still have great weight with me. We are older now....29, 27 and 24...we should be grown up enough to quit with the name calling and offer advice or a "hey, I'll pray for you."
I find it funny people on the outside can have such skewed views of who someone is, or what they are going through.
You don’t really need to be a Science geek like me to realize oil and water have a dislike for each other, and don’t mix.
Where there is grace there is no desire for pay-back.
Where there is grace there is no desire for someone else to feel regret.
Where there is grace there is no superiority.
Where there is grace there is no judgement.
Isn't immiscible a great word??! ;)
I hope I can share a little life story and lesson today, without being thought of as a "negative Nancy". After all, blogging can be therapy---FREE therapy ;)
__________
Name calling is nothing new to me. I am the oldest of 3, and yes, my younger siblings terrorized me growing up. You may think siblings do this sort of stuff all of the time, but it wasn't just to me. My parents were even victims.
My brother was almost 2 years younger, shorter, and wider than me.
He used his size to his advantage.
I remember getting beat up and being called a "dog" with barks to the face.
The endless "you'll never find anyone to love you" and "you're a scrub" comments weighed me down.
My sister was also shorter than me...we were friends until she hit the 4th or 5th grade and she met friends that weren't so nice. We are opposites, and the only thing the same about us is our big Italian noses and the fact that we are both left-handed.
Both my brother and sister went down roads I didn't go.
I did everything "in order"...graduated high school, went to college, graduated again, married, kids...I was the rule follower.
I won't go into my siblings' lives, but lets just say they've done things differently. Even now we only talk maybe once a year, and the other day my brother contacted me on facebook by commenting on a blip I wrote about a short sale issue we were having. He proceeded to tell me, in the shorter and cleaner version, that I am a "negative Nancy" and complain too much about my life.
I thought I had gotten over this lack of relationship with my siblings, but the truth is, any words they say still have great weight with me. We are older now....29, 27 and 24...we should be grown up enough to quit with the name calling and offer advice or a "hey, I'll pray for you."
I find it funny people on the outside can have such skewed views of who someone is, or what they are going through.
Instead of having grace, we jump right to judgement.
Grace and judgement are like oil and water.
You don’t really need to be a Science geek like me to realize oil and water have a dislike for each other, and don’t mix.
If you do want to be a little geeky, and expand your vocabulary, you might be interested to know that 2 liquids that don’t mix are said to be “immiscible”.
If you have a glass, and pour water and oil into it, you will notice they separate. One goes to the bottom, and the less-dense fluid rises. One displaces the other, and wherever there is water, there is not oil. Wherever there is oil, water is not there.
If my heart was the glass, I would hope there would be a lot of grace that mixes with what I know I should be feeling for other people. It is a daily struggle for me to release the feeling that my way is the right way.Where there is grace there is no desire for pay-back.
Where there is grace there is no desire for someone else to feel regret.
Where there is grace there is no superiority.
Where there is grace there is no judgement.
Isn't immiscible a great word??! ;)
Mommy Moments
Sometimes, as a mom, I find myself living an episode of Groundhog Day. I say something one day and realize this same thing has been said before/happened before or been done to me before- maybe even many times.
Have you ever....
1) Said a phrase to your child so much, they learn it by heart, but still don't do what you say
"Paper ONLY!" - meaning don't draw or put stickers on anything but paper
"You'll get a boo-boo"- but they still do crazy things anyway.
"What does mommy say?"-...Ive turned into Stewart's mom from MAD TV
2) Been in a hurry at the grocery store, but the older lady who works there feels the need to stop and talk baby-talk to your baby and get her to smile. Meanwhile, your other child is jealous and starts acting like a banshee in order to get some attention- all in the middle of the store.
3) Made a meal and before you ever get to sit down, your child start asking for seconds, and you realize you're going to have to eat your cereal dry or your BLT without the "b" all because you hadn't stocked up at the store for more groceries yet.
Guess I need to realize my kids have their daddy's appetites.
These are just a few mommy moments in my life that seem to happen A LOT!
Do you ever find your self living a mommy moment repetitively?
:) Happy Hump Day!
Where Were You When....
You know those pivotal moments in your life when something around you happens?
Its weird how our brain decides to record every word spoken, or seconds that pass in a very detailed way. Considering I can barely remember where I parked when I exit the grocery store, its amazing to me that I remember what I was doing when.....
Princess Diana was killed
the planes hit on 9/11
my husband proposed
........and this day 4 years ago when I found out my husband was going to be deployed AND that I was pregnant.
It had been a long day of the first week of my second year of teaching. We had just rescued our dog, Bella, from the shelter a few days before and she needed her shots. I was to meet my husband and Bella at the PetsMart across the street for the appointment.
Wanting to prevent me from having a breakdown, my husband thought it wise to tell me his unit was being deployed IN THE MIDDLE OF the vet appointment. Of course, I got a little pale and teary, but really, what was I supposed to say?
Its not like when they tell you this you can argue or complain. After all, this same thing had happened to so many families already. Living in a military town, you weren't going to find any sympathy from anyone. Sure, people would be supportive, but sympathetic- no.
After the appointment, we went home to prepare for a night out with friends. I had been wondering if I should take that pregnancy test that was sitting under my sink, and now was as good a time as any. After all, I didn't want to keep trying to have a baby if my husband wasn't going to be around.
So, I needed to have answers.
Sure enough, it flashed positive.
After 4 months of negatives, of course this would be the day it became positive.
I walked out of the bathroom, speechless and waving the stick in the air, and in my husbands face. He thought it was a thermometer and kept saying "what-what is that?".
Needless to say, after a few hours, the excitement, turned sadness, turned excitement again all led up to this day being ingrained in my memory forever.
I had seem other wives who had their babies while their husbands were deployed, and I always said I could never do that. I've now realized that you can really never say never, and that when you are faced with a situation, you do what you have to do for survival.
These 4 years have been the best of times and the not-so-best of times, but all of them have been blessed times with our beauty, Noel.
Sometimes when things are happening to you, it looks like everything is turning out to be a real mess. I kind of think of it as standing with your nose to a painting.
You see the mesh of strokes and they look like ugly blobs and streaks.
Step away, and see the painting is beautiful and it wouldn't be what it is without those blobs and streaks.
Do you have days that you remember vividly?
Thanks for reading my blog :)
Where I Am At...Being You
Yesterday my youngest daughter turned 11 months old. I'm "lucky" enough to live in Arizona where we've had record heat for the past week, so staying inside is a MUST. We took some photos in the living room..I blew up a few balloons and I thought to myself- how blessed am I to be their mom?
No one in this world gets to be their mom--but I do!
No one's life is the same.
I struggle with my attitude sometimes, and see blogging and Facebook as real life, when really they are glimpses of a life. Maybe artificial glimpses, because who really posts about their marriage falling apart, or the daily struggle they find themselves in. Really, who's business is it anyway?
Life is really supposed to be us going OUT and doing- not staying inside and dreaming of what life could be, or how our life doesn't measure up to so-and-so's life.
It seems every mom and her dog has a blog or a FB page that shouts "hey look at me, I can make this/I can do this/ I can wear this/ Ive traveled here....and you just haven't."
If you want to learn something Ive made before, let me know and I will gladly tell you how. I am no better than you.
One friend recently posted :
Do what you love. Others can tell.
Its so simple, yet so true.
No matter what the crowds around you are doing, what the newest trend is in your genre of creativity, stick with what you love, because it will be what you do best.
By BEST, I mean YOUR BEST, without comparison to what others do.
We have become such a group of people looking for self-affirmation from others, that we spend this short life living for others.
If you love to run, then do it and you will do YOUR best.
If you love to sew, then do it, and whatever you make will be cherished by the one who uses it.
Its great to have fans, and "likes" on a facebook page, but if electricity went out, you'd still be a living person with a life to live.
Whether people want to realize it or not, our hearts were beating long before someone liked our abilities. Our purpose was planned before the discovery of hot glue.
Sounds dumb, I know, but when we spend our lives trying to be different, we just need to sit back and realize we already are.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
