At Donna's Discretion

Sugar Sugar...I'm so embarrassed

2012-02-21T13:43:00.003-05:00

This morning my little guy came up to me, told me he loved me and put a heart sticker on my sweater. He placed it right about my collar bone and said, "It says Sugar, Sugar Mommy because you're so sweet and it's a heart because I love you.'

Awww. I happily wore my sticker. As I went about running errands I noticed that people kept giving me strange looks, some even laughing as they looked in the direction of my chest.

What I didn't realize, was that when I put my seatbelt on it moved my sticker.....directly over my chest....in a...ummm, kind of embarrassing spot.

There on my chest, in not the best of places, is a heart that reads, "Sugar, Sugar." I have worn this all day. I can't help but be embarrassed and laugh like a crazy woman at myself.

Hope you laugh too.

Some Life Lessons....

2012-02-13T13:38:00.002-05:00

I've compiled a list of some things I've learned in life, I'm sure I'll add to the list as I get older, but I wanted to share some of what I have. I know many of you already know these things, but sometimes it's helpful to have a reminder. Maybe you needed a reminder today.

If you aren't happy,

do something about it.

When you don't have time,

make time.

Instead of making excuses,

find solutions.

Don't just regret your past,

learn from it.

Don't take anything for granted,

show your appreciation.

Laughter,

it really is the best medicine.

Instead of being partial to only a limited type of music,

learn to appreciate many different genres.

When you are hurt,

forgive.

You only get one body,

take care of it.

When someone apologizes,

accept it and move on.

Don't pigeon hole yourself,

try new and different things.

Nature is more than beautiful, it's amazing,

stop and smell the roses.

If you don't like your situation,

change it.

Don't lie, but if you do,

immediately tell the truth.

If you love someone,

tell them.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you,

it doesn't mean they are wrong.

Letting go is often the hardest thing to do,

but it's usually necessary.

Just because someone doesn't love you back,

doesn't make loving them a mistake.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people,

understanding why is not guaranteed and does not change things.

When you're wrong,

admit it.

Friend's aren't just a bonus,

they are a necessity.

Pray,

EVERYDAY, no matter what.

God loves you,

EVERYDAY, no matter what.

2 Year Old's Can be Butt Heads....

2012-01-20T10:21:00.008-05:00

You've heard of "Hints from Heloise" right? Well Heloise, if anyone ever writes in about their 2 year old who got into the diaper rash ointment (when they were supposed to be sleeping) and then proceeded to put the ENTIRE tube on their head and rub it in so that there was a 2" layer over their entire head (so bad that she couldn't see a hair on the kid's head) and she needs to know how to get it out, simply tell her:

1. Don't panic.

2. Don't waste your time with kids soap and shampoo. And finally

3. Dawn dish detergent (and about 45 minutes of scrubbing) does the trick.

Just sayin', you know.........IN CASE this ever happens to anyone..........................................Else.

You see, even 2 year old's know they can be butt head's at times. Why else would they put diaper ointment in their hair? :-D

Happy Birthday to my 2 year old

2012-01-18T09:36:00.006-05:00

Every year, I write a letter to my boys on their birthday. Here is the baby's 2 year letter:

To my sweet, rambunctious baby,

How can it be possible? How is it that you have been bringing such joy (and at times, frustration) to our lives for two whole years? My beautiful baby, I am amazed by you each and every day.

First let me tell you how proud I am of you. For as challenging as it can be to keep your attention, you are obviously learning and not just your ABC’s and 123’s. You are really grasping the important stuff. When you bow your head to pray, my heart jumps. When you show compassion to your brother if he’s upset, I melt. When you say “peez” (please) and “tock ew” (thank you) and “welcome” (your welcome), I am uplifted. I love how you will just keep saying “tock ew” over and over again until someone says, “your welcome!” You want to make sure we all practice good manners. Your laugh has got to be the most infectious laugh I’ve ever heard and fortunately for us, we hear it a lot. I love how easily you laugh and your sense of humor. Even your big brother tries everyday to make you laugh because, according to him, “I love to hear my brother laugh, it’s the best laugh ever.” It’s a good thing, because it balances out the screaming you’ve been known to do from time to time.

My little one, your ingenuity astonishes me. I have never known a child who could take things apart and put them back together as easily as you do. I have never known a child who could so easily break thorough child safety locks. I have never known a child with such curiosity and lack of fear. Truly, my son, I have never seen you afraid. I have seen you hesitant, but after a few seconds, your curiosity takes over and fear goes out the window. Your lack of fear actually creates fear in me, but at the same time, it helps strengthen my faith. In so many ways you have helped me to grow as a Christian. For that precious gift alone, I could never thank you enough.

You have such a sweet and caring heart and not only for your family. Everyday, usually more than once, you will come up to me and say, “I wuv you” and give me a kiss and hug (you know how to make me tear up already). But, what really shows me your heart is how you are with others, especially when you see that they are upset. While in the nursery at church, there was a little boy standing at the door and crying for his Daddy. You went up to him, put your arm around him and kept saying to him, “is okay.” You have tried to comfort others on more than one occasion. You do this on your own, with absolutely no prodding from me. I love that.

As sweet and as fun as you are, I have to be honest. Sometimes, you are a challenge. Like the time you threw Mommy’s brush into the fireplace and almost burned the house down. I know you didn’t do it on purpose; you were simply done playing with my brush and tossed it. Unfortunately, it landed in the fireplace, right on top of the pilot light. Or the time I laid you down for a nap and you climbed out of your crib, pulled out the drawers of your dresser, flipped over your other dresser and pulled out every single toy, so that when I walked into your room, I could not even see the floor. EVERYTHING in your room was on the floor. Oh yes, you like to flip things over. I know it’s only so you can inspect them and see exactly how everything works, but it can be very challenging. Daddy has had to bolt everything that is light enough for you to flip over to the wall. Our dehumidifier downstairs, your dresser, etc. Yes, I know these things aren’t light, but you my son, are STRONG. You amaze us daily with the things you can pick up and the things you can do. Like the time you decided it would be fun to hang upside down on your swing. You were able to hold up your entire body weight with just your hands, while hanging upside down. You had seen your brother do it, and you want to do EVERYTHING your brother does.

Yes, my precious and precocious toddler, you are strong, funny, kind, sweet, fearless, wild and sensitive, but you are also smart. You know how to recite your ABC’s and can even recognize several letters already when you see them. I was shocked the first time you saw the letter S in a book, pointed to it and said, “S”. Or the time you were having your picture taken and the photographer asked you to go stand on the “X.” You walked right over to it and stood over it. You know how to count to 10 by yourself, can recognize the numbers as well and you know shapes and colors.

You are also so much like your father. When he plays with Lego’s, he likes to keep all of the colors together. You do the same thing. While building a tower with you the other day, I made the mistake of building my tower with several different colored blocks in a random pattern. You took my tower apart and then put it all back together with each color together. The tower was striped with colors. Each color together, the bottom was yellow, then green, then blue and finally red. You recognize patterns, wow.

There are so many more stories to tell, but for that, I would need to write a book. You and your brother inspire me so much, that I may do that one day. I love you my faithful gift from God. You complete our family and your Daddy, brother and yes, even Maximus, love you to the moon and back. We thank God for choosing us to be your family, you are a true blessing.

Love always,
Mommy

If you'd like to see last year's letter, here you go.

I also do a birthday video for each boy every year. Here is the baby's.

Oh, and here's my little firefighter's 2nd birthday party.

So the Baby Almost Burned the House Down...

2012-01-12T21:18:00.003-05:00

No, I'm not kidding.

So it all went down like this:

The baby and I were in the kitchen fixing dinner. I know what your thinking, "OKay, so this is where the fire happens."

Nope.

As I stand over the kitchen sink I suddenly hear the fire alarm going off. My first thought, "Hey, I didn't realize those things actually worked."

Then it hit me, "Those things actually work!"

I turn around and down the hall see a big orange glow and smoke. Oh no.

I run through the kitchen, through the dining room, around the corner and into the foyer where our gas fireplace is. There are huge flames shooting out of the fireplace about 3 feet. Crap.

At this point the baby starts screaming, he is obviously terrified. The dog also starts crying. Well, doing that whine/whimper thing dogs do. Anyhow, I'm frantically looking for the remote control to turn off the fireplace and find that it happens to be on top of the fireplace. Sweet, so now I get to dodge flames to turn the fireplace off. I yell to the baby, "Stay back, run away!" Amazingly, he does. He runs to the other side of the living room, ducks behind the chair and peeks over the arm of the chair, still crying.

I grab the remote and turn the fireplace off. The flames go down, but not out. Oh no. I look closer and realize something else has been thrown into our fireplace. The gas logs are out, but whatever is in there is still burning. I tell the baby to stay put, run into the kitchen, drown a few towels in water and run back. I then grab this blob of plastic and metal to get it away from the source of gas. I do this with my bare hands. I know this wasn't the smartest move in the world, but all I was thinking was that I could deal with a burned hand, not too sure about a burned house or child. My cousin died at the age of 5 in a house fire. I have no desire to relive that.

After pulling the plastic and metal blob off the pilot light, I drown it with water and towels. All the while smoke is everywhere, the alarms are going off, the dog is still crying and so is the baby. The dog is now hiding with the baby behind the chair.

Finally, the fire is out. I pick through the mess and find a piece of metal and plastic. I figure out that it was my large round brush. The baby comes over to me still crying and physically shaking. The poor thing really was terrified. I'm assuming at some point, he got my brush, tossed it into the fireplace (I mean, what else would you do with a brush?) and then came into the kitchen. I figure it had been burning for a while because he was in the kitchen with me when the alarms went off. There also wasn't much left of the brush. There may have been something else in the fireplace with it, but all that was left was piece of the brush.

So now the tip of my pointer finger and the tip of my thumb are pretty burned. I'd say 2nd to 3rd degree because what isn't blistered and black is white. Where it is white there is no feeling whatsoever. I guess the nerves are burned. But, don't worry, the blistered part and the red part make up for it in pain.

You know, I was a firefighter for 15 years. Not once did I ever receive a burn. I have been a mother for 6 years and the baby's mom for only 2 and I have already received 2nd to 3rd degree burns.

I think this proves that motherhood is way more dangerous than fighting fire.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T10:51:00.001-05:00

My Dad

2011-12-10T14:18:00.011-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my Dad started having dizzy spells. On Tuesday the doctor sent him to the ER and so began a roller coaster week of emotion.

First I want to take this opportunity to send a very heartfelt and sincere thank you to all of you who prayed, texted, called, sent messages, etc. The past several days have been very difficult but I truly felt the prayers and positive thoughts sent to my family and I. I really, with all my heart, believe they helped. My Dad was VERY, very sick and didn't only have us worried, but also the doctors.

During his first surgery, they removed an 80% blockage. Yes, 80%!!! A stent was put in and the surgery complete. The doc came out to tell us that the surgery was successful and that it should take care of the life-threatening arrhythmia's he had been having. What a relief! But this is where the roller coaster ride began because we went from being ecstatic to worried and scared again within 30 minutes.

About 1/2 hour later, Dad started having the arrhythmias again. We then learned that he was still in danger and would need yet another surgery. It seems in addition to the blockage, Dad also has electrical issues with his heart. After the second surgery we learned that Dad would need to be on medication to keep the arrhythmia's under control, but it was something he could live with. We'll take it! We'd rather have him on medications the rest of his life than not have him around at all.

He is still in the hospital and we aren't exactly sure when he will be getting out because he needs more tests and the meds have to keep him arrhythmia free for 24 hours. He was still having a few episodes of arrhythmias today and they won't let him go until the episodes are gone. He has to stay in the hospital until the meds work. The road ahead may not be easy, but his prognosis is good and for that we thank and praise God!

A cross between Houdini and David Blaine

2011-12-06T08:50:00.002-05:00

File this one under......actually, I don't even know what to file this one under.

This morning, into my bedroom run two little boys. One is as naked as a jay bird and the other is laughing hysterically. It seems the baby wanted to be very helpful this morning by scaling the crib (he got up all by himself), taking off his pj's and diaper (he's helping get himself ready to go), breaking out of his room (even though we have child proof locks on the door) and going into his brothers room and climbing into bed with him (he was his brother's alarm clock today so he wouldn't be late for school).

See how helpful he is?

The little guy woke up this morning to a naked baby in his bed. About 10 years from now, he probably wouldn't have found it funny, but this morning, he thought it was hysterical, and he was right.

I think the baby is going to be a cross between Houdini and David Blaine.

My Husband - Thankful Thursday Post

2011-11-03T09:34:00.008-04:00

For my amazing husband. I can't imagine walking this earth without you. Truly, you are my better half and I love you more and more each day. Thank you for showing me true, unconditional love. Thank you for your patience, your understanding, your ability to make me laugh, your faith and love of God and for being a wonderful role model and father to our boys. SHMILY.

Halloween & my beef with Amazon.com

2011-11-02T14:08:00.007-04:00

I'm a little behind on the Halloween post, but what can I say, it's been busy!

I ordered the baby's Halloween costume a couple of weeks before Halloween. The little guy wanted to be a firefighter, so it seemed fitting that the baby be a dalmatian. After searching the web, I finally found a costume in the baby's size on Amazon.com. Great! Order placed, confirmation received and the estimated date of arrival was Friday, October 28th. Shew, that was close!

Well, Friday comes and goes and I double check my confirmation, yes, it was definitely ordered. No need to panic yet, I'll just call Amazon.com to check on it (or at least I thought I would). I go to the web site, click on the "contact us" link. No number. After searching their site for 10 minutes, I realized they have no phone number to call. What, is this a joke? No joke, no number. Alas, they do have a link where you can click and enter your phone number and request they call you back, along with the time frame you would like them to call. Unbelievable, I'm actually requesting they provide customer service! I enter my number and request a call back in 5 minutes.

10 minutes later my phone rings. After a brief conversation I learn that the costume was out of stock. I was told an email was sent and they were sorry. I went back through my emails over the past couple of weeks. No email. Angry just isn't a strong enough word, I was LIVID. Livid isn't even strong enough. Not only did they not contact me to let me know the item I ordered AND PAID for was out of stock, they don't even provide a number so a person can expeditiously resolve an issue. UGH! That is the LAST time I order from Amazon.com!

Anywhoooo.....I was left SCRAMBLING! I went to at least 20 different stores looking for a white jogging suit so I could make the costume. FINALLY, I find a little white sweat suit at Belk. The only problem, it's a girl's with obvious "girly" touches like bows and ruffles. I know that when it comes to my hubby, this will not do. This means Mommy is going to have to do some alterations.

Great, so I purchase the sweat suit (silver lining, it was on sale for half the price of the costume). Then I run to another store to purchase fabric paint and a cheap back eyeliner pencil to color in my puppy's nose. Whew...rush home, and start hemming, altering and painting black spots on the outfit, after all, by this point, Halloween was a day away. Then it hits me...dogs have ears, not only ears, but they also have a tail. So, I get some black socks, stuff them and attach them to the hood and bottom of the outfit...WAH LAH....Dalmatian. Crisis averted.

Now to focus on what we do for Halloween. For my family, we choose to take this opportunity to learn to be better people and better Christians. The little guy always dresses up as something that represents something that happened over the previous year. (i.e. last year he was a helicopter, to commemorate his first helicopter ride) or a profession he would like to be when he grows up. Sometimes his costume represents both. We prepare for several weeks reading stories and learning about what he is dressing up as, what he has to do to accomplish it when he grows up, what the responsibilities are, etc. While trick or treating we use it as an opportunity to practice good manners and consideration. We only trick or treat for 1/2 hour because that's all the little guy wants to do. He can't wait to get home to hand out candy, sharing our bounty with others, regardless of if they deserve it, just as Jesus taught us. Halloween is a great opportunity not only to talk about it, but actually do it. My little guy loves Halloween, not because of the candy, but because he loves pretending he is actually whatever he's dressed up as (and he doesn't break character until the costume comes off) and most importantly, because he sees it as an opportunity to share with others. I had to talk him into going to the last two houses because he was in such a hurry to come home and share our candy. My heart was so happy.

I hope you and yours had a great Halloween too!

Time

2011-10-27T19:52:00.005-04:00

Time is something I never seem to have enough of. I hear this is a common problem.

I haven't updated my blog in over a month and I don't really have the time to update it now, but I thought it was important. Over the past week two wonderful women in my life have passed. I learned of the second on the way to the funeral of the first. This started me thinking about how precious time is.

Think about what takes most of your time. It's probably your job. Your job could be anything from being a stay at home mom to the CEO of a major corporation. I believe that every job is important and that everyone must work to provide either the support or money needed for themselves and/or their family to survive, but outside of your "job" are you using your time wisely? Are you always sitting on the couch or playing games with your kids? Are you constantly surfing the web or having an engaging conversation with your spouse? Are you sleeping until noon or volunteering to help those in need? Most importantly, are you sitting around Sunday morning (or Saturday night, as some churches have Saturday night services) or are you dedicating that time to worship God?

Every blessing in your life, including the time you have, comes from God. Make sure you take the time to thank Him, worship Him and do what you can to help bring His word to others. Volunteer for your church missions, help teach children at Sunday School, tithe and help provide whatever else your church needs. Do it with a happy heart, do it with your family and remember to make the most of your precious time.

Seasons

2011-09-15T13:36:00.003-04:00

It's finally starting to feel like fall! Is it just me or has it been an especially hot and dry summer this year?

When I was young, I remember dreading fall. I never wanted summer to end. Now, that I'm ol.....wait, now that I'm more "experienced," I have found that at the change of each season I find joy.

This spring my heart just sang with the birds when flowers started blooming and life returned to the sleeping earth. When summer rolled around I couldn't wait to go to the beach, jump in the pool and wear shorts and flip flops everyday. Now that fall is here, I find that I have been longing for the cool, crisp air, beautiful foliage and delicious comfort foods from my crock pot. As winter approaches, I will anxiously await that first snowfall.

It's funny how perfectly this is all timed. As much as I look forward to each new season, I am also always ready for the season I'm in to be over with. I'm done with summer now and happy to have fall. Around February, I will be so done with winter that I won't imagine ever being happy about it again and excitedly awaiting for those first spring flowers.

I realized that the timing of the seasons is perfect because it is His time. Not only is it His time, but He knew exactly where I should end up in life to enjoy the seasons He created. Some people are the opposite of me, they enjoy the comfort and stability of just about the exact same weather all year long. God knows we are all unique and He puts us wherever best suit our needs. His hand is divinely in control of all aspects of our lives, even the seasons and where we end up living so that we can enjoy them.

I can't imagine living anywhere else. I love getting to experience all of the seasons God has to offer and am thankful to Him for putting me exactly where I am.

How the Doctor Made me Cry

2011-09-01T12:39:00.008-04:00

I had a doctor's appointment today, which is nothing out of the norm for me. Since the age of 18, I've been seeing a doctor, on average, about once every 12 weeks. Sometimes I've stretched it out to 6 months and sometimes I've had to go every 4 weeks (especially when I was pregnant).

I've had thyroid disease my entire adult life. Not your "typical" thyroid disease either. Oh no, my thyroid has a sense of humor. From time to time it likes to trick my body into thinking I'm diabetic, I have high blood pressure, or that my heart is failing me. On occasion, I have had to take heart medication, I've had to purchase a B/P kit and a glucose monitoring kit and eat a diabetic diet. I still have to take a pill every morning as soon as I wake up and I can't eat for one hour after taking my medication. Sometimes, my levels swing dramatically from month to month, meaning I have to change my medication dosage from month to month and have to have several vials of blood drawn every month. I have been stuck with a needle more times than I could possibly count. My dosage typically changes an average of 3 times a year, it has been as high as 6 times in a year.

Until now.

I have been on the same dosage of medication for 10 months, straight! I went to the doctor today for a check up and for the first time in my entire adult life, EVERYTHING was normal. I am right smack dab in the middle of the normal range on all of my lab work and vitals. All of my thyroid levels: perfect, all of my cholesterol levels: perfect, my blood pressure, kidneys, liver, ALL perfect! Until you have lived your entire life battling an illness where at every doctor's visit something is always just a little "off", you have no IDEA how wonderful that is! For the first time in my life, I am completely healthy! Praise God! I have gone blind, I have had cancer, I have battled thyroid disease, and while I still have to take that little pill everyday for my thyroid, I am HEALTHY! Oh, and another bonus, I've lost 20 lbs.!

When I got into my car, I cried. What a blessing to have health. A lot of people take their health for granted, but for someone like me, who "looks" healthy on the outside, but has been battling an illness or several illnesses on the inside for years, I am humbled, grateful, thankful, ecstatic.

This week, I got to mark two things off my "bucket list." I ran a 5K and I am healthy. Yes, one of the things on my bucket list was just to be completely healthy. That's how important this is to me.

How did I do it, you ask? Exercise. I've always been a healthy eater. I did do a healthy diet and lost 15 lbs. prior to starting an exercise routine, but my blood work and numbers still needed improvement. For me, exercise doesn't do much for my weight, I can take off weight with diet, but it is exercise that works wonders on my health and THAT is what's most important to me. I now run 2, sometimes 3, times a week and do holy yoga 1 day a week. I have no doubt that this exercise is what has made the difference. It is the first time in my life I have had a consistent exercise routine and it is the first time in my life I've been healthy.

It hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been quite hard, but the benefits outweigh the difficulties and make it all worth while. I have found that starting an exercise routine is the HARDEST part. Once you make it a priority and stick with it for a couple of months, it is no longer hard, but something you look forward to. Of course, when you see the results, it becomes much easier as well!

This Thursday, I am truly thankful for my health! My prayer is that this post will help motivate someone else who has been on the fence about exercise to get up and go do it! If I can do it, so can you!

Today's Life Lesson....

2011-08-31T09:31:00.001-04:00

I learned this lesson first hand today.

Trying to create more hours in the day by cutting back on sleep doesn't work. All it does is make you sleepy and unable to complete the simplest of tasks the next day.....like putting your shirt on right side out.....

YAWN.

I guess the silver lining would be that you become so proud of yourself for any simple task that you can complete (such as the ability to dress yourself), even if not done properly.

GO ME!

My FIRST 5K - The Wrap Up

2011-08-30T14:09:00.009-04:00

Well, I did it!!!!

I can now mark that off of my bucket list. In retrospect, it was a GREAT experience. However, about 2 miles into the race, it was the worst experience of my life.

I was told this race was going to be "hilly." Hilly doesn't cover it. Some of these hills rivaled Mount McKinley, I'm sure of it. Okay, maybe it just felt like it. But, at one point, I had my head up, was looking straight ahead and all I saw was sidewalk. Yes, the hill was THAT steep. I had to look straight up to see the sky. There wasn't just one hill though, there were about 75 million. Sooooo, maybe that's an exaggeration, it may have only been 70 million.

Regardless, this was a tough run! I truly didn't think I was going to finish. When I got to the end, I thought it had taken me an hour. I was so disappointed in myself. My goal was to finish in 50 minutes. I didn't care about placing, getting a medal or competing with anyone else. My competition was only with myself. I haven't trained that much or for that long, but when running on the trail near my house (which is also hilly, but more like Mount Olympus than Mount McKinley), I average 41-42 minutes. Knowing my official 5K was a more difficult course and was in the morning (I'm use to running in the afternoon, among other issues you can read in my previous blogpost), I set my goal at 50 minutes. Now, for me, I wouldn't have cared if it was 50 minutes and 59 seconds, as long as the first two numbers were 50 -- that's my goal. At the end of my race, I really thought it had taken me over an hour.

I was wrong! I finished in 40 minutes!! WOO HOO!! Not only did I beat my goal, but I beat it by 10 minutes AND I beat the time I normally run on the easier trail where I live! The torture of this race only made it FEEL like it took an eternity! What a relief!

I have to say the best part of this race was the end, but not because that meant it was over. What made it so great was seeing my little guy standing there holding a sign and cheering me on, along with my hubby, baby and other friends and runners from my running group....WOW, what a feeling! Even though I was disappointed in my time (I didn't learn I had done it in 40 minutes until after the awards ceremony), when I got to the end and saw my family and friends cheering me on, I instantly felt better. I realized that I may not have made my goal (or so I thought), but I stuck with it, finished it and that I was so very blessed to have all of these wonderful people supporting me. I am a lucky woman.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning that my running group (The Pulaski Trail Runners), is full of outstanding runners who supply support, motivation and inspiration. Two of our runners placed 1st and 3rd in their age group and I was more excited for them than if I had won myself. In my age group, 3rd place went to a woman who ran the race in 34 minutes. I wasn't even close and I don't remember her name, but I was in awe of her and the other women who ran this race in the 20-30 minute range. They are superstars! Two of our runners had their daughters running the 5K as well and they won 1st and 2nd in their age group! Once again, I was super proud!

The little guy also ran the kids race (1K). He didn't place, but again, I didn't care. I was just proud of him for doing it and with a fantastic attitude. He also didn't care if he won, he just had fun! I think a lot of us need to remember to do that! He did get a ribbon and we all got matching t-shirts for doing the run.

Another great memory from this race was the little guy at the end of his race. When he heard people cheering for him, he just looked up, started waving with both hand and giving "thumbs up" as if he were the star in a parade and everyone had just come to see him. He was truly playing to the crowd and cracked everyone up!

At the end of this journey I realized one thing, I can't wait to do it again!

Me & the little guy before the race

The little guy playing to the crowd.

The little guy and his ribbon.

My First 5K Nerves

2011-08-26T08:51:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is the big day. My first 5K race. To say I'm nervous is an understatement.

First, the race is in the morning. I am not a morning person. This isn't a mental thing, it's a medical one. I have thyroid disease and am borderline diabetic, I have to take meds every morning one hour before I can eat anything, so I have to get up extra early (yawn). My thyroid and sugar levels are the lowest in the morning, so running is just not something I typically do early. I always run in the evenings.

Then there's the course, it's "hilly"....oh no. I am not surprised, I mean this is southwest Virginia, everything is hilly. The trail I typically run on gets pretty steep, so I'm hoping I'll be at least a little prepared.

My goal is to finish in 50 minutes....who am I kidding, my goal is just to finish!

Stay tuned.....

Another Year Older

2011-07-28T15:02:00.007-04:00

Tomorrow is my birthday.

Over the last several years, I just haven't really cared. It's just another day, no biggie....

Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed over getting older or anything like that, chronological age has never been a big deal to me. It's just that everything else (church, kids, hubby, friends) is so much more important to me than celebrating my own birthday. To me, it's just another day like the day before or the day after, so why make a big deal about it? I appreciate the thoughts, cards and sentiments given to me on that day, but really felt it wasn't necessary. I mean, I'm not turning 18 or 21 or 40 or any other milestone, so why make a fuss?

Until I realized something recently. This day is a gift. It is a gift from God. July 29th is the day He chose for me to come into this world and He never makes mistakes! Because of July 29th, I now also get to celebrate May 9th (my 6 year old's birthday) and January 18th (my 1 year old's birthday). When God saw fit to bring me into being, He was giving me a wonderful gift. If I chose to ignore that gift and act as though my birthday doesn't exist, isn't that like telling God, "Thanks, but not thanks."?

What if I spent lots of time creating a unique, magnificent present out of the love in my heart for someone truly special to me? What if I gave them this gift and then they chose to ignore it and act like it didn't exist? It would hurt my feelings! When we get older and start to act like our birthday's are just like any other day, we are kind of doing the same thing to God. After He spent time to lovingly create us, we act like it's no big deal. That's gotta hurt.

On your next birthday, no matter your age or situation.....CELEBRATE! Your birthday is your special day, your special gift from God. Don't ignore it, don't use it as a time to look back on what you should have or could have accomplished by now. Instead, look at all the blessings God has given you in this life, starting on the very day you were born!

I'm so out of it...and the Emmy goes to...

2011-07-14T09:16:00.003-04:00

Emmy Nominations were announced today. Would you like to know who I think will win the comedy series?

Friends.

And for Drama:

Oh wait, those shows aren't on anymore. I just realized how out of it I am. Out of all the comedy shows nominated, I have NEVER seen a SINGLE episode. Out of the drama category, I've only seen Friday Night Lights (Thanks DirecTV for airing commercial free episodes and for my DVR).

When it comes to TV, I just don't have time anymore. It's not a priority. When I first realized this, I felt kind of bad. But then, I realized my priorities are WAY better, more exciting, educational and more fulfilling than any TV show could possibly be. I have two beautiful children, a wonderful husband, a house that, while extremely noisy and chaotic at times, is full of love and laughter. I have the best friends and amazing family, a wonderful church and most importantly, a God who loves me.

If I don't have time to watch Glee, it's because I am feeling it, live and commercial free. If I don't have time to watch Modern Family, it's because I'm living it and that, my friends, is nothing to feel bad about!

Not Guilty?

2011-07-05T15:37:00.005-04:00

I'm stunned.

I do believe she did it (I have a lot of other pretty bad feelings towards her as well, but what's the point in going into all that?). Although it makes me sad that this little girl won't receive justice here on earth, I know justice will be served one day by the only truly Righteous Judge. Her murder will not go unpunished.

With that being said, I keep hearing people's angry comments towards the jury. I don't think it's solely the jury's fault that she was found, "Not guilty." They had to have proof "beyond a reasonable doubt." If a guilty person is found innocent, it may not be only the jury at fault, it may also be that the prosecution didn't do their job effectively. I think there are a lot of factors here and that there isn't just one person to blame.

Regardless, it's sad and horrible beyond words and prayers are needed all around.

Becoming a Running Mom

2011-06-16T10:11:00.004-04:00

I finally did it.

I finally succumbed to peer pressure.

Okay, no one really pressured me, but many of my friends are runners. I would look at their status updates and posts about how far they ran, how much fun they had and I would think, “I am so proud of them and happy for them, but I’m just not a runner.”

Nope, not me. Not a runner. Okay, maybe if someone were chasing me. Or if I were eating a really great cupcake and someone ran past me and swiped it, I MAY run after them, but probably not.

Then, one of my friends from church told me about a group she was getting together to start running a couple days a week and asked if I would be interested. I answered before I thought. I said, “Yes!” I think God pushed that word out of my mouth before I had time to think about my self doubt and turn her down because as soon as I said it I thought, “You idiot, you don’t run!” But, several of our mutual friends were going to do it, so I’m sure it would be fun. Maybe.

Fast forward a couple of weeks. The group had already started but I missed it because I was on vacation. SHEW....I had an excuse, and maybe, just maybe, by the time I returned they will have forgotten all about this running thing. Nope. My friend had posted an update when I returned about meeting at 7:30 on Wednesday evening. Darn. I was hoping I could escape.

So I went. I know it sounds crazy, but I had butterflies in my stomach. I felt nauseated. I was scared to death of running! What?? That makes no sense! I use to be a firefighter and an EMT and now, after two kids, I can’t handle running? Suck it up, Donna!

As I walked to the trail with another one of my friends and saw the group of friends ahead waiting for us, I really did think I was going to hurl, that all of my butterflies were going to come up out of my stomach and fly out of my mouth. What on earth was wrong with me?

I had downloaded the Couch to 5K app, so being the planner that I am, I had already gone through and looked at each day and what would be expected of me. Day one was simple, something like “Walk 90 seconds, jog 60 seconds.” Okay, I can handle that…..I think.

But then, I heard the instructions for our group. We were going to walk four minutes and run for two! We were going to do four intervals of this for a total of 24 minutes! WHAT? Oh sweet Lord, help me. I’m going to fall out right here.

So then we started walking. Okay, I walk all the time. I can handle this. One foot in front of the other. Okay, all good. After four minutes, it was time to run. I started running and much to my amazement, I didn’t vomit. I didn’t fall, I actually ran. And it felt good. Then something really amazing happened that I didn’t share with my friends. I had a flashback. I had completely forgotten that when I was younger I WAS a runner!! It’s the weirdest thing. It’s like when I started running, all my memories came back to me. I didn’t just run, I was a pretty good runner and I absolutely loved it! I have many ribbons and awards that I won when I was a kid up through my teenage years. I use to LOVE to run….and I was FAST. I thought I would never forget the first time I outran my Dad when I was 12. I thought I would never forget how I felt the first time I won a first place ribbon in hurdles, relay, 50 yard dash and the mile.

I had completely forgotten.

I realized that especially after having kids, I forgot about the fact that I too, use to be young and do things just for me that I truly enjoyed. My focus became solely on my family, my children, my friends to the point that my own life, the things I had done and loved that didn’t revolve around them, had gone totally out of focus.

I woke up this morning and one of my first thoughts was, “Gee, I wonder if I could squeeze in a run today?” I’m hooked and I love it! I can’t think Liz enough for organizing this; she will never know how much it meant to me.

So, this thankful Thursday post is dedicated to Liz. I never, ever thought I would be thankful for running, but I truly am.

A Letter to my Son - 2011

2011-05-09T09:58:00.007-04:00

Nicholas,

Happy Birthday my sweet boy, is it possible that another year has come and gone? I can’t believe it. You are truly a big boy now; you need two hands to show how old you are. Six. Wow. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

How is it possible that every day I love you even more? It’s true, my beautiful son. You are an amazing blessing to me and those around you. Your heart continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Even your teacher at school comments on how you like to help your classmates. When they don’t understand something, you explain it to them in a way that helps them to understand. You have such a giving heart.

What a year it has been for you, sweetie! You finished preschool at the end of May, and then in August you started Kindergarten! You weren’t nervous in the least! As usual, Mommy cried and you sped forward with much enthusiasm! I’m so happy that you love school and your enthusiasm has not waned!

You also lost your first tooth this year! Aren’t we lucky? Mommy actually caught a picture of the toothfairy when she came to visit! I’ll never forget the look on your face when I showed you the picture!

Then you started playing your first organized sport! You played soccer with the same enthusiasm as you tackle everything else. I was a very proud soccer Mom. Your team was the Cavaliers (can you believe that my little Hokie?) and your number was 5. Perfect, because you were 5 years old!

Your next sport has been teeball. We just started the season, but son, I believe we have found your sport! I can’t even put into words how happy I am for you! You are EXCELLENT at teeball! You now play for the Nationals (Go NATS!!) and are number 9. Isn’t that something? You were born on May 9^th (5/9) and your first two jersey numbers were 5 and 9. How about that?

I have also seen you grow into your roll as a big brother with so much love, compassion, patience and yes, enthusiasm. Again, there are no words to describe how joyful it makes my heart to see you and your brother playing together. To see the patience you have with him and how you love teaching him, my wonderful son, makes my cup runneth over. Just as I am blessed to be your mother, Caleb is blessed to have you as his big brother!

And how can we forget your first helicopter ride? How fun was that? You got to be the co-pilot as we flew over Myrtle Beach. I remember reaching from the back seat to hold your hand when we took off, just in case you were a little nervous. You only held it for a few seconds and then there was nothing but exhilaration as you, Larry and I took in the breathtaking views!

As you grow, I also see your faith growing. Like the time you were sick. Poor thing, you had a stomach virus and were throwing up constantly. As you had just finished being sick, I was wiping your mouth and you said to me, “Mommy, we need to pray. I need God’s help to make me better.” We stopped right there and prayed. There have been other times you have had challenges or just needed a little extra courage or help and have stopped to pray. You know who to turn to, who will always take care of you. The One who is more important than Mommy or Daddy or anyone else - Jesus. I am so very thankful for the fact that you turn to Him. I also love that you always remember to pray for others and to give thanks for your blessings. My loving son, a mother could not be happier.

Our church Christmas play this year was “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” You played Linus and remembered ALL of your lines, even the long monologue where Linus explains to Charlie Brown the true meaning of Christmas! I was amazed!

You also won a photo contest this year. Parenting Magazine had a funny face photo contest on their Facebook page and you won! How wonderful that your silly face got to make thousands of people smile, giving you the opportunity to touch the lives of those who never met you.

As you can see, son, it has been a great year! I will close my annual birthday letter to you by telling you something you already know, but think it’s important to say anyway. I can’t imagine my life without you, Nicholas Gabriel. I love you more than all the stars in the sky!

Happy Birthday, my big boy!

Love always,

Mommy

P.S. You can read past birthday letters here: A Letter to my Son - 2010

And this son, is my wish for you:

Nic turns 6! from Donna Cope Sams on Vimeo.

A birthday video for my son. I love you, Nic. This is my wish for you.....

My Royal Beef

2011-04-28T12:29:00.006-04:00

In case you've been living under a rock, I have a breaking news story for you. Prince William is getting married tomorrow!

Okay, that's great. I'm happy for him, I REALLY am! If you are one of those people over the moon with happiness over this fairytale, then that's great! I have no problem with the people who are having parties and celebrating. Love is great and in this day, it's wonderful to have something happy, hopeful and full of love to focus on.

Here's my problem: The media.

There is just too much media coverage of this thing! I have not seen one single national news channel give more attention (for that matter, just the same amount of attention or heck even HALF of the attention) to Easter as they have given the royal wedding...and that's my beef. Idolatry is defined as an "immoderate attachment or devotion to something." It appears to me that the media has turned this wedding into modern day idolatry. It should be a joyful, happy occasion. It is now a media circus, complete with tacky trinkets being hocked by street vendors. It gets more attention than the holy week that just past. They are making the royal wedding more important than our Savior.

Think about it. Jesus suffered, was crucified, He died. Three days later, He was alive again! The Easter holiday that just passed did not get a fraction of the attention that this royal wedding is getting and I think that it's a shame.

It makes me wonder how God feels about all this. He gave His only son to us and we give him one day to celebrate the resurrection. For some people this means going to church for an hour on Easter Sunday. Then along comes the Royal wedding and that gets more focus and attention than the miraculous resurrection.

I'm not trying to get up on my soap box and preach and I'm also not saying that if you are super excited for the wedding that you are wrong. I plan on watching a recap of the wedding myself because I love weddings. I am not going to watch the whole thing unfold over countless hours, as I am sure there will be enough coverage and recap of it over the coming weeks that it won't be necessary for me to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

All I'm saying is that the amount of focus put on other people's designer dress choices, when there is little to no focus on what truly matters, makes me sad....and annoys me.

Spring

2011-04-14T12:34:00.003-04:00

A brief post to give thanks for my favorite season.

Spring!

Spring represents, new life, rebirth, resurrection. Flowers, trees, grass, butterflies and warm sunshine are all returning or just starting out and growing. It is a beautiful season.

Know what's even more beautiful than the season and all the blessing that unfold during this time? The sacrifice Jesus made for all of us. Jesus loved you even before you were born. He loves you today. This spring, if you haven't already, take this opportunity for rebirth in your own life. Give your heart to Him!

Now, I'm going outside!!

Thankful Thursday

2011-04-07T11:07:00.003-04:00

With so much bad news in the world today (the government, Japan, the economy), I wanted to provide some good news and inspiration:

Psalm 34:19

19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.

Psalms 9:18

But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Matthew 5:2-12
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Remember in these troubling times, the One who can truly help. Pray for others, read His word and have faith.

Children's Ministry

2011-03-30T11:14:00.005-04:00

I’m reading a book. Nothing shocking there, I read books all the time. Here’s what surprised me, what I got from this book has nothing to do with why I read the book.

God is definitely trying to tell me something. He has shown me, once again, that He is with me and has plans for me. I’ve known my whole life that I wanted to work in children’s ministry, seriously my whole life…….even when I was just a little girl myself. He has poked and prodded me throughout my life, but lately He’s been SHOVING me. Even when I doubt it, even when I don’t feel like it; He’s there showing me that this is what I should do.

When growing up (and still to this day actually), my parents did not attend church. My grandmother took me to Sunday school EVERY Sunday. That is where I learned about the Lord, that is where I learned about love. Sunday school was the foundation for the rest of my life. Sunday school is how I became saved. This is one of the reasons why the children’s ministry is so important to me today. I know, first hand, the importance of children’s ministry.

We so often (and rightly so) focus on the importance of the foundation elementary school builds for the rest of our children's lives (reading writing, arithmetic), but focus on the foundation for our children's ETERNAL lives doesn't always get the same focus. Shouldn't it be just as important?

I’ve been teaching Sunday school for a couple of years now. I LOVE it. About six months ago, I was asked to help organize the children’s ministry. WOO HOO! I went in eagerly! I was thrilled to help! I can Shepherd, teach, schedule classes, teachers, etc., no problem.

Fast forward a couple of months. I’m deflated. Turns out, not everyone is as excited about teaching Sunday school as I am. I was shocked to hear all of the complaining and how hard it is to find people who are willing to volunteer to teach. I often felt like it would be easier to just ask everyone to pull out their own front teeth and hand them to me. That would be better received. Then there are the people who are willing to teach, if ever single condition of theirs is met. Ummm….friends, I think you’re missing the point. I can’t imagine Jesus, while ministering to His followers saying, “Yeah, I’ll teach you about my Father today, but you better make sure that the lesson is written out for me and all my supplies are provided.”

I felt defeated, I felt STRESSED. I would walk in to church Sunday mornings worried if I would have enough teachers for these precious children. A lot of times, someone just doesn't show up and I’m left scrambling. I’m exhausted by the time I leave church. But, just when I was about to throw my hands up, God showed me that I shouldn’t.

I came to church one Sunday seriously thinking about quitting the children’s ministry, feeling like I wasn’t really making a difference and maybe someone else would do a better job. I sit down and the sermon begins. Know what it was about? Missions. Children’s ministry is my mission! Hey, God’s trying to tell me something here! I leave church remembering that the best missions are not easy. I leave remembering how God has never quit on me, so I shouldn’t quit on Him. Think about Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” I know that children’s ministry is the race God has marked out for me. I was letting others hinder that. Satan will work to obstruct any of God’s plans and it was made obvious to me during that sermon that this is exactly what was happening. I decided not to let others dampen my spirits when it came to children’s ministry. I decided that no matter what, I will not quit. I will joyfully serve the Lord and know that He is using me to help these children and to make a difference in the rest of their lives.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we do have some great children’s programs at our church. We have many people who are very dedicated and work hard for our children and without their help, I just couldn’t do it. But, as a whole, I worry that our children are not the focus they should be. Not just in my church, but everywhere. So, I’m working to change that.

Oh, back to what I was writing this post about....the book! Another way God has told me to keep at it. Last night, I was thinking about children’s ministry while reading the book, “Heaven is for Real.” The book is written by a Pastor and while reading it, this popped out:

“Statistics show most people who profess faith in Christ do so at a young age.”

And right after it, came this:

“Over the years, I’d had to fight to get people to sign up to teach Sunday school. They would give me the verbal stiff-arm, saying, “I did my turn last year,” or “I’m too old for that.”

And it goes further,

“…..I lovingly reminded people that Jesus clearly viewed children as precious-and that if He loved kids enough to say that adults should be more like them, we should spend more time loving them too.”

AMEN!

Finally, I can see that I’m not alone! Other churches have this problem too! I thanked God immediately for showing me, once again, that He is with me and I’m not the only cookie in the cookie jar.

And, isn’t he right? I mean, Jesus does tell us that we need to be like little children in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus tells us Himself how important children are, yet they so often seem to be at the bottom of the priority list.

There are other examples I could list of how God has been showing me to stick with it when it comes to the Children’s Ministry, but in the interest of time, you’ll have to take my word for it.

What are you doing to help the children at your church? What are you doing to help minister to youth beyond your church? Make the time, it will be worth it!

Short, Sweet and to the Point

2011-02-25T11:05:00.007-05:00

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

My "Thankful Thursday" post, one day late. You will find out why in my next post, to be written later today (if there's time).

I love my beautiful boys, my handsome husband and the wonderful life we have created. It is a busy and sometimes crazy life, but it is full of love and happiness and I am truly thankful to God for our many blessings.

The Work at Home Mom Myth

2011-02-24T13:35:00.003-05:00

Some people think that because I work from home I have all sorts of time on my hands.

I wish.

Yes, working from home is convenient, but no, it's not easy.

Ever try to have a conference call with a 1 year old tugging at your pant leg? How about trying to be creative and design a great ad while the dog is scratching at your leg to be taken out? Try talking to a client, designing a stationary package, feeding a baby and making a pb&j for the 5 year old all at once.

I haven't even touched on what I have to do while I clean the bathroom.

It's not for sissies.

Most of the time, I end up doing even more work after the kids are in bed, which means I have a lot of late nights.

And that's just work, people.

I also help teach Sunday school and organize our Sunday school ministry. I am currently designing our church directory, volunteer my time for a local community festival, as well as committees for the Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and let's not forget the workshops I teach for non-profit organizations or the class I'm teaching next week at the community college for high school students.

Please understand, I am NOT saying any of these things because I want a pat on the back or any type of recognition whatsoever, because I don't give of myself for that reason. I am just clearing up a common misconception about stay at home Mom's and in the process hoping to inspire others to give back more.

Did I mention I have a house, a husband, two kids and a dog?

Yeah, I'm busy...

But No, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love my life and the people in it. I am truly blessed. It is what I am thankful for this Thursday. Even with all of the craziness, my heart is the happiest it has ever been.

I'd love to write more, but seriously....who has the time???

Thankful Thursday, Inspired by my Best Friend

2011-02-10T08:31:00.003-05:00

This week's Thankful Thursday post was inspired by my best friend, Angelica. Today, on her Facebook she posted, "God is never in a hurry, yet He's never late."

I can't believe I've never heard that before.

But, it's so true isn't it?

Not only is it a plain truth, but there are layers there. This quote also points to God's perfection. Think about your everyday life. How many of us are always in a hurry? How many of us run late time and again? I know I do! I started thinking about the fact that I only have two children, a husband and a dog, yet I'm frequently in a hurry. Many times, I am late. God has billions of children and a universe to run, yet He is never rushed or hurried. He is always right on time. That in and of itself speaks of His undeniable perfection. It also speaks of how important you are to Him. He will always be right on time with exactly what you need.

Today, I am thankful for my best friend, who always helps me to grow in my faith. I am also thankful for God's perfect timing and patience with me.

Trusting God vs. using Him as a Scapegoat

2011-01-28T13:10:00.009-05:00

As a Christian, you know it's important to trust in God. As a human, you know it can be hard to do sometimes.

We've all heard, "Just give it up and let God handle it." This is true, to a point.

What do I mean?

Let's say one day you decide, "You know what, I'm sick and tired of grocery shopping." To handle this you say, "I'm just going to give it to God. If He wants me to eat, He will put food in my hands so that I never have to grocery shop again. If I die of starvation, well then, that was just God's will."

OK, good luck with that.

You see God CAN do that, He can put food into your hands. He can perform any miracle. That doesn't mean He's going to or that He wants you to give up or be lazy. It doesn't mean you can use Him as a scapegoat to keep you from having to perform difficult tasks, make tough decisions or just do something you don't want to do.

God wants you to put forth some effort. I mean laziness is one of the seven deadly sins. The Bible is full of verses about how important it is to work hard and not be lazy. Just look at Proverbs: "The soul of the lazy man desires and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich." (13:4). Oh, and the book of James speaks on it too. Christians are not saved by works, but they do show their faith by their works (James 2:18, 26).

Another example: Say you decide you just don't want to pay your bills anymore. You've decided you could do a lot of useful things with your money, other than pay bills. Besides, it's just not fun. You decide that if you end up in jail, then it's just God's will.

Again, I say "Good luck with that." I'll be sure to check in on you in a year from now when the IRS is knocking at your door, along with a deputy.

Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure God doesn't want you to starve to death or to end up in jail when you are perfectly capable of grocery shopping and working to pay your bills.

Of course these examples are extreme, but I have seen people with a very similar mindset. People that think when there is something going on that is difficult, they should just give up. If that means they don't eat or they go to jail or they lose their home, well then that was just God's will.

Bologna.

God doesn't want you to suffer. He says so.

It is important to trust in God. It is also important to do your best and keep the faith. Don't back away from difficult tasks, don't use God as your excuse to fail. He wants you to succeed. He wants to make you stronger. Sometimes, that means doing things we don't want to do and trusting Him while we do them.

In the end, as long as you trust in Him, keep that faith and do your best, everything will be just fine! I am NOT in anyway saying don't trust God with your difficult tasks. You should trust God with ALL things, but also trust that God can give YOU the ability to handle it.

A Birthday Letter to my Youngest Son

2011-01-18T09:58:00.003-05:00

Caleb,

I can’t believe that you are one. Happy Birthday my precious little one. You are truly a joy, a blessing from above. The past year has been the fastest of my life. I am in awe.

Of course, that may be because you are the fastest baby I’ve ever seen! You must do everything your way and do it quickly. Even if it gives your parents a heart attack.

From the very beginning, I knew you were going to be more like a force of nature than a quiet little bundle of softness. Even though “they” say it’s not possible, I felt you move inside of me at 12 weeks. It wasn’t gas. Yes, my beautiful boy, you started moving and did NOT stop my ENTIRE pregnancy. Every single day, starting at 12 weeks you used my uterus as a trampoline. I tried to warn your Daddy that we were going to have our hands full.

Then, when you were born, you wanted to make sure to keep us on our toes. Your pulse kept dropping; you came out limp and blue, there was no crying. Daddy and I were terrified. But, after the nurses stimulated you, you let us know you had a voice! You haven’t stopped using it since.

And how can I forget the feedings? My poor baby, you developed such a horrible case of reflux. It would take an hour to feed you a bottle and it was like a wrestling match the whole time. When you were having 8 bottles a day, I would spend 8-9 hours JUST feeding you. Or, I should say, wrestling you. It was like being tortured every 3 hours, every single day. You also had to have the most expensive formula on the market. It’s the only thing that let you keep down at least half of your bottle. But, we made it through! Once you started on solids, things started getting easier. You always seem to want to move forward quickly. Once you tasted solid food, you weren’t too interested in the bottle anymore. By 5 months, you were using a sippy cup. By 10 months, you had no more bottle (except at bed time).

Yes, you flew past those early stages with lightening speed. You were sitting by 4 months, crawling by 5 and had taken your first step at 9 ½ months. By 11 months, you were walking. I was shocked. Your brother didn’t take his first steps until he was 13 months and walked at 14 months, so I thought I would have more time. But, you want to keep up with your big brother. You both love each other so much. It amazes me that you can play with a 5 year old and keep up with him!

You are, in every sense of the word, TOUGH. You are the very definition of a rough and tumble little boy. Remember the time you fell down the stairs? Yeah, probably not. Well, the door to the basement was shut, just not latched. You managed to pry it open with your fingers. I saw you open the door and as I ran from the sink to the steps, I grabbed your foot as you started your downward descent. Only, you slipped through my hands. You went face first down the entire staircase. Your brother and I were flipping out. We were terrified. You get to the bottom and within seconds, you are laughing. Not a scratch on you. I’m pretty sure you have a guardian angel and I’m thankful because son, I think you are going to need it.

Oh, and your vocabulary. I’m amazed at how many words you can speak and use properly. When you see someone, you say, “Hi!” When I sneeze you say, “Bless!” When you drop something or do something you know you shouldn’t, you say, “Uh Oh!” You can say Mama, Dada, Nic and about 10 other words at least and almost everyday you say something new.

Caleb Nathaniel. Your first name means “Faithful,” your middle name, “Gift of God.” That is what you truly are to us, my beautiful boy. You are our faithful gift of God. For more reasons than you could possibly know. This first year has been full of surprises, lessons, tears and laughter. You have made our family complete. We love you, our little monkey! Your smile really does light up a room, your laughter is contagious, your life a blessing. I can’t thank God enough for choosing me to be your Mama. I love you, my precious, precious child.

Mama

Caleb - Year 1 from Donna Cope Sams on Vimeo.

Dynamite - the Mom Version...

2011-01-14T08:48:00.006-05:00

To the tune of Dynamite by Taio Cruz

I throw my hands up in the air sometime saying,

"NO! NO!

Baby let go!"

Your going to hurt yourself, your going to fall,

Baby NO-NO,

Baby let go!

'Cause you gonna drive me nuts

When you are up all night

I'm gonna blow my top

Like I'm dynamite.

'Cause I told you once

Now I told you twice

You can't climb up that

Now baby please don't cry

I know you like to move, move, move, move, move

But it's early in the morning only two, two, two, two

You need a new diaper? Yes you do, do, do, do

Now back to sleep please no more boo hoo, hoo, hoo

Ye, ye

'Cause it goes on and on and on

The whining goes on and on and on

I throw my hands up in the air sometime saying,

"NO! NO!

Baby let go!"

Your going to hurt yourself, your going to fall,

Baby NO-NO,

Baby let go!

'Cause you gonna drive me nuts

When you are up all night

I'm gonna blow my top

Like I'm dynamite.

It started to be about telling my son "No," because he's always climbing all over things and being told "No!" But it turned into a song about sleep deprivation. Not sure where that came from because both of my boys slept through the night very early. Anyhow, that's what came to me and I thought Mom's could have a laugh :-)

Hee! Hee! I know there is more to the song, but that's all I have time for....so far. Maybe I'll make a video, Mom's of the world will relate, it'll go viral and be on the Today Show :-) Stay tuned!

Another Year

2010-12-30T14:24:00.007-05:00

I know you've heard it a million times, but it's true! 2010 FLEW by.

How is it possible that I am now a mother to two beautiful boys and a dog? I was looking back through my blogposts from 2010 and I'm amazed at how much my life has changed and how much has happened in just one short year. I must say, this year is ending MUCH better than last year. Last year at this time I was 35 weeks pregnant and on bed rest. Wow, that seems like so long ago!

I am very thankful for such a blessed year. It hasn't always been easy, but thanks to my extraordinary husband and precious children and of course, the Good Lord above, it has been the best year ever. Some highlights:

- Caleb Nathaniel was born! This was definitely the highlight of the year!

- We added a new puppy to our family, Maximus. Caleb was only 4 weeks old, what were we thinking????

- We had a GREAT vacation in Myrtle Beach that included Nic's first helicopter ride.

- I planted my first veggie/fruit garden ever and it did GREAT! I did not have to buy any produce all summer because the garden fed us! I can't wait to do it again in 2011! Nic and I have so much fun working on the garden together and now Caleb will be able to join us, too.

- Hubby and I celebrated our anniversary with a weekend getaway, just the two of us. It was wonderful!

- I finished reading the Bible, cover to cover.

- We had a family reunion/80th birthday party for my Grannie. I love my big family!

- We worked together as a family to create a very unique Halloween costume that got the most attention I've ever seen a costume get!

- We hosted Thanksgiving and had lots of family over. Our hearts and our stomachs were full.

- We all participated in our church's live nativity with Larry, Caleb and I portraying Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Nic was a Shepard and the boys and I got to ride a camel for the first time!

- Nic turned 5, rode his first roller coaster, learned to swim, started kindergarten, played on a soccer team for the first time, lost his first 2 teeth and has excelled in school. He is already reading and writing well beyond his level. I am so proud of my oldest son.

- Caleb was baptized, started taking steps, celebrated his first Easter, 4th of July, Halloween and Christmas! He has already had two haircuts, has a much larger vocabulary than I ever expected and is eating like a horse. He is a happy, healthy baby, the answer to our prayers. I can't believe he will be 1 year old on January 18th! I am proud of my baby too!

These are just a few of the highlights from what has been a fabulous 2010! I am so looking forward to 2011 with my loving family and wonderful friends.

Have a safe and happy new year!

My Second Best Gift, EVER.

2010-12-17T12:32:00.004-05:00

This morning, my 5 year old said to me, "Mommy, thank you for giving me a baby brother." It was one of those moments that, as a mother, I will cherish forever. It helped me to know that, when it comes to my kids, I'm doing something right.

That got me thinking.

I didn't actually give him a baby brother. After all, the baby is not mine to give. To say I gave my son a brother, or my husband a son is implying that I have ownership of that gift. But I don't have ownership, we all belong to God.

So, after wiping my eyes, I said to my son, "Your very welcome, sweetie. But, I didn't give you a baby brother. GOD gave us, our family, that wonderful gift." I then explained to him that all babies are gifts from God and that He is the original owner. He is the giver of those precious little gifts. I am blessed to have received that gift twice.

If the occasion ever calls for it, I will no longer say that I gave my husband a son. I will no longer say that I gave my son a baby brother. I will say to my wonderful husband that I am the mother of his son, that I bore him a son, or something along those lines. I will tell my amazing son that God gave us a baby brother for him, but NOT that I gave him a brother. I don't want to take the credit away from the One who truly deserves it.

With that being said, the second greatest gift I ever received has been my children. They are not mine, they are His. God has entrusted me with them while on this earth.

The greatest gift I have ever received, is the Salvation that came from the birth of Jesus and his subsequent sacrifice on the cross. Let's not forget that, especially at this holiday season.

The Best New Smart Phone Application

2010-12-06T14:03:00.005-05:00

Okay, so this new application hasn't been invented yet. It is my idea and if there is anyone out there who can help me make this application a reality, please get in touch!

So....have you ever had someone send you a text or leave you a message asking you to call them right back? Of course you have.

How many times have you called that person back, right away, only to find they don't answer? Then they call you back five minutes later saying that they didn't hear the phone ring or that it was in their back pocket and they didn't feel it vibrate.

For those of us with friends and loved ones with hearing loss and/or the loss of sensation, I have the perfect solution.

So, you know how when leaving a message you hear, "Press 1 to leave a message, press 2 to leave a call back number?"

Well, I have thought of 3 new options and they would go something like this:

- "Press 3 to have the party you are trying to reach tapped on the shoulder to get their attention."

- "Press 4 to have the party you are trying to reach slapped in the back of the head."

- "Press 5 to drop the elbow on the party you are trying to reach."

I'm pretty sure one of these three options would get the attention of the person you are calling.

So that's it. The "Be Sure to Get Their Attention" application. Even if it can't be done in reality, it would probably make a good Saturday Night Live skit.

I would like to dedicate this blog post to my wonderful husband. The love of my life, the man of my dreams, a great Dad and the inspiration for this blog post =D

My Real Life David vs. Goliath

2010-12-01T09:14:00.003-05:00

I think I know how David felt.

He was confident, he was faithful, he trusted in the Lord to deliver him from the those trying to hurt him and his family. But, David was also human. As a human it is only natural to feel a bit of nervousness before battle.

Without going into too much detail, I find myself in a similar battle. My battle is against greed, money and ignorance. Of course not mine, if you know me, you know how unimportant money is to me.

Even with this battle looming, I am remarkably comforted. I am still happy. Why? Because I have truth on my side and more importantly, I have the Lord. I know he will deliver me and my family from those who try to hurt us. You know why? Because He says so, many times. He tells me that I don't need to fear, that He will protect me:

Job 5:20-21
In famine He will ransom you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes.

Psalm 32:10
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

2 Thess 3:3
3The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation, who shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Also, because they are so evil and alone, they think that money equals happiness. But since our happiness has nothing to do with money, attempting to taking it from us will not take away our love and happiness.

You know what else? I feel sorry for them. Not in the, "I'm saying that in a sarcastic, mean way." I truly, from the bottom of my heart feel bad when I know someone is so miserable in their own life that they have to try to ruin the life of someone else. To live a life where you are so blinded by your own greed and envy that you can't open yourself up to find true happiness in your own life, makes me sad.

My family and I are incredibly blessed and happy because of our true love, we are happy because of God. Nothing makes us happier than just being together. Those things can not be taken away. They are not something you purchase at a store.

I will pray for my enemies as the Lord instructs us to do. I will pray that He can open their eyes and their hearts. They know that they are flat out lying, they can't be so far gone that they can't see that they are only being greedy and evil. As a mere human, I cannot correct those flaws in them. It has to come from their heart, they have to turn to God. I pray they find true happiness. I pray they can see that no matter what they try, they can't take our joy. They can try to take our money but, God is faithful and after the battle they will still be empty, alone and jealous. We will still be a family full of love and joy. We will be victorious.

I have a few other friends that I know are in the same situation, battling the money and the greed of someone else. You know who you are and I wrote this for you as well. I'm surprised at the number of people fighting this same type of battle. I'm shocked at how evil and greedy some people really are, especially at the holidays. Know, my friends, that you aren't alone, take strength in the Lord, trust Him. Everything will be just fine, God never lies!

Mom, Dada, Nic Poop Blue Apples.

2010-11-19T09:00:00.005-05:00

I know what your thinking. WHAT is she talking about? The dog and the boys have finally driven her over the edge.

Nope, I'm perfectly sane.

Well almost.

You see, it's not me talking, it's the baby.

If you were to take all the words he says on a daily basis and put them in a sentence, that is what you would get. Oh, but he also says "Hi" and Bye-Bye" so I guess it would really be more like this:

"Hi! Mom, Dada, Nic poop blue apples. Bye-bye!"

You know, like when you exchange pleasantries with someone you bump into while at the grocery store. Instead of saying, "Hi, how are you? How's the family? Take care!" Caleb will tell you that his family poops blue apples.

Well, he doesn't usually say them all together, but throughout the course of the day, you will hear each of those words at least a couple of times, especially when you change his diaper. He squeals, "Poop!" and then laughs. He is his father's son.

And that, my friends is what I am thankful for this Thursday. Although, I just realized that today is Friday and I missed my Thankful Thursday post. All this talk about poop has clouded my brain. Regardless, I am thankful for my baby's budding vocabulary.

Forgiveness

2010-11-04T11:19:00.004-04:00

The dictionary defines the word forgive as "To excuse for a fault or an offense; pardon."

Wow....to pardon. Have you ever thought about that? We know that the President can pardon people. We know that Governor's can. Of course, we all know that God can (at least I hope we all know, if you don't read on). But, have you ever stopped to think about your ability to pardon?

I've learned that it's easy to say that you forgive someone, but to mean it, TRULY mean it in your heart, is HARD! You know what else I've learned? Most of the time, It takes time.

God is certainly willing to forgive us, all we have to do is ask, to say we are sorry and mean it. When we do that, we are forgiven. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. It doesn't say, "...and in time, God will forgive you." He forgives you right then and there.

But, I can't seem to do that. Why? Because I am human, I am not perfect. I think most everyone struggles with this. Think about it, who is the last person that said, "I'm sorry" to you? Did you forgive them and move on? Or, did you mull and stew over the offense? Did you still feel some resentment or a bit of anger the next time you saw them? Then guess what? You didn't forgive them.

You know what it takes to truly forgive? God. I've learned that true forgiveness sometimes requires time and most importantly, always requires God. To forgive someone and forget the offense, to not be resentful, to not feel hurt or anger afterwards is something we, as humans, can not do without God.

Something else to remember: Just as you may be the offended and in need of forgiving someone. You too, are someone who has hurt someone else. It is not possible to live your life without hurting someone at some point in time. If you are aware of a hurt you have caused someone, intentional or not, it is important that you ask that person to forgive you. Be sincere in your apology, don't just send a text or email, actually speak to the person and own up. It is so much easier to forgive someone when they say they are sorry. But, even when they don't, it's still up to us, as Christians, to pray and forgive so that we can be released of that pain and move on.

This Thankful Thursday, I am so very thankful for forgiveness, especially the forgiveness I have received.

What Halloween Means to Me

2010-11-01T11:14:00.018-04:00

I understand that Halloween is a lot of different things for a lot of different people. For me and my family, there are no ghosts, goblins or anything scary. For us, it is a time to reflect on the previous year and/or a day of fun pretend. A day that you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up.

Each year Halloween commemorates something from the previous year. For example, when my son was 3, he loved Ratatouille, so I made a Ratatouille costume using a chef's costume, mouse ears and my eyeliner for his nose and whiskers. Whenever I see his Halloween pictures I remember him watching the movie over and over and then reenacting it during playtime.

When he was 4, he wanted to be an astronaut. He had his biggest birthday party ever and the theme was outer space/NASA. When I see the Halloween pictures of him dressed in his flight suit, I remember how excited he got whenever we talked or read books about outer space and his joy at his 4th birthday party.

This year, he went on his first helicopter ride and he also loved the

movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." At first he said he wanted to be Flint Lockwood, the scientist from the movie. But, I know that he changes his mind a lot. He's 5, that's what 5 year old's do. So, my strategy is to start asking what he wants to be about a month before Halloween. I ask once a week what he wants to be and if he says the same thing three times, that's what we go with. Week 1, he wanted Flint Lockwood. Weeks 2, 3 and 4 it was a helicopter, so a helicopter he was. I have to say, this is the first year we have made a costume completely from scratch. Using only materials found around the house, we made it at no cost. Not only was the costume original, it was economical! It also created memories. All of our family working together on this costume was so fun. Of course, hubby did most of the work. He's a carpenter, so that sort of thing is second nature to him. But we all did it together and making that memory helped make this Halloween so very special.

We also have a baby in our family this year. The baby is too young to really give us any feedback, so he went as a pilot for Nic's helicopter. I love costumes that aren't typical. I thought about making him a fluffy lion or mouse or something like that. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing cuter than a little baby in a fluffy costume, I love it! But, for us, we like to do things a little different and have unique costumes. There were no other baby pilots or helicopters walking or flying the streets on Halloween night, so mission accomplished!

The one thing I have learned is that I really do prefer the costumes that are home made or at least semi-homemade. Not something you just buy. Make a memory with your child, be creative with them and next year, Halloween will be even more special.....and you'll save money to boot!

My Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe

2010-10-27T13:50:00.004-04:00

Love chicken corn chowder? I have an easy recipe to make a large stockpot full of the stuff! This will feed at least 10-12 people. I only have 4 in my family, but like to cook large quantities to feed us over several days and to make sure I have enough to share with others.

Oh, and these are estimates, I don't really measure when I cook:

INGREDIENTS

1.75 to 2 lbs. of cubed boneless chicken breasts (to make the recipe REALLY easy, use the Tyson's frozen, diced chicken breasts, saves lots of time!)

1 large diced onion

5 cans of extra sweet niblets corn

2 cans of creamed corn

2 1/2 cans of evaporated milk (12 oz. size)

12 large potatoes peeled and cubed (to make this recipe REALLY easy, just buy about 5 cans of the diced/cubed potatoes)

5-6 tablespoons of cornstarch

1 cup of butter

Seasonings: salt, pepper, Season All, garlic, basil (add as much as you like, depending on what seasonings you prefer)

DIRECTIONS

In a large stockpot, melt the butter and add the chicken and onion. Cook until the chicken is ready.

Add potatoes and water. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add evaporated milk, then add creamed corn and finally corn. Add as much of the water from the corn as you need. I used 3 cans of corn with water, but drained the last two cans and added only the corn. You will have to judge based on how full your pot is and how much liquid you like in your soup. Bring to a boil.

Remove pot from the burner and in a separate container stir cornstarch with a small amount of COLD water. Add the cornstarch mixture and return the soup to the burner to boil. Add seasoning.

Then just let it simmer until you are ready to eat! YUMMY!

Fall off the Bone, Easy, Yummy Barbecue Rib Recipe

2010-10-21T20:14:00.003-04:00

I made some ribs tonight that were so good, it would be selfish of me not to share! If you've read my blog before, you know that I don't really measure, but here is a guesstimate of the recipe:

2 to 2.5 lbs. of country style ribs
1-2 TBSP. pepper
2-3 TBSP. of dijon mustard
1 1/2 bottles of Jack Daniels Honey Smokehouse Barbecue sauce (or your favorite sauce, I recommend a sweet sauce for this recipe)
About 8 oz. of cherry preserves
1-2 TBSP. of garlic salt

First, rub the pepper on the ribs (Careful with the spices, since these are being cooked in a crockpot and seasonings are usually stronger when cooked in a crockpot).

Place the ribs in the bottom of the crockpot.

In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients (barbecue sauce, dijon mustard, cherry preserves and garlic salt).

Pour mixture over the ribs and cook on high for about 4 hours for 6-8 hours on low.

Super easy, super yummy!

Enjoy

Radford and Pulaski - an Oustiders Inside Perspective.

2010-10-18T14:11:00.001-04:00

I’m a transplant. Well, at least I thought I was. What I have learned is that I’m actually an “outsider.” No, I don’t run with a pack of leather jacket wearing “greasers” and no, my husband doesn’t call me “Pony Boy,” but I am still an outsider. Why? Because I haven’t lived in the New River Valley long enough. What is considered long enough? My guesstimate is that you need to have been born here, or lived in this beautiful area for at least 25 years, minimum.

Almost five years ago I moved to the Town of Pulaski from Northern Virginia. I was looking for a quieter life style. I wanted a great place to raise a family, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I found that in Pulaski. I loved it there. The people were friendly, the cost of living was low and the pace was much slower than what I was use to. I was welcomed to a quaint little town that had a ton of potential and a group of people willing to work hard to help the town meet its potential. I loved the “can do” attitude. I loved the faith these people had in their town. I jumped right in.

Then, one day, about 6 months after moving to Pulaski, I went to a store in Radford. When I was asked where I was from, I proudly said, “Pulaski!” The woman proceeded to look me up and down, take a step backwards and say, “Oh.” This was my first taste of the negative stereotype. I didn’t understand. How could anyone not like Pulaski? Then, the woman asked, “But are you FROM there?” My reply, “No, I’m a transplant from Northern Virginia.” I could literally see her internal sigh of relief. “I didn’t think you were from there, I figured you were an outsider.” I was baffled. This woman gathered all she needed to know about me by where I was “from.” Her attitude went from disgust to cheerful in .0025 seconds flat after learning I was actually born in Northern Virginia and not Pulaski. In this case, being an outsider was a good thing.

I started to notice the same response everywhere I went outside of Pulaski. I started to find myself defending the “underdog.” I was on a one woman mission to turn around the stereotype, one person at a time. I started telling people, whether they asked or not, where I was from and why it was such a great place. I was a walking brochure for the town.

After a couple of years, I actually started to notice a change. Not because of me, there were lots of positive things going on in Pulaski and lots of positive people working towards the same goal. I like to think that in some small way, I helped. But, what I did notice along the way is that even though the people were friendly. Even though they welcomed me, I was still treated a little different. When speaking at a meeting and someone else, who had lived here their entire life began to speak, the lifelong resident would find more support. This wasn’t just with me. I noticed it with other outsiders, too. Regardless of who had the better idea, the better point, unless you’ve lived here long enough, it was hard for some to take you seriously. Now, not everyone was like this, but I did run into it time and again. As have many other outsiders, according to conversations I’ve had with them.

After living in Pulaski for a few years, I married and moved to Radford, where my husband already lived. I have now been in Radford for a year and a half, so I am still the same outsider, different town. I have a feeling that just about every small town has this phenomenon. In most cases, outsiders are welcomed, but with a bit of hesitation. Everyone in Radford has been very nice and hospitable. I have made many new friends and absolutely love living here. Radford has wonderful schools, friendly, hard working people and many beautiful parks. But, I can still tell that I’m an outsider.

The one thing I have found disheartening is that in some circles there seems to be an “us versus them” mentality between these two fabulous towns. In my experience, I have found that Radford and Pulaski have much more in common than they realize. As a Cougar turned Bobcat, I think both towns could really benefit each other if they work together. They have a lot of the same ideals, community pride and amazing, interesting people.

There is a bridge that extends over the New River between Radford and Pulaski County. This bridge is often looked at as the dividing point. I think it should be looked at as just that, a bridge, something that connects the two communities. It is just one of the many things they have in common and one of the many ways they should be connected.

The Internet - My Thankful Thursday Post

2010-10-14T13:58:00.005-04:00

The internet. It can be aggravating. It can be disruptive. It can be distracting. But, what would we do without it? I use the internet to keep my long distance friends and relatives up to date on our family. I use the internet as a source of income, as it is a requirement for my company. I also use the internet to reach those I have never met.

While reviewing the stats on my blog, I noticed that thousands of people have read it. People from China, Russia, Germany, Israel, just to name a few. Because of the internet, people from all over the world have read my thoughts and hopefully, gained some encouragement, motivation and possibly, a few laughs. I hope at least one person has read my words and could relate. I hope it has helped someone feel like they weren't alone. I hope that one day, my children and grandchildren will read my words and feel comfort and love.

Most important, out of all this, I hope it helps others to turn to God. He is the reason I am so thankful. He is the reason I am so blessed.

It is finished....My year long journey through the Bible

2010-09-08T09:39:00.002-04:00

A year ago I started a project. My goal was to read the entire Bible, every word, from cover to cover, in one year. Last week, I finished. It wasn't always easy. There were nights when I wouldn't get to bed until late and my eyes were so heavy, but I still read. When I went to the hospital to have the baby, I brought my Bible and the schedule I used along with me. When we went on vacation, I brought them with me. It takes commitment and dedication to do this in a year, but it is life changing and I would highly recommend it!

There are different ways you can read the Bible. I chose to read a little old testament and a little new testament everyday. The schedule that is pretty close to what I followed can be found here: www.ewordtoday.com/year/31/o.htm

I can not even begin to put into words all that I learned and all the positive changes that have occurred in my life since I began. Like most of us, I knew the most popular stories about Jesus, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Saul, John, etc. It was the ones that I had never heard of that surprised me the most. I have a brother named Jason. I did not know what an important role Jason played in the Bible. His home was a refuge for Paul.

Of course, I knew a little about Caleb, my son's namesake, but when reading the story of his strength and faith, I was amazed at how little I actually knew and felt that his name (meaning faithful) was the perfect fit.

I also learned more about Nicholas, Gabriel and Nathaniel. My children have these Biblical names, I wanted to make sure I understood about the people (or in Gabriel's case, angel) behind the names so that I could properly teach my children about their namesakes.

I thought I knew so much about religion, faith, God's laws and commands. I was surprised at how little I actually knew. Until you read all of God's word, how can you be sure you are living the life he has planned for you? How can you be sure you are doing the right thing? I learned that there were things that I was doing wrong, in ignorance. Even though I have been a Christian since I was a child and went to church every Sunday when growing up, there were many things I did not know. There is more to God's laws than just the 10 commandments and until you educate yourself, you are leaving yourself open to disobedience. Even if the disobedience is done in ignorance, you short yourself of all the blessings and happiness God has in store for you. The best thing you can do is educate yourself in God's word. Not only to make sure you are living your life right and are open to receiving all of His blessings, but also, so you can fully understand how much God loves you. I often felt so loved and peaceful when reading. It is amazing the grace, forgiveness, mercy and love God has for each of us. Reading the Bible really reiterates this.

Since beginning my journey a year ago, I have had many positive changes in my life. I feel less stressed, more love, more happiness and more peace. Out of all the books I have read in my life, none have been more life changing.

Try it, see what a difference a year makes!

Happy Anniversary!

2010-08-05T10:33:00.004-04:00

I will start off my post with a reminder that my posts every Thursday are to give thanks to God. They are to glorify Him for all of the blessings He has given me and in hopes of inspiring someone else to do the same; give thanks, count your blessings, trust and glorify our Heavenly Father.

This Thursday I am thankful for my wonderful husband and our upcoming anniversary. It's not just an anniversary of when we were wed, but an anniversary of when we became a family and when I became one with my best friend, my soul mate, the man of my dreams. I thank God everyday for my husband. Particularly on 8/8 of every year I want to acknowledge just how God has blessed us and how happy I am to be Larry's wife.

Over the past year we have been through so much together. I can't imagine getting through the tough times without you. We have also had the most wonderful and blessed of times and I also can't imagine sharing them with anyone other than you. Together we have created a beautiful son, a perfect mixture of both you and I. Caleb completes our family, you are a wonderful father and Caleb lights up every time you walk in the room, he loves his Daddy! Nicholas is now a big brother and he ADORES and loves his little brother. He also loves you! I can't thank you enough for loving my son as you do.

Oh...and let us not forget Maximus. What were we thinking bringing home a puppy when we had a newborn? LOL!! Now, Maximus is a big part of our family, we love him and couldn't imagine life without him....especially Nicholas!

I am so glad that you also share a love of the Lord. To be able to share that with my spouse is so wonderful. It fills my heart when we pray together, especially as a family around the dinner table. You are a great example for the boys.

I am looking forward to going back to where we were wed this weekend and reminiscing about all this year has brought. Thank you for making me happier than I ever thought possible. I love you Papi, I always will.

You Couldn't Pay Me to be RICH!

2010-07-15T11:51:00.005-04:00

That's right. I think money is the root of all evil. Before you go on the defensive, hear me out. Now, I'm not saying that people that have lots of money are evil. I just don't think they are really happy. UNLESS, they do something good with their money. If you have lots of money, yet refuse to help others, tithe or do something good with it, I just don't think you are truly fulfilled or know what true happiness is. I understand that there are a lot of people out there right now who are struggling and saying, "If only I had more money." Be careful what you wish for, God tells us:

"Whoever trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." (Proverbs 11:28)

"You can not serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)

There are many places in the Bible where God warns us about greed and money. He knows what He is talking about.

Now, by NO means am I rich. I have a nice home, my vehicles are paid for, I have food and clothing. More importantly, I have love, family and faith. When I was younger, I was in a much better financial situation. I never had to think about a budget, if I wanted something, I just bought it, if I wanted to travel, I went. Money was not an issue. I worked very hard, but I played very hard too. Sound nice? WRONG!! I wasn't truly happy. I had everything I wanted, but felt like something was missing. I also did not tithe like I should. God tells us that holding back tithes and offerings is stealing from Him. After all, everything belongs to Him to begin with. NO WONDER I wasn't totally fulfilled!

Now things are MUCH tighter. I have a budget, I struggle at times to make sure bills are paid. But, even though I don't have as much money, I make sure to tithe and give money to those in need. You know what? Even though my checkbook is empty...my heart is FULL. I have never, EVER in my life been as happy as I am now. The less and less I find in my checkbook, the happier and happier I become. Do you know why? Because I TRUST that God will take care of us. I know that everything is in His very capable hands and that He will not leave us. Everything that I need to be happy will be provided. I tithe, like He tells us to do. He doesn't say, "Only give when you have money." It takes true trust to tithe and give back when times are hard, but God will take care of you. He promises to if you only follow His perfect directions. It's also important that you don't give only so you can receive. You have to WANT to tithe and help others. It needs to be in your heart so that you are a cheerful giver.

Just look at all of the rich and famous celebrities you see on TV today. Everyday is a new scandal. Drugs, alcohol, adultery, lust, greed, dozens of sins in their everyday lives. They don't look too happy to me. You could not pay me to trade places with them! You couldn't pay me to be rich!

When money is tight, giving isn't easy. Do it anyway and watch how God takes care of you. It doesn't happen overnight, but keep at it. Keep giving with a happy and trusting heart and watch what you receive!

And so, my friends, my poor financial situation is exactly what I am thankful for on this Thursday. I have never been happier.

My Green Thumb

2010-07-01T14:25:00.004-04:00

I LOVE summer! I'm a beach bum, I love hot weather and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to garden. Planting these tiny little baby plants in the spring, feeding them, watering them, weeding and taking care of them can be time consuming, but it's so worth it. By the time summer rolls around, I have all kinds of beautiful flowers (Lilly's are my favorite) and this year, I have a wonderful fruit and veggie garden! I love going out of our back door at dinner time and picking part of our dinner right out of the back yard. It's so rewarding and tastes so much better than what you get at the store, not to mention the money and environment you save! We have zucchini, squash, broccoli, about 4 varieties of tomato, and several varieties of peppers. Oh, and don't forget our strawberry, blueberries and blackberries!

But, you know what my favorite part of gardening is? Sharing it with my son. My 5 year old is a carbon copy of his Mom! He loves the summer, the beach and the gardening. Every single morning he reminds me that we have to go check on the garden. He has helped plant, pull weeds, water and of course pick our yummy veggies. When we go out to the garden in the morning and see a new vegetable that is ready to pick, he literally screams with excitement, "Mommy, it's ready, it's ready!" It doesn't stop there, he goes out to "check" on our garden several times a day, everyday. He wants to make sure no "critters" are eating our food! I love teaching him and sharing this love with him, it makes everything taste so much sweeter.

If you'd like to see our hard work, click here: Garden Pictures

The Ocean - My Thankful Thursday Post

2010-06-03T10:02:00.006-04:00

God really knew what he was doing when he created the ocean. Of course, God always knows what he's doing and always does everything perfectly. For me, the beach is one of my favorite creations. Mountains are spectacular and I love living where there are mountains a plenty, but peace always comes when I'm by the sea. I marvel at it. It's vast, it's powerful, it contains so much life. Oh, and bonus, you weigh less when you are in the water!

I can not wait to return to the sea next week. This year, I will have both sons to enjoy it with, along with my hubby and Mom. I already know that Nic has taken after Mama and is a beach bum, time will tell if Caleb is as well. I have a feeling though, he's going to love it as much as we do. I pray both of my boys marvel at and appreciate this beautiful creation of God's. I hope that they find peace and relaxation by the sea, that they have wonderful childhood memories there and continue our tradition with their own families.

A couple of my favorite quotes about the sea:

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
It's always our self we find in the sea
- E.E. Cummings

The sea has no king, but God alone
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Of course, I would be remiss if I wrote a blog about the ocean and didn't mention the oil spill in the gulf. I can hardly watch the news without tearing up because it breaks my heart to see what a disaster this is. I will continue to pray and ask that you do the same. Although it has already gone on far too long and much damage has been done, pray that a resolution is quickly reached and that clean up can be expeditious with as little harm as possible to the environment, people, animals and sea creatures. Maybe we should get together a mission trip to help with clean up? It's something to think about, research and try to make happen.

Until next time...

Easy, Yummy 2 Ingredient Chicken Recipe

2010-05-18T13:46:00.005-04:00

I made an accidental discovery last night. I discovered a way to make baked barbecue chicken with a crispy crust using only two ingredients and in only 20-25 minutes. I am NOT kidding (beat that Racheal Ray.....ok...don't take that wrong, I LOVE her) !

So, every time I bake chicken, hubby always sits down with a bottle of barbecue sauce to dip his chicken in, so I thought I'd beat him to the punch by baking the chicken in the barbecue sauce. He gets his barbecue and we still eat the healthier baked chicken.

All you have to do is dip or brush a boneless chicken breast into some barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Honey Smokehouse Barbecue Sauce). After it's good and coated with the yummy barbecue sauce, dip the chicken breast into some Shake N' Bake (don't use the bag and don't ask how I know......use a bowl or something) to coat it with the crust. Bake it at 350 for 20-25 minutes and YUMMY!! Hubby LOVED it! I have to admit, I did too! Fast, easy, yummy.

Enjoy!!

A letter to my Son - 2010

2010-05-05T13:09:00.007-04:00

My Dearest Nicholas,

Every year, I write you a letter on your birthday. This year is no exception. This year is very special because this year, you turn 5. I can't believe it. It's the last year you will be able to show how old you are using only one hand! This year, you turn 5 on Mother's Day; you were born the day after Mother's Day in 2005. I remember that day like it was yesterday and can't believe it has been 5 whole years! You will always be the best Mother's Day gift I have ever received.

In the past, I have read your letters to you. This year, you can read your letter yourself. I am so proud. What a great year it has been. My sweet boy, you became a big brother! I knew you would be an extraordinary big brother, but even I couldn't have known how extraordinary. Some people tried to warn me that you would be jealous or act out once the "newness" of the baby wore off. Mama knew better. I know your heart and how special it is. You have never, not once, shown an ounce of jealousy towards your brother. You have always been so sweet and caring and protective of him. You help take care of him, you love him and you make him laugh. I can not believe what a special bond the two of you already share. My beloved son, you fill my heart with so much happiness, especially when I see how precious and loving your heart is.

This year, you sang your first solo at church and I cried. I had to explain to you that they were happy tears; I was so moved by how you stood up in that spotlight at our church and sang to the Lord. Everyone who had the good fortune of being there was moved. To you, it was no big deal, it was just something in your heart that you wanted to do, you wanted to sing for Jesus. I remember Rev. Kilgore asked if I wanted to go up on the stage with you, but you didn't need me, so I stayed back. You were such a big boy and had no fear. What I was most proud of, is how you knew the reason you were singing the song and when you sang it, you really sang it for Jesus.

This is your last year of preschool. It's so wonderful to see how much you love school and how easily you make friends. You are truly a social butterfly who has never met a stranger. You will talk to anyone at anytime. I can't believe you start Kindergarten next year. For the first time in your life, you will be away from me for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. That will take some adjustment for me, but I know you will do just fine! You are so looking forward to kindergarten and I know you will absolutely love it! I wish I could keep you here with me always, safe in our home but, being a parent you learn to do what's best for your child, not what is best for you. You also learn that when you do what is best for your child, it turns out to be what is best for you also, because as long as your child is happy, you are happy. I would sacrifice anything to make sure you are always full of joy and healthy. As long as you and your brother are happy, Mama is happy too! One day, you will be a father and you will completely understand how that works!

Our bedtime routine changed a little this year too. From the time you were still in my tummy, I started reading to you. Now, instead of just me reading to you, you like to read to me. I hope your love of learning and reading continues throughout your life. Mommy LOVES to read, I hope you continue with that love as well.

Oh my, and how can I forget Maximus? Your first puppy. Yes, this has been an eventful year. You do a great job at helping with Maximus, you water him and take him out to go potty and you play with him until the poor puppy can no longer run! Of course, there are times when you just like to see how far you can go with him, like the time you decided he would like to be pushed down the slide, even though it was obvious the poor puppy was terrified! He loves you though, and you love him. It is so sweet to witness.

You still say you want to be an astronaut when you grow up. You can name the planets, constellations and are a whiz with numbers. My brilliant son, with your brains, outgoing nature and with your determination, I have no doubt you can do it. Let's just hope NASA is still around!

My darling, the older you get, the more and more I love you. Everyday, when I think it's just not possible; I wake up and realize that I love you even more than the previous day. You have been a true blessing in my life, a wonderful gift from God. I could never thank Him enough for picking me, out of all the Mommies in the world, to be yours.

And, in case you want to read your letter from last year, here it is sweetheart: A Letter to My Son - 2009

Love always,
Mama

Health

2010-04-29T09:58:00.005-04:00

It's Thursday and I'm thankful. This week, every member of my family is healthy. Everyone knows that is truly something to be thankful for, but if you have been where I have been in life, you would know even more so why this means so much to me. As long as my family and I are healthy, I can deal with whatever else happens to come my way (ummm...God, if you are listening, don't take that as a challenge, please).

As many of you know, health has been at the forefront for me over the past week. My little guy had strep, complicated by bacteremia. It was AWFUL. He had an extremely high fever (101-105.8) for 7 days! He had to take 2 different types of antibiotics, get 2 very long, painful shots of antibiotics and have his bloodwork done 3 times over the course of 3 days. That's 5 sticks in 3 days. It was not pleasant. I was terrified and kept thinking back to the time when he was hospitalized for a week when he was 6 months old due to RSV. He doesn't get sick often, but when he does, he really does it right! Maybe he's an overachiever :-).

There was a point last week when I was really afraid he would have to be hospitalized, I reached out to my friends and family and asked for prayers. I can testify that the prayers truly worked because it is at that point that he started to turn the corner. He is now back 100% and you'd never know that he had been sick!

My newborn baby has had some health issues already as well. The poor guy had to have an Upper GI done when he was only 2 1/2 months. He has very bad reflux and is now on Zantac twice a day. The Zantac has really helped though. He eats like a horse now so feeding time isn't as stressful. He has also had an upper respiratory infection already and was on a decongestant for that. All is well now, though. He is one of the happiest babies I have ever seen in my life! He laughs and coo's constantly!

Then there is me. You name it, I've had to deal with it. I even went blind when I was 21 years old from an eye disease that is so rare, the doctor I went to specialized in it and I was the first ACTUAL case he had seen. It's called MEWDS. Heard of it? Yeah, didn't think so. You have a better chance at getting struck by lightening 5 times in a row than getting this disease. So, I was blind, but now I see (thank you, Amazing Grace). It lasted a couple of months and when my sight came back, I was color blind, which lasted a couple of years. I can see colors now, but still have trouble with dark blue, black, red and orange. I also have thyroid disease. I am hypothyroid and it took several years to get a proper diagnosis, which means I went several years without treatment. I think this is why I still have to fight this disease today. Most people can take a pill once a day and they are fine. My thyroid can not be controlled. I have to have blood work done every couple of months and my dosage has to be changed every couple of months as well. Oh, and I'm hypoglycemic. Oh...and I had cancer.

Shall I continue?? Nah, I didn't want to relive my medical history in this post. The point of this post is to give thanks to God for my healthy family today and for seeing us through our illnesses of the past. He has taken care of us through everything and we have all come out just fine. Yes, I still have medical issues to deal with, but I can deal with them well, they don't hold me back or keep me from doing anything. That is a blessing from God.

If you and your family are healthy, take a moment right now to thank God! Don't take a healthy second for granted.

Thankful Thursday - A Successful Business

2010-04-15T12:07:00.004-04:00

This Thursday, I am so very thankful that both my business and my husband's are thriving. Even in this economy, hubby's company, Sams Brothers, Inc. (www.samsbrothers.net) has not slowed down and he has, in fact, had to hire on more employees. I am so proud of him and so thankful to the Lord for His blessings.

My company, CWI Marketing & Printing (www.cwimarketing.com), has some big things on the horizon as well. To read more, check out my business blog: http://bit.ly/3pnsXp

I hope everyone is having a great week. Remember Virginia Tech tomorrow, April 16th.

God bless!

A Newborn's Thoughts on Family and Healthcare Reform

2010-03-26T10:30:00.003-04:00

My blog post this week is actually a video blog and comes from my 9 week old son.. Enjoy!

Spring Blessings - A Promise Kept

2010-03-18T13:29:00.006-04:00

Isn't it wonderful? That first warm spring day. The first day the temperature gets into the high 60's or low 70's, while the sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky. It's beautiful! How could you possibly be in a bad mood on a day like today? It was a LONG, cold, hard winter. Now we have warm sunshine, flowers starting to bloom, life returning. That is what I love the most about spring. The promise of renewal, everything coming back to life

Do you ever wonder if it is a coincidence that Easter occurs in the spring? Easter is a promise kept. Easter is when we all received the greatest gift, a chance for a new, eternal life. The gift of new life comes in the spring. Both new life in Christ and new life in nature here on earth. Are you making the most of your spring gifts?

And that....is what I'm thankful for this Thursday.

A Diaper Review - Which One's Stink and Which One's Don't

2010-02-08T13:22:00.005-05:00

I'm a bargain hunter. You know how some people are really big into name brands and brag that they paid $200 for their baby's name brand onsie? Not me. I'd rather shout from the rooftops that I got the onsie for $1.00 at a huge sale.

However, when it comes to diapers, this all goes out the window. I will happily pay $5.00 more per box to get a diaper that doesn't leak or give my baby a diaper rash. The way I see it, even though the diapers cost more, they save me in the long run. I go through the "cheap" diapers faster and they leak. Leaky diapers equal more laundry. More laundry equals more money. If I had used the name brand/quality diapers (personally, I prefer the Pampers Swaddlers for newborns), I wouldn't be changing my screaming 2 week old's pj's at 3:00 a.m. I could just change his diaper and get him back to bed. Also, if he didn't have a rash, I wouldn't have to buy some butt paste, Cha-Ching!

With my first son I tried the generic Walmart brand diapers hoping to save money. Big mistake. The leaking wasn't as bad as the horrible diaper rash, though. Now, this could have all been a coincidence, my son could have just had really sensitive skin, there are all kinds of excuses I came up with so that I could try the Walmart diapers once again with my youngest son. I desperately wanted the Walmart diapers to work. Too bad. If possible, I think the diapers are worse now than 4 years ago. They feel like cardboard, chaffe baby's backside and leak. I've had an equally bad experience with Huggies. Luv's are good at stopping leaks, but they are also rough on baby's new skin. After two babies, I have discovered (at least from my experience), that when it comes to diapers, you really do get what you pay for.

The best diaper I have used is, without a doubt, the Pamper's Swaddlers. Once baby gets a little older (about a diaper size 2 or 3), I change to Luvs. They are just as good at stopping leaks as Pampers and not as expensive. They aren't as soft, but as baby get's older, it's not as much of an issue (they don't feel like cardboard, they just aren't as soft as Pampers). As far as the worst diapers I have used, the prize goes to the Walmart "Parent's Choice" diapers. As I mentioned before, they are as hard as cardboard, leak, have poor fit, and the parts that don't feel like cardboard (i.e. the elastic around the legs), feels like scratchy plastic. I would NOT recommend these diapers, although I wish I could. I hate how expensive diapers are. One last brand that I'm not impressed with is Huggies. I tried and tried and tried Huggies and have had no luck with them either. They leaked just as badly as the Walmart brand.

Again, this has been my experience, I'm sure there are people out there who LOVE Huggies and Parent's Choice. For those people, I'm really happy for you, I wish it could be me. My wallet wishes it could be me, but since it's not, I had better get back to work so I can afford to keep my son in diapers!

Thankful Thursday - Photography

2010-01-28T14:20:00.008-05:00

"Nicholas must be the most photographed 4 year old ever." I've heard this many times from many people and it makes me smile. Yes, I take a lot of pictures of my beautiful blessing, but probably not for the reasons you may think.

I came from a family of very little means and a camera and film were just not something in the budget prior to the age of two. Because of this, there are all of about 4 or 5 pictures of me prior to turning two. If my grandkids ever want to see what grandma looked like when she learned to walk, had her first solid food, took her first bath, etc., they will just have to use their imaginations because those types of pictures don't exist. I don't want that for my kids. One day, I'd like to show my grandkids what their daddy looked like growing up. I also want my kids to be able to see pictures of events they may not remember without the aid of a picture. Hopefully, the picture will jog a memory for them.

Most importantly, with every picture there is a story. The story is the most important element to me. Sometimes, I have trouble remembering what I ate for dinner last night. There is a good chance that 25-30 years from now, I will forget the funny story that goes with Nic's first bath, or Caleb's first time eating solid foods. The pictures will help me to remember. There is also the reality of the chance that I won't be around or that if I am around, I will have no recollection of these important times due to Alzheimer's or some other illness. That is when the pictures will be even more important. I will need the pictures I have taken to tell the stories that I won't be able to. I see pictures as an opportunity for future generations to learn about their family and get to know them in new and interesting ways. I know I love to look at old pictures of my grandparents and like to know what story goes along with the picture. I want to do that for my children and grandchildren as well. It is so true that a picture is worth a thousand words. I want to make sure my children have millions of words to share about their life growing up, the pictures will help ensure that. This is why for this "Thankful Thursday" I am thankful for photography.

My new favorite photo. We were all snuggling together, just talking and feeding the baby, it was a precious moment and I grabbed my cell phone to take the picture and capture the moment.

My other new favorite pictures capture how much Nic loves his little brother:

Confessions of a Mother on Bed Rest

2010-01-04T18:02:00.013-05:00

Bed rest. Separate, these words sound great. The word "bed" conjures up images of warm, cozy comfort. The word "rest" is one that no one could find fault in. It's a way to de-stress and something everyone seems to need more of these days. Used together, however, these words create an oxymoron. At least it does when you are a mother.

Have you ever heard the saying, "There's no rest for the weary?" Well, you'd be hard pressed to find someone more weary than a woman who is a mother, runs a business, a home and is nine months pregnant. With that being said, rest is not possible for this woman, ergo bed rest is contradictory. Bed rest is an oxymoron.

Confession #1 - Anyone who knows me, knows that my son is my life. In my eyes, the sun rises and sets in this little guy and spending time with him is always a joy. Well, almost always. I have been on bed rest for 5 days now. For the last 5 days I have been confined to about a 6' x 6' space. This is not enough space for anyone as enormous as I have become, but even less when you share the space with a very bouncy, active 4 year old and his toys all day, every day. The little guy has been worried about his Mama, so he doesn't like to venture too far from me, which means he and his toys spend most of their days in bed with me. The first day or two, it really wasn't too bad. But after 5 days of children's programs, Leapster games, Connect 4, toy helicopters, cars, jumping up and down right next to me, silly kid songs, coloring and other various 4 year old activities, my brain is fried. I am mentally exhausted. I am use to spending my days in a 4 year old world, but when not on bed rest there are times when he can occupy himself while I get grown up things done. Not now. If I hear one more kid song, I'm going to scream.

Confession #2 - By comparison, bed rest was pretty great the first time around. I was on bed rest for the last 3 weeks of my first pregnancy. I thought that was tough. I didn't have a clue. With my first bed rest experience, I had a little fridge and microwave right beside my bed. I had books, magazines, a TV, pen and paper. I could actually rest. I didn't have to get out of bed at all. After the first week, I was sick of it, but looking back, I should have enjoyed it more. Bed rest when you have a child is TOTALLY different from bed rest when you don't.

Confession #3 - I don't actually stay in bed 24/7. It's not possible. For the most part, I do stay in bed all the time, but I have done a few loads of laundry, helped my hubby take down Christmas decorations, bathed and fed the little guy, along with various other tasks for him. I have also had to sit at my computer downstairs to complete some projects for work that can't be done on my laptop. I do these tasks very quickly and get right back to bed. I may get out of bed for about an hour on a daily basis, but that's it. My hubby is great, but he can not do it all himself. He can not run his business, my business, this house, take care of the little guy, me and the millions of other tasks that pop up everyday. For example, when he is at work during the day, I have to get up and fix lunch for the little guy and I. When the little guy gets his button or zipper caught when trying to use the potty, I have to get up and take care of it, when it's snack time, my 4 year old can not cut up his strawberries for his yogurt himself, when he spills his milk, Mama has to kneel down and clean it up. It is NOT possible for a mother to stay on bed rest. Again, it was so much easier the first time around!

Confession #4 - I feel like a burden. I am not the kind of person who likes to do nothing. I feel best when I'm up doing things for my family, when I'm working, when I'm helping friends or just spending time with friends and family. I can't do any of the things I normally do, so now I have to depend on others to help me do them and I feel so bad for my friends and family. Everyone is so busy these days and I feel like I'm just adding to the heavy weight so many people already carry. I know my friends and family don't feel this way, just as I wouldn't if the shoe were on the other foot. I know they are all happy to help however they can and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love and appreciate them for it. But, I still can't help but have a part of me that feels like a burden.

Confession #5 - I would do it all again, without hesitation. Being a mother is the best thing to ever happen to me. I truly feel God put me on this earth to be a Mom. I love children and raising these two little boys is the most precious gift I could receive and the most important thing I will ever do. It has been a very long and hard road, but I know it is worth it. These nine months are but a moment in time, just the blink of an eye, when compared to the lifetime of love and laughter that will come from my boys. Yes, I would do it all again without a moment's hesitation.

Time to put down the laptop and roll over onto the left side. Wish me luck!

Christmas Blessings & Nic's First Solo

2009-12-28T05:22:00.006-05:00

I can't believe I haven't updated since Thanksgiving! I need to get back to it, especially my Thankful Thursday posts. In my defense, I'm more than 35 weeks pregnant and sitting at my desk typing is physically painful for me anymore, but I just had to share this.

First, the back story. My son, my beautiful gift from God filled me with such happiness Christmas Eve, but the best part is that it wasn't just me he touched. He was asked to sing a solo at our church's candlelight service.

The candlelight service itself was gorgeous, full of the true Christmas spirit and a blessing to behold. Then when my little guy got up on that stage and in his sweet 4 year old voice sang "Happy Birthday, Jesus" of course, my heart was full. After the service and then even the Sunday after, dozens (and I mean literally dozens of people, some I didn't even know their name) came to me to tell me how my little guy was their favorite part of the service or how he really touched their heart or how he truly filled them with the Christmas spirit. THAT is what filled my heart to overflowing. To know that my little 4 year old could touch people in that way. That God had given him such a gift to evoke such emotion from people. What a blessing. I told him to go up there and sing for Jesus and he did, with no fear, all by himself.

As a mother, I pray that I lead my children in the right direction, that I teach them to put God first and to use whatever blessings and talents He gives us to glorify and serve God. I think my little guy is on the right path. He shared a blessing God had given him and he did it with a joyful and willing heart, just as Jesus taught us to do. I couldn't be happier.

If you'd like to see his performance, I've attached the video. The sound quality isn't that good, I was just using my handheld camera to record it, but you get the picture.

To make it all even better, my best friend and her family came up for the holidays! They attended the service with us and just having them there was the best gift ever! Then the rest of the holiday was filled with food, laughter, fun and for the first time in my life, even snow! It truly was the best Christmas ever. I got to share this holiday with my wonderful husband Larry, my best friend Angelica and her husband Chris, their son Jacob and my beautiful boy, Nic. Having two little boys to read to on Christmas Eve and then wake up together Christmas morning.....how fun! I am so truly blessed and thankful to God for all of the blessings He has put in my life and how He always takes care of me.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T11:17:00.004-05:00

There aren't enough words in the English language to adequately give thanks for all of the blessings in my life. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so this Thanksgiving I put together a collage of the biggest blessings in my life. Even all of these pictures and the thousand words that go with each of them, are but a drop in the bucket. Thank you God for my beautiful sons, my wonderful husband, my family, my best friend and "sister from another mister" Angelica and all of the remarkable, supportive friends I have. I have a beautiful church family, a loving and supportive sister, great brothers, parents, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins....I appreciate you all and am thankful for all of you. I love having such a big family! I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving. Remember to give thanks to God for all you have in your life and remember those less fortunate.

God bless!

4D ultrasounds, my Thankful Thursday post

2009-11-19T17:48:00.006-05:00

This Thankful Thursday I am very thankful for 4D ultrasounds. We are getting ours tomorrow of our son and I am so excited that I think I will barely be able to sleep tonight! I got one with Nic as well and to be able to actually see what our baby will look like before he is even born is such a blessing! It doesn't only allow me to get a glimpse of our bundle of joy, it also give a little extra reassurance that everything is okay with the little guy. Especially if you are like me and have extremely difficult pregnancies.

I can't wait to see you tomorrow, little one. In the meantime, here is Nic's 4D ultrasound taken 4 1/2 years ago:

Thankful Thursday

2009-11-12T11:50:00.004-05:00

This week we celebrated the United States Marine Corp. birthday and Veterans Day. This really made me focus today on how thankful I am to live in a country where I have so many freedoms. Of course, those freedoms aren't free, they come at a very big price. I am thankful for all of my friends and family who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and continue to make. Thank you for helping to provide the freedom that we all enjoy. Thank you God, for blessing me with being an American.

What are you thankful for today?

It's Been a Rough Week...

2009-11-05T09:45:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's been a rough week. It seems like one piece of bad news has been constantly followed by another. I know it's not only been a hard week for me, it's also been a hard week for some of my family members and friends, and I have been praying for them. Even though it has been tough, it is still Thankful Thursday and I feel when things are tough is when we need to look at our blessings even more and we need to lean on the One who can comfort us like no other, God.

So, this Thankful Thursday I will give thanks to God for bringing me comfort during this past week through his steadfast love and through my family and friends. I know He will never give me more than I can carry, if I just trust and have faith. Things will be fine. I am thankful to Him for giving me a strong heart and faith and I am thankful to Him for the friends and family I have that have been so supportive, who share their "been there, done that" stories, to help me see the light at the end of the tunnel, who break in with a little joke to remind me to smile. For this I am truly thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

My Top 5 Post Pregnancy Happy Thoughts.

2009-11-02T10:24:00.009-05:00

This blog post is not about the obvious mushy stuff. Of course what I'm most looking forward to is finally having my little bundle of joy in my arms. Having another happy, healthy son is going to be my biggest blessing through all of this, but I'm not going to talk about the obvious here. I'm going to talk about the stuff that I didn't learn about until AFTER I became pregnant. I'm going to share with those of you who may not have been there yet, what you can really expect. I'm going to share it with those of you who have been there too, so that you know that you aren't alone.

Happy Thought #1
EATING. That's right, eating. I know most people think that while pregnant you can eat with wreckless abandon. WRONG. While pregnant you obsess over labels. Does this food contain MSG's? Is there mercury? Has this meat been fully cooked, I don't want to get Listeria!!! Oh my gosh, is this cheese considered a soft cheese? Are these eggs fully cooked? Oh yes, the list goes on and on. Once my baby is born I plan on consuming my weight in bleu cheese, fish, shrimp, cold cuts, tuna and anything else I can get my hands on. Well, for at least a couple of weeks, then the diet will begin.

Happy Thought #2
NOT GOING TO THE RESTROOM EVERY 20 MINUTES. Okay, so maybe it's every 40 minutes, but you still find the bathroom ends up being the room most visited during the course of a day. Everyone knows that once the baby gets here, sleep will be at a minimum. But not every Mom to be realizes that the lack of sleep starts way before that cute little bundle arrives. It is nothing for me to be up 5 times per night to empty my poor bladder. Not only will I be happy, but so will my kidneys.

Happy Thought #3
BENDING OVER. One day it just happens, you drop something, bend over to pick it up, only to realize you can't. You start to realize that your body must contort into completely unnatural ways to put on your socks. I have mastered the "grab your pant leg at the calf and hoist your leg up" maneuver to simply put on my socks. I have learned to squat like a frog to pick up something I have dropped, or better still, just use my toes to grab it and lift.

Happy Thought #4
EXISTING AGAIN. I find when I am pregnant I do not exist. No, I am just a vessel in which this precious life grows. Nothing I do is about me, it is all about the baby. Most Mom's (like me) don't put themselves first regardless, but if we want to eat a few Cheetos, we allow ourselves.....unless pregnant (yeah, Cheetos have MSG, read the label) because what we want doesn't matter. What matters is what's best for the baby. You see, when I get to be Donna, I sleep on my back or my tummy, sometimes...even on my left side. But when pregnant, I do what is best for the baby, I sleep on my right side, no matter how bad my hips hurt. When not pregnant, I sometimes eat food that (GASP) contains MSG, while pregnant, there is no way that's going to happen. When I am Donna, I take steaming hot showers or baths, not anymore. When I am Donna I am very physically active, but for the 9 months I am pregnant, I am careful not to lift anything too heavy, not to overexert myself, not to go for that 5 mile hike. I never think about what I want to do, I think only about how what I'm doing will affect the baby. Oh, and do not even think about coming near me with the slightest hint of cigarette smoke on your clothes, I will run in the opposite direction. Okay, maybe not run...but walk away really fast.

Happy Thought #5
NOT BEING TERRIFIED OF THE SWINE FLU. Everyone knows by now that the most high risk category for swine flu death is pregnant women and children. I was always concerned about germs before, but now....I am a full fledged germaphobe. Seriously, I think I may have to join Germaphobics Anonymous after this. I wash my hands so much and use so much antibacterial gel that my hands are becoming dry and cracked! If my eye itches, I don't dare scratch it, I just suffer. I don't want to take a chance of rubbing some killer organism into my eye. I couldn't tell you the last time I touched a door handle. When I leave a public restroom, I wrap my hand in a paper towel to open the restroom door. After passing the offering tray at church, I squirt antibacterial gel on my hands. Seriously it's becoming a sickness and the only cure is delivery.

There is so much more I could write, but I think I may save it for a book (yes, I think I could come up with enough post pregnancy happy thoughts to fill a book). What are some of your post pregnancy happy thoughts? I'd love to hear them!

Thankful Thursday - My Church Family

2009-10-29T16:02:00.005-04:00

There are many things I am thankful for today, like the Hokies playing tonight, like the fact that I did my glucose testing today and it is now behind me (I had a very hard time with that today), and my church family.

I truly feel blessed that God lead me to the First United Methodist Church in Pulaski. I have never been to a church that was so warm and welcoming. Everyone is so friendly and caring, that before you know it, they really do start to feel like your extended family. This church has such great ministry programs and really reaches out to help our community and even beyond our community. Have I mentioned the kids? Well, let me tell you, the children here are GREAT! There are so many different ways you can get involved at our church, it's a great place to worship and then go beyond worshipping!

Thank you to my friends at FUMC, like the Queen's, the Cash's, the Newby's, the Cox's, the Clark's, the Kellis', the Hodges', the Dean's and everyone else for welcoming us with open arms, you are truly a great group of Christians!

Thankful Thursday - My hubby

2009-10-22T10:42:00.004-04:00

I am a very lucky woman. Correction, make that a blessed woman because luck has nothing to do with it. My hubby is truly the answer to so many prayers. He has been working so hard lately, on weekends, late into the night and doing it without complaint, doing it not for himself, but for our family. He never makes me feel like it's unfair, that he is resentful for it or that he is just sick and tired of it. Don't get me wrong, he is tired physically, but he's not that angry or resentful tired that some people can get when they feel they are working too hard. I found the poor guy laying on the floor at 5:00 a.m. after falling asleep painting the rocking chair for our baby last night. Some nights, he doesn't get home until 8:30 or 9:00 and after working all day, he still helps around the house. He is so tired, but he never complains or makes me feel guilty for how hard he has to work. We are both very fortunate that both of our companies are doing so well in this difficult economy (something else to be thankful for), so we don't complain about working, we are thankful and know that the work that has come our way is an answer to prayers and who would complain when God answer's their prayers?

He is a wonderful, giving, caring husband. He doesn't just provide for our family, he takes care of us in every way we can be taken care of. He does this with love, he does this happily and thankfully, he has such a wonderful heart.

The main reason he is so busy is because God has answered our prayers and quite simply because he really does a great job! He puts such care and craftsmanship into each job he does. He has the ability to take a project and create such high quality results that I am so proud of him. If you ever have a home remodel project, check him out: http://www.samsbrothers.net/, you won't be disappointed!

And last, but not least, I am thankful for how he gives so willingly. When you do something for someone, you should do it with a cheerful heart, and he does! I have always tithed, but a few months ago, even though I had less money, I started tithing more. I don't know exactly why, I always felt a little uncomfortable during the "tithing" sermon's at church. But, God put it into my heart and I noticed how my husband tithed. We also give with a happy heart. Don't tithe if you are just going to give grudgingly. After increasing tithing, our business increased. I know their is a direct correlation because God says so, "2 Corinthians 9:7- Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." He also says to TEST him on this! "Malachi 3:10 - Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

My husband is what I am thankful for not only today, but everyday. He is kind, compassionate, giving, he takes care of us, he is a Christian and helps to bring out the best in me. I am truly blessed, thank you, God. I love you, Larry!

Thankful Thursday

2009-10-08T09:05:00.004-04:00

I don't know if someone else already does this, I'm hoping that I'm not the first person that has thought of it. I was just thinking about all of the things I am thankful for and realized that today is Thursday and it hit me, "Thankful Thursday."

I am going to try every Thursday to post something I am thankful for. A blessing in my life that God has given me. I want to do this not only to give thanks to Him, but also to help remind myself (and hopefully others) of all the blessings, big and small, in all of our lives. I hope everyone who reads these posts will take the time to reflect on their own blessings and give thanks.

My first Thankful Thursday post is inspired by a picture I took over the weekend. My son is, of course, a wonderful, life long blessing. Another blessing, as you can see in this picture, is the beauty of a perfect fall day. Today is another beautiful fall day and I am so thankful for the beautiful sunshine, perfect temperatures and beautiful fall colors that are starting to emerge.

What are you thankful for today?

You've Got to be Kidding Me!

2009-09-25T12:22:00.004-04:00

Close your eyes and picture it. There I am, sprawled out on the couch like a beached whale, my eyes fixed on the TV in a trance-like stare, my mouth opened wide as I look from the TV to my gigantic stomach, back to the TV and then back to my stomach and finally, back to the TV again. What I am seeing is inconceivable to me.

I am watching Discovery Health. There is program on called "I Didn't Know I was Pregnant." I truly can not fathom this. I hear women talking about how they went nine months with a life growing inside of them and never having a clue they were pregnant.

Are they serious? Is this a ploy to get on TV? Is this a joke? I check the calendar. Nope, it's not April Fool's Day. This show is real!

I then hear a doctor talk about how it is possible to be pregnant and not recognize the signs because you credit them to something else, like bad Chinese food. At this, my yet to be born son kicks me in the bladder. Even he doesn't get it.

My pregnancy with my oldest son was not easy at all. My pregnancy with this son has proven even harder. I am in a state of awe at the women who are actually pregnant for nine months and don't know it. I can't imagine not having morning (actually all day) sickness, not getting up to go to the bathroom 10 times a night, the back pains, the inability to be comfortable no matter what position you are in, the indigestion, the inability to control my thyroid disease, the inability to maintain a normal glucose level, the sheer exhaustion (just to name a few).

Then I go from awe to a feeling of pity. Yes, these women don't get the unpleasantness of pregnancy, but they also missed out on the entire process. The amazement of having a life growing inside of you, feeling the baby move for the first time and then, when he really gets the hang of it, REALLY feeling it and sometimes even seeing it! They didn't get to have ultrasounds and get a sneak peek at their baby, they didn't get to anticipate and dream about what it would be like to finally hold their little one. They didn't get to experience the fun of decorating and preparing a nursery before the baby arrives. They didn't have months to decide on a name. How sad!

But, I still don't get it. How on EARTH could a woman not gain weight, not feel the baby move, not have any pregnancy systems at all? Most of the women said in hindsight, they recognized the pregnancy systems, but they discredited the baby moving to gas (WHAT?) and the nausea to having the flu (HUH?). There were other reasons they missed the signs, but as I look down to where my belly button used to be, I truly can not imagine being pregnant and not knowing it. As tough as it has been, I'm so thankful and feel truly blessed to be able to experience it again. The good and the bad. But especially the good.

Nic learns he's going to have a baby brother!

2009-09-14T15:50:00.002-04:00

Ever since Nicholas found out that I am having a baby, he has been saying that he wants a sister. But two days ago, he decided he wanted a brother. Good thing, because that's what he's getting! After we stopped recording it must have really sank in because he went wild with excitement! I wish I had my camera handy for that! When he sees the baby "wee wee" on the video, he gets really excited.

He wants to name the baby "Ian". Not a bad choice, buddy! But, we aren't telling the name until the baby is born, so everyone will just have to wait!

Friday Night Lights are Here!

2009-08-27T16:41:00.002-04:00

I've always loved football. But as I've grown older I've really come to realize that for me, college and high school football is so much more fun to watch than the NFL. Why? Because the kids playing on the college and high school football fields play focused on the true love of the game, their community and their school. The main focus isn't the money, sponsors and celebrity.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all NFL players are focused on the "greedy" aspects of football, but a majority of them just don't play with the same heart as the kids. There are some great NFL players that do seem to play with heart, set good examples and help the less fortunate. But so many just seem to be mostly concerned with the mullah and fame.

I would rather watch a low scoring, slow moving football game where the kids really put there all into it and played with heart and good sportsmanship, than watch a high scoring game where players are showing off and fighting.

With this being said, I'm excited to attend my first high school game this season! Nic, Larry and I, along with about 15 of our friends will be at Radford High School Friday night, watching Radford play Pulaski for the first time in 30 years. They are expecting over 15,000 people in a stadium that only seats 6,000, but I'm sure it's going to be tons of fun! I've never lived in an area that brought the movie "Friday Night Lights" to life like this area, and I love it!

See you under the lights!

Finding Peace and Happiness

2009-08-18T09:33:00.003-04:00

I was overcome by an urge to share this. It hit me the other night. Even with all I have going on, even with stress and concerns, I feel more at peace and more happy than any other time in my life. Why? I make time. I make time everyday, no matter what, to pray and read the Bible and my devotionals. Now, before you think I'm getting up on my soapbox and beating my Bible preaching fire and brimstone....fear not. This blog is not about that.

I have just found something in my life that really brings clarity and peace and wanted to share in the hopes that it helps someone else. At first I didn't notice a huge difference, but after a while, I really started to notice an inner peace. The longer I have been doing this, the happier and more at peace I feel. Every night, after Nic is in bed, after I have had a shower, before drifting off to sleep, I take at least 20 minutes to be by myself, just me and God. I pray, read devotionals, look up scriptures. It doesn't matter how tired I am, it doesn't matter how late it is. I do this EVERY NIGHT. It has become such a part of my nightly routine that I don't think I could sleep without doing it. When I started doing this, I just wanted to say a prayer and give thanks to God for his blessings. Then I realized that there is a lot in the Bible that can be confusing or hard to understand. I wanted to make sure I was interpreting things correctly and doing the right things. I wanted to make sure I undestood, so I can help my children to understand. So I started praying for understanding and clarity so that I could be sure that I'm living the life I am supposed to live and help others that may need it. I started reading devotionals, which were VERY helpful. I started discussing what I was learning and reading with my significant other and found we both could learn a lot from each other.

Then, I really saw God working. I read Nicholas a Bible story every night from his Children's Bible. Believe it or not, this has really helped me as much as him! One night I will read a story about (for example) Saul and then when I pick up my devotional before bed, will find that my devotional is talking about the same scripture! A coincidence? Then I'll go to church on Sunday and each Sunday, there is a sermon, a hymn, or something in Sunday school about one of the scriptures I had been studying that week!! Another coincidence? I asked God to help me with understanding, and He has provided. Everything I pick up and read ties together, even what we learn in church on Sunday. Gaining this understanding and clarity has helped me find peace and happiness. It all started with making sure I took the time everyday.

So take time, be still, learn, grow, pray and worship. You will be amazed at what just 20 minutes a day can do for you!

Has it been that long???

2009-07-23T09:22:00.002-04:00

I just noticed my last blog post was over a month ago!! How is that possible? It seems like it couldn't have been more than a week. Where is the summer going? I think it is completely true that the older you get, the faster time flies.

I have had a very eventful summer so far. There have been trips, illness, surprises, laughter, fun and stress, but that's all a part of life isn't it? My laptop has been acting up or in the shop for about 4 weeks total so far this summer, so that has put me pretty far behind as well. It's amazing how much I depend on that little piece of machinery. How did people do it 25 years ago? Everything handwritten or on a typewriter? It must have taken ages to get anything done. I can't even remember the last time I used a typewriter, probably high school. Has it been that long?

Speaking of dependence on modern conveniences, I made the mistake of going to the grocery store the other day and forgot my cell phone at home. How did people do it 20 years ago???? When I arrived home I had missed several calls and text messages, all that communication that would have been missed had I been grocery shopping in the 80's and early 90's. Has it really been that long since we've been using cell phones?

My son is, at this very moment, playing with a digital camera that plays games, records video and takes digital pictures, among many other things. I have no idea how to operate this gadget. I can not even fathom having such a toy at the age of 4. I was happy with my big wheel and my barbie doll. I don't think any of my toys were interactive. They all required only the use of my imagination. Has it been that long since I was a child? Has it been that long since children didn't have interactive toys?? Don't get me wrong, my son plays just as much with toys that require only the use of his imagination, but he has access to the technologically advanced toys as well.

Oh, I could go on and on about how time has flown and things have changed, but I'm afraid it only makes me feel really, really old! I don't want to start telling you about the time I walked through 3 foot of snow, in the freezing cold, for 5 miles, in my bare feet, to get to school....or maybe it was my great grandfather who use to always say that??? :-)

God bless!

I WON! I WON!

2009-06-05T15:56:00.003-04:00

Woo hoo! I can't believe it! I actually won! Twittermoms was hosting a blog contest for the Children's Place for the most stylish kid. The first 20 entries automatically won a $50 gift certificate to the Children's Place, as did the person with the most comments on their blogs. The BIG grand prize winner was the person the judges at the Children's Place determined to have the most creative blog. The winner was to be announced on May 15th. Well, May 15th came and went and I hadn't heard anything. No big deal, I just entered for fun anyway, not really expecting to win anything (although I really could use that couple hundred in Children's Place clothing, my boy is growing so fast). There were also a lot of really great entries from all over the country, so I truly didn't think I would win and just forgot about it.

Well, I get an email on Monday from Twittermons that says the following, "Here's what the judges said about Donna's winning post... “We chose http://www.atdonnasdiscretion.blogspot.com/) because her blog best described The Children's place clothing. Not only did she mention our value priced clothing but she also spoke about the quality. The pictures of her son in the best selling argyle vest was adorable."

I started jumping up and down! Nic thought I was crazy, but when I told him we won, we both started jumping up and down. THANKS TWITTERMOMS! and THANKS CHILDREN'S PLACE! I can't wait to get Nic some new cute, quality clothes!

Oh, and here is my blogpost, in case you missed it click here to read the winning blog:

Reality Check!

2009-05-22T16:15:00.010-04:00

Okay, so it happens to me all the time. I see something Nic is doing and it just reminds me so much of things I did as a child. The other day I found a bunch of pictures of me from around 2 to 3 1/2 years old. Wow, did I get a reality check.

Nic loves to make funny faces whenever I take a picture of him, oh...and he NEVER wants to stand still. He is always asking to take pictures, but he just wants to take what he calls, "funny face" pictures. I'm always thinking, "Where on Earth does he get that from?" Well, ask and you shall receive. In the envelope full of pictures I found there were pictures of me...three in a row, where I was dressed in a cute yellow dress. Now, you may be thinking, "AWWWW." A two year old girl in a cute yellow dress, must be adorable, right? Wrong, in each of these pictures I am doing everything I can to make my Mom laugh and have fun. In each picture I am making funny faces. I can just hear my Mom saying to me, "Donna Mae, could you please hold still and smile for just 3 seconds so I can get a picture of you in your pretty dress?" I know she said this because I have said the same to Nic (minus the pretty dress part). Oh no...another reality check, I'm saying some of the exact same things to Nic that my Mother said to me (YIKES)! How does this happen???

I found another picture of me at 3 1/2 and it blew me away. Again, all I can see is Nic. My hair was just as light as his when I was his age, we have the exact same eyes, even the little puffiness under the eyes is the same, we have the same smile lines, same mouth, same nose, same chin, same cheeks, same eyebrows..everything! How is this possible? I mean, I know how it's possible, DNA, genetics, all that..but really, it blows my mind when I see how much this little boy looks like his Mama, but much cuter :-) !! I hope he stays cute...Mama grew out of it...LOL!!

Here are the pictures:

This is one of Nic's favorite faces to make!!

Originated by Mommy back in the late

70's!

I think I should have been a boy. Never

did do very well in dresses!

Nic and Mommy..we are almost the same age in this picture.

A Letter to My Son

2009-05-06T14:35:00.008-04:00

Dear Nicholas,

On Saturday, you will be four. I can't believe it. Your birthday is the day before Mother's Day this year. The year you were born it was the day after. You will always be the best gift I have ever received.

My precious son, do you know how special you are? Do you know how much you are loved? Can you even fathom the amount of love and joy you yourself bring to others? Love radiates from you, a true blessing from God.

For many years I knew God had put me on this planet for a specific purpose, until you were born, I never knew what that purpose was. I can't believe God entrusted me to be your Mommy. I can't believe He chose to bless me with being responsible for such a beautiful soul. I am forever thankful and forever changed.

Would you like to know something my dear little one? You were named after an angel. I use to read to you even before you were born. I remember sitting on the couch at our home in Bealeton and reading Bible stories to you from the time I was three months pregnant. There is one memory that stands out most of all. It was Christmas time and I was reading to you the story about the birth of Jesus, the angel Gabriel appears in the story and when I read his name out loud (which is also your middle name), I just cried. Don't worry, Mommy wasn't sad. I was simply filled with love and joy. I knew you were going to be special and I was so happy that your name had a very special meaning.

When you were born, there were some very scary moments, but when it was all said and done, you arrived very quickly. When you make up your mind to do something, you don't mess around (I wonder where you get that?). I was in active labor for all of 1/2 hour and pushed you out in 10 minutes. I will never, as long as I live, forget that moment, the moment I first got to hold you in my arms. You were the most gorgeous baby I had ever seen. I felt like I was dreaming. Even though you were 3 1/2 weeks early, you had the cutest chubby cheeks and I could see right away that you looked just like me (sorry, buddy).

Being your Mom has brought such joy. You have taught me so much. Even during the trying times. For example, you HATED bath time for the first month of life. I don't remember who cried more, you or me. But, you eventually grew to love it and so did I. There was also the time when you were just six months old and came down with RSV. You were in the hospital for a week and I had never been so scared and worried in my life. As you got older there was potty training (wow, that took patience), but we got through it and now you potty like a champ :-).

Do you remember, my sweet boy, when you first started sleeping through the night? I can tell you that I do! You were almost 2 months old and I was so thankful! There are many other firsts I remember like they were yesterday. The first time you sat up all by yourself you were 6 months old. You could stand all by yourself at 10 months and started walking at 13 months. At 3 1/2 months you took your first trip to the beach and that was all she wrote! You officially became a beach bum, just like Mommy. I love that you love the ocean just as much as I do.

Not to brag, my love, but I have always been so proud of the things you did very early as well. You drank from a cup at 7 months and stopped drinking from a bottle by 10 months. You spoke your first word at 6 months and said your first 2 word sentence at 11 months. Do you remember how everyone laughed at you every time something great happened and you yelled, "All RIGHT!" You knew your colors and shapes by the time you were a year old and could recognize all the letters of the alphabet by 2. You wrote your name at 2 1/2, I was shocked. By 3, you were reading. I hope your love of learning stays with you throughout your life. Mommy use to LOVE school and I hope that I pass that along to you.

Another important day in your life, mi carino, was August 7, 2005. This is the day you were baptized. Of all the things I will teach you in your life, your faith is the most important. Always trust in God, always turn to Him, always love Him, ALWAYS, no matter what, have faith! Life will bring you challenges, trust in God. Life will bring you unbelievable joy, give thanks to God. I pray that I raise you to be a strong, faithful, loving, Christian man. I pray that I don't let you or God down.

So I'll end this letter to you, mi perito, by saying I love you. I love you "the best thing yet." I love you more than all the stars in the sky, more than I ever thought it was humanly possible to love. Thank you for showing me that same, unconditional love in return. I can not believe how fast four years have flown by. I am so sad that it has gone so quickly, but at the same time, I am excited about what the future holds for you. I look forward to the future with you, Nicholas Gabriel; I have a feeling it is going to be very bright.

Te Quiero Siempre,
Mommy

Saying Goodbye, part 2

2009-04-30T15:45:00.004-04:00

So I did it. I told Nicholas about Emile. I explained that Emile had died and was in Heaven. The first thing Nic said was, "I want to go see him now." GULP.

I explained, "Honey, we can't see Emile anymore because he has gone to live in Heaven with God, he is very happy there and he will be there forever." He then tears out my hear by saying, "Mommy, this makes me so sad." I tell him I understand, that I am sad too and that it's okay to be sad. I explain that we will always love and miss Emile, but that one day, we will see him again. I explain that Emile is very happy right where he is now and we always want those we love to be happy.

After some hugging and more talking he perked up. He then asked, "Mommy, can I get another fish? It won't be Emile, but I liked having a fish." YES!! He gets it. It was hard, but I told him the truth, talked with him simply and honestly about it and he is doing well! I'm proud of him for understanding his feelings and being able to verbalize them so clearly to me. I'm proud that he understands that the new fish will not replace Emile.

Our new fish is named Remy. For those of you who don't know, Remy was Emile's brother in the movie Ratatouille.

I feel better that I was honest and helped Nicholas to understand this important life lesson. Thank you God for guiding my heart in the right direction.

Saying Goodbye, part 1

2009-04-30T10:16:00.005-04:00

My son's Beta fish, Emile, went off to that big fish tank in the sky. My son LOVES this fish. He helps feed him, clean the tank and thanks God for Emile in his prayers at night. But my son is only 3. How do I explain this to him?

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I have always focused on protecting my child. I know most parents, especially Mom's, can relate to that. When your little one is in your womb you second guess everything. You stop thinking of yourself first. Now you think, "If I eat that tuna, will it hurt the baby?" Before, it was just, "Yum...tuna!" EVERYTHING you do, is to protect your child. I even remember while I was pregnant being in a situation that may not have been the safest place for a woman 7 months pregnant and specifically thinking, "Protect the baby! Protect the baby!" It wasn't just a thought, it was a loud voice telling me this. I removed myself from the situation immediately. I have always been like a Mama lion, protecting my baby! I would even keep my arms wrapped around my belly and "hug" Nicholas all the time.

Now he's 3 (almost 4) and his little fish that he loves has died. My first reaction was to protect him. I don't want my son to be sad or hurt. Just buy another fish that looks like Emile and hope that Nicholas doesn't notice. But my son is smart, I know he will notice. I could tell him Emile changed colors, like a chameleon, but that would be lying. I can't lie to my child. I can't lie, period. I just can't live with myself, especially as a Christian. I know better. I was also worried that I would be sending the wrong message to Nicholas. I don't want him to think that things we love are so easy to replace. So I prayed on it and decided to tell him.

He doesn't know yet, I plan on telling him after I pick him up from school. I don't know what his reaction will be and didn't want him to be upset at school. I will explain to him, in simple terms what happened. I will explain that Emile is in Heaven with Jesus. I will explain that it's okay to be upset and to miss Emile. Then I will let him talk and hear what he has to say and how he feels. If he wants to get another fish, I will let him, but only after explaining that the new fish does not, in any way, replace Emile, we will still miss him. I want to make sure he understands that the new guy is not a new Emile.

I'll let you know how it goes in part 2 of this blog! Wish me luck!

It's Not a Book Review, It's a Devotional Review

2009-04-17T15:04:00.003-04:00

Every night, before bed, I read a Devotional, as I'm sure many Christians do. I have one that I received as a gift from by best friend, Angelica, many years ago. It's a Devotional specifically for women and has really been a source of strength for me.

Recently, in addition to my Women's Devotional, I started reading "Night Light" by Dr. James and Shirley Dobson. It is a devotional for couples and one I would highly recommend. Along with scripture, prayer and insight, it gives you discussion points between couples, like "How have I shown you my love this week?" and "Is there an area in your life that you used to struggle, but now have turned it over to God and have positive results?" and "What aspect of my support means the most to you?" These talking points really are helpful with communication between a couple. Sharing this time with your significant other and sharing with them how much they mean to you and how much God has blessed your lives can only help a relationship. Build a strong foundation and you will have a successful, lasting relationship. This Devotional is definitely something that can help you accomplish that and one I would highly recommend.

He's So Cute! Where'd Ya' Get That???

2009-04-13T11:48:00.006-04:00

I've had a lot of people ask me about Nic's Easter outfit, so I thought I'd share on my blog where we got his outfit and why I love the store we got it from. Nic's entire outfit, the hat, the shirt, the sweater vest, the pants and blazer all came from The Children's Place and we got the entire outfit on sale! If you plan it right, take advantage of the sales and coupons they will send you if you sign up for their mailing list, the clothes at the Children's Place can actually save you money. How you ask? Simple. The quality of clothes are better and they last longer! Nic is a boy and little boys get dirty! I have to wash his clothes A LOT! The clothes from the Children's Place always stand the test of time. No matter how many washes or how rough he is on them, they last without the shrinking, fading and fraying like some of the clothes we get at the "Big Box" stores. He has a size 4 sweater vest that we got from the Children's Place last year that still looks and fits like new. I also bought him a sweater vest, in a size 4, from a "Big Box" store at the same time. A year later, the "cheaper" sweater doesn't fit, is faded, has frayed edges and "pills" all over it. I can get another 6 months out of The Children's Place sweater, the other sweater has gone to Good Will after running my shaver over it to get rid of the pills. I have found my Children's Place outfits last twice as long as his other outfits so I get more "bang for the buck."

Now, that's the sensible side of me talking, the other thing Nic and I both love about The Children's Place is the style of the clothes. Everyone thinks if you have a little boy you don't have the wide variety of clothes that girls have. In some stores, that is true, there are more options for cute girl outfits than boy outfits, but the Children's Place has just as nice of a variety for boys. Nic likes the "polished/preppy" look, but he also likes cotton t-shirts and fun play clothes too. The Children's Place fits both needs. The style is great, the quality is fantastic, so I would definitely recommend giving them a try! You can check out their latest clothes on their web site: http://www.childrensplace.com/.

Here is my little guy in his Easter outfit:

The meaning of Rainbows

2009-04-06T12:28:00.004-04:00

I had the most amazing dream the other night about a rainbow. It was the biggest, brightest most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen, it took up most of the sky and the colors were so vibrant I almost needed sunglasses just to look at them. When I woke up I felt such peace and happiness and my first thought went to God and how he used a rainbow in the Bible to symbolize his promise to us. Rainbows are a blessing and the one in my dream had such an impact on me that I wanted to do some more research.

After doing some research on the dailywisdom.com web site, I found this:

"When we consider the many colors of the spectrum from a Scriptural perspective, it appears that even in the simple design of the rainbow, each shade may hold deeper meaning.

- Blue portrays heaven and infinity.
- Red or scarlet depicts blood and redemption.
- Orange is for the fruit of atonement.
- Indigo was the dark blue dye obtained from the plant; the color of skins used for the Tabernacle covering.
- Green stands for new life or resurrection.
- Yellow or gold depicts perfection and deity.
- Violet or purple is the color of royalty and kingship.

The next time you see a rainbow, consider the silent yet profound message this symbol speaks, not just to mankind, but to you, as a sole individual. The Creator sees you for exactly who you are, and it is important that all people, no matter what their race, creed or color, come to full knowledge of the Divine. God's word is written all around us, and His truth is just waiting for the soul who thirsts for righteousness. Let His awesome light shine upon you!"

I had never read about each color of the rainbow and their scriptural meaning. I thought I would share this so that the next time you see a rainbow, you can think of them too.

Remember everyday to give thanks to God for even the smallest of things and to have faith in Him with the biggest of things. Each day, spare some time to look at the beauty of the world around you, be it the first flowers of spring, the blue sky above or the fact that you have a home to live in and give thanks to God for these blessing that we sometimes overlook. Remember to have faith in Him for the big things, the problems, the worries the fears that you may have. He will take care of you! God has promised in Romans 8:28 that "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." Even though it may be difficult for us to see and understand how this is accomplished, have faith and He will deliver.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-18T14:15:00.002-04:00

Funny faces

To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool....That is the Question.

2009-03-16T10:40:00.004-04:00

I didn't sleep at all last night. I was up all night worrying about my 3 year old son's education. Yes, I'm a worry wart. I have very valid concerns though (in my opinion). Let me give you a little back story so you can understand why. I'll start off by saying, I'm truly not trying to brag, but my son is only three years old and he is already at least at a first grade level academically. He can read and write all by himself and do simple arithmetic (add and subtract numbers under 10, counts to 100 by 1's, 5's and 10's, etc.). He has known his shapes, colors and patterns since before he could walk. He spoke early as well, by 11 months he was saying two word sentences.

My concern is that some of the things he learns in preschool now are things that he has known since he was 1 or earlier. By the time he gets to kindergarten, in two more years, I have a feeling he is going to be far ahead of his classmates academically and be bored out of his mind. I have him in a private Christian preschool right now and we really do love it. Even though he is academically ahead, he is still only a three year old and acts like a typical three year old, so he would not be ready to be around a first grade classroom. The preschool is only 3 hours a day, two days a week, which is perfect. It's enough time for him to work on social skills and be around other kids his age, but not long enough that he gets bored out of his mind being there. However, next year preschool goes to three days a week and I am afraid he will get bored.

With all this being said, I know it seems the simple answer is to homeschool him so that I can keep up with his pace and he doesn't have to throttle back his learning to stay around kids his own age. My concerns with homeschooling, however, are this:

1. Whenever Nic says that he can't do something without even trying it, I tell him there is nothing he can't do and not to say he can't do something when he hasn't even tried yet. When it comes to homeschooling, if I do that first, am I saying he can't do a private school without even trying it first? I want to make sure Nic gets every opportunity in life. I think a private school is an opportunity he deserves to try (I say private, because I really do think a private school will be the best option for him, I have no plans to send him to public school). If we at least try a private school first, if it doesn't work out, THEN we can re-visit homeschooling. At least we can say we tried and he had that opportunity. I won't feel like I've robbed him of an opportunity due to my own fears. I feel I should practice what I preach and let him try school before I say he can't do it.

2. It comes back to opportunities and social activities. For example, if Nic is home schooled, he won't get to go to Prom, Homecoming or be President of the Drama Club or even be Senior Class President, if he chooses. He won't get to be Captain of his high school football team, if he wants to be. If I start right off with homeschooling, I'm afraid I will be taking those opportunities from him without even trying. These are things I loved about school, I don't want to rob Nic of these fun, time-honored, teenage traditions.

3. I'm not a teacher. I don't feel I'm qualified to teach my son effectively. Now, I've had people telll me this is crazy because I've done such a great job teaching him so far. But I'm 35 years old, I know how to read and write so I can handle teaching reading, writing and simple math. I can even handle simple science lessons. My fear is when he gets older, what if he wants to learn Algebra or Calculus? What if he wants to become a scientist and I don't have access to a chemistry lab? There is no way I could teach those things!

4. College - I've read that children who are homeschooled have a more difficult time adjusting to college life. Also, if he is homeschooled and wants to go to a top University, he will be competing with the kid who went to a great school, was President of his class and Captain of his football team. Guess who the college is going to pick first? Guess who will have a better shot at the scholarship?

With this being said, I hope I didn't offend anyone because that is not my intent. If you can homeschool your child, I think that's really great and I admire you. I think more children should be homeschooled. I'm just not sure it is the first option for Nic. One thing I've really learned from him being at preschool is that he LOVES being around children his age. He likes having his friends around and learning with them. I have also seen an improvement in his social skills. If he is homeschooled, he won't get to be around his friends as much. I guess that was just another point for private school.

Whatever school he attends, I plan on being very involved. I will know his teachers and be comfortable with them. One of the reasons I love his school now is because I know his teacher, I don't feel like I'm leaving him with a stranger for three hours. When he starts school, I plan on doing the same.

After writing this blog, its easier for me to see what the best option is for us. I'll start researching private schools today.

Go Green - Save Money and the Environment.

2009-03-12T10:37:00.004-04:00

There are a lot of ways to go green and save money while doing it. It's easier than you think and with the money you can save, why not? Going green is a win-win situation. Most of us know we can use compact fluorescent bulbs and buy Energy Star appliances, but what are ways to go green that are even easier and cost less?

Here are some easy ideas, along with how much impact they have on your wallet and the environment:

1. Save electricity, purify your air with plants. Having live plants in your home helps to absorb airborne toxins and saves energy costs by not plugging in the air purifier. Not to mention, plants are MUCH cheaper than air purifiers!

2. Use bar soap. Replacing just one plastic bottle of liquid soap with a bar will save 2.5 million lbs. of plastic! Also, let's not forget that bar soap is cheaper!

3. Put a recycling can next to the trash can in your office. This way you can just as easily throw your paper into the recycling can as the trash can. Making one ton of paper from recycled materials saves 7,000 gallons of water AND 17 trees.

4. When building a fire, use an artificial log (like those Duraflame fire logs you can find at most stores) to start the fire. Believe it or not, those man made logs burn longer than wood and give off 75% less carbon monoxide.

5. After you fill up your gas tank, turn the cap until it clicks three times. Each year, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate into the air due to missing, loose or damaged caps. This is in the US alone!

6. Wash laundry in cold water only or use the warm wash and cold rinse cycle. You will save on energy costs and if each home in America did this, we would save 100,000 barrels of oil a day!

7. Use your toaster oven as much as possible. When you need to bake a few rolls, some chicken nuggets, or any other small baking job, use a toaster oven. You will use half as much energy, saving you money.

8. Stop using the screen saver on your computer. Instead switch your computer display to go into sleep mode whenever it isn't used for 5 minutes. This will consume 90% less energy!

9. Use power strips and turn off the power strips when the electronics plugged into them aren't in use. Some electronics use electricity even when they are turned off! If you plug your appliances into a power strip and then shut the power strip off, you will use 87% less energy than if you have the appliances plugged into 6 separate outlets.

10. Return your wire hangers to the dry cleaner. Don't just throw them in the trash. If we did this, we could save 200 million tons of steel each year that could be reused.

Just think of how much money we could save and the environmental impact we could make if we all just did these 10 simple things!

Thanks, I will now step down off of my soapbox and take it to the recycling bin.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T11:03:00.001-04:00

Smile, it's electrifying :-)

Time Changes Everything - Even Marketing

2009-03-03T14:32:00.003-05:00

I was just thinking about how much time changes things. We all know the effects time has on us in everyday life. Be it your memory, that extra little ache you may feel in the morning that you didn't feel a few years ago, or that (gasp!) gray hair that has seemed to pop up overnight.

Time doesn't just effect how we feel or look. It also has effects on how we think and get things accomplished. Take the phone book, for example. Ten years ago, if I needed anything from a plumber to a doctor to someone to bring me a hot meal, I'd go right to the phone book. Today, I looked under my phone table and found two phone books from the last two years that are still in their plastic wrap and have never even been opened. At first I started thinking about what a waste of paper. Think about all the poor trees that were cut down so that my phone books could collect dust (which made me realize that ten years ago, I never would have thought that much about the environment, either). Then I realized that, like me, phone books are suffering the effects of time. I wonder how long it will be until they no longer exist in paper format? Most people today just look things up on their computer or cell phone. I know I do. I hope that everyone who has an ad in the phone book has also invested advertising in other mediums. If you haven't, I can just about guarantee you are not getting the most from your advertising dollars. I'm not saying don't advertise in the phone book, I'm saying make sure you advertise in several different places in order to get the most bang for your buck. By just sticking to print, you are missing all of those who do research online and vice-versa.

Another advertising medium that has suffered the effects of time is newspaper advertising. In today's online and environmentally friendly world, most forms of print advertising are on the decline. Again, if you only do print advertising, you are missing a large number of potential clients. Review your marketing, make sure you are keeping up with the times and spread your marketing out among several different mediums such as the web, television and radio. Just think, 10 or so years ago many small businesses and professionals couldn't have imagined the importance of having a web site or blog and now they couldn't imagine going without it. Stay on top of the trends, only time will tell what the best advertising medium will be for you 10 years from now.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T15:26:00.003-05:00

Tickle Buggy!

2009-02-24T14:14:00.003-05:00

I'm sure most of you have heard of or played the game "Punch Buggy!" You know, when you see a Volkswagon bug and you yell out "Punch Buggy" while hitting the person next to you? Well, I wanted to teach this game to my son, but didn't want him hitting other people. My solution? Replace "punch" with "tickle". Now, everytime I see a VW bug, I yell, "Tickle Buggy" and give him a little tickle. He loves it! He also loves looking for VW bugs himself and then tickling me if he sees one! We both have fun and I don't have to worry about feeling bad because I've taught him to punch other people, even in fun!

Oh Happy Day!

2009-02-15T14:37:00.006-05:00

I had such a great day Saturday that I just had to write about it. I've had so much to deal with lately that when a truly wonderful day like this came along, I just couldn't pass up the chance to share my blessing and write about it.

It was Valentine's Day, but that really had nothing to do with why my day was so great. Nic and I had a full day of nothing but joy. Trust me, after the past few weeks I've had, it is something I so desperately needed and wasn't sure if was even possible. To have a smile on my face the whole day, for everything to go absolutely right...WOW, what a blessing!

Let's start with the weather, it was a beautiful, sunny day. After breakfast we headed to Roanoke. A shirt and sweater was all that was needed. I put a light jacket on Nic in the morning, but by the afternoon, it wasn't needed. We started off at the Science Museum. Nic had been there once before, but it was an "open house" kind of day and admission was free. This meant the place was CROWDED and we didn't get to spend as much time as we would have liked or done all of the things we wanted to do. Not the case on Saturday. For the first 30 minutes, we were the only ones there. We had the place to ourselves! After that, we only saw about 3 or 4 other families. This was wonderful because we got to spend as much time as we wanted at each exhibit without feeling like we had to rush to give other people a turn. We took lots of time and interacted with each exhibit.

After an hour and a half, we started getting hungry, so we went downtown to grab a bite for lunch. Nic can sometimes be a picky eater and I worry if he doesn't eat enough, especially on days when I know we are going to be busy. He ate like a HORSE! He finished his entire lunch and then started munching on mine. Oh happy day! After lunch, we went back to the museum to play some more. I then noticed that they have a planetarium. I remember as a child how much I LOVED the planetarium and being that Nic says he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up, I thought he would really enjoy it. He was fascinated. I wish I had a nickel for every time he said, "Oh, WOW Mommy!" The planetarium was a huge hit. The one in Roanoke isn't a complete dome like the ones I've been to before, it is more like a 3/4 dome, but it's still a lot of fun and I would highly recommend it.

After the planetarium we went BACK to the science museum for another hour or so. After the museum we walked the downtown area of Roanoke and went into a few shops. Again, Nicholas was so good, he didn't play "touchy-feely" with the breakables in the store, he used his manners and even showed me and everyone on the sidewalk his latest "cool trick" (which consisted of him jumping up in the air while kicking his leg). He didn't only make me smile, he made several other people smile too.

We then went to Valley View Mall so he could see some puppies and ride on the kiddie rides. At the mall we got some chocolate chip cookies and then made a bee line for the puppies. Nicholas LOVES puppies. He doesn't have any teddy bears that he sleeps with, but he has (at current count) 7 puppies he likes to have in bed with him, including the one he got me for Valentine's Day that he has now claimed as his own. The ladies at the store pulled out a couple of Shitzu's for Nic to pet. Oh my word...it was so hard not to buy one. They were so cute! Then Nicholas saw a Boston Terrier/Pug mix (I'm told they are called Bugg's) and he noticed how it looked like one of his stuffed puppies named "Georgia". He then announces, "Look, Mommy, he looks like Georgia, can we get him? Oh, wow Mommy, he's laying on his back and I can see his wee-wee!" This last part he said pretty loud and everyone in the store laughed! That's my boy, always bringing a smile to people faces. After leaving the pet store, we went and rode some of the kiddie rides before heading home.

Within 10 minutes, he was OUT! He slept soundly the whole way home. We had such a busy, fun filled day that even with the nap on the way home, by 7:00 he was telling me he was tired and ready for bed.

I've posted a couple of pictures here, but you can also see pictures of our day on our photobucket account (click here). And see video on NicTV (click here).

I know there is no such thing a perfect, but my Saturday was pretty close to it in my book! I give thanks for such a wonderful day!

I was just thinking...

2009-02-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

I was just thinking….As soon as you think you’ve got it figured out, something happens to completely throw you off balance.

I was just thinking….About how ironic it is that the economy is getting worse, income is becoming less, however my gas bill is the highest it has ever been and gas prices are quietly starting to inch their way back up. Yet, the oil companies had their best year ever last year.

I was just thinking….How bad things really do happen to good people and we will never really know why.

I was just thinking…..About how much I have to do.

Then…I stopped thinking and was quite.

And I prayed and I listened.

Then I was just thinking....about all of my blessings…

Like…..

Isn’t it funny how it makes YOU feel better as a parent when your kids eat healthy? For lunch today Nic had a freshly made salad with grilled chicken. He eats this better than he eats chicken nuggets and it makes me feel so good! Then for dinner I made his favorite penne pasta (the good kind with alpha omega’s, protein and whole wheat…NOT the white kind), with organic veggies and more grilled chicken, he gobbled it up! These were the two highlights of my day, with me…it’s about the little things. Nic is always my number one blessing and what helps keep me positive.

And….

How very blessed I am to have the best friends a girl could ask for.

And….

How very blessed I am to still have a roof over my head and food in my cupboards when there are so many without either.

And….

How blessed I feel in my life right now. Even with the difficulties I have encountered, I am still hopeful, looking forward to and excited about the future. I am thankful that God has blessed me with these things and with this heart. It is more sensitive and more easily broken, but it also makes it easier for me to be open to love, hope and joy.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-04T09:55:00.003-05:00

Yes, that's me in the center of the picture. This was about 5-6 years ago, either Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve, I forget which, but remember where it was and spraining my knee, ending up in the hospital.

The Most Powerful Sentence I Have Ever Read

2009-02-02T14:54:00.008-05:00

I have just had the worst past few days of my life. I won't get into the details, just trust me. I have been constantly praying and asking many questions that I know will never be answered in this lifetime. I have been struggling to get through each day and found myself just going through the motions and not feeling any hope for the first time in my life. Then it happened.

I was sitting in the living room and had a music channel on the TV as background noise. Nicholas (my 3 year old) comes up to me and says, "Mommy I want to write you a note." Okay, I go and get him some paper and markers and put it on the little table in his playroom. He sits down and starts to write. I'm not paying much attention, I had turned to pick up some toys and tidy up a bit. He then announces, "Here you go Mommy!" I look down at the paper and just started to sob. The only thing he has ever written in the past was his name, "NIC". He has practiced his letters and can read 3 and 4 letter words, but has never written any. Today, he wrote his first sentence and it touched me deeper than any words I've ever read. In the background, I hear Carrie Underwood singing, "Jesus Take the Wheel" as I read the words, "I LOVE MOM." No sentence has ever pulled my heart right out of my chest like this one did. Other than the word of God...in my lifetime, these are the most powerful words that I will ever read. They meant so much to me on so many different levels.

I truly feel God was sending me a message. He was letting me know that He is in control and that He loves me. He was letting me know that I have so many blessing in my life and the biggest is my son. For the first time in days I felt hope and joy. Joy for my beautiful son that is learning and growing and is such a blessing. I am honored to be his mother. I am honored that God chose me and trusted me with this precious life. I know I will always be there to catch my son if he falls, to lift him up if he needs it....I never knew that he would be the one to lift me up. Thank you God for sending me this blessing, for showing me You love me, for Your grace and mercy. Most of all, thanks for not giving up on me, when I felt like giving up myself. As a way of sharing my blessing and serving You, I hope this story will help someone else who is feeling hopeless. Hang in there and trust Him.

Yes, he wrote this all by himself. No help from Mom.

The Newspaper

2009-02-02T09:49:00.007-05:00

Here is my article "Passionate About Pulaski" as it appeared in the Southwest Times. Three days before my article was published, Nicholas was in the Roanoke Times, so I've published his photo here as well.

I have received tons of positive feedback on my article, thanks so much! I'm glad people enjoyed it and I hope it helps! (click on the article to see/read it full size).

Passionate About Pulaski

2009-01-27T11:24:00.004-05:00

I was asked to write an article for the Southwest Times. Every Sunday they have a feature they call "Passionate About Pulaski" where each week they ask different local leaders and business people to write an article. The first few articles were about 1/4 page, but I guess they aren't THAT passionate about Pulaski because they requested that we scale the articles back due to space restraints. Unfortunately, I didn't get this request until AFTER I had written the full 1/4 page article. I didn't want the full article to go to waste, so I've posted it here. The abbreviated version will be in this Sunday's paper, along with my mug shot.

Passionate About Pulaski

As a relative newcomer to Pulaski County I find myself feeling blessed on a daily basis that I chose to call Pulaski County home. Pulaski has offered me a great opportunity to raise a family and start a business. What is so surprising to me is how amazed people seem to be when I tell them this. The question I get asked the most is, “Why on Earth would you move to Pulaski?” My response, “Why on Earth wouldn’t you?” How strange it seems to me to talk to so many people who don’t see the true gem that Pulaski County really is.

Let’s start with the people. The Pulaski community is one of the friendliest I have ever encountered. Everyday I see someone who greets me with a smile, a “hello,” a handshake or a hug. No one just passes you by. The hurried, “I’m too busy to speak” pace of Northern Virginia (where I am originally from) does not exist here. To be honest that took me a little while to get used to, but once I did, there is no amount of money that could send me back to Northern Virginia.

The community is very family oriented; there are many children’s programs and family activities, if you only take the time to find them. For example, my 3 year old son has been to story time at the library, KinderMusik classes, children’s choir at our church, baseball games at Calfee Park and let’s not forget the playgrounds and parks in our area, like Randolph Park.

There are fantastic things for adults, too. You can join a book or knitting club at Coffee Buy the Book; hike the New River Trail; go fishing; boating or swimming at Claytor Lake; golf at one of our three great golf courses, just to name a few.

While Pulaski is a great place for young families, there are impressive health care and social opportunities for our older community as well. As an example, the Pulaski Community Hospital is an accredited chest pain center and cancer center. They offer excellent rehabilitation and other therapy services. In addition, Pulaski offers the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Senior Center offers a wide variety of trips and activities.

Pulaski also offers a nice mix of culture and educational outings too. The newly renovated Pulaski Theatre is spectacular! It truly is a treasure. The Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley hosts magnificent pieces of art as well as free concerts in Jackson Park. You can learn more about Pulaski at the Pulaski Courthouse exhibits or the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum and don’t forget to check out the stars at the Wysor Observatory.

There are a number of festivals and community events in Pulaski every year that I highly recommend. There is the Claytor Lake Annual Summer Festival, PulaskiFest, the Fall Festival of Arts and Crafts in Newbern and the New River Valley Fair at the New River Valley Fairgrounds.

As a resident of Pulaski, I like that I don’t have to drive for miles to shop for everyday items. I can go to Walgreens or CVS to pick up my prescriptions, makeup and toiletries; Peebles to get a new dress for church or a suit for a business meeting; Food Lion for groceries and Magic Mart for anything else.

Looking for a great gift for a special person’s birthday, holiday or just because? Shop downtown. We have great little shops that are certain to have that unique gift perfect for people of all ages, from 1 day old to 100 years old. Looking for sporting goods for you child’s team? Check out Hibbett Sports. Need help planting your garden or keeping the greenest yard on your street? You can find what you need at Tractor Supply. If you are upgrading your kitchen and need new appliances or if your washer/dryer finally went “kaput,” then you can go to Pulaski Appliance. Not only will you get the new appliances you need, but also experience great customer service. They service what they sell and keep parts in stock, so even if you only need a repair, stop by and see them.

Speaking of the special people in your life, if you are looking for spectacular getaway for you and your spouse, try out Rockwood Manor in Dublin. This magnificent property is, beyond a doubt, southern hospitality at its very best. Looking to start a life together? Rockwood Manor provides a flawless backdrop for a picture-perfect wedding and/or reception.

Need a haircut or the perfect “do” for that wedding? We have a fabulous salon (Elite Style) and great barber shop (Sani-Mode) right down town. Oh and don’t get me started on the most relaxing massages you will ever receive in your life from Patricia Aust Weeks at Fruitful Seasons! Think I’m exaggerating? No way. I’ve had massages all over this country and the best I have ever had, by far, is from Trish.

Want to grab a bite to eat? The options are endless. Everything from Japanese, to Mexican to Chinese to good old fashioned American cooking can all be found in Pulaski.

Starting a business? Again, Pulaski can provide the environment you’ve been looking for. The New River Valley Competitiveness Center offers tremendous resources for local entrepreneurs. With lower taxes, affordable store front spaces, a willing workforce and other resources to help start your business such as accounting, printing and marketing services already in place, it is the ideal spot for any new business.

With all that I’ve listed above, I again ask, “Why on Earth wouldn’t you choose Pulaski County?” This article is only a drop in the bucket in the long list of reasons to live here. I didn’t even get into the low cost of living, beautiful homes at affordable prices and the close proximity to outstanding educational institutes.

Yes Virginia, a wonderful, family friendly, affordable place to live and work in the New River Valley really does exist. It exists in Pulaski County.

25 Things About Me

2009-01-26T14:56:00.002-05:00

Okay, I've been tagged about 25 times with this note about 25 things, so I guess it's time I do it. So here you go, 25 things about me:

1. Being a Mom has taught me more than any other person, class or book ever has.

2. I was a firefighter/EMT for 15 years and am still certified.

3. I still, to this day, have nightmares about some of the things I have seen.

4. My sister was born on Easter Sunday and I have always felt kind of like her Mom, even though I'm only 6 1/2 years older than she is. I love her as if she were my child.

5. My brother Jason is 11 years younger than I am and I feel more like a Mom to him, too. After he was born, I knew I wanted to have a sons.

6. My brother Jeffrey is 20 years younger than I am, but even though we have the biggest age difference, I feel less like a mother to him because we have never lived together. Don't get me wrong, I love him just as much, but since we never lived together, I never changed as many of his diapers or fed him as many meals.

7. My best friend, Angelica, lives in Naples, FL and anyone who really knows me, knows this. We have been best friends since we were young, naive girls in our early 20's and no one in the world knows me better than her. I love her like she is my sister and I know God brought us together.

8. I use to sell firetrucks for a living.

9. I am half Native American - Iriquois to be exact. My biological father was Iriquois and I even have an uncle named He Dog and and Aunt named Moon Eyes.

10. Ever since the moment I found out I was pregnant (and I mean THE moment, as soon as I saw the "+" sign, even before I told Gary, I dropped to my knees in prayer) thanking Him for blessing me with a child.

11. I would like to have another son - but am truly perfectly happy if I don't.

12. I love kids so much that if I am in a restaurant and hear another child crying, I tear up because I feel so bad that they are unhappy.

13. I was the first female President of the Upperville Volunteer Fire Company and kept the position for 10 years, until I moved.

14. I have had my heart broken too many times, but still believe in love. I'm either a glutton for punishment or have a huge amount of faith (who am I kidding, I know it's faith).

15. I absolutely LOVE my church! I LOVE helping teach the kids in Sunday school, love the people there, love all the programs they offer and I thank God in my prayers for leading me to the First United Methodist Church in Pulaski.

16. I am more religious than most people realize, but I don't get up on my soapbox or judge other people if they aren't. I truly believe in "Judge not lest ye be judged" and "Let he who be without sin cast the first stone", so it's not my place to judge others on the lives they choose.

17. I don't believe you have to live like a nun to be a good Christian. I listen to R&B music, can go out and have a drink (just one, I don't get drunk, I'm really not a drinker) with the girls and just have fun. It doesn't lessen my beliefs, mean I love God any less or make me any less of a Christian than the person in the front pew Sunday morning.

18. I love talking to old people. I think they have such interesting stories and have so much to offer in the way of advice. They have already been there, done that, so listen to what they have to say and learn from their experiences.

19. Nothing in this world can bring me as much joy as my son. I am amazed everyday by him and I know I will never love anyone more. He is my hero for opening my eyes to so many things.

20. I use to have a Dalmatian and I miss her dearly. I still have her picture on my fridge.

21. I admire my friend Holly. She has one of the kindest hearts I have ever been witness to and I really feel that God brought her into my life.

22. I try to do what I can to make this world a better place, not for me, but for my son.

23. I lost my two front teeth when I was 2 (they were knocked out) and I didn't get them back until I was 8.

24. I have been in enough weddings to be in the movie "27 dresses"..LOL...okay, maybe not 27, but close! I have a ton of bridesmaid dresses in my basement.

25. I hope I can help every person I ever meet in some way, even if it's very small, like learning something from my blog, not for myself, but as a way to serve God by sharing the blessings he has given me.

A Fun Way to Teach Your Child About the Solar System

2009-01-22T10:15:00.006-05:00

My 3 year old son (Nic) and I were playing with his Mega Blocks. I asked him what he wanted to build and he said "Spaceships." This came as no surprise as he has been saying lately how much he wants to be an astronaut so he can fly to the moon. We began building spaceships and I asked him where we should fly the spaceships. He wanted to go to the moon (no surprise). Off we go. After a safe landing on the moon and checking out Neil Armstrong's footprints and the flag, I asked, "Where should we go next?" The reply, "Jupiter!" That's when it hit me. I could use this playtime as an opportunity to teach.

I took out 8 different Mega Blocks and spaced them out on the living room floor. I told him that Jupiter was the biggest planet (so I used the biggest Mega Block) and showed him where it was in the solar system. Then we counted down, "5 - 4 -3 -2 -1, Blastoff!" We were on our way to Jupiter. After landing at Jupiter I asked him again what makes Jupiter special? He remembered, it's the biggest planet - YES!! He's learning! We then flew to Saturn, I told him Saturn was special because it had rings. We did the same thing for Neptune, the little blue Mega Block, (the coldest and furthest away, since Pluto doesn't count anymore....poor thing was demoted). Then we did it for Mercury, the little red Mega Block (the smallest and hottest). We then raced home to Earth. He really liked it when we raced between the planets! I thought I'd save Uranus, Venus and Mars for the next night. After we landed back home, he wanted to fly through the solar system again - GREAT! This time I played the command center. For example, "Command Center to Astronaut Nic, we need you to fly to the coldest planet, furthest away and report to us the name of the planet." He then flew to Neptune and said, "I'm at Neptune and it's very cold!" Woo Hoo!! He really is learning and doesn't even realize it. Command then directed him to the planet with rings. Nic then flew to Saturn and named the planet. We played this for about 45 minutes.

When I was tucking him in last night, I asked him again about the planets, which was coldest, which was smallest and hottest, which was biggest, which had the rings and which was our home planet. He got them all right. SCORE! I found a fun way to teach! I hope it works for you too!

Don't be the Itsy-Bitsy Spider!

2009-01-21T11:36:00.005-05:00

So, I’m wearing my marketing hat again. I know what you’re thinking; what does the itsy-bitsy spider have to do with marketing? Glad you asked. I was thinking about this children’s song yesterday when I found a frozen spider on my deck. No kidding, he was frozen solid inside of his web. This spider didn’t make it back up the water spout. I’m sure you all know the song about a very small spider that climbs up the water spout, until the rain comes. The rain washed the spider away, but when the sun came back out, so did the spider. Great, the spider was persistent, but only persistent when it was comfortable for him. He was only persistent when the conditions were perfect.

Let’s pretend the rain is our current economic times and the water spout is your company’s marketing. Don’t wait until the rain (current economic times) ends to start back up that water spout (marketing your company)! Studies have shown that once you cut your marketing budget, it takes an enormous effort to get your marketing back up to snuff and your branding back on track. Branding yourself is like tending to a garden. If you consistently take care of it, it will provide you with sustenance. This sustenance will save you money, since you won’t need to go to the grocery store to buy it. But, if you stop watering your garden (especially during a drought), it won’t produce. Now, you are stuck spending more money in the long run and getting produce from the grocery store that may not be as good as if you had continued taking care of the garden, even during the dry spell.

Don’t be the itsy-bitsy spider. Don’t wait until the weather is better to climb back up that water spout. Be consistent with your marketing, even during these economic times so you don’t lose all the hard work you have already put into branding your company.

Where were you for "The Moment"?

2009-01-20T13:05:00.004-05:00

Since this day is a day most people will always remember and a day that our kids and grandkids may ask us about for their school projects in years to come, I thought I'd ask. Where were you during this historic day? I picked my three year old son up early from pre-school to make sure he got to see the swearing in. Even though we couldn't be there, I wanted him to remember and understand the importance of this day. We came home, rushed in the door, turned on the TV and started to watch. You could even feel the excitement in our humble little home in Southwest Virginia. He was very excited during the ceremony, but when President Obama was sworn in, he stopped in his tracks, sat completely still and focused (as seen in the picture). When it was all done he said, "Barack Obama is President, he was inaugoorated!"

I hope he remembers this day. But if he doesn't, I've got pictures AND video of him participating in this historic day.

He was raising his hand mimicking the President.

If he ever becomes President, this picture will

be pretty cool to have :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-14T16:32:00.003-05:00

Just a little something to make you smile!

What Makes Me Happy.....and What Drives Me NUTS!

2009-01-12T19:02:00.014-05:00

A fellow blogger recently wrote about things that annoy her. I loved the post and thought I'd write one of my own, but with a little different twist. Here you will find a short list of things that make me happy AND things that make me crazy. My happy stuff is a little more serious and sappy, but the crazy things are more on the fun side, enjoy!

Five things that make me happy:

I would like to start this one off by saying first and foremost what makes me happy is God. He will always be the source of all things that make me happy and my strength when things make me crazy.

5. The beach. The sun, the sand, the ocean, the breeze. Just looking at a picture of a beach is instant stress relief for me. The sound of the ocean relaxes me, the breeze refreshes me, the sun warms me. I would absolutely lose my mind if I didn't get to the beach, at the very least, one week every year. It is something I look forward to all year long. Some of my happiest memories in life takes place at the ocean. Some of my biggest life lessons also took place by the sea.

4. Listening to people who were alive during WWII. Especially WWII Vets. I think this is fresh in my mind now because I just watched Flags of our Fathers (great movie - go rent it if you haven't seen it). I love to listen to their stories, their life experiences. To hear someone talk about how different times are, to listen to how much they have seen change is amazing to me. To hear WWII vets talk about what they experienced, the friends lost, the battles won - it really gives you a different perspective. I have so much respect for all of our veterans, not just WWII vets. To sit down and talk to someone who has seen first hand wars, recessions, the assassination of a President, a man on the moon, etc. is eye-opening. Always take the time to listen to our baby boomers and senior citizens, every time I talk to them, I learn something. They have been there, done that.

3. Snuggling in my nice warm bed on a really cold night. This hit me just the other night. The air in my bedroom was a little chilly, but I hopped in bed with my warm flannel sheets and my soft down feather pillow and felt so much happiness that I literally giggled with glee. If I've got a good book right beside the bed, even better! I love to read a great book while snuggled in my bed.

2. My family and friends. These two go together because for me, a lot of my friends are more like family and some of my family are also more like friends. My sister and I are more than just sisters and I love her to pieces. I can't imagine my life without her, we've been through so much together. My best friend Angelica, I consider her family. I don't know what I would have done without her on so many occasions. I know I can count on her, she is always by my side. My friend Holly is someone else I can always count on, she is one of the sweetest people I know. I could never forget Darien who is so fun and also someone I can depend on. There are so many other friends I have that I just love. I am one of the luckiest girls when it comes to my friends, I have the best and to think of them, as well as my family and all the fun times we've shared, always makes me happy.

1. My son. Okay, this was an obvious one. My son is the number one thing that makes me happy and the number one person I live for. Everyday with him is a blessing. Even when he's having a grumpy moment, he still makes me happier than anything on this planet. For me, to hear him laugh is the sweetest music that no composer could ever write, to see his beautiful face is to see a masterpiece that no artist could ever paint and to witness his heart is to feel love and happiness like no human could ever compare to.

Now for the things that drive me NUTS:

5. Getting urban legends in my email. If someone tells you your head will explode if your milk has a pink top instead of a blue one, it's probably an urban legend. Okay, I'm exaggerating on that one. But I've gotten some that are just as crazy that people send to me to warn me of my impending doom or of the gangsters that are going to bust a cap in me if I drive 57 mph instead of 55 and one of my headlights is out. If it sounds too frightening to be true, it probably is. Please check it out on one of the millions of urban legend web sites before forwarding it to everyone in your email address book. Everyone can fall prey to one of these once in a while, but seriously, I get these about once or twice a week and some that have been circulating since the advent of the internet.

4. When I am mid-sentence and completely lose my train of thought because I just forget what I'm saying or get distracted. I chalk this up to a combination of things, getting older and my thyroid disease. I HATE it when I'm talking to someone and telling them something really important and then "POOF" it's gone before I can finish getting it out of my mouth. I'm convinced I will have Alzheimer's by the time I'm.....oh look, I just got an email.

3. Women who stay young, fit and beautiful without having to do anything. How do you stay a size 6 without exercise? How do you have flawless skin just by washing with Dove soap? I practically starve myself to keep my 5' 9" frame in size 8 jeans (okay, starve is a strong word, but I really have to watch what I eat). I spend 20 minutes before bed washing, exfoliating and lathering up with moisturizer, just so my face and body doesn't look like a road map with all the lines and creases. Why do I waste my time? You can still see father time's footprints all over my entire body.

2. People who are rude. This encompasses many things. For example, not RSVPing. I think if someone thought enough of you to invite you to something, you should be kind enough to at least let them know if you can or can not make it. Also, people who don't use their manners. I'm often shocked when my 3 year old son displays better manners than the adults around him. For example, we are at a restaurant and the waiter gives Nic his food. Nic says, "Thank you!" The rude waiter just walks away without saying, "Your welcome." This has happened MANY, MANY times.

1. People who are fake. This is so annoying. People who pretend to be someone that they truly aren't, just for the sake of appearances. Be yourself! People will start to catch on eventually anyway. There is a country song that has a lyric that goes something like, "I'm so much cooler online." These are the people that annoy me. The people that pretend to be the social butterfly, the hippest, coolest or smartest thing ever to walk the earth. Then you meet them and they still live at home with their parents and don't bother to change their clothes from the fashions of 1972. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If you want to dress like it's 1972, I say go for it! I'll still be your friend if you are a nice person, but don't pretend you are a fashionista if you aren't. I'm more likely to be friends with someone who is caught in a time warp if they are honest about it (I think it adds to their character) than if they pretend they are Mr. or Mrs. Hip and I found out later it was all for show. Just be yourself. Have enough faith in yourself that you are good enough and deserve to have friendship and happiness!

As I started writing this list, I realized there are many other things that drive me nuts, but I'll spare you. I'm sure there are many things I do that drive other people nuts too, it's all part of being human, but thanks for "listening" to my rant.

My First Two Blog Awards

2009-01-08T08:55:00.004-05:00

I received my first two blog awards today! I'm thankful that people are really reading and enjoying my blog. I hope it proves helpful, informative and more importantly, just makes you smile! Thank you to http://www.notjustamomsite.com/ for presenting these awards to me. Make sure to check out her very cool site, too!

I would like to share the love and pass these awards on to a few of my favorite blogs:

Adventures of a Millennium Mom

Kitchen Chatter

Mommyhood Adventures

The Power of Housewife Word of Mouth

Welcome to the Nuthouse

Check out these blogs, they are great!

The Importance of a Logo and Effective Logo Design

2009-01-07T13:03:00.004-05:00

I'm wearing my marketing hat again. I'm working on some new logos for clients and thinking about how important logos are to any business, no matter how big or small. I am posting the following blog on my business web site: www.cwimedia.com, but thought I'd also share it here:

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What does your logo say about you? Do you even have one? In order to effectively brand your business and stand out in the market, a logo is a must. A logo also gives your business credibility. People perceive the business or person with a logo to be more established than the business or person that doesn’t.

But not just any logo will do. Your logo needs to stand out and be memorable. When creating a logo, make sure it reflects your business. You want people to see your logo and have some idea as to what you do or what service you provide. For example, if you are a florist, having a boat incorporated into your logo simply because it’s your favorite type of boat, might not be the most effective design.

Make sure your logo is easy to read. If the fonts are too extravagant to read, people won’t. Also, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a simple design. You don’t want your logo to be too busy. You want to attract the reader and keep them.

Another thing to keep in mind - be careful with color. Too many colors may be overwhelming and difficult to reproduce, so limit it to two, three max. Make sure your colors compliment each other, not compete with each other.

And finally, create a clever tag line to go with your logo. Tag lines should be three to seven words and let the reader know the benefit of working with you.

Effective logo design is best done by professionals who listen to your needs and message and work with you to create the optimum logo for your business. If you would like help creating a unique, effective logo design, contact Donna at donna@cwimedia.com.

My Willow Tree and I. It's a Love-Hate Thing.

2009-01-04T20:50:00.002-05:00

I LOVE my willow tree, April through October. The rest of the year, not so much. My willow tree is HUGE and beautiful and has provided many lazy summer picnics under it's beautiful canopy. I really do love it. But, then November comes and all the leaves are gone. But not just the leaves, tons of branches come down too. My back yard is about a half acre and the ENTIRE thing is covered in willow leaves and branches. It doesn't loose all it's leaves until the end of October, sometimes early November, which is about a month behind when my other trees loose theirs. I find myself doing all my normal yard work in October, raking leaves, preparing for winter, just to find that a month later it looks like I've done nothing because that's when my willow sheds.

But by November I'm starting to get ready for the holiday season, the days are shorter and colder and raking leaves is not at the top of my priority list. So I usually end up not getting to rake up my willow leaves and branches until almost spring. I was lucky this year (well, if you can call it lucky). We had a beautiful 65 degree day in January, so I hauled my cookies outside for some hard labor. I figure it'll help me shed some of those holiday pounds. Several hours and huge piles of branches and leaves later, I still have a huge mess in the back yard. But, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and my willow tree is starting to grow on me again. I love playing with my son under the branches of that tree. It's big enough that we can play baseball in it's shade during the summer, instead of in the hot sun. When I was a little girl, I loved swinging on the branches of the willow tree in my grandfathers back yard. Inside the branches of a willow is almost like your own little fortress, a protective, beautiful bubble. It really is a gorgeous tree and I just have to remind myself that anything worth having is worth all this extra hard work. It really only takes me a couple of days to get everything cleaned up. But, because I usually can't get to it right away and it sits for months at a time, it seems worse than it is.

This morning I thought, "My next house will only have magnolia trees and evergreens!" But this evening, while thinking about all the beautiful memories the willow tree has brought me, I decided that no matter where I live, I have to plant a Willow.