Because

I'm joining in on Kate Motaung's 'Five Minute Friday'.
The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

This word.
It slips out of my mouth so often.

Because.

It's that one word that I said I wouldn't use.
I do though.
More than I really want to.

Because.

I get throttled with questions from the boys and at some point I break.
Because.

On the flip side, the boys seem to love using this word.

I ask them a question and whether they are in trouble or not they answer with it.
Because.

I loath that word.
It's a handy word, don't get me wrong.

I just... I wish it wasn't.

Just... because.

Ready

I'm joining in on Kate Motaung's 'Five Minute Friday'.
The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

 

The question is pretty common right now. Are you ready? 

We're expecting baby number four. 

And as it stands... he could be coming any day now. 

No. Yes.

We are ready but... we aren't.

Anyone that's ever had a baby hopefully understands this.

Really anyone who has waited for a life changing event and the day is just around the corner understands this though. 

We are ready to meet little one and love on him.

We are ready in the since that we have all that we truly need and then some.

We are ready.

Then the panic of of shnike. This is happening. How did the past nine months fly by? 

We are about to become a family of six.

The laundry that I complain about for a family of five is about to go on a wild up hill battle. 

This is real.

This bump that wiggles and kicks and hiccups.... we are about to meet him.

Are we ready...

I think so....

 

{this moment}

{this moment} -  A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

{52 Weeks} Week 34

Lists, I LOVE lists. I like to write things down on a list so I can see the check mark or line through it. Each week for this year I've been writing a list out on a prompt.


The bag. We are prepping for Baby Paden and the hospital stay that we will have. So naturally the list of things to pack for a hospital stay is on the fridge. This weeks list:
Hospital bag list

Catch all Bag
-Camera & Charger
-Cell phone & Charger
-iPad & Charger
-List of important calls to make with baby update
-Cash
-Pen & Paper


Momma's Bag
-Chapstick
-Toothbrush
-Toothpaste
-Brush
-Hair ties
-Makeup
-Shampoo/Conditioner
-Face and body wash
-Deodorant
-Razer
-Nursing pads
-Pajamas x 2
-Going home outfit
-Nursing bras
-Nursing scarf
-Granny undies
-Slippers

Dad's Bag
-Pack at least one nights worth of items
(For us we have kiddos that will be at home. I have a feeling Dad might be back and forth between hospital and home so pack at least a stay over bag.)
-Tylenol


Baby's Bag
-Car seat
-Receiving blankets x2
-Onsies x2
-Socks x3
-Pajamas (depending on weather) x2
-Hat
-Going home outfit

Special Bag
-Special big brother bag for Sam
-Special big brother bag for Louis
-Special big brother bag for Rian

September's Ten on Ten

One photo, ten hours, on the tenth. Find out more at a bit of sunshine!!! Then join in on the ten on ten photo project.

Whisper

I'm joining in on Kate Motaung's 'Five Minute Friday'.
The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.



Sometimes it happens in the middle of the night.
Sometimes it's early early in the morning.
Those moments where I really really just want to sleep.
It comes though.
It happens.
Sometimes in the late of night instinct kicks in and there at the side of the bed it awaits you.
Two eyes.
These beautiful eyes.
But there is a sadness in them.
Shame.
Maybe scared.
Cold.
And then it happens.
The little boy who those two eyes belong to whispers.

I peed my bed.

It's so easy to make this moment sound to mystical.
But in the dead of night... Errghhh.... it's so frustrating.

Pulling yourself out of bed and stripping down Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sheets.
Throwing them in the washer.
Showering and changing a child.

OR the reality of throwing a sheet over the wet spot wrapping your child up in fresh clothes and having them snuggle with you.

... sometimes only to later wake up in your own bed being soaked by said little snuggler.

It's that whisper though. That moment of choosing do I get mad and frustrated or do I embrace the moment and go with it. I've gone down both paths and I wish so wholeheartedly that I would choose to embrace the moment of that whisper.

That. Makes. Sense.

I was asked what I thought about Ray Rice and his 'punishment'. I'll be honest I had no idea who this Ray Rice was until I had to draft my fantasy football team. Then his story started to unfold. The slimmed down story that I was given was, he punched his then fiance. He got suspended from two games.

The football fan in me says... two games. There are players getting suspended for more games than that for smoking weed.

The domestic violence survivor in me says... she made it out.

With that last statement I was then informed that she was called a then fiance because she married him just a while after the incident.

Janay Palmer married Ray Rice. To a non domestic violence survivor the comment "How dumb is she?" runs rampant. To a domestic violence survivor though the only comment I can make is "Oh, that makes sense".

You heard me right... That. Makes. Sense.

I'm not sure I can put all the right words together for you. I still have terrifying nightmares of what I survived through. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to hash through all the emotion and jot it down. That's not this moment though.

For now, please watch this TED Talk video. Why Don't Domestic Violence Victims Leave?

When you read all the Facebook statuses or Tweets or other social media updates on Ray Rice and what's happening to him... just stop. It's not happening to him it's happening to her, Janay Palmer. She isn't just that girl who Ray Rice beat. She's part of a statistic now, one that I was once a part of. A statistic that leaves a mark on you for the rest of your life.

To me the NFL and the Ravens did a horrendous job in not dropping Ray Rice once all this was revealed. Now we are doing a horrible job in letting the light continue to shine on him. Take a look at her, her story, her life. Look at Janay Palmer in all these pictures that are being taken. This is a deep dark thing that has happened to her but yet we are bickering over a dudes football carrier.

Take a stand for Janay Palmer. 

{52 Weeks} Week 33

Lists, I LOVE lists. I like to write things down on a list so I can see the check mark or line through it. Each week for this year I've been writing a list out on a prompt.

My obstacles. 

+Fill enough
+Be strong enough
+Be enough
+Be proud of accomplishments
+Know that I have accomplishments
+Not build walls
+Be strong enough to tell people when they've hurt me.
+Be bold.
+Just be me and not care
+Be as strong as I want my children to be.
+Be confident
+Remember the past is the past and it can't hurt me now
+Stop comparing myself to the Martha Stewart mothers.

Reach

I'm joining in on Kate Motaung's 'Five Minute Friday'.
The rules are pretty simple. One word. Five minutes of writing. No editing.

That feeling on the swing.
That moment when I would swing as hard as I could.
If I could only reach a little bit further...
... just to touch the clouds.
I wouldn't think of anything else.
It was pure bliss.
Just to swing.
Back and Forth.
Just a little further and I would be able to reach the stars.
Maybe someday the moon.
Back and Forth.
Back and Forth.
I just want to reach...

{52 Weeks} Week 32

Lists, I LOVE lists. I like to write things down on a list so I can see the check mark or line through it. Each week for this year I've been writing a list out on a prompt.

Things I wish I would just do and not put off"

-Send a letter. Not an email, not a text... an actual letter with a stamp on it.
-Send actual birthday cards or celebratory cards.
-Be able to take a roadtrip.
-Go home.
-Do crafts.
-Plant a beautiful garden... and have it live
-Girls night
-Special time with the boys

{this moment}

{this moment} -  A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

August Photo A Day

No rules. Just a prompt and a camera. Check out Chantelle's photo a day challenge.

I'm going to let you know now... I totally slacked off this month. BUT a new month is here!