Shiny Purple Bag

Around this time each year, stores start carrying my once a year addiction. I get so excited about February 15 - and I start scouring the pharmacies for them.

Purple bags full of addictive little demon eggs. Yes, the Cadburry Mini Eggs...milk chocolate eggs with a hard candy shell. Sinfully delicious. A temptation I cannot resist. Today I went to CVS to "get new mascara", but inside I knew I went there just to get a glimpse of my sordid fascination with a purple bag. To test my will-power, knowing good and well that once the shininess caught my eye I would be entrapped. I tested my willpower by walking down the aisle, and started walking by the bag...but this big bunny jumped out of the shelf, tied me by Easter grass at my hands and ankles, and said "I'm going to shank you pretty girl unless you get a bag". That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So, I bought the candy - but only to make sure my children didn't witness the shanking of their mother at the hands of a psycho easter bunny. And I opened it. And I shoved a handful of the chocolately candy goodness into my highly salivating mouth. Jeremiah asked for a piece of candy - I mumbled through the candy "back off kid" and dribbled some chocolate saliva on my chin. Jeremiah reached for the sacred purple bag, Jonathan screamed "NO SON!! The purple bag is like the ark of the covenant, you touch it and you die".

So, I gave into the addiction and temptation. I devoured a bag of candy coated chocolate. I achieved the highest of sugar highs. I washed it down with chocolate milk. This will hold me over until my next hit.

As I store up shiny purple bags in secret places around the house, I am both thanking and cursing that rabbid rabbit and it's easter grass.

Now, I must brush my teeth and wash my mouth to hide the lingering evidence of my binge.

In purple bag gluttony.
Rebecca

Friday Feelings

It started with my husband being sent to the ER via ambulance from his office about three weeks ago; all tests came back fine (big sigh of relief).  Then one child got a stomach virus - we recovered from that.  Then one child's chronic neurological disorder had a flare up, we are still working through that.  While we are going through that, I started feeling very ill, and I found out I had Flu type A - I have finally recovered from that after a week and half.  Then one child has staph infection.  Then one child with another chronic condition has a flare up as well.  

Okay, let's all take a deep breath!

I believe it is needless to say that stress has been right on the forefront of my mind the past three weeks.  It was one of those times in life where you're not even waiting for the other shoe to fall, because both have fallen, smacked you in the stomach, and knocked the breath out of you!

However, on this side of it, mainly with me feeling better, I have realized some things.  

My husband and I are incredibly strong people.  We have been living life fully and graciously for years with children who have unique and special needs, and rarely do we ever let it get us down.  I like to remember the words that Horace Bushnell said: "The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and higher in inspiration his life will be."  Through our strength we are able to be strong for our children and pass on strength.  My husband and I have a saying "It is you and me baby, against the world." That is how we are, it is him and I, we were trusted with these beautiful little ones to parent and we do it with courage, grace, and strength.

Being a parent of children with unique and special needs is lonely, but you pick up friends along the way.  I have seen a deep transition in my friendships since becoming, accepting, and fighting as a special mom.  It is amazing when you are open about your struggles, how others flock to you who are in similar situations.  Generally when I am overwhelmed another mom who is in this same boat will lift me up and vice versa.  My children's therapists have become my friends; we are walking through this together.  I don't think this would be as "easy" (I use that term loosely) as it is without my husband being my partner in this life.

One can really survive with just orange juice, lysol, clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, and a lot of scripture.  I have not used so many clorox wipes or bottles of hand sanitizer as I did the past couple of weeks.  I felt like I was using garlic in Transylvania, trying to keep germs from spreading.  It worked, no one else in the family got the flu!

Today I am feeling relieved that we I am past the flu, seriously that stuff is no joke.  I am thankful for medicines and doctors.  Those are my feelings on this Friday!

Wednesday Wonderings

Spring is in the air!  I love spring!  The sun shines, the warmth is returning to the air, flowers begin to bloom, and the birds singing fills the air!  I like how Sitting Bull described spring "Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

One of my favorite things to do with my children this time of year is paint!  I buy small canvases from Hobby Lobby or Michaels Crafts Store and we paint.  Sometimes we have focused time painting and other times I just let them do what they will with the paint and canvas.  Last week I bought foam hats and let them decorate and paint their hats any way they wanted.  

There is something so special about having the windows open in the house, the children around the kitchen table, music in the background, and creativity happening.  There is silence from the children, but joy is in the air.  

Take time this season to enjoy spring, to allow it to foster your creativity.  Throw open your windows and say "goodbye winter blues, hello spring sun!"

Monday Musings

Today is an amazing woman's birthday....it is my mama's birthday!  Growing up there are many fond memories of my mom and things she did with me and for me, but today, I want to highlight one special memory that often comes to my mind.

I was around the age of three or four years old and my mom was playing with me and my dolls.  It was time for her to change my brother's diaper, so of course, my baby needed to be changed too.  My mom told me to go to the room where the diapers were and to get a diaper for my brother and my baby.  I came back to the living room with diapers, mom began to change my brother as I began to change my baby.  I opened my baby's diaper and there was poop in her diaper!!  In my excitement, I exclaimed "MY BABY POOPIED!!!!!!!" Later in life I realized that the poop was actually a candy bar my mom had chewed up and put in the diaper.  Thirty years later and this memory still makes me laugh and is just a great reminder of the creativity and fun of my mom.

Happy Birthday mom.  I hope this year is the best yet!  I love you very much!

My mom right about the time she was going to give birth to me.

My mom and I enjoying the outdoors.

My mom is as beautiful today as she was over thirty years ago.

My mom and I...twinsies from the start.

My mom and I two years ago after she kicked cancer's butt!

March Madness of Motherhood

It is March....March Madness time if you are a basketball fan.  Sorry folks, I am not, give me SEC football any day!  Geaux Tigers!  However, if you are a mom, sometimes March can seem like the longest and, dare I say it, maddest month of the year.  We are at the end of winter, and for me and my family, we like sun and lots of it....and heat!  These winter months are causing me to feel like the Mad Hatter and Alice off of Alice in Wonderland:

But, then, Saturday happened.  

Saturday was sunny, beautiful, and we unplugged for the day, played outside, and deep cleaned inside.  I realized something.  I realized that perhaps the madness is caused by being plugged in all the time.  With the phone ringing, texting, notifications, and pinging, I am sure there is a state of madness here.

I believe Saturday taught me a grand lesson, being unavailable is healthy.  Saturday night I dreaded looking at my phone, and sure enough there were notifications, messages, and pokes for me to return; and I returned them then put the phone away.  I realize that in a day of social media sometimes being our only social outlet, it is a reality of our life.  However, being aware of social media and being owned by social media are two different things.  I have deleted a few social media apps from my phone (big gasp) and have stopped taking so many pictures, but I have started participating in life with two hands again, not one hand death gripped to my phone.

Since Saturday, here are some lessons that I have learned.

• I love my life, but I need to live my life.  This means I cannot wait for the perfect facebook post or great instagram pic, this means I have to live in life.  I have to laugh at the funny things my children say and do and not share them all the time.  I have to enjoy the moments of my children's eyes shining with mischief and laughter and not try to get the perfect filter to show that moment.
• Moments are sacred.  I have been guilty of social media over-share (I know all my facebook friends are shocked by this statement), while I love to share my life with others, there are moments of sacredness that I need to treasure just within myself and family.  Of course, I want others to celebrate with us and share in joys and sorrows, but at the end of the day, there has to be a sacredness to the intimacy of our day to day life.
• Slow down and shut down.  For the past few weeks I have been praying about my schedule, it seems so busy and so hectic.  Last week something happened that caused me to need to cancel all my weekend plans.  The weekend was the best I have had in maybe years.  I have backed off of things that I don't need to be involved in so deeply and have prioritized my schedule.  Time with my family first and foremost, then time with friends, then holidays and parties.  
• Stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.  I have had such a deep desire for a pictureque "vintage" housewife lifestyle.  To bake pies, have my friends over for coffee, and to have dinner ready when my husband gets home.....

.......the I realized that I can have that!  If I let my social outlet be social in the terms of face to face interaction versus text to text interaction.  I have turned off the notifications off my phone, except for the phone ringing, and when we are all home for the evening, the phone is off.  I spend time with my family, enjoying the time with them.  Treasuring the sacredness of the moments.

• I did spend some time watching YouTube videos from another stay at home mom and housewife with three young children. I have implemented some of her routines and schedules in my home and to date I am still on task!  Unplugging has allowed me to stay on top of housework.

I am not saying I am becoming an anti-social media person.  I am blogging and am about to post on facebook and instagram.  Three very useful forms of social media.  I use pinterest for everything from how to help with a fever to making unicorn pillows.  Social media isn't bad.  But, when social media becomes an addiction, there needs to be a change.

So, March Madness is still in full swing and I may be banging my head against a wall....but I am doing so unplugged and much less stressed!

What are your thoughts on unplugging?!?  Comment and let me know!

"Strong Willed Child" Are Not Bad Words

Happy Wednesday!

It is hump day!  The newest issue of Gulf Coast Woman Magazine is out, you can read my column from this issue at the link below!

http://gcwmultimedia.com/parenting/strong-willed-child-are-not-bad-words/

Happy reading!