by Sarah | Jan 14, 2013 | All of Us, Crap, Random, Writing
Last year I challenged myself in many ways.
This year is challenging me in ways I never expected – especially not so soon (we are only 14 days in, for crying out loud).
Still, there are rays of hope starting to glimmer through.
While working outside the home didn’t work out for a variety of reasons, I’ve managed to pick up odd jobs here and there. I have a part time job working for a lovely lady & the job is 85% virtual/online.
Another odd job is something I’ve thought about doing for a while. I’m just dipping my toe in right now, but so far the water is nice. If it goes well and starts to build, it could be good for me.
I’m also embarking on a project with my Critique group that is at turns terrifying…and deeply exciting. It’s a learning and growing experience that’s coming to mean a lot to me.
Of course there’s that book-thing next month that I’m gearing up for – and another in April. Not to mention some new stories that are truly exciting me, no matter their length.
I’m re-considering my experiment of merging my author and personal blogs. No firm decisions yet, but it’s a definite thought that’s occupying my mind. I suppose it all depends on how active my author blog becomes and how much the traffic grows.
On the family front the kids are back in school, and now that hubby’s flu has passed life should begin to return to our normal schedules and maybe I can get these decorations down.
My smarty-pants Denver is making a DNA model out of K’Nex for extra credit. Molly is showing real progress in all of her IEP goals. Kennedy is…well, she’s struggling right now & giving us cause for worry…but she is still ready with at least one heart-melty smile every single day.
Yes, 2013 is certainly throwing its fair share of crap our way…but finally I’m starting to feel that the sun is peeking through the clouds of turmoil.
Now I just need to find new ways to challenge myself like I did last year.
Any ideas?
by Sarah | Jan 11, 2013 | Crap, Random
There are times, moments really, when I am full of hope and vigor. The future holds so much promise.
The sun shines.
Birds sing.
My children smile.
The calm is a good place to be.
Life can’t ever let you stay there – because how could you enjoy those moments if they are all you have? How can you sit back and soak in the joy of good moments and glad tidings if you never get poor news.
This week, maybe three, have been a crap-storm of bad.
Buried under in negativity, pressure, and tears.
I can think of three or four instances where I’ve been ready to throw up my hands and say “That’s it. I’m done!”
But I weather through.
I stand firm against the tornado.
I close my eyes against the driving needles of sleet.
I cover my ears against the ringing pain of the wind.
I brace my spine with steel so it won’t break under the pressure.
Because I know the good is coming again. I can bear the pain, so that I can revel in that joy just a little more next time it comes.
It’s there, on the horizon. Right within my grasp.
Tomorrow, or next week, or next month, it will arrive.
The calm after the storm.
And I will have earned it. We all will have earned it.
by Sarah | Dec 21, 2012 | All About Family, All About Me, Crap, Random
[flickr id=”8275837319″ small=”thumbnail” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]2012 has been a very long, and painful year.
Struggles have abounded. Many that you’ve seen, some that I haven’t been able to post about (or started to, but had to stop because we’re not as out of the mess of it as we thought we were).
The pain and struggles have taught me a number of lessons, important lessons. Lessons I will carry with me into 2013.
For now, though.
For now I’d like a measure of peace.
A few days to breathe.
To not pretend this year has been great, that I’m fine, we’re all fine.
Good things did happen, yes…a few very wonderful things.
But bad things have too – and the bad things have beat me down a bit.
So, just for today.
For today I’m going to submerge in peace.
by Sarah | Dec 20, 2012 | All About Me, Crap, Random, WTF?
[flickr id=”8275829697″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Full of the Christmas Spirit (or is that panic?) – I dove into wrapping presents on Saturday.
I had a huge pile of gifts to go through, a good amount of new rolls of wrapping paper and some old rolls in my trust wrapping paper box that I’d used for years. I do mean years, it’s an old packing box. Plain cardboard, tall to accommodate the long rolls of paper.
Because I have been using it for years and it’s stored in our only storage area – the garage – some of the wrapping paper in it was well squashed down. Smashed and broken from years of careless tossing into the box.
With all the new rolls I thought it was as good a time to clear out the damaged rolls.
I began pulling them out of the box and realized there was stuff hidden underneath them. An old (now broken) Easter basket I never used, some Easter faux grass, some Christmas cards, stocking stuffers. I noticed an odd stain in the corner of the box and cursed that the bugs had gotten into the box like they do everything else in my garage.
And then…
I realized the stain wasn’t bug remains.
It was bird poop.
And the contributing animal lay dead midway through the box.
I have to say I almost threw up right then.
Box went in the trash and I thanked the heavens that I’d had the foresight to buy new wrapping paper.
This year?
I’m spending the money for a proper storage box.
I never.
Ever.
Want to see something like that again.
~shudder~
by Sarah | Dec 17, 2012 | All About Me, Holidays, Random
[flickr id=”8276894702″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I don’t know how I end up doing this to myself every year.
I swear I’ll pick “only a few”.
But then a new recipe pops up.
Or an old favorite is demanded (begged for).
And suddenly dozens of cookies in 5, 6, 7 different variations are accumulating on my table.
I’m on day 4.
I’ve got at least one day left.
If I don’t come out – send in the troops.
by Sarah | Nov 16, 2012 | All About Denver, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Giveaway, Hallmark
The past two weeks have been overwhelming for us. With Denver in the hospital, and then home but on IV meds, life turned on its head.
Even when we were home between the meds, and trying to return to normal life, everything about our life has been in upheaval. I’ve had to look for a job again, there have been activities for school and life in general is in a state of flux. There’s been little time to sit and regroup and just relax.
In the past two weeks there has been just one thing holding me together. My friends, my connections, and the simple gestures they’ve made to show they care.
Just yesterday, at the end of the chaotic two weeks, I opened my mailbox to find junk mail – and one envelope addressed to me. Inside was a simple card with a lovely handwritten note. It had come from the Hallmark Team. See, about a week before Denver went into the hospital I was a part of the group of bloggers that went to their Indianapolis Stop on the Hallmark Tour.
It reminded me of the importance of a simple card. I’m the first to admit that I’ve become a digital being – I prefer email and text to phone and mail.
But the touching gesture of a hand-written note inside a card meant so much. Imagine how much it could mean to a member of your family, or a good friend, to receive the added touch of a card with a handwritten note meant just to them. This card from Hallmark moved me to tears – you could leave your friend a blubbering mess for the same gesture.
During the Hallmark Tour event we were reminded of the importance of just telling someone what you want them to know. Tell them you love them. Tell them ‘thank you’. Tell them to be strong, that this will pass, that you admire them, or just that you think about them every day. We all shared our stories, what we want to tell, and at points it became a room full of tears. Most especially during the video that kicked off the event:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/SvmB7s5k6KA[/youtube]
So please, tell someone today what you think they should know.
*~*~*
[flickr id=”8191555068″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”] On behalf of Hallmark I’m excited to offer this giveaway of their recordable book “Mom & Me”.
Inside the book is a wonderful little story of a Momma Kangaroo and her child, a series of questions that your child can answer, and you can record! You can capture your child’s adorable little voice as it is today, and hear their unique and creative answers to simple questions!
[flickr id=”8191552892″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”]I can’t wait until my girls open this gift on Christmas morning and I can start recording their answers. Questions like “What do you think Mom does when you’re not around?” and “What do you like to do to make Mom laugh?” should bring fun and inventive answers from my two little story-tellers.
Entering is easy, just leave a comment telling me what simple gesture you want to do this Christmas to tell someone you love them.
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