Life after the Storm

There is this looming dread that is slowly making its way here. I can hear it and if I focus on a certain focal point, I can almost see it. Like thunder roaring off in the distance, lighting that strikes the darkening clouds, a storm is headed my way. ........or that's how I feel with my job interview come Thursday. Perhaps, I am making this slightly more dramatic than it should be. To be fair, it is my first job interview in six and a half years. I can at least tell my employer that for the past year and a half of my sabbatical, I not only took charge of my toddler but managed to write a book! It's the letting go part that I have never quite grasped a handle on. I honestly don't know how people who have no family or support system in place manage to work with the knowledge that their child(ren) is being taken care of. I found a daycare nearby, complete with a security system where parents can watch their child(ren) interact with other kiddos on their phone or a ...

I fell asleep sometime after midnight and prayed that the rain wouldn't come in the next few hours. Setting up the event with women who barely are functioning due to lack of sleep and the nervous energy in the air made for some awkwardness but in no time, whatever happens in the next few hours was up to fate. And fate was kind. Participants started walking up and contacts formed for next year started happening. The rain didn't come until the next day. So incredibly blessed to be a part of the Promise Walk and be a witness to some of the strength women carry in secret. There was a couple I met who's baby passed in March. She was there to walk. To keep her promise. I met a grandmother who was in town for a visit amd when she heard about the walk, came to walk with the other survivors, and walk in memory of someone.  The truth is, you really cannot fanthom what anyone next to you is going through, until you've been where they were and seen what they have seen. ...

I am the middle child of two sisters. I have cousins who have no less than 3 children EACH. My own sister has FOUR. On my husband's side, his dad is the oldest of four. His mom is the oldest of TEN! So many uncles and aunts and cousins. I love the loud noises and boisterous gathering that comes with big families. We once joked about having four, or a soccer team, ourselves! Then realistically decided that two would be better for us......And with my history of Preeclampsia, we are perfectly happy with our 'table for three.' I know that there are women who had Preeclampsia with their first pregnancy and had healthier pre-eFree pregnancies after. There are women with mild preeclampsia and then it progressively got worse after each pregnancies. Our bodies are so weird! Allow me to pause for a moment to say that I don't want anyone - the government, random people, the church - to have a say on what I can and cannot do with my body. PERIOD. It's MY BODY and MY CHO...

I was  thinking about what to get my mother this weekend and all of a sudden, this appeared on my FB wall. P eek-a-boo ICU via Project Sweet Peas 1 hr · Edited · Adopt a NICU Mom Campaign! This is the last week to adopt a NICU mom! Will you consider donating to sponsor bracelets and charms for a mom spending her Mother's Day in the NICU? Every mother that is sponsored will receive a gorgeous European style bracelet, a footprint dangle charm, two rhinestone charms and a 15% off coupon to purchase journey charms at Peek-a-boo ICU to complete their personalized NICU journey bracelet. Just $7 will allow us to provide 4 bracelets! Donate t oday by visiting www.projectsweetpeas.com (please scroll down to bottom of the page). Thank you for your support! To learn more about NICU journey Beads please visit www.PeekabooICU.org See More Project Sweet Peas Mother's Day is an important milestone for any Mother; for moms in the NICU this...

A Happy Birthday to my precious! You still are mommy and daddy's whole world. You love to explore new things and new smells. You always smile and say hi or hola. Though, if they reply with an equal hello, you tend to frown and shy away! Silly girl, why say hello in the first place? You are learning your manners with please and thank you. Once in a while, you'll mumble a 'welcome.'  Daniel Tiger is still your favorite cartoon, but you'll sing along with Wyatt and his super readers. You clap along with Dora, too!  You love to snack and eat all day long. But you're always, always on the go! Singing and dancing is still your favorite hobby, but now you think its funny trying to climb mommy!! I am so blessed beyond measure. My heart swells each time you look and me and say 'mommy.'  Happy Happy Birthday to you!

The season's changing, as it always does from what was been arguably been the LONGEST WINTER EVER!! I drove into work yesterday like I normally do; like I've normally done for five years. Except this time, it would be the last drive to work. My season of change is here. I am going from a working mom to a working-albeit-unpaid stay at home mom. A part of me is excited that I can finally catch up on some bonding time that I think I missed while she was in the NICU and when she was finally home, I only had X amount of time before I headed back to work. Never mind the fact that I feel like I already have plenty of mommy and baby time. I think I may just need a break and one that's a lot longer than the usual vacation. I need to recharge my batteries and just spend time with her. I have enjoyed working for WIC and can tell you stories of some crazy clients, some whose life stories are hard to believe and then those whose everyday struggle is worth rooting success over. I hav...

I remember back in 2008 praying and praying that I found a job. ANY JOB. And after driving to Corpus, Garland and Killeen, someone took a chance on me and my inexperienced resume. Almost 5 years later and I can't believe all the opportunities, the travel, the people and the lessons and experiences that I have accumulated. Let me stress again that I LOVE my job. It's not just a job. I get to go to a clinic and meet some crazy ladies, hold some precious babies and work with the best people........after my boss and I chatted today, she went ahead and asked me to start composing my resignation letter. So formal and so scary! I have NEVER resigned before. I've tried to always find something positive and fun about a job and jobs and life always had a conflict. I left my sales position when my inbound team got disbanded and there where no longer offering inbound services. But, I went back after I graduated, figuring that no one else would hire me!! Even when I was younger, I t...