Influenster

Influenster sent me some free goodies that I just wanted to share with y'all!

Currently August Edition -a little late, whoops

Listening: I'm still into you - Paramore. I love Paramore anyway, but this song reminds me of us and it's peppy!

Loving: The changes in my life, the people in my life who are always helping me and supporting me

Thinking: Not looking forward to some of the medical things I have to deal with soon, my Dr and I aren't getting along

Reading: What's It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions

(You can find me on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/Momfia)

Feeling: Overwhelmed, missing Ky

Secret Addiction: 1: http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
(She is such a source of wisdom and inspiration to me, a real Titus 2 woman, mentoring those of us who are younger and struggling to be as patient and thankful)

2: ErinCondren.com. Stephy introduced me to them and I stalked the website for like 2 months before rationalizing it's my birthday and I can spend $60 on a planner.

Enjoying: Quiet time while kiddo is at school. Am I allowed to admit that?

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Oh, Blog

Oh, little corner of the internet, I didn't mean to abandon you.

Parenthood doesn't come with instructions, we learn as we go, but NOTHING in 5 years of parenthood has prepared me for my child being in school. Being a parent of a child in school is a full time job in its own. PTO meetings, drama, fights, adjusting, extra laundry. This momma had no idea what to expect of the School-Momma-Hood.

Logan has had some adjustment issues, since he's never been to daycare of away from me..ever. It's hard, I'm sure, feeling like I'm dropping him off and abandoning him with strangers.

Wost of all? 4 days in and his Kindergarten class already has a lice outbreak. Now, this is bad for any parent, but an OCD parent? It's setting off my anxiety and I'm extra extra scrubbing everything (like that time he had MRSA as a baby and I bleached my entire house--this was before I used only green-clean products).

It's an adjustment, a crazy ride, and we're only in Kindergarten! WHEW!

Birthday Cake

Maybe it seems silly to say I like special birthdays, but I do. I always go out of my way for others birthday and it rarely feels like anyone ever does the same for me. So, I'm trying to take a more loving and less selfish approach this year. Instead of crying and feeling disappointment, this year I am vowing to be thankful, no matter what.

Let's see how well this goes

5 Steps for how to survive when your autoimmune disease has you down

The worst part of having an auto immune disease is how you often end up bed bound. I think it makes us appreciate the times we're in remission and can be out enjoying "normal" life. Personally, a lot of days are spent in my queen size bed, longingly looking outside and thinking of the things I used to have the energy and ability to do. It can drive you crazy. A few important factors to basically living in your bed are of course having a comfortable bed. If most people spend 1/3 of their life in their bed, you should think about investing in some serious pillows and thread counts since you'd bound to be spending at least 1/2 of your life in bed. While being stuck, you can feel your sanity slipping, trying to remember a time you felt normal.


1: Find a hobby you can do in bed, it'll make you feel like you're accomplishing something. This year, my best friend taught me to knit! Some days my hands are shaking too much to do so or arthritis just makes it hard to do the moves, but any day I can I feel like I'm doing more than nothing with knitting. I'm creating something special I can give others!




2: Have something that brings you hope, also books to read. I'm terrible about reading too many books at once, really, I'm reading like 3 at once. I'd say the most important staples near me are my Bible and my journal. The journal is a simple christian journal with biblical quotes on each page from Walmart, I use it for reflection and for work-books of kindle books (girls gone wise, divine design 101, etc). *the paper sticking out of Fallen is the list of good qualities about my partner the love dare had me write, I told y'all I read too many books at once

3: Something to help you feel "girlie" (or manly if that applies). For me that means nails done, hair done pretty/etc. It's just something small that makes me feel "human", even if I'm stuck inside.

4: All your meds right at your finger tips, few things are worse than having to get up and go on a scavenger hunt for what you need. Keep the near, cuddle with them if you have to, whatever makes YOU comfortable.

5: Marathon shows; it can seem silly, but immersing yourself in a story can really help the time pass. Some of my favorites have been

Orphan Black
Switched at Birth
The Walking Dead
Gilmore Girls

and of course my always go-to-when-Im-sick movie is Rebecca!

Saved By Grace

It struck me, as I sit awake at near 1am on a Thursday/Friday how much my life has changed. We all change. We make mistakes, we think we know everything, we grow (hopefully). It struck me in just a moment of how many years ago at 1am on a Thursday I'd be in a bar, unsure where I was, and trying to escape the feelings I now am begging Him to help me deal with. Not drink away and suppressing, really dealing with. To heal with the amazing love only He provides. Lately, I've been working on softening my heart. I am so Irish, through and through, I need His love to help me to be slow to anger, quick to listen and forgive. It often feels like running an uphill battle on St. Patrick's day, but I am committed. I have felt my heart "hardening" emotionally the last few days again and I have been so blessed by the "small, yet subtle" reminders He has placed in front of me.

Maybe it's a small and silly thing to think about, but it struck me in such a way. Like if Back to the Future me showed up right now she'd hopefully feel peace that life won't always be so chaotic and lost as it was in my early twenties?

St. Louis is under a heat wave and this Mama is none too pleased. Lord love the roofers who have been working in this heat. Kiddo and I have mostly been enjoying INDOOR activities. I finally got him enrolled in school and managed not to cry...yet. Who knew 5 would come so fast. It's so amazing to watch him grow into his own personality and strong young man, but it's also hard to watch my baby go and make his own choices.

Movie cuddles cus mama wasn't feeling good

My body doesn't react well to any heat above 80 degrees (I know, I know, why am I living in the Midwest).  So, I've been in and out of the Doctors/hospitals. The Xray girls couldn't read my Dr.'s orders and I ended up with a full body xray instead of just a lower. Turns out I have some bone deterioration at 24 years old, which certainly isn't normal. So, this is a new challenge to face. They aren't really sure why or what it means yet, but I'm thankful to be starting physical therapy Sept 1. I am thankful for my loving partner being forever calm in scary situations where I over react, I am thankful to know that even if it turns out to be nothing or the worst case scenario, he is by my side. That is true love.

I stole a peek of my neck-rays, is that illegal?

I stole a peek of my neck-rays, is that illegal?

Life with an autoimmune disease

Having an autoimmune disease isn't easy, in fact it's been the hardest thing I've ever dealt with. Worst of all, we're pretty much stuck together forever. Which isn't a relationship I enjoy.

I've realized, through my nearly 3 year journey with a disease, is how often you feel crazy. Maybe it's because your family/peers are making you feel like you're not really sick or like there isn't anything wrong with you. Maybe it's because, like a lot of people with autoimmune disease, your doctors can't seem to find a "real cause" or they keep changing what your diagnosis is.

No matter what you're facing in your autoimmune journey, don't give up, don't lose focus or faith. No matter how exhausted you feel, or how like you'll never find the answer to all the problems and pain you're feeling and facing, continue to believe in yourself. Never stop having faith they'll find the problem, or finding a cure (keep in mind, Lupus has been around since the 1900's and STILL doesn't have a cure).

Tomorrow will be better than today <3

My day has been filled with xrays/mri's/and blood work

Bake Me A Wish

I'm gonna be totally honest with you guys, I came to write one pissed off blog post about Bake Me A Wish. Kyle and I have been in a long distance relationship for going on 3 years (yes, it sucks). However, this will be the first time we're apart for his birthday. So, I wanted to do something special. He's a chocolate-whore, so when I found a place to deliver cakes I was beyond elated. A little pricey, sure, but it was for my lovey. The cake arrived a day early, the cake arrived damaged (partly cus it's 103 degrees in Oklahoma today).

I was beyond fuming. I wrote a nasty note to customer service and began to type out a blog post that I was debating calling "Bake me a stomp on your wish". Before I could let my Irish rage free, their customer service replied to me (in about 10 minutes at that). I have NEVER had better, more personal customer support (apparently there's only 3 people in the company, so YAY Mom & Pop stores!). We talked back and forth about UPS being the issue (which, I believe. Not only did it arrive too early, but being mushed, I'm positive they didn't ship it out like that), the problem was apologized profusely for and refunded without even having to ask/yell about it. While the situation turned out crummy (haha, get it cus the cake was mashed? Sorry..I'll show myself out), I can hands down say I'll be giving Bake Me A Wish another shot.

Currently July Edition

Listening: Crazy in love- Kid Koala Version. I heard this when I saw Great Gatsby and have become SO obsessed with the wonderful mesh of 1920's with current R&B.

Drinking: Anything with alcohol in it. It can't just be me who feels the summer heat up and feels like a drink needs to be in my hand at all times, whether or not we're on the river.

Wearing: I have been OBSESSED with Old Navy's cross front jersey maxi dresses. Affordable, SO comfortable, and easily dressed up or down.

Reading: I've been bouncing between "The Love Dare" (yes, I'm late to the party here) and "Womanly Dominion" by Mark Chanski

Feeling: Stressed, tired. Logan is starting Kindergarten in 3 weeks and he's never been so much as in daycare. It's normal to feel this stressed about your kid being gone for 8 hours a day and watched by strangers, right?

Secret Addiction: Mistresses, that new ABC show with Alyssa Milano? I can't believe I'm admitting I catch this every week, but I do. That and Devious Maids are my new chick-shows that Kyle likes to make fun of me for watching (he watched Whitney religiously, so he has no right to point fingers!)

Enjoying: A LOT of swimming with the kiddo, he's a water baby and so am I, so we've been hitting the pool that's right behind our house.

Craving: A vacation, the lottery, an awesome float trip. Float trip's a big in the midwest. We get inner tubes and float down the river with drinks in hand