Gearing Up....Hoping for Good Things!!

Okay how does it go...."I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....."! We are living in a time of organized chaos in this house, but all in a good way. We both have a lot to keep us busy right now, which is all great in the end. However as we prepare for our first big plane trip with Faith, it's making for some late nights and tight deadlines. Yikes! We're so grateful for the work and experience, but hoping that this is all further indication of GOOD THINGS AHEAD!!

Nothing new to report, but I can honestly say that I've never felt so overwhelmed with deadlines as I do right now. I'm switching gears between natural detoxification articles and career description articles, so it's interesting to say the least. We are working well as a team, and THANK GOD FOR MY MOM!!! Faith has been in good spirits and just awesome lately, so that's helpful.

We went in for her 18 month check up (a bit delayed) and my 20 month old little girl is already over 23 pounds. Light by comparison to others, but I'm just amazed at what a big girl she is. She is soooooo much fun right now, keeping us laughing and in constant amazement. Her vocabulary has grown exponentially, almost overnight. She's saying so much and understanding so much, it's really remarkable. I think she senses that we're going to do something big as we keep telling her about the airplane, but I'm anxious to see how she does. Hoping it's a smooth flight both ways on all accounts!

So I'm going to keep building momentum, keep forging ahead, and keep hoping that there are GOOD THINGS AHEAD........and hoping that they come soon!!

Heading Up

Okay okay, so I'm back on the positive train and trying to stick with it! I am busier than I've ever been, just swamped! Crazy and frustrating at times, but yet so good for our finances of course!! My dear hubby is hard at work on a couple of freelance projects and we are keeping our fingers crossed that this all turns into something. He's still hard at work on the job search, but this is something to get us by for now. One day at a time!

I feel an energy that is hard to describe. I'm hopeful that it's an indicator of good things ahead because I feel good, we all feel good. I hope it keep up and that we're just building momentum for good things ahead. (my motto these days!) I'm trying to smile more than frown, and laugh instead of cry. Today was a hectic but good day, and I'm hoping for more of those!!

Faith is just a BLAST right now!! Truly this is my favorite phase so far! Her vocabulary has grown leaps and bounds, she seems to say several new words each and everyday. We had a doctor's appointment today and as they took her stats, I looked down to see a little girl standing before me.....she's no longer a baby! I can hardly believe that my baby girl is going to be 20 months tomorrow, it's just insane how quickly the time truly goes!! She's doing new things all the time--singing, taking care of her babies, saying new words like "sit", "Madison", "Sarah", "cute" and so many more. She's just our joy, so full of smiles and kisses--I feel lucky to be her mom every single day!!

We are heading to Atlanta next week to see our BFF's Sarah, Ella Anne, and Neal. We can't wait, though we are a little nervous for the plane trip. Hoping that it all works out and that we can enjoy some time with our close friends!!

Hoping to keep this positive momentum going and to enjoy some GOOD THINGS AHEAD!!!!

Healthy New Outlook...Quite Literally

It's a new week and that means a new outlook....and this is a healthy one, all around! I am working on what is sure to be my most important job yet, because this one truly counts. I am working with an amazing author to help promote a book that I truly believe in, and this is the type of writing that moms like me dream about. Being able to combine my writing skills with a cause that I care about as a mom is the very best mix I can possibly imagine! How to Create a Green Home for Your Baby on a Budget is lifechanging for moms like me who want to create the healthiest possible home for their baby. The website can teach you what this means and share some key facts that will really get you thinking: http://www.healthybabyhappyhome.com/

Let's be honest, we're all watching our expenses right now--I certainly include myself in that as well for obvious reasons! However we're often torn as we dont' want to compromise the things that are important to our baby's health for the sake of saving a few bucks. Fortunately this book sheds light on how to create the healthiest possible environment for your baby, and you can do it all at a very reasonable cost. That's a win-win as far as I'm concerned. I just love what this book has to say and more importantly, I've taken a long hard look at what's going on inside my own home. I want the very best for Faith as any good mom does and that means some changes, many of which are quite simple and very affordable. Well worth it in every sense of the word!

So what a great way to start off the week indeed! I am thrilled to share my newfound knowledge and what I believe to be an excellent tool for moms of all walks of life. I wish I had known during pregnancy what I know now, but fortunately it's never too late to take these important measures. I just know that this job came to me for a reason, and I am ready to shout from the rooftops just how every mom can take better care of their babies!

Keeping My Chin Up

I know, I know--I am just all over the place! One day my post is focused on all the icky things going on and the sentiments associated with them, and the next I'm saying how positive I'm trying to be. It's a tough balance but I'm really trying! I'm doing my very best to stay positive and to keep my chin up. That's where I'm at.......for today at least!

We had a great holiday weekend and birthday celebration for the hubby. Faith seemed to really enjoy singing "Happy Birthday" and hanging out with all of our friends. It was nice to get away from the stress for a change and to enjoy some downtime, very much needed! It's not that the stress of our current situation ever really goes away, but at the very least it minimizes sometimes. It's nice to focus on the positives and be thankful for what we do have!

So today starting off a new (and short) work week, I am doing my best to keep my chin up, my head held high, and to stay positive. I am working away with all the work I have right now and staying thankful for it, hoping it continues. (within reason) I am focused on all the wonderful blessings our family has and for all the amazing friends and family we have. I keep praying that none of our worst fears come true and that somehow, someway, we can ride this storm to much better things ahead.

Talk to me tomorrow and I may be on a different page, but for now that's where I'm at and am doing my best to stick with it for the long term. Now can all that positive thinking and sentiment please pay off somehow? PLEASE!!!

Overwhelming Stress

I keep telling myself that it will all get better. It has to, right? Yet I sometimes feel like the world is working against me. Instead of things getting better they either stay the same or get worse. It's so hard not to give into this. I try each day to start out with good intentions and pray for some good things, but nothing happens. Rather than improving, it seems that the weight of the world continues to build on my very heavy shoulders.

Nothing new in the job world for the hubby. It can be very frustrating some days and this is one of them! I try not to let it get me down, but sometimes it just seems more than I can bear. I also received one of the worst criticisms that I have to date from a client. How can you not let it all get to you after awhile? How can you start off each day with hope only to have it bet met with disappointment? I'm really struggling right now and it seems that each week it just gets harder.

Thank God for Faith or I'm not quite sure what I'd do. She is my glimmer of hope in a pretty crappy world right now. She keeps me smiling and with her new found skill of singing, she makes me eternally happy. No matter how hard the day is or how tough things may seem, she always seems to make them better.
Her growing vocabulary now includes:
nore, bath, shoes, more, cup, dog, cookie, mama, dada, pool, hi, bye, baby, book, cat, nana (grandma), bellybutton (an attempt at the word), out, no (that's a big one right now), chair, and on and on the list goes! It seems that she's trying to say something new everyday!
She's also learned to repeat what all the animals on the farm say so that's really fun to listen to!

I know how truly blessed I am to have her, and that's what keeps me going on days like this. I try to reming myself of that but sometimes it's tough. There are some days that I feel as though
I'm not the best mom I could be because of the stress. Oh how I wish it would get better and we'd see brigher times in the near future. I keep hoping but sometimes this overwhelming stress just gets the best of me.

Hoping for a very bright future and some good things to replace the stress!