No one says growing up is easy, but I always thought grown up was 25!

As a kid, I always thought that when you turned 25, you had it all figured out. You had your life planned out. You were out of school. You may or may not be married. You may even have kids. But you had life by the horns and were in control. I always knew that when I turned 25, I would be on my chosen career path, with nothing stopping me from getting where I just knew I was going---to the top. Well, apparently there were some miscalculations in my plan, and, well, a few things I didn't know when I was 10. Pretty much the only thing I knew at 25 was that at my next birthday, I was counting backwards!

I graduated college when I was 22 with a BA in theater arts and a minor in communications. I had always said that I wanted to be a sideline reporter/journalist for ESPN. And I was bound and determined for the first two years after graduating. I took jobs in radio and tried as much as I could to land anything for a tv station, but I don't think that is what was intended for this southern belle. The more I thought about it, and the more I got discouraged, I knew I needed to go back to school and get my business degree. My parents had always tried to get me to do that in college, but being the defiant child I was, I never listened. I knew best, right? Well, I married at 24, had a child at 25, and found myself in a room full of 18 years olds at 26. It's humorous to get a peek at "being" this age again, and seeing the same ambition and determination I had the first time around. Granted, it's still there, and maybe even stronger, but this time I know I'm where I'm meant to be. On the first day of class, I always have to smile because it always surprises my teacher to find out that I am not 21 or younger, than I am in fact married, and that we have a child. And it always brings a good laugh for the class, too. Hey, if you can't laugh at yourself....

Looking back, I do have to laugh. Thinking that I would have all the answers and my life all together at 25 was a long shot. I learn something new about myself on a daily basis, and I don't think there is anything I would change about it. It was Eleanor Roosevelt who said,  "I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday". Everything happens for a reason, and I think that in order for us to get to where we need to be, we have to take the roads that lead us there, and also try to not burn the bridges. Granted, we may not be able to go back, but the people that we meet along the way, we do meet for a reason. Sometimes they are there for the long haul, and sometimes only a short time. Sometimes you may lose touch and be brought back together again. But it is important to not forget those who helped you along the way. It's also important to follow your heart, and never be too proud to ask for help. Stop and pray at least once a day, and make sure you have a relationship with God. I try to not bring religion up too much, but I do believe that a good and healthy relationship with God will lead you down the right path. You are the only one who can make changes to yourself. Don't wait around for others to do it. As one of my teachers said about marriage: 'Men marry never wanting the woman to change, but they do. Women marry  wanting to be able to change some things about their man, but they never will'. The only person who can change you is you.  People can help bring something to your attention, but they can't change it for you. 

And when it comes to friends, keep those whom you cherish around you. Fake friends will be true to your face, but not to your back. Once again, Eleanor Roosevelt said it best (she was a VERY smart woman, and her husband was one of our best Presidents...talk about a power couple!) "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart". You will always know who your true friends are. These are the ones that you can count on through thick and thin. They will be there no matter what. No matter the distance between you, you will still keep in touch. If something happens, you know you can pick up the phone and they will answer and be there, and you will do the same for them. These are the kinds of friends that are rare, and if you have a few of them,  you are lucky. And I am lucky.

Since I have quoted her twice already, I am going to end with a few more quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt :

"Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give." 

"You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've become yourself."  

"We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it as not as dreadful as it appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down."

"I have never felt that anything really mattered but knowing that you stood for the things in which you believed and had done the very best you could." 

 "One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility" 

"Small Minds Discuss People,

Average Minds Discuss Events,

Great Minds Discuss Ideas."  

See, I told you she was brilliant. :)

With more tornadoes hitting the South lately, and more bad storms on the way, I have found myself lost in thought about what is happening to the world around us. The most recent city hit, Joplin Missouri, is in desperate need of our help and prayers. I am asking you from the bottom of my heart, if you are willing and able, please help them. We may not all be able to spare a lot, but we can all spare something. If you will go to your nearest Post Office and get a flat rate priority shipping box, in whichever size you would like, and fill it with whatever you can- toiletries, crayons and coloring books, clothes, necessities, etc...something. 

Send it to:

Mt. Hope Church of Christ

C/O Elder Andy Wilson

2830 Mt. Hope Rd

Webb City, MO 64870

I have heard from another blogger that they are ready and willing to take the supplies to those who need them in Joplin. If you would like more information or some numbers to call for the local Red Cross, check out her site-- http://www.adventuresofacouponista.com/2011/05/helping-those-in-need-tornado-victims.html

With the recent storms hitting the south, earthquakes all around the world, tsunamis, and all the other natural disasters that we have been seeing and hearing about, it has been making me think. I don't want to go into deep details, but I am seriously starting to believe that we need to take a step back, forget about the "me me me" mentality that we seem to have, and put first things first. Maybe God, or whatever higher power you believe in (for me, it is God) is trying to tell us something. Maybe we should start helping our neighbors/friends more and worry about ourselves less, start spending more time with family and friends than we do at the office, or not worry so much about keeping up with the Jones's and what everyone else thinks. I believe that it is time to stand up and make an impact and not just sit around and wait for someone else to do it.

HOW did we accumulate so many TOYS?!!

I am at my wits end. For the next two and a half months, my schedule is this- get up, get ready, take T to daycare, go to work, go to class from 10:15-12:30, go back to work, pick up T, run any needed errands, go home, fix dinner, clean/laundry/etc, and yes, homework. Ok, so really, this schedule hasn't changed too drastically in 2 years since I started back to work and school after having T, but in summer, it's just more stressful. Having class five days a week for two and a half hours each day for a month...yeah, it gets old QUICK. 

The day wouldn't be half as bad if our house weren't so cluttered...with TOYS! I go through them monthly, or I at least try to, but I really think they multiply on their own. I am constantly walking behind my child picking up whatever he leaves in his path. But, I do have to give him credit, he does pick up his own toys pretty well and help when I ask him to. We recently bought one of the kid's toy organizers with bins from Target, and that has helped with some of the clutter in his room. But, it's the living room that is driving me nuts! We have a corner for his toys, and I think it gets bigger by the week. We have a huge storage container that is full, and some of his bigger toys there, but it still doesn't make me feel more organized. I am constantly looking for ideas on how to store his stuff where he can still get to it and maybe even be able to put it up himself (like he can in his room), but nothing seems to help with my "clutter anxiety". I know it's just one of those things, but I can't wait til we move somewhere that has more room AND storage!!! 

Feeling cluttered is not something that I like, especially when I'm home and have so much going on. But, even with the clutter and busy schedule, I know I wouldn't change any of it for the world (ok, so maybe the clutter!). I know I will look back on these times with Tristan and miss him being little. Heck, I already do! He's not a baby anyone, but is instead a toddler! He is more independent and free spirited than any child I know. He has such a great personality and is so loving. I hope he'll stay that way. 

Tristan's 2nd birthday party and other weekend adventures

Ok, I admit it. I am one of those moms who tells their child that they can do anything they want to, as long as they try their best. Even at two. And that's just what happened this weekend, in a small way, at T's birthday party. He climbed up an inflatable slide, very similar to the one below, without any help from anyone- another child or adult (adults aren't allowed on the equipment at the place we had his party). 

He climbed up a few of the plank like "stairs" and turned around and looked at his daddy and I, and we both said, "Keep going! You can do it!" Now, I admit, I was a little surprised those words came out of my mouth. I think if it had been anything else other than an inflatable, I wouldn't have! But, he made it safely to the top, turned around and gave us a HUGE smile, and then slid down the slide head first! I really am beginning to wonder if this 2 year old will ever meet an obstacle he won't try to tackle!

 It was the first time we had taken him to the party site, and he had a ball! I can't wait to take him back and let him play there again. We wanted his first experience there to be at his party, and I don't think it could have turned out any better. 

    The birthday cake that GiGi (my mom) made! It turned out great!

                    I think he liked the icing better than the cupcake!

        Our little family on his party day! I can't believe how fast he's growing up!

His birthday present from us was a swingset. He loves being outside and playing so much, but is definitely outgrowing his baby swing. With 21 stitches in his hand, I doubt my hubby will be able to put it together himself like he was hoping. I think he is going to have to call some of his friends for help! According to the Toys-r-Us website, it's taken people 16+ hours to put it together. I have a feeling I might not want to be around while he's putting it together ;) I'm sure there will be another blog on the adventures of that, though!

But other than Tristan, homework, and house cleaning, we have been doing a lot of house hunting lately. We haven't found anything really yet, but I would like to be closer into the city. I'm hoping that by this time next year, we will be settling (or better yet- settled!) into a new (to us) home. I love where we are, but have done a lot of thinking and factoring (not to mention persuading), and after the recent events of the tornadoes we had in our area that hit way too close to home for comfort, we have decided that it's what is best. Now, we just have to figure out where....

Is he REALLY two?!

Well, it officially happened. T turned 2 on Monday. I don't know where the time has gone, or why it has gone so quickly, but I don't like it. It really doesn't seem like it was 2 years ago that we were just bringing home this tiny little baby who already had me wrapped around his tiny little finger. Weighing in at a whooping 6lbs 7oz, he really was tiny. But healthy, and that is all I was concerned with. Little did I know then that it was possible to love someone more each and every day. 

The day started off like any other...."Moooooommy!! Mooommmmmmmmy!" as he began to wake up. "Do you want you pippy (sippy)?" "No." "Do you want your blankie?" "No."  You get the picture. My sweet snuggily baby has now turned into a no saying, wiggle worm!! "T, are you excited to go to school to see your friends?" "No," he said, as he ran to the front door, practically trying to turn the knob when he got there. It is days like this that I have to stop and remind myself that this word that I now HATE is a word that he has heard his whole life and is associating it with, well, everything! 

I just don't see how it's time for T to be 2 already!! And it makes me sad to see him growing up so fast! He is no longer a baby- but instead has transitioned into the toddler phase. He is getting so big and independent, and I am so happy for that, but as a mom, are you ever truly ready for that (until they are close to 18!)? I now know why everyone always told me that they were going to put a brick on my head and not let me grow up (and please, no one make any short jokes- I'm sure I've made them myself or heard them plenty of times!), and would love to do the same. I know he has to grow up, but does it have to happen so fast? I literally feel like I blinked and 2 years went by.  

                          These are his first school pictures. I also used them as his Easter pictures, too.

“Destruction, hence, like creation, is one of Nature's mandates.”- Marquis De Sade

These past 9 days seem like a blur- something out of a bad dream. It's hard to begin the healing process when you see the devastation all around you. I hate driving home now. There isn't one way to get to our house that you don't see damage done by the tornado. And it still amazes me that we were as blessed and lucky as we were and that nothing, except for a few tree limbs and a trash can blowing from one side of the porch to the other, happened.

Here is a link to see how much devastation our community received from the storms. This shows the times, the class of tornado, how many deaths, and how many were injured. There are even radar pictures broken down into time frames. I found this on the News Channel 9 blog, which is our local ABC affiliate. 

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mrx/?n=april272011outbreak

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mrx/?n=tor_outbreak_map

http://www.norman.noaa.gov/2011/04/nssl-product-captures-april-27-tornado-outbreak-storm-rotation-tracks/

 I have been desperately trying to help our community in any way that I can. It truly hurts my heart to think that there are so many people who lost everything, while the rest of us sit in our homes with a roof over our head. If you're reading this, and you have something to spare, please contact your local American Red Cross chapter and see about doing something. Anything, and I mean anything, would be greatly appreciated. Even if you want to donate blood. That is something that will always be needed. 

We are working on getting "back to normal", whatever that means anymore. It is going to take some time to heal, and it is definitely going to take some time to work on everything. But, we are fortunate to live in a community that helps it's neighbors no matter how much or what the cost. 

They don't call us the Volunteer State for nothing :)

Shifting through the rubble--The aftermath of 4-27-11

It's simply amazing how much a town can pull together. But, it's sad that a disaster has to cause it. Last Wednesday's storm ripped through our small town like it was nothing. It left behind almost 300 families without a home, more than a handful of people dead, and no telling how many people hurt. I don't have pictures to share, and I don't want to be one of the ones taking pictures. I, for one, don't want to take a picture of something that is so devastating to someone else. The road to our home has so many houses damaged, or just gone. We have friends and family who were affected by the storms. It's hard to imagine that in just one day, so many tornadoes came through. 

We were somehow blessed enough for it to have missed us, but only by just a mile- if that. The first time I drove down our road, I just cried. What can  you do? Where do you start? How can you make someone whose life has been forever changed, who has lost everything they own, feel just a little bit better? I don't know the answers to these questions. The only thing I know to say is this: If you're going to drive out to look, drive out planning to help. Don't drive 5 miles per hour down the road, pointing, taking pictures, or video taping something. The people who are affected by this storm don't need to see that. They need to see us coming together and helping one another. Remember that even the smallest thing helps. Sometimes, even just a hug is all someone needs from a perfect stranger. As a sign on our road now reads in someone's front yard, "Put the camera down and pick up a chainsaw."

I don't think I could have said it better myself.