515,520…more chances.

515,520
That is the number of births EVERY DAY in the world.
515,520
EVERY
DAY.
This number  amazes me.
How can that be???
Yesterday,  I was PART of 1 of those 515,520 journeys.
Just one SMALL part of ONE story.
Just 1 SMALL piece of one HUGE experience.

I imagine that it starts the same way ….
everywhere.
It is just another day…and then something happens to MORPH a normal day  into something HOLY.
Just a regular ole’ day…until GOD decides that the world is READY.
Ready for one more small soul.
One more “chance”.
One more “try”.
One more OPPORTUNITY to get it a little closer to “better” than it was before.
THAT was what happened yesterday.
I got to be a part of ONE MORE awesome homebirth.
I was soooooo BLESSED to be able to see a child come into this crazy, broken world.
A world where evil often conquers good, LIFE isn’t always fair, and BLESSINGS don’t always come easy.
A world that doesn't DESERVE any more chances…GOT 1.
It got one more chance.
One more chance to HEAL.
One more chance to LOVE.
One more chance to CHANGE.
One more chance…
named AZALEA HOPE.

It was an HONOR and a privilege to be a part of such a special day.
The strength of a woman NEVER ceases to amaze me.
Give thanks TODAY for 515,520 more CHANCES.

Leading…..it’s not for sissies.

Some things in life are HARDER lessons than others.

But….the hardest lessons are the MOST valuable right???

That is the lesson we have been LIVING lately.

The lesson on how to be a GOOD LEADER.

Which, to me, can be one of the hardest lessons to learn.

Here is the story:

Shasha(9) is a strong, vibrant personality.

She is soft spoken but speaks VOLUMES with her STYLE.

She is VERY fashion forward and doesn't care what others think.

(Can you say MINI-ME????)

Lately she has been ROCKING these:

NERD GLASSES!!!!!!!!!!!

I love it and encourage it.

I figure that ANYTHING that comes from INSIDE these kids and goes AGAINST the grain of what is “normal” or “stylish” is

GOOD

FOR

THEM.

I figure it is character building.

I look at it like this…

If Shasha CHOOSES to be different and be a TRENDSETTER….it only sets her up to be a LEADER later in life.

She LOVES these glasses and now has a BASKET full of nerd glasses in different colors.

When someone says, “Why are you wearing THOSE???”

and she very STRONGLY says,

“BECAUSE I LIKE THEM.”

I figure she GROWS every time.

She becomes STRONGER with every comment and smirk.

(Funny thing is….it is mostly ADULT women that challenge her. LOL. Jealous much???)

And when her little sister starts wearing NERD GLASSES to be

JUST

LIKE

HER…..

it also gives her an opportunity to learn another lesson…

WHEN YOU ARE A LEADER…PEOPLE COPY YOU.

They just do….

Deal with it.

SHINE, baby girl, SHINE!!!!

Less SUCKY….

I swear sometimes I look at my very blessed, privileged life and think…

WHAT THE HELL???

Sometimes being a parent/teacher/wife/friend is the

HARDEST

THING

I

HAVE

EVER

DONE….

EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having kids and PARENTING sometimes can send me into a downward spiral.

You see…

I am not “NATURALLY” patient.

It is something that I DO NOT have a “gift” for..

I mean really…WHO DOES???

The way I see it……..

sometimes I am put to the test.

sometimes I  fail miserably at this parenting gig.

sometimes…I ROCK IT!!!

All I can do is HAVE FAITH and KNOW that

I

DO

NOT

WALK

ALONE.

It may FEEL like I am all alone when I am KNEE DEEP in 4 levels of Math or chores that seem ENDLESS.

But It is then that I am REMINDED that ….

life is a “gift”( sometimes we get things we NEED instead of what we WANT)…

and all I have to do is get LESS SUCKY at it..

everyday…try HARDER and trust that

I

WILL

GET

LESS

SUCKY

at

this..

with the help of GOD …

I am BOUND to get LESS SUCKY …right???

LOL

We LOVE Mickey!!!

Seems like forever that I have written….

But, sometimes…LIFE can take me away from BLOGGING.

LOL

Which is EXACTLY what happened last week.

We spent our spring break on a family vacation to Disney World!!!

It was a BLAST.

I loved seeing the bonds formed between the kids.

They were GENERALLY very sweet and helpful with each other.

Don’t get me wrong …

It didn’t go WITHOUT a few “choice words” exchanged between my husband and I …BUT-

ALL IN ALL..

IT

WAS

AMAZING!!!

 

There is definitely something to be said for leaving all your friends behind and conquering DISNEY…. by yourself.

It made me feel like a REAL – LIVE grown up.

Except for the part where I needed to have MORE $$$$ put into my account to pay for the hotel room….by my Mother-in-law. LOL

We were a real live VACATIONING family.

And it was worth EVERY CENT SPENT!!!!