Sunday, July 31, 2011

Just Write.

I’m that kid at camp who didn’t show up until the last day.
Shame on me.

Calliope did a great series the month of July, Summer Camp in the Blogosphere, and the very last prompt asks:

“What advice would you give someone who is just starting a blog today?



My simple, but powerful, advice:


I have gotten so wrapped up into thinking someone coming across my blog won’t like what I am writing about; that they won’t find what I post interesting.

But it’s worth trying to connect. Who know what statement you make will touch someone else. That’s what’s amazing and wonderful about being part of a world wide web community.

I also have to remember that I started blogging to get my thoughts out and have a place for me to feel safe and secure; not scared or nervous to log-in to this space that has brought me so much comfort. We all get writers-block or a blog-haze settles over our brain…but man, I have just been completely gun-shy about sharing anything.

So hear this new bloggers out there (and old-timers…) blog with sincerity of self. Be you and just write. 
You may never have a single reader, you may become the next daily read. I may lose readers, I may gain readers, but I will practice what I have just preached.

I will blog with sincerity. And just be me.

I’m curious. Do you find yourself blogging more for yourself….or others?

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

WTF Wednesday: Old Wound


I’d like to know where this brand new baby is that Similac thinks I just had. They were also kind enough to send me a 2 cans of formula (which I promptly donated to our pediatrician’s office).

Just when I thought I was in an OK state-of-mind…

I also tweeted this just a few days ago:


It’s been three years since I’ve been in the thick of IVF, so I’ve had time to let my wounds heal. But these little stabs are just like ripping that wound right open.

Hugging my sweet boy to seal that wound right back up.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Random Fact Friday: Clouds






I love interpreting the shapes I see in a cloud formation. What do you see?


Guardian Angel

When I was 10, I was riding bikes with a neighborhood friend down a steep hill in my backyard. We’d take turns being daredevils and during one of my turns to take off down the hill, the chain on my bike slipped off, forcing me to take a detour over to the side.

A mere 10 seconds after I had made it over to the side, my friend flew past me on her bike without waiting for me to give her the signal at the bottom of the hill that I was safely out of the way–come to find out, she had lost control of her brakes.

If I had not moved over to the side, the force of impact would have sent me over the side of the hill and in bad shape.

I may have only been 10, but I remember that day like it was yesterday–I also remember having this chill pass over me like a guardian angel was to blame for my chain coming loose on my bike–allowing me to avoid an otherwise dangerous situation.

Cheesy, maybe–but I know that I’ve kept my guardian angel busy ever since. There have been many instances, I’m sure, that I haven’t even noticed that I’ve been kept out of harms way.

But I do know that that angel was with me again last night because last night we got to take our nightly walk an hour earlier than usual, due a mini cold front came through the Carolinas yesterday.

When we were about half way through the walk, we decided to jog a bit and it was right when we came to a curve in the road where we are always careful to watch for traffic due to a blind spot. As we started to make our way up the hill out of the curve, we heard the screeching of breaks and turned around to see a car come barreling towards us. The driver over-corrected twice and ended up missing us by a few yards…ending up lodged between two trees in a ditch. Had the tree not been there, the car would have flipped with her and her child inside. She had been going at least 50 in a 25mph zone.

That moment happened where our brains took a moment to process what had just happened. It seemed like minutes passed before we made our legs move to take off running towards the car to help. We scanned the car quickly–seeing the child in the backseat and the driver frantically waving us away mouthing that she was OK. I had the “movie-moment” where I panicked that the car was going to burst into flames due to the increasing smell of gas. She continued to wave us away–and we weren’t quite sure what to do. Another car approached us–and it was family or friends of the driver–they didnt want to speak to us much either just saying that they would be fine. We are pretty sure it ended up being a shady situation where she got the kid out of the car and away from the accident before the cops got there.

As we made our way back up the hill, our adrenaline was pumping as the reality of the timing of the whole situation played out in our minds. We really were so close to being in the direct path of her swerve.
What had made me decide to tell Mook to jog those few yards when we usually are just comfortable walking? I’m just so glad we did. I’ve made sure to assure my guardian angel she has the rest of the weekend off.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Random Fact Friday: Kazoos








A post-Thanksgiving-meal-tradition at my in-laws: once the plates are cleared and before dessert is served, the kazoos get passed out. We pick a few Christmas tunes and play away on our kazoos to officially welcome in the Christmas season.