The children all have places to go and are excited. Mostly.

I am ready for my sessions, kind of.

I have sewn my little heart away and am complete satisfied with my efforts for the handmade market…except I’m not.

I am up to date in my Body Restoration work – oh wait, no I’m not. I am so terribly behind.

No matter how hard I try, I am never ready, I am never completely satisfied with my efforts.  There is always something more I can do. I am always striving to be better, to do better, to be more and to do more.

It is hard to remember that I am enough. That my offerings are enough. If I have done my best, done everything I could and know that, it will be enough.

When I hear the little whispering to my soul that it isn’t good enough, that I should have done more, that I am failing…I know where that comes from. I know it is not from God. I know that it is not from someone who loves me and is so very forgiving.

My children know I try. My husband knows I try. God knows I try and I know I try.

And that is really all that matters.

I’m a day late, but linking up with Just Write all the same.

I feel like that juggler, the one who you watch and think, they have too many pins, one is going to fall. They make it look so effortless, but I know it is not. I know it is hard. It is hard work to watch and keep all the pins in the air without dropping one.

Yesterday my pins all came crashing to the ground.

Libby was at a friend’s house and I was shopping with Elliott. It is amazing how much easier it is with only one child instead of 2 or 3 or 4! I was enjoying my time until suddenly I wasn’t. I felt sick sick sick.

Quickly I drove to pick up Libby, got home and immediately was sick. I was able to get a movie on for her in between my bouts of vomit, then as I was going up the stairs, bucket in hand, baby on the breast, I called Jeremy.

“I need you to come home now please”.

He knew I hadn’t been feeling well, so he replied, “on my way”.

What followed reminded me of transition. I don’t know how much time passed, maybe 30 minutes. Elliott was off and on the breast and wreaking havoc on my bathroom. The whole time I was confined to the porcelain throne. When Jeremy finally arrived he took Elliott and left me to my misery.

Eventually everything stopped and I crawled into bed. I was a hot, sweaty, stinky mess.

I couldn’t do anything but take care of myself. All of my balls came down and I was forced to take a break. I am just so grateful that Jeremy was there to help pick up my pins and take over for me for a bit.

My body has been going non-stop since Christmas, it is only natural that it would force me to stop and rest for a bit. And that is what I am doing. You won’t see me running today (maybe tomorrow) and I am only going to make 1 dress for the BlissDom handmade market today. I am going to slow down, because I really don’t like it when my body forces me.

How do you spend the majority of your time? How are you filling your cup? How are you nourishing your body and soul?

These are all questions I have had to really think about this week. What am I doing?

I will admit, I spend way too much time online. When I am here, I have no less than 3 tabs open at a time. Always email, Facebook and Twitter. Then, there are the tabs I am actually working on – blog posting, writing for Babyhold, reading blogs, searching for something for my children or husband…the list goes on and on and on.

I have noticed I am filling my cup with too much virtual life and not enough real life. I am trying to nourish my soul with things that aren’t really important instead of focusing on what is important – the people around me.

I have made a conscious effort this week. I am closing the tabs, I am turning off the Facebook and Twitter updates on my phone, I am turning off and tuning in to my family, my friends, to real life relationships. Just as I tell my kids, there is a time and a place for everything; I am just trying to figure out what the time and place for my online world is.  It is a work in progress, absolutely, but it is something that will benefit everyone.

Food has always been a big thing for me. I celebrate with food. I mourn with food. I eat when I’m happy, sad, bored, tired…did you see hungry in there? Yeah, me either. I don’t eat when I am hungry. I don’t listen to my body tell me it’s hungry, I just eat to eat…or at least I did.

Just like any addict, I have an unhealthy relationship with my addiction – food. I blame the food. I tell the brownies/cookies/cake/chocolate/ice cream that it is it’s fault for being so good. I punish myself and don’t make it, yet complain the whole time, “No sorry, I can’t have that. I am off sugar.” all the while feeling like such a martyr.

I am realizing it is not the food that is the problem. It is me. It is how I view that food.

God has given us food to nourish and strengthen our bodies. He has given us food to help us to have the energy and fuel we need to accomplish the tasks He has given us. When I look at it like that, it causes me to think twice about what I am putting into my body.  What am I trying to do with this handful of chocolate chips? Am I trying to fill a void? Am I really going to fuel my body with that? What would I say to my children if they wanted that?

As you can see, I am a work in progress, I have a lot I am mulling over and a lot I am working on. I imagine this week’s work will take me more than one week. This is a hard one. To turn off, and find the things that will nourish my body and soul.

Now I am going to go drink my green smoothie and really enjoy it. I am going to enjoy it and think about the good it is doing for my body.

What are some things you do to nourish your body and soul?

*Brave Girls Club gave me tuition to the Body Restoration course. All words, opinions and healings are mine alone.

                                  Mrs. C the Birthday Queen

Seth has a very clever teacher this year. She is funny, full of sass and doesn’t take any funny business from these 2nd graders. She is perfect for him and we love her. After his awful experience with his teacher last year, I was really nervous about him going to public school this year. Mrs. C has been an answer to so many of our prayers and we just adore her. I had been thinking about what to get she and Amelia’s Kindergarten teacher for Valentine’s Day when she sent out this email

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, I wanted to give you a math problem from the teacher…

If Mrs. C has 22 adorable children and each child gives her chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day, how quickly will Mrs. C outgrow her school clothes?

I admit, I may have let out a loud guffaw at that one.

I really didn’t want to get candy for my kids’ teachers anyway, but don’t have the time right now to make them aprons like I had wanted to.

Then, I was watching TV one night and saw this commercial

Blooming Expressions allows you to deliver love, appreciation or admiration, again and again, to the important people in your life. For Valentine’s Day or any day, you can surprise someone special with a flower that blooms at the press of a button. Each includes a different sentiment like “I love you” and “There’s only one you!” The full garden of Blooming Expressions is available at local Hallmark Gold Crown stores and select Hallmark retailers – I have even seen them at the grocery store by the Hallmark cards!

The website has 4 different phrases available, but Hallmark stores and grocery stores will have more – so you are sure to find the perfect one for the teacher/wife/mom/sister/friend in your life.

I am so excited to get the women who love my children so much, something that will remind them year round how much they mean to us.

What are you doing for your kids’ teachers for Valentine’s Day?

This is a sponsored post from Hallmark as part of the Life is a Special Occasion campaign. I am so thrilled to be working with this fabulous company this year and to have the opportunity to share ways to make everyday occasions special.
For the latest on Hallmark deals and ideas, be sure to sign up for their newsletter, you just might see me there from time to time.
Also, if you are going to Blissdom, be sure to find Hallmark! They will be set up helping us all learn how to make special occasions out of everyday events.

You’ve bought your ticket, got your room booked and your flight is confirmed…for two. You are bringing your baby to BlissDom and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome you to the BlissDom Baby Brigade!

Having taken a baby to a conference before, I thought I would share with you some tips I learned, both from first hand experience, and through talking to others.

Read the rest on BlissDom’s Insiders’ Guide.