It's Been A Long Time

I don't know what prompted me to look at blogger tonight....most likely it was the fact that I am a master of procrastination, and since we are trying to leave on a little trip tomorrow, I will do almost anything, except for those things that would aid me in the cause of being ready in a timely manner.

As I looked at the list of blogs that I author, and the dates that I had last posted, I realized that the last posts were from February of last year.  I  began to think of how different my life is now, just 14 months later, how much has changed, and how different I am as a person.

There have been many life altering events since March of 2012.  Our family has experienced tragic loss, death, near death experiences, birth, and moving just to name a few.  There are so many life lessons that have come into play over the past year that it would be hard to put into writing them all down in this post.  Perhaps I will revisit them at a future time.  What I do know for sure is that I am stronger than I ever imagined I could be, that God has a plan for each and every one of us, and that no matter what happens in life, and no matter where I am, that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, and a Savior, Jesus Christ, who can get me through anything I may ever face.

I am so blessed to have a family who I love and who love me.  I am grateful for my home and for the amazing blessings and opportunities that fill my life each and every day.

Its Been A While

I can't believe that it has been just about two months since I have posted on this blog. I don't know that it has necessarily been that I haven't had much to say, but more that I just haven't had the time to say it.

Since I have last posted, my baby has turned one. I am always amazed at the passing of time. It seems like the more life I experience, the quicker it seems to go. At times I feel like I am on a train that just keeps picking up speed, the more ground it covers. I wish that I could take a few more moments in each week that goes by and stop to ponder all the amazing things that I have experienced, or the beauty of the season, or the little quirky things that my kids have done to make me laugh and bring a smile to my face.

Over the past few months I have been thinking a lot about what really matters in my life, and just how exactly I want to spend the time that I have. The time that somehow seems to slip through my fingers like sand at the beach. At first when I grab a handful, I think of how many millions of grains I am holding, and then without any effort at all they can slip between my fingers and in the blink of an eye are swept away. So are the moments of my life.

It seems like just yesterday I was single, and had few responsibilities in life. It's amazing how a dozen years can change things.

I want to spend more time with my kids just hanging out and spending time together doing things that I hope they will look back on and remember about their childhood. I am very much looking forward to this summer, when we don't have such a hectic and rigorous schedule of all the busyness that seems to fill our lives during the school year.

Sorry. I guess this post has had a quality of crazy rambling to it. I just wanted for the most part to convey the thoughts I have had lately about life. What really matters? What things should we make a big deal out of, and what things should we just let roll off our backs? I have come to the conclusion that the only things that you really need to make a big deal out of are making a flight on time, and showing up for major surgery. All else can be figured out in its own time.

One last thing I wanted to add is how blessed I feel for having one of my lifelong dreams come to fruition this year. I have wanted to be published, and feel so honored to have had a number of cards picked up for a few different paper crafting publications that will be coming out later this year. Just little old me. I don't have my own line of stamps, I am not on any fancy design teams, and yet some of my work, some of what I love to do most, is going to be seen on the same pages as creations of those people whom I most admire in the paper crafting world. I could not be happier.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!
Amanda

One of THOSE Days

Okay, so here I am with a few brief minutes before I have to pick up the boys from school.

Today actually began last night for me. I didn't sleep well due to a combination of three things. Kerry's snoring (sorry babe!) the anticipation of the acceptance of my latest cards to Paper Crafts Magazine, which were being sent out today, and a non sleeping baby.

Needless to say, none of my cards were picked up this time around. Kind of a bummer. A couple of the cards I was really excited about too. It will be interesting to see when the magazine comes out, which cards were chosen in the categories that I submitted for. I only submitted 5 cards this go around, so I guess my odds were not that great to begin with. Last time I submitted somewhere between 12 and 15 cards and three were picked up. More to share on my card blog, I guess!

I did however go out last night and pick up a couple of things for another call for Halloween cards. It is a crazy realm I have entered into in the card publishing world.....things have to be done so much ahead of time.....I'm going to be scared when I am making Christmas cards in May and June for publication calls.

I am actually looking forward to spending the evening with my boys. We have been getting really competitive in our game playing......it's really been fun to be able to sit down with my own kids, and interact with them in that way!

So here's to a day that has been sleep deprived and less than ideal. There's always tomorrow, right?

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday Morning Shower

I have heard people say that being a stay at home mom is like having 2 full time jobs. This is a lie. At least when you have 2 full time jobs you have some time to yourself.

I think being a stay at home mom is like being a short order cook at a 24 hour circus.

Saturday morning I decided to take a shower. Now, mind you, with my busy schedule I don't get a shower each and every day, so a shower to me is a BIG DEAL. An even bigger deal is to be able to take a shower when Kerry is home so that I can be uninterrupted. Well, I seized my opportunity while Kerry was home, and there wasn't really anything going on...he could handle the kids, and I could have 15, maybe even 20 minutes to myself under the hot water.

While I am in the shower, I hear from a distance, 'Mom.....?', getting closer, 'mom....?mooooom?' I try to ignore it, thinking that if I don't answer, maybe it will just go away. No such luck. Into the bathroom comes Dylan. 'Mom?".

"Go away, I'm not here." Is my reply. It does no good. As Dylan tries to peer in to the shower, to see if I'm there, determined to find me, I cut him off and ask what he wants.

He replies that he needs a dime. Really? Does it look like I could possibly have a dime while I am taking a shower? As if I stash my wallet between the shampoo and conditioner?

What a crazy kid.

So even on those rare occasions when I think I can get a moment to myself.....I can't.

I guess that's what comes with being on the job 24-7.

Thanks for stopping by!

TIME

I don't know if time heals all wounds,

But I do know that it gives you a different perspective.

I am thankful for the passage of time in many different arenas of my life.

Time is good for the soul.

A couple of different experiences in my life this past week have given me the opportunity to reflect on the ways in which time can be one of my greatest resources of figuring out answers to life dilemmas.

Just wanted to share.

Thanks for stopping by.

Complicated

I have been dealing with a situation for the past almost 24 hours now.

I don't want to go into the specifics because I don't want to hurt anyone, but I can tell you it involves one of my children :}

Where do you draw the line as a parent? You want to protect your children, and yet at the same time you want them to learn and grow and be confident in themselves to be able to handle their own situations. This is how I have been trying to raise my children.

Sometimes life hurts. Sometimes it's hard to let go of those things you wish you could do, for those things that you know you should do.

I've been thinking a lot the past day about turning the other cheek, and giving people the benefit of the doubt....as well as the flip side of that coin which is standing up for what I feel is right, and not allowing people to step on me or my children.

I remember thinking in my youth that it would be so wonderful to be grown and not have to deal with the petty situations and dealings of the growing pains of being young. And now that I am grown I find life is really no different; in fact it's even more complicated when it involves your children.

I just pray that this situation is able to be resolved with the least amount of damage to the children involved. I know it has been said before, but children really are our future, and it is my hope that I will be able to make a difference in the lives of my 4 children and that they will in turn be able to make a difference in the lives of others.

I really want my ripple in the pond of life to have a good result.

Thanks for stopping by.

In A Funk

I wasn't sure of whether or not to post this here on this blog or on my stamping blog because it has to do with stamping.

This blog won out, simply due to the fact that I try to keep my stamping blog strictly for crafty things and I like to keep it light over there.

I entered a bunch of cards in a challenge over at the Moxie Fab World, and I was really excited about this particular challenge because it used Gray, which is very much a color I am into these days.

I was really happy with the way in which my cards turned out and actually felt that I had a chance to be a winner in this challenge.

The results came out today, and after seeing the winning cards, I went back and looked at mine again, and couldn't believe that I had ever thought that mine were worthy of winning.

Normally I wouldn't care much, but the truth of the matter is, is that it is one of my goals this year to be published in a card making/paper crafting magazine. The results from today do not make this effort look promising.

Yet, because I am a feisty fighter, I will still try. There are a couple of calls coming up in the next week or so. And it's only January. There's a whole lot of year left.
Sorry about the whining. I just had to get it out.

Thanks for stopping by.