Mom's Need Pampering Too

I am in Heaven. As I sit here right now, I am enjoying the first pedicure I've had in a VERY long time. And guess what, I deserve it. I don't feel guilty one bit.

Ok, maybe a little bit guilty. But not enough not to enjoy it! Lol

We were actually finishing Makenzie's room, when I took a break to lay Logan down for a nap. I just walked back in the living room, looked at my feet, and simply said "I need a pedicure." I laughed because although I wanted one, I wasn't entirely serious. 

My husband look at me & said "go on. Here's some money."

Well, alrighty then! I'm gone!

I'm the world's worst at putting everyone else before myself. I guess that's just the momma in me. But guess what momma's, we need pampering too! Enjoy it while we can!

If we keep giving & giving & giving, before long, we don't have anything left to give. So next time, you "need" a few minutes, take them & enjoy! 

My Teenager

It's funny, some days I don't remember what I did yesterday, what someone said to me an hour ago, or even why I walked into a room mere seconds ago. But then there are those moments that are burned into your memory so deeply that you probably couldn't forget them even if you tried. I have several of those.

Today, exactly 13 years ago (7:24pm) my life changed in ways I could never imagine. I became a mother.

Austin Dale Bauguess made his grand appearance only 3 days early weighing 8lbs & 7oz. He was a chunky butt as a baby. 

WHY God entrusted me with this privilege, I'll never comprehend. It's the hardest, most exciting, scariest, most heart wrenching, incredible "job" that I've ever experienced. It's not just my job, it's my life!

I'm so thankful that I've had the pleasure to be his mother! Even 13 years later, I still have no clue what I am doing, but we are all learning as we go!

Happy Birthday baby! I'm proud of the young man you are becoming! You're officially a teenager, so you can slow down now!

They Deserve Better

On the way to school one day this week, Makenzie stopped me in my tracks. She said "Momma, so & so doesn't care if they go to Hell".

Oh wow, out of the mouth of babes...

I asked her how she knew. So she told me that they (her a friend) had been talking about Heaven when her friend told her that. 

It broke my heart. 

Number 1, here's my nine year old telling others about Jesus!

Number 2, how can parents live in such a way to make a 9 year old be so flippant about a place of eternal torment.

I'm Tired

I don't know about you, but I'm tired!

Yes I run wide open more often than I don't. I tend to carry more plates than I can hold. And somehow I'm usually supposed to be in several different places at the same time.

I'm tired!

Before you go comparing our schedules & start laughing at who puts on a more entertaining juggling show, let me explain.

My physical state is NOT what I'm writing about today. Even though it applies, that can easily be fixed with a little shut eye.

I'm tired on a spiritual level.

I'm not even talking about my incompetence as a Christian.

BUT I'M TIRED!

I am tired of Satan getting the upper hand on me. I'm tired of him using my loved ones to get the best of me. I'm tired of him using my insecurities, my pain, and my fears to make me question the right decision. I'm tired of him thinking that my past will trip me up the way it used to.

My husband loves me unconditionally. He's not perfect, but he does the best he can. My children bring me more joy and more heartache than I ever knew was possible. Being a wife is hard. Being a mom is even harder. I don't always react the way I should. I don't always have all the answers. I don't always show the love I have in my heart. But I hope, at the end of the day, they know how hard I try!

I have a hard time opening up. I have a hard time trusting. I allow people to get to me more than I let on. I worry about things I have no control over.

I'm NOT the person I used to be. I'm not perfect. I fall every single day. I'm no where near where I need to be, but I'm a lot farther down the road from where I once was.

Satan isn't happy with who I aspire to be. He isn't happy with who God wants be to be. He knows he no longer has me, but he wants me so beaten down that I'm no good to anyone.

I have no clue what God has in store for my life. I'm not sure why He entrusted me with all these blessings that love me. But I do know that His word says in Jerimiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil".

So yes, I'm tired!! And I intend to rely on God to help me fix it!

A Beautiful White Change of Pace

Yet again, here in NC we are experiencing snow. Not the Snow-Mageddon or the Snowpocalypse that we experienced last year, but just enough to sled on.

The first flakes of the season hit last week just as the kids were coming off of a long weekend and the frigid temps allowed it to hang around for a few days. Then after one day back to school with a 2 hour delay, we awoke to an unexpected "dusting" that produced several inches and 2 more days out of school. Now we are staring at the possibility of another storm that will shut down the world the rest of the week.

I read Facebook & can't help but laugh. Some are excited, some are disgusted, some are angry, & some are begging for a change. We sure are a fickle lot! NO ONE is ever happy!

I get it, I really do. The snow is fun for a little while, but it does tend to throw things helter skelter. And we sure do like things to go according to plan.

Now don't get me wrong, my kids have gotten on my nerves more than once, I have washed & dried & dried & dried about 3 times as much laundry, my floors are a mess, I have towels lining the entryways, & we are out of snacks...again. But for the most part I have thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful mess.

You see since this summer we have been none stop! Between Justin, Austin, & Makenize, we literally had football 6 days a week for months! Then we went right into wrestling season with Justin as the high school trainer there too. So again, many weeks, we had wrestling 6 days out of 7. Add to that tutoring & a few clubs for Makenzie, plus church activities and several other things going on, WE HAVE BEEN BUSY!

So last week was very much welcomed at our house. We ate supper at the table more times than we didn't. We cuddled on the couch watching movies. We sledded under the moonlight. We played Monopoly for hours on end. We baked brownies & muffins. ***We also cleaned the house!***

So instead of looking at this upcoming system as a burden & dreading it, look at it through the eyes of your child & take advantage of the time it has created for you! God does try to help us slow down sometimes!

 

Hello Juvenile Delinquent

I have wrestled with whether or not to post this one. Usually I'm an open book, no holds barred type of person. But this subject, while it could easily happen to any one of you, will probably cause lots of talk. So welcome to another edition of my less than perfect life...

As some of you know, there was an "incident" with Austin earlier this month. Now, my oldest isn't a fighter by nature, but he isn't one to back down either...ever. As we are learning, he can certainly hold his own. Long story short: a friend of Austin's started it, Austin finished it, resulting with the friend needing medical attention & glue.

Its never a good day when the school shows up on my caller id. But what started out as dread, turned into full fledged panic with more questions than answers.

Since there was "serious injury", the county, NOT the school or the other family, HAD to press charges. Because of a situation that started out as nothing more than boys being boys, now both of these 12 year old BOYS were being charged with misdemeanor assault!

Great...now I have a juvenile delinquent. At 16, sure maybe, but 12!!!

After the shock wore off, talking to the other family (who we are also friends with), and getting a few more answers, we were able to try to laugh about the whole incredible ordeal.

Even through the jokes, worry still remained. What would the juvenile protection services say, would there be long term repercussions, counseling, community service, worse?

After 10 L O N G days, we finally had our meeting. Since this was his first offense, all went well & the case was dismissed.

I think part of her job is to scare the pants off of kids.

While talking with this woman, we learned so many shocking things.

Did you know that the school refers every case involving fights, weapons, & drugs? EVERY ONE OF THEM! Including 6 year olds who through something across the room!!!

At any given time, there are 250 children (under 16 - because 16 is legally an adult here in NC) in this county on probation! REALLY??!!??!! Is that necessary?!

It shocks me to think that the school no longer wants any part of trying to help children that truly need help. While our case was nothing in the grand scheme of it all, I just can't imagine what some of these families go through just because the powers that be don't want to deal with it.

If my oldest child, who is not, nor ever has been, a saint, gets into another fight, whether he starts it or just defends himself, (which let's face facts, most boys do fight) he will be right back in that office facing stricter consequences.

Its a sad time we live in folks. Children can no longer be children, they can't try to settle things between themselves, they can no longer take up for themselves, without threats of legal action looming over their heads.

Of yeah, and my juvenile delinquent goes to church, plays football, wrestles, makes good grades, plays guitar, rides dirt bikes, & ties bow-ties just for fun!

Goodbye 2014 & Praying for 2015

With the new year upon us, I like to look back on all that transpired during 2014. I can say, with all honesty that we faced things we have never faced before. We experienced new joys, higher highs, & lower lows. Through it all, we are still BLESSED!

2014 brought with it a brand new business, Freedom Fire & Safety, that we are slowly building to its great potential. It brought the best year yet for Blessed Boutique. It brought a new car (finally), parenting struggles, the death of my grandfather, the resignation of a church, a FULLY self employed year (which scares the daylights out of me as tax time gets closer). It brought, not once or twice, but three occasions that brought my mom to church. It brought not one, but two, Super Bowl championships to my children. It brought the opportunity to hear, meet, & shake the hand of one of my favorite singers. It brought new friendships, while others ended. And hopefully, it brought my family closer to each other & to God than ever before.

One of the (many) things that I regret about this past year is the fact that I didn't write nearly as much as I have in the past (only 41 posts in 2014 compared to over 150 in 2013). I just had so many tangled emotions that I felt were best left unsaid at the time. But hopefully 2015 will bring clarity & freedom with it.

We did see 2014 out with a bang & a prayer. We started revival last night at Maple Springs (which will continue through Friday! Come join us!!) then prayed in the New Year at a friend's house. And what New Year's celebration is complete (at least around here) without fireworks & gun shots!

Now a few of my favorite posts from this past year. These have nothing to do with number of views, comments, etc. These are the ones I enjoyed the most, the ones I learned the most from, the ones that moved me to tears.

The one that surprised me the most this year was Weary Mom, I feel You It honestly started out as a venting session. I was so aggravated the day I wrote it, but I had no idea just how many people would need to hear they are not alone!

Another special one was Leaps & Bounds. She's still growing & I'm so thankful for that!

100 Happy Days wasn't one of my favorite "blog posts" but the result of it was. That simple post, that simple decision, brought with it an entire summer of purposefully looking for something EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. to make me smile. Some days, I had several things to share, some days, I struggled to find just one. But I faithfully posted a picture to my Instagram about being happy for 100 days!

I Wonder What He's Thinking reminded me just how similar parenting must be to God trying to direct our paths.

Country Must be Country Wide was special just because it had so many fun memories with it! And I have never been featured on someone's website before!!

And of course, no year would be complete without all the fun adventures of Twinkle the elf. So check out all the insanity that the Elf on the Shelf brings with it.

Finally So I Write tells the dark side of me.

I hope that you enjoyed sharing 2014 with us. My goal is that something I said made you laugh, cry, grow, shake your head, or empathize with not just me, but those around you as well. I pray that 2015 will be your (and my) best year ever!

Love you all!!