Encourage Beauty: The smallest things take up the most room

{Quote by A.A. Milne, Design by IHOD}

Each week in March we want to give you a little inspiration boost for the Encourage Beauty Challenge. This was a quote that I dearly love, and applies so well to what this challenge is all about.

Hilary Rushford also has a favorite quote print to share on Dean Street Society. Its a good one.

I have to pass along a few stories of people joining us in #encouragebeauty.

In just one week I feel like my hope in humanity and the goodness of the human heart was restored through the actions some of you are taking to live this challenge out. So thank you for inspiring me to no end.

Sarah Tucker shared on instagram that she is writing a handwritten note each day to a friend to encourage beauty. 31 friends total in March.

Brittany shared a video that hade me re-thinking the way I approach people. Its the sweetest.

Emily and her family decided to take the next step to raise money for a charity close their heart.

My friend Elise is devoting a facebook status each day to a uplift a different woman in her life that has impacted her for the better.

These are just a few examples, and I can't wait to see what else you all will do.

Thank you for joining Hilary and I in this project to use small deeds to make big change.

Love.

For newcomers, the Encourage Beauty launch post here.

#EncourageBeauty Challenge: The Details

Yesterday Hilary of Dean Street Society & I introduced you to something we're calling #EncourageBeauty. Today we are sharing how you can get involved..

The idea is simple: Print out this calendar (and share if you like!) & commit to encouraging beauty in someone each day this month. Fill in those blanks as you go along, and by the end of the month, you will have uplifted, inspired, and given heart to 31 deserving people. Maybe your commitment will be 31 handwritten notes or 31 sincere emails and phone calls - whichever it is, the goal is to make small and significant change in those around us, which always leads to big change in the world around us. You can even share the completed calendar at the end of the month!

Some ideas to get you going: 
A compliment to a coworker in person // a thoughtful comment on a blog // a handwritten note to an old friend // a message left in lipstick on the mirror for your roommate at 5am. // It can be 11:58pm when you head over to Instagram to pay a stranger a compliment with #EncourageBeauty. There are no rules. There is just generosity & moments to encourage and uplift.

Share your stories all month by leaving comments on our blogs & Instagram profiles. You can also write your own blog posts & add the button to your sidebar. Search #EncourageBeauty to find other bettys who share your heart in this...

Thank you for inspiring these ideas in us & being the kind of community we know shares our heart.

And to close, a reminder from the wise Audrey Hepburn: "People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."

P.S. Here's a recap of your next steps:

1. Print out the calendar & save it somewhere easy to write on. 

2. Print or download the manifesto, part 1 or part 2. Save them in places where you'll see them: Your mirror, your desk, your journal.

3. Share those graphics on social media to invite others to join: Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & your blog. (Use the hashtag #EncourageBeauty so we can see what waves your making!)

4. Write a blog post & install the button on your sidebar (just make sure to link back to this original post to explain the meaning) so your readers can join in with you.

Downloads you might enjoy: Desktop wallpaper | Blog Button | Manifesto Part 1 and 2

IHOD + DEAN STREET SOCIETY INTRODUCE #EncourageBeauty

If I had a dime for every time a friend or stranger was critical of herself in conversation... "I have the worst skin, my hair is such a pain, I just need to lose this belly bulge..." I have a feeling I would be a very rich woman. I am guilty of this myself. Its what we do. Sometimes we believe with truth what we are saying and other times, we have a genuine need for affirmation, and that is how we search for it. It breaks my heart to see the state of confidence in women today...of EVERY age.

{THE ENCOURAGE BEAUTY MANIFESTO (PART 1 OF 2)}

When Hilary approached me about this genius idea to Encourage Beauty in the month of March, I immediately jumped on board and here's why...

The root of the word "encourage" is "to put courage in". You have the ability every day, to put courage in another person. You have the choice to use your words and actions to inspire confidence in everyone you talk to. If you remind a friend that her reflection glows every time she pulls out those jewel toned sweaters, that is what will run through her head the next time she is in her closet deciding what to wear. And because of this extra boost of confidence, she has the courage to turn to the stranger at the check out line and exclaim, "Excuse me, but I just had to tell you that your auburn hair is truly stunning." The compliment may be about her exterior, but it always will encourage interior dignity, which runs far deeper than we can see.

And so this month, Hilary Rushford of Dean Street Society and I will be hosting the #EncourageBeauty Challenge. Hilary is a dear friend I met back in September, and have been inspired by her since. Honestly, she is a blast to follow! You can head over to read her part in this story and the other half of the manifesto!

 We can't wait to share the rest of the details with you tomorrow. But for now, if you're with us in this manifesto & commitment to #EncourageBeauty this March, Pin/Tweet/Facebook/Instagram & help spread the word! We will be sharing your stories. See you tomorrow:)

2013: Intentional Change

{Journal c/o Chronicle Books and can also be found on Amazon}

New Years Day seemed to slam me in the face as I was coming of the high and tailspin of Christmas. I had no resolutions, and honestly, no desire to make them. 2012 really stretched me in many ways and the good change that came from it was not a result of a New Year's resolution, but from either acceptance or action. 

I really want to continue that theme into 2013. A year of intentional change. We have that choice to change ourselves and the world around us for the better by responding to what is given to us. 

I received this journal in the mail from my friend Lorraine over at Chronicle Books yesterday. I like to look at it as providential. I think this is a small way to motivate me to make 2013 a continual resolution to reach higher in every aspect of my life. Not for the sake of fulfilling a resolution, or proving it to myself or others, but because I know my heart desires positive growth in myself, my family, and the world around me. It starts in the small every day decisions.

The journal is filled with inspiring quotes. One of my favorites:

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. WE have only the present. Let us begin." 

~Mother Teresa

 I look forward to sharing some of this intentional change with you:)

Cheers to 2013!

P.S. Can't thank you all enough for all of the warm congrats and sweet messages! It sure makes the anticipation all the more exciting. We anxiously await June 28th!

We have only the present: Tidings of Good Will

I have heard so many stories recently from friends, family, and strangers alike who are going through some really difficult times. Financial strain, loss of a loved one, illness, family problems, etc. There are many who are hurting, and it can especially hit hard during Christmas. This always weighs heavy on my heart, but this year, I resolved to talk less and act more.

What started as a facebook thread expressing this resolution, turned into a surprisingly awe inspiring day for me as I read comments and received emails from readers who have chosen to do something for their neighbors and communities this year. It moved me to tears. Big and small things alike. I am going to share some of them with you here, in hopes it will inspire you as well to do small things with great love this advent season. I am pretty sure BIG things can result because of it.

(photo by my talented sister Angela, quote source ?)

"I'm paying it forward! Every time I go through the drive-thru, paying for the persons behind me & serving a few hours a week." - Amanda

I'm going to get some shoes and possibly a little jacket (it's getting cool here) for the little talibe that is always outside the kids school. I usually give him a few coins every day so he can warn earn his bread but he really needs clothes and shoes  In the US we always do toy drives and volunteer at shelters. The need here is so great it's hard to know where to start. - Ashley

 We want our child(ren) to know what it's like to spend their own "hard-earned" money to buy a gift for a child their age and give it to him/her personally. In return, they will receive something for Christmas on an equal level. - Hannah

(Claudia at the Okinawa-shi is Airen-En Orphanage in Japan)

I live in Japan and the culture that they have towards children with disabilities and/or in need is very secretive. After much CIA style kind of research and networking, I finally got to visit an orphanage. Now I go every other saturday and spend there from 8-12 with a group of volunteers. We teach the kiddos english and we just love them. It is so rewarding, it is indeed a reality check. We have such a blessed life! Giving is the best gift for us!!! - Claudia

All throughout the year, we donate to our food bank and for Christmas, we donate to the Mission - Christmas dinners. They provide the placemats that will be used and we can write a note of encouragement and love on them. - Emily

I got a gift card in the mail, went to Kohl's, and didn't find what I was looking for. I thought about just trying to find something else, but then an idea popped into my mind. I went up to the register and handed it to a lady with two daughters. It was AWESOME to feel the paradox of 'the more you give, the more you have'. - Katy

How about giving someone handmade "gift cards" of ways you can think of to serve them & then making them promise to cash them in before the end of Dec or end of Jan? Like a night of babysitting, a closet clearing partner, a yoga dvd buddy. Things that wouldn't cost much money on your part, just time, & would possibly also lead to more time with that person just in a very intentional way. - Hilary

I have a friend who really felt called to help with the victims of hurricane Sandy that are facing the holiday's with nothing. She did some research and ended up connecting with a parish near the Jersey Shore that has 3 different facilities housing people and is in need of help. My friend (Jessica ) Gutierrez) got a 24 foot truck donated and is working on filling it with supplies which she will herself drive to church on December 14th. -JoAnna

All of these comments have literally made me weep. You are all such a blessing to our cold, tough world. THANK YOU and THANK GOD FOR YOU and for your efforts. You are the true spirit of Christmas. - Christina

(artwork by Lena Hanzel)

So what am I going to do about this?
Having two little ones may limit it me in how or where I can serve, but they are my first project. To love my family, brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors, and friends. Often we are the ones that need the most love, right? 

Hurricane Sandy "Fill the Truck" Project - (thank you to my parish and JoAnna for the heads up!) A woman in our area was inspired to directly help Hurricane Sandy victims on the east coast. She got a 24 foot truck donated she is trying to fill with supplies by Dec. 14th to be taken to a church in New Jersey. It will then be handed to victims in need. I am hoping to rally help for this from friends and neighbors. If you are in the Atlanta area, feel free to email me for more info on the supplies needed.

Handwritten Christmas Notes to Friends - not just a family photo (in fact we aren't even doing those this year), but an old school handmade card with hand written notes to new and old friends alike. (thank you Hilary for the idea!)

Knocking on the doors of neighbors - Its so easy even in the friendly south to go months without seeing or talking to neighbors. I am determined to knock on their door, say hello and bake their way into their hearts. We all need a smile and reminder that we matter.

Giving Tree - There is a tree at our church that was filled with requests from local needy children. Shoes, cribs, socks, coats...I wanted to take them all, but my friends and I were able to get a small bunch of them and shop for what they needed. Sometimes I wish I were rich so I could do things like buy that little giving tree out of stock!

Our Landlord knocked $200 off our rent! It pretty much made our year. What we are going to do with that money? Address the list above. We have a whole list of people we have been wanting to help. God never can be outdone in generosity.

What about you? I would love to hear your ideas. My list is open for growth. These readers above reminded me how much goodness is in humanity. Hope you will join me in spreading Tidings of Good Will this year:)

* If you are doing acts of service in the next few weeks. Tweet with the hashtag #TidingsofGoodWill and you can check out and be encouraged by others doing the same! 

Weekend Inspiration + Fun Links for Your Weekend

(photo source unknown)

"I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it." ~ Audrey Hepburn

I'm learning in baby steps to live for this day alone. Its a gift that could easily be wasted by looking to the past or the future. Its not easy but it sure makes for a better recipe of happiness.

The cool weather hit Atlanta this week so we are heading up to the mountains this weekend for some fall weather fun. Wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

Love, Anna

Fun Links for your Weekend:

Mara interviewed a J.Crew personal stylist and shares some great styling tips.

These colorful jewelry knobs are a fun and easy DIY to jazz up a room, and this new line of jewelry baubles would be perfect for hanging on them.

Megan hosted an end of summer soiree and I am wishing I was her neighbor. Its unreal.

A new blog to watch: West Hawthorne Place. I keep going back for more.

Liz shared some fantastic ways to wear a leather jacket.

Emerson Fry's Fall Collection is Ridiculous. Can't handle how good it is.

This movie trailer brought tears to my eyes. Can't wait to see the whole film.

Radiant Magazine Fall Issue

I have mentioned from time to time about the inspiration magazine I design, called Radiant (more about it here). The fall issue launched this week, and I have to say its my favorite cover yet. The cover was shot by Sheila Sheridan Photography in hot weather! Hats off to the models, huh?!

The fashion spread features fresh color pieces to add to your fall wardrobe (in the issue's color scheme of course;)). We have had a tremendous response since the tv interview, and both Rose and I feel so blessed to be doing what we love for a greater purpose. (The magazine is a Catholic magazine for young girls ages high school, college, and post college that takes current events, moral issues, and stories and makes them reachable to the targeted age.) You can see the full issue here. 

Fun Links for your weekend:

I am going to be trying out these How to Trim your own bangs tips;)

Heidi Merrick's Fall 2012 Collection. Perfect.

I love this simple and so important advice for new mothers on Design for Minikind.

Completely love the styling of this newly discovered shop.

Great gift find of the week: Name plate bracelets.

I am still not quite ready for Fall, but I admit this post got me kind of excited for fall wear.

Lastly, I am cleaning out my closet! I just started a Copious account and selling a bunch of my like new clothes. All just too small or too big for me but in excellent condition:) Will be listing more throughout the weekend! You can check them out here.

Inspiration Feature: Create for Hope

One of the reasons I have loved blogging, is connecting with women like Jessica. Just from the emails we have exchanged I feel like I have met a true gem of a gem. She is on fire and ready to spin off a chain of positive actions for people in need. She exemplifies my favorite motto, "Do small things with great love." (Mother Teresa) Jessica is a stay at home mom who decided to use her passion for helping others by starting Create for Hope. Please take a moment of your day to read the full post and consider helping! It just takes a few willing hands to make a big difference right? As Jessica said, "It is time to act, to inspire, to lift, and create, in order to instill a little hope in those that need it most."

You can read the full story of how Jessica started Create for hope here. Using a little creativity for the good of others, here is how you can help...

The first organization Create for Hope is helping: Sylvia's Children, which was created in 2003 after Sylvia went on a humanitarian trip to Uganda. While she was there, she was asked by the head of the Mbiriizi Primary School, to be the school’s Grandmother. With 1,000 children in the school, (of which 250 are orphans due to the AIDS crisis), she was honored to accept the responsibility. Out of this Sylvia’s Children was born, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to improving the lives of her ‘grandchildren'; to give the children a fighting chance - through education. Their goal is to make the school totally self-sustaining so they can take this model and apply it elsewhere. They've built: a boys dormitory, an addition to girls dormitory, a well for fresh water, three new double classroom blocks, a new library, a building for corn milling, a playground in memory of Kasozi Moses Ten unit, teacher's housing, and a sewing business. To see more photos, and read the full story, visit the blog.

The Goal: Create and send 1050 drawstring backpacks for the students of the organization. This only takes beginner sewing skills! Easy instructions and downloadable file here. Backpacks for all these beautiful smiles! (I remember how proud I was of my first backpack:)) If you don't think you can make a backpack, at least consider sharing Create for Hope on Facebook, Twitter, or Blog post. Email or call a friend and rally some able hands. Have a movie party with the supplies there to work while you watch! Action will affect these lives much more than our words ever will:) 

Check out Jessica's brand new venture, Create for Hope! :

...................................................

Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Real Talk Over Coffee: Victoria's Sacred

Hi friends, I am so very excited to start this new series on IHOD, because I feel as women, we seek to be encouraged and uplifted by each other. This series will cover many topics and experiences, and I hope it will inspire and uplift your spirit. I don't guaranty you will always agree with what I say or what my guest posters write, but I do hope on the most part this series can become one you look forward to reading every Saturday with your cup of coffee (I have mine in hand)!

Let me introduce you to Elizabeth, who writes over here. My sister is a friend of hers so when she shared this post, I read it mouth agape and glued to the screen. I identified with it. I think you will to. I took excerpts from the full post, so take a moment to read and leave your thoughts!

(image via here. Trying to track down the source.)

"It was a night in the Fall and my Facebook newsfeed was blowing up, as it tends to do, when there is some important sporting event or national crisis or holiday taking place. But the guys and girls weren’t posting about their favorite team or what they were eating for Thanksgiving. For guys, the statuses went something like this:

Dude…

And the girls, like this:

…Never looking in the mirror again.

My Facebook friends were watching the Annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

I’ve only seen a snippet of it, but the part I saw included an interview with one of the “angels” (what they call the lingerie models.) She spoke about dreams and following them and how any girl can be whatever she wants to be if she just believes, etc. and generally, this seemed to be a large part of the feel of the show. Building self-confidence. Empowering women. And while it may empower the models in some ways, we can’t help but notice that it does quite the opposite to most of the female viewers. Again, you need only look at the Facebook statuses. Most girls and women I know who see a Victoria’s Secret model think not, oh that’s so empowering, I feel better about myself, but instead, oh wow, I’m so ugly. She’s so hot. How can I ever look like her?

..Often the answers involve some sort of reason for why the models aren’t really that great so that we can feel better about ourselves.. 

Some will answer the problem with the classic “every girl is beautiful” concept. Dove does this in many of their ads by taking “regular women” (makeup-less, different shapes and sizes) and having them model in underwear. But while many of us may feel comparatively better about ourselves because of this type of campaign, it doesn’t seem to be enough. We want to know why we’re beautiful. And we want to know we are beautiful even while standing next to a Victoria’s Secret model.

I am going to suggest that the answer to this problem lies in our recognition of the fact that we are sacred. There was a time when this was commonly accepted. There was a time when a man would kneel down and kiss every woman’s hand because she was a woman. But by the fault of both men and women we have created a culture in which women are either treated as men or as sex objects. Rarely something in between, and too often they are treated as both. Many women don’t like the idea of being labeled because of their womanhood. But the truth is, this labeling is the only way our daughters and sisters and mothers and friends—ourselves—will ever truly feel beautiful. We need to bring back the age-old concept of the woman as sacred. In Part Two, I will address how we go about doing this." -Elizabeth Hannah (You can read part Two here.)

Sunday Mornings

Sunday mornings are cherished to me.

After going to Mass, we always have brunch together. Gabe loves to make breakfast for us or we go get donuts at our favorite local joint. Its followed by a good cup of joe and the Sunday paper. Christmas music will now be added into the mix;) I like to refer to these mornings as my re-fuel mornings. Its all around a great recipe for the soul. 

(You can see the last of the donut crumbs all over little mister's sweater and cheeks.)

I missed our Sunday morning routine terribly yesterday, as we were all out with the flu. Already looking forward to the weekend...

How do you spend your Sunday's??

*The snuggly mug cozy was a gift from my awesome sister-in-law via etsy:) The nail color is a new fave from Butter London.

May is my favorite month....

(photos: 1, 2, 3)

May is my favorite month of the year (October being a close second)..

Why you ask?? ;)

The turn of the seasons is beautiful....new life is on every corner....

Summer is just around the corner...

My teacher hubbs finishes the school year, which feels like I hit summer vacation!

Bike rides, a good read, poolside fun, BBQ's, and so much more....:)

How was your weekend?

As promised, you can head over to the fan page and see a photo of my sister and I in our 20's wear for the murder mystery party. It was such a fun evening!

**I am hosting a giveaway over at Michaela's blog if you want to check it out! :)

Coming soon....1000 Celebration!

Stay tuned...

(photo found via glitter guide, edited by me)

Since I hit some big milestones recently with IHOD blog and shop, I have some pretty cool things coming up for you!.....and you are invited to celebrate with me:) 

How was your Mother's Day weekend?!

I was pretty spoiled yesterday.... I woke up to breakfast cooked by my husband, went to church, and then headed to the zoo with the kids for the afternoon. It was so wonderful to see my little boy react to all the different animals. SO precious. I absolutely love being a mother. It has brought me the greatest joys in life! We finished the day with a little shopping and Margaritas and mexican food. You can say I was one exhausted but happy chica:) Just spending the day with my little family was all I wanted!

What does your inspiration look like?

Do you have a small space or area in your home that displays photos, cards, or color pieces that make you smile? I love getting ideas from Decor8 or Creative Mint of different ways you can create an inspiration board....things that get you inspired or inspire creativity:) It doesn't take much, but when you have visuals around your home to remind you of what you love, it can make a big difference in keeping a positive attitude in your life. My living room is full of pictures of my family and religious art, and my studio room is full of color:)..... and my fridge....loaded with cards and photos! 

What does your inspiration look like??

Hope you all had a Blessed Easter weekend! We are having a food, family, and fun hangover today! It was wonderful to have all of my family together. If only we lived in the same state:( 

Oh, and don't forget to enter the 75$ Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway!

Veronica Rose: Birth Story

I am writing this birth story in hopes that I will be able re-read it several times and remember the moments the day my daughter Veronica Rose was born. Sometimes you are given the grace to take a step back and fully realize the value of that present moment, and how blessed you are to be living it. I have had moments like this on days such as my wedding day, the day my son was born, and days in between in every day life where you feel like you would do anything to just freeze the moment forever! It was the same the day Veronica was born. I haven't been able to comprehend this little miracle of life yet, and maybe I never fully will, but I sure am grateful to God for allowing her to be a part of our family. I am have been eating up these first few precious days of life with her!

Well, as some of you know, this baby had me convinced she was coming early! I was having pre-labor signs three weeks before my due date and was 2cm dilated at my check-up. My guess was that she would be here about a week early. However, little miss was comfortable and content to keep us waiting until the very last minute, and arrived, just like her brother, on her due date! And not without a little prodding. The night before I consulted some friends and family, and tried all the tricks! Pineapple, long walk, hot baths, etc. etc.....well one of them or all of them worked!

That night around 2:15 am, I felt the first hint of a contraction. I wasn't convinced yet, because my son's started so strong. They were really mild and sporadic so I tried to continue to sleep. When I felt they were strong enough to pay attention to, I started timing them....still sporadic- about every 5 min, 10 min, 15min. I realize now though that I was having very light mini ones in between that I should have been counting...oops! I decided to wake hubby up to tell him I thought these were labor contractions, and he was up and ready for game time. He had left for school to get last minute things ready for the sub around 5:15 am. During this time (which was only about 15 minutes) I was running around the house in between contractions getting my son's bag together to be dropped off with my sister and brother-in-law, and trying to remember if I had my toothbrush packed in my hospital bag:) I soon realized, my water was breaking, and this really was it (I know funny it took me a while to be convinced)! Right after that I noticed a big difference in the length and consistency of my contractions. They were coming every few minutes apart! I called my doctor, and told her I was pretty sure I was in full on labor and she directed me to go straight to the hospital. This is where it gets a little crazy!...

My sisters house and the hospital are within a mile of our house. We dropped my son off (who was more than happy to be going to his cousin's house) and I cried as I kissed him goodbye. I knew it was the last kiss I would give him as my baby and before his little world would change. We drove into the ER side of the hospital and at this point the contractions were so strong and close together I had to huff and puff through one before I could walk through the parking lot and hurry into a wheel chair in the ER. They wheeled me right away into a room a little after 6am, put me in one of those hideous gowns, and hooked me up to all those fun wires;) After being checked, I was told I was already 5 cm dilated. They knew I was hoping for the epidural. The IV was hooked up and the epidural was called for......

During the waiting time, minutes seem to be very long periods of time. As I focused in to breathe through each contraction, I asked God for the strength to keep going through the pain. We had rallied prayers from our family and friends on our way to the hospital, and from this point through the end of the delivery, I could really feel them come through for me. Prayer is powerful! My husband (who was my complete hero this day), held my hand and coached me through the contractions as he knew my midwife had done with my first son. He even did the breathing with me, which totally relaxed me. (I asked him later how he knew to do this, and he said he saw a Cosby episode about it!... I about died! So cute!) He was my rock, and once more I was reminded why God made him for me...

My doctor was on her way, and I heard discussions among the nurses that I may be too late for the epidural already. You can imagine how I tried to register these words between contractions!! I didn't have any energy to be angry or emotional, so I just continued to focus and get through the moment. After checking me again, the nurse said I was an 8-9 and 100% effaced.... this girl was coming fast! This was when I had my husband call my sister Maria to hurry on over. We had agreed to call her when I was close so she could take the delivery room photos for me (She is an amazing sister and mama of soon to be 3!).  My wonderful doctor arrived and explained the options to me. She was very encouraging that everything was progressing beautifully and if I chose to continue without trying for an epidural, it should go rather quickly. I was worried that trying to inject a spinal pain med at this point might be more trouble than it was worth since my contractions were so close together. I also was so exhausted at this point, that I just wanted it to be over with, and have my little girl in my arms. I knew I had the strength to go through with the birth without the epidural (again only with the grace of prayers) and I looked at my husband and told him, "I think I can do this." I was given some minor meds to take the edge off of the pain of the contractions and proceeded forth. Yes the pain was unlike anything I had experienced, but it was not quite as horrific as the movies make it seem;) The thing is, you have an adrenaline like no other to get to the end of the battle! I knew I was about to meet my child! So, about 30 minutes later and 10 minutes of pushing, little Veronica Rose entered the world at 8:16 AM. 

Things had not gone according to plan, but I was so thankful for the way it turned out. It was quite an experience. This was the best victory I had every experienced in my life! It was like going through the anguish of a long uphill run and feeling the rush of crossing the finish line, except the joy floods your entire being. You have just been an instrument in bringing a new soul into the world, that God had created. The birth of my son and my daughter, and our children to come will be very different birth stories, but both very important moments in my life, where I feel like I am given a taste of heaven, and seen the face of God. 

“When we see the face of God we shall know that we have always known it. He has been a party to, has made, sustained and moved moment by moment within, all our earthly experiences of innocent love.” C.S. Lewis

Congrats if you made it to the end of this long summary! :)  I am sure those who have had children have many different stories and experiences of birth... natural, c-section, epidural, etc.... and each beautiful in their own way. Would love to hear your stories!

A Celebration of Life: Gratitude with guest Brandi of NYAO

Readers, please welcome Brandi from Not Your Average Ordinary, one of my very favorite people in the blogosphere! She is such an inspiration to follow, and I am so grateful to her for being a guest here! She has graciously written this post while I am away on baby break to continuing the celebration of life week!

The celebration of life begins with your first thought in the morning, an abundance of gratitude that no single sentence could contain, gratitude for all the wonderful things in your life.

I’ve no doubt that for many mothers, the first thing they hear in the morning is a child’s cry or a voice that has found its way into your room, because you are the most comforting thing in the world. You can forget to take that moment of gratitude, especially when all you want are those few extra minutes of sleep.

The celebration happens throughout the day, whether you’re spinning in a field drenched in sunlight…or curled up indoors with a book, watching the rain smear the colors outside and shower the world with diamonds, if briefly.

All you have to do is keep your eyes open, laugh through the hard times, be thankful, and find your ways to turn your misfortunes into opportunities. It’s not always easy to do, but let’s face it: there isn’t a single party or celebration that goes the way you expect it to go. Very often, it’s better.

{first image by Marie Hochhaus, second images by Lieke Romeijn, third image by Bator Horvath}