tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62212913362929347452024-03-05T20:04:51.237-06:00Tales from the Mother HoodWonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.comBlogger318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-13433461714981797432015-05-29T00:00:00.000-05:002015-05-29T00:00:02.157-05:00A Letter to My GraduateDear Morgan,<br />
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I know you never thought you would actually make it to this point. But you have. Today you walk the stage and get your diploma and close this chapter in your life. When we started this journey together four years ago, you struggled with believing that you were smart and capable. I never doubted for a second how smart you were - I could see a bright and talented girl in front of me who just needed to believe in herself. And I was determined that I would make sure that you saw your full potential and would have the confidence that you were so very smart. It took some time - and some frustrations - but along the way, your confidence started to soar. Your grades improved and for once, I could see that you believed in yourself just as much as I believed in you. And you have no idea how happy that made me.<br />
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When we decided to transfer you to Pittsburg halfway through your Freshman year, you never once questioned us. You put on a brave face, but I can still remember how nervous you were that first day as we were getting you registered. You were worried about not knowing anyone and making friends. But I never for one second doubted that you wouldn't fit right in and have a group of friends in no time. People are instantly attracted to your sweet personality, your super soft heart and that beautiful infectious smile. You have always been a leader, never a follower. Your faith and trust in God is inspiring to everyone around you. You don't back down from your convictions and you don't mind being the one standing alone, if that means standing up for what you believe is right. I have never seen you do anything out of peer pressure or to fit in - and I don't know if you truly understand how special and unique that makes you.<br />
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You probably have no idea the impact you have made on my life. When people talk about being beautiful on the inside - that is you through and through. Even though your beautiful beyond words, its who you are, the fiber of your being, that makes you truly beautiful. You radiate compassion and joy. You are authentic in a way that most adults can't even be.<br />
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I know your Senior year is not ending the way you had envisioned. I know this next chapter in life is scary and unknown and overwhelming. But I also know that because of who you are, you will have the strength to overcome all obstacles and end up successful in your life - no matter what. There has never been one moment that I haven't been proud of you. You are such a blessing to me and I love you so much that it sometimes hurts.<br />
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My promise to you is this: I will never give up on you. I will support you in every way I can for as long as you live. I will love you unconditionally and be there for you every step of the way on the journey of your life. I will be your rock and strength when you need it. I will be your shoulder to cry on when you need it. I will be there to make you laugh and encourage you. I will never, ever give up.<br />
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I am so proud of you Morgan. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for your future.<br />
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Love,Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-22816890634250218942015-05-26T00:00:00.000-05:002015-05-26T00:00:02.443-05:00The Infertility Struggle and Becoming A Grandmother<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I never wanted kids. Truly, I didn't. I never had that urge to hold a cooing little baby. I didn't go crazy over other peoples newborns or toddlers. I had my mind made up that I would never have kids.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">But God had other plans for me. He brought David into my life and with him came 4 kids. I never hesitated to take them in, move them in and take on the job of a full time Mom. It never occurred to me to question it or give it much thought. They needed me - and I stepped up to the plate.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">But with David came this feeling - this little gnawing on my brain and heart, that I wanted one of my own. I wanted my own baby. Because I wanted the opportunity to raise a wee one with the man that I love. As much as I love my step-kids, I wanted the experience of raising baby with my husband. Being able to mold it and shape it. Instill my morals and values in him or her. Love it and nurture it. I wanted that! And it went from being a gnawing at my heart into a full fledged 'need.'</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">So, you can imagine my disappointment when after a year of trying, nothing had happened. No baby. No nothing. And so, much to my heartbreak, we had to go to our doctor and find out what exactly was going on. And I can't tell you the anguish I felt when we were told we would not be able to get pregnant without fertility treatment - and even then, nothing was promised.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I was MAD. I was so mad I can't even begin to put it into words here. I was so angry with God. How could He do this to me? It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. I cried and cried and cried - until I couldn't cry anymore. I was resentful - of David and my step-kids. I turned my anger on my husband. How dare he be able to have kids with someone else and to find out WE couldn't have kids. Needless to say, my emotions have run the gamut.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">And so we decided to adopt. We picked an agency, went to the classes, paid our money and were ready to delve into the very lengthy and overwhelming world of getting our affairs in order to prove we could provide a good home to a baby. And I was excited about that. But several months after the initial meetings I started to have this heavy feeling on my heart that now was just not the right time. I didn't say anything to my husband for a while and just prayed on it. But still, I had this uneasy feeling that it was just not the time to move forward. And so I broached the subject with David and we decided to put it off. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">Finally I came to a place of semi-peace with our situation. And we started to think that maybe it was a good thing to not start over. In 4 years we would have a kid free home and still be in our late 30's and would be able to have a life - just the two of us. We've never had a life together minus children in the home, so that would be an amazing experience as well. We started to plan all the things we would do, where we would travel and the hobbies we would take up. I was content. I had faith in God's plan for us. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">Fast forward about a year - and my 18 year old daughter is pregnant. At one time, when I was in the grief of not being able to have a baby, I had this ongoing dialogue with myself that if one of the girls ever ended up pregnant in our home, I would have to walk away. I know that sounds horrible, but if you have never been in the middle of dealing with infertility, you have no idea the emotions that go with it. It's brutal. And I just never thought I could become a Grandmother before I had the chance to have a baby myself. And now I found myself in that exact situation. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">And at first I was fearful. I was afraid I would resent Morgan. That it would all be to painful and bring up all kinds of negative emotions I had tried to put behind me. But the reality is, I'm okay. And I'm going to be okay. I have had a lot of people tell me that this might be the baby I prayed so hard for - just not in the way I had envisioned it. We never know what God has in store. And I don't know if that's true or not, but I do know this - my daughter and my granddaughter are going to need me and I'm going to be there every step of the way. I will be the best damn GiGi I can be. And the good news, hubby and I still can be on our 4 year plan to a life of just us. I do trust in God's plan. I may not always understand it, but I have complete faith in it. I believe the doubt that came with the adoption was for a reason - so that I would be available and ready when my daughter needed me. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">So, all in all, I'm still content and at a place of peace. Even with the teenage pregnancy. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.1000003814697px; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I was given this life because I'm strong enough to live it. </span></span>Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-20140341495613518142015-05-22T00:00:00.000-05:002015-05-22T00:00:06.881-05:00Tough Love Boot CampSo, lets talk about me for a moment, shall we? I am 100% Type A personality. I am a straight up, no question about it, self confessed control freak. And if I ever start to forget, my husband so politely reminds me about 100 times a week.<br />
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So what does that mean? I thrive on structure, order and schedules. I am a chronic list maker. I plan everything. I'm always early. I absolutely loathe surprises or anything thrown at me at the last minute. I need to be in the know on everything that goes on in our house and I normally flip if my husband tells the kids they can do something and doesn't tell me. I'm telling ya'll - I'm basically straight up cray cray.<br />
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So, when I found out that our daughter was 25 weeks pregnant (and didn't hear it from her, by the way), instead of panicking I started preparing. I just went into straight planner mode. I called the doctor. I got her insurance sorted out. I started buying furniture to convert her room into a nursery. I picked up her prescriptions. I reminded her to take her vitamins.<br />
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Are you starting to see a pattern here? And all the time I was doing all of this, this is what 'ol Preggo was doing most of the time.<br />
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It only took me a few weeks to become basically enraged because I was doing everything and she was doing nothing. I think my favorite thing to say during that time was - your pregnant, not paralyzed. But as some of my lovely friends pointed out, '<i>why would she, you're doing everything for her.' </i><br />
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Which brings me to Tough Love Boot Camp. You see guys, I am not going to be raising this baby. My hubby and I said it from the beginning and we have made it quite clear that she is going to be responsible for this new life and we will be here to provide help and support. But I was crippling her. And I saw myself going down a very slippery slope if things didn't change and I didn't force her to start doing all the things that needed to be done... On. Her. Own.<br />
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So, I've started to (try to) cut the cord. I made her go to her last doctors visit on her own (with her boyfriend) and take care of all the insurance stuff. When she text and asked 'have you picked up my prescription yet' I politely replied, 'no, because it's not my prescription.' She has picked up extra hours at work. She is now responsible for cooking dinner several nights a week. It's baby steps. But I know that if I don't show some tough love, she is never going to learn and be able to grown into a responsible and mature Mom. So, I'm trying.<br />
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It is soooo not easy! Sometimes it kills me. And sometimes I think she gets a little pissed off at me. But as my dear Mom said, 'you play, you pay.' I'm not going to let her fail. But I'm going to ensure that she can stand on her own two feet and be a successful woman and Mom. And the only way to do that is with a little tough love boot camp!<br />
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P.S. I do have to admit that when she text me today and asked me to bring her Ravioli to school for lunch - I did it! I mean, c'mon, she is still MY baby!!Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-10805925320171658492015-05-18T00:00:00.000-05:002015-05-18T00:00:08.280-05:00My 5 Step-Mom Truths - How I Actively Parent My Step-Kids and It Works<div>
In case ya'll didn't know, I'm a step-mom. A full time step-mom. We have 4 (3 are at home ages 14, 16 & 18 and one is old enough to be moved out on her own). That means we have our kiddos 365 days a year. That means I do everything from cook, to plan Birthday parties, have parent-teacher conferences, do homework at night, attend all the sports events and more. There is nothing I don't do of 'motherly duties' - I just simply did not give birth to them.</div>
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Here of late I've seen a lot of articles going viral about the 'truths of being a step-mom' and honestly, most of them have really just pissed me off. Apparently there are a lot of angry step-moms out there and a lot of really ugly shared custody situations. And not that I'm playing that down because I don't know that side of step-parenting. I've been blessed to get to raise our 4 with my husband and have very little dealings with their biological mother.</div>
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BUT, I thought I would share my 5 truths of what being a step-mom has been to me. This probably won't go viral, but I think there needs to be another side and perspective out there. Because no two families are alike - no matter if you're a blended family or not. And everyone is handling and dealing with their families and kids in the way that makes sense to them. So some of these articles are really 'irking' me and I've got to put my own truth out there.<br />
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So, here you go:</div>
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1. <strong>No, I'm Not Their Mom, But I'm the Only Mom Roll Model They Have</strong>: This one is such a biggie with me. I know I'm not their mother. I know that kids have a bond with their Mom that will not be usurped by me. And I'm cool with that. But my kids have never had and don't have a role model of what a real Mom should look like. And that's me. And I take that role beyond serious. I'm the one that models for them what a marriage should look like and how parents take care of their children. I'm the one that cheers them on in everything they do and directs their path when they get off course. I'm the one that is molding them to be productive, successful, healthy young adults. And that is what they need in their life right now more than anything. So you're right, I'm not their mother. But I'm the only person they have that is currently acting like one. And they NEED that.</div>
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2. <strong>My Husband and I Parent Together</strong> - A recent article stated that the step-mom should defer to the Father in all areas. Basically, just take a backseat. I will tell you, most days my husband defers to me. He works 70+ hours a week. I work from home (most of the time). I'm the one that takes teacher calls, signs report cards, deals with bad behavior, picks them up from practice - and the list goes on and on. My husband wants me to be an active parent. There are more times than not that I've implemented discipline and then fill him in when he gets home. We are a working parental team. When you have kids 365 days a year, you have to be empowered to act like the parent or you will have nothing but chaos in your home. My husband appreciates that I co-parent with him and our kids treat us both the same when it comes to anything.... they are teenagers with bad attitudes! My husband and I both get the brunt of it. At the end of the day, my kids appreciate that I set boundaries and structure in our home. They feel safe -- and that's what parenting is all about.</div>
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3. <strong>You Don't Have to Be the Evil Step-Mother</strong> - From Day 1 I've been so blessed. God's honest truth, I've never once heard from my kids 'you're not my mother.' I don't bad mouth their biological mother. From the beginning I've done nothing but give guidance, structure, discipline and tons and tons of love and support. And they have blossomed and grown into such amazing kiddos. My husband tells me all the time, 'I don't know where they would be today without you.' And I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, I just want people to understand that I don't treat our kids delicately because I'm their step-mother. I don't hold back on anything. I give them all of me. I don't hold back. And I truly believe for that reason, I've got kids who treat me as an equal to their father.</div>
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4. <strong>Love Your Spouse, Love His Children -</strong> I can't speak for other people and their circumstances, but when I started dating my hubby, I knew it was a full package deal. I didn't date him, I dated him plus 4 kids. And when we moved in together, I knew that my life was going to change dramatically. I didn't kid myself to think that everything would be easy. The first 6 months was the hardest of my life. But I was committed. These kids have been let down so many times in life by women figures, I vowed to myself I wouldn't be the one to do it. I understand why 70% of blended marriages fail. Because it's hard work! You can't go in thinking the love you have for your husband will be enough. Take it from me, it's not. It's a long tough road. But I committed not only to my husband during our vows 'to love him for life' but I made the same commitment to our kids. If you aren't willing to commit to the kids - you may be in the wrong relationship.</div>
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5. <strong>It's Damn Hard Being a Mom</strong> - I don't care if you're a step-mom, bio mom, adopted mom, gay mom, black/white/purple/blue mom.... this stuff is damn hard. We are all struggling with our own situations - and it's getting tougher and tougher to raise kids in today's society. Moms of toddlers. Moms of teens. Moms of infants. You guys, none of it is easy. We should be empowering each other and building a community. I get told more times than you can believe 'well, you're not a real Mom.' And I let it get to me every single time. The truth is, I'm dealing with the same things as the 'real moms' out there. I have moody teens. I have picky eaters. I have sports injuries and runny noses and sore throats. I have teenage heartbreak and rebellion. I'm dealing with the age of technology and trying to keep up to keep my kids safe. It's hard for us all -- we are all fighting the same battles. Why can't we just support one another instead of tearing each other down.</div>
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In the end, I've decided I'm not reading any more 'step-mom' articles, because they don't know me and they don't know our situation. You cannot generalize the role of a step-mom because each blended family is so very unique. We all are finding our own way through what life throws at us.</div>
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<em>I love the family we've created and the story we are creating. And that's all that matters.</em></div>
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Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-47554631263664650602015-05-11T11:34:00.000-05:002015-05-11T11:34:13.855-05:00So, About Mother's DaySo yesterday was Mother's Day. And like most things with the word 'mother' in them, I feel the need to go on a small rant and once again bring to light that so many people are so narrow minded and ignorant when it comes to families in 2015. Yep, sorry, but it has to be said. I was going to just do a Facebook post, but I think there are some points that need to be made here.<br />
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See, last time I checked I didn't know that Mother's Day was a day just for biological parents. But it seems I missed the memo somewhere. I had never thought this, even well before I became a step-parent (and once again, I loathe the word 'step' anything). I thought in the year 2015, with all the different ways we make families - blended, adopted, biological and more - that we could all just celebrate Mother's Day and not have to put any focus on how someone 'became' a Mother.<br />
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So, in case you were confused, here is the definition of Mother:<br />
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It's a Noun. It includes:<br />
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1. a female parent<br />
2. one's female parent<br />
3. a mother-in-law, stepmother or adoptive mother<br />
4. a term of address for a female parent or woman having or regarded having the status, function or authority of a female parent<br />
5. a woman exercising control, influence or authority like that of a mother<br />
6. something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else<br />
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I particularly like #4 and #6.<br />
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You see, I believe that giving birth in no way makes you a Mother. Giving birth has nothing to do with the act of being a Mom to someone. Here's how I know. A biological mother gave birth to some kids years ago but has made the choice to not participate in the act of mothering for over 6+ years. I however, did not give birth to our children, but I made a conscious decision to become a Mom to our kids 4 years ago and I mother them daily. See my point?<br />
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I was spoiled rotten on Mother's Day. My husband and kids celebrate me on this day every year. Because I am the woman in #4 from above. I don't want any kind of special attention because I took on this role in life, I just want people to understand I'm no different than the mother who gave birth and is raising her kiddo. I'm raising MY kiddos. Biology doesn't make a mom, dad, grandma or grandpa. Biology has nothing to do with being a parent.<br />
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Want further proof? Here's an excerpt from the letter I received from my oldest daughter yesterday:<br />
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<i>'There are no words to describe how thankful I am to have you as my Mom, not 'step-mom.' Biology doesn't matter when it comes to us. Biology does not mean that you are not my Mom. </i><br />
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<i>God put you in my life for a reason, and I'm starting to understand why He did. To make my broken family whole again, to make me a better person and to hopefully become and amazing mother one day, just like you. Thank you for that all you've done for me Mom. All that 'behind the scenes' things that I couldn't see and all the love that you have shown me. Thank you for being the loving and caring person you are and thank you for being my Mom when you didn't have to.' </i><br />
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And as I type this and read her sweet words all over again, I am starting to realize one very important thing. It doesn't matter what you or any other people that are not a part of this family think (no offense). What matters is what my kids think. And my super amazing daughter has summed it up best. So, I will leave it at that.<br />
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I will leave it at knowing that I am so truly and abundantly blessed. God hand chose 4 kids for me to raise. And he blessed me beyond measure by doing so. So, Happy Mother's Day to me. And for all you confused people who still don't understand that biology doesn't make you a parent, I'm just sitting here SMDH.<br />
Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-24396387350603018692015-05-03T17:49:00.000-05:002015-05-03T17:58:17.046-05:00An Open Letter to the Parents Who Think It Will Never Happen to ThemDear Moms and Dads Everywhere:<br />
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I know as a parent we want to think that the 'bad things' will never happen to our own kids. We all believe that we have raised them better, taught them better and have a better relationship with them than all the 'other parents' out there. Believe me, I understand this. I was this exact type of Mom up until 3 weeks ago.<br />
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I thought I was doing everything the 'right' way. I have always been very open and honest with our teenagers on all the hot topics - especially sex. Sex is not a taboo topic in our home. I talk about it openly and honestly. See, I was raised in a home where anything related to sex was hush hush. I didn't want to create that type of atmosphere in our home. My belief was if we talked about it openly like it wasn't an embarrassing or 'off limits' topic, we would open up lines of communication and the kids wouldn't be embarrassed to broach these topics or come to us. I have never been under the belief that my teens would abstain from sex, but I thought we had educated, talked about and instilled that with sex comes responsibility and that we were always there to get them what they needed to have protected and responsible sex.<br />
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When our teenagers entered into relationships, we would talk about the physical side of being 'in love' and about making the choice to have sex and what all that meant - emotionally and physically. I was a teenager not so long ago. I remember the feelings that accompanied those first 'love' experiences and how consuming it can be. How I thought my high school sweetheart was 'the one' and we would spend forever together. I also know the reality of that and most times, we don't end up with our 'first loves.' So I would try to convey the reality of those relationships with our children so they could attempt to keep their heads on straight and not make a decision that would affect the rest of their life.<br />
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When my 17 year old daughter became serious with her boyfriend 10 months ago, I had the same conversation with her. Both her and her boyfriend are heavily involved in church and have always been proponents of waiting until marriage. They were the two that people used as examples of how to stand up for your beliefs and live your beliefs out loud each day. But even still, I talked to her about sex. I asked the questions as things got serious between them like, 'have you two talked about sex?' In one of these conversations she told me they had discussed it and maybe wouldn't wait until marriage but didn't feel like now was the right time. I told her, please come to me and talk to me before you guys take that next step. If that's a choice you make, lets do it the right way and be prepared for that step in your relationship. I told her she would never be in trouble if that's what they chose to do, but to keep an open dialogue with me.<br />
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She looked me in the eye and promised me that she would. And I believed her. Because I thought I was doing everything right.<br />
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Fast forward to 3 weeks ago. That's when I learned that what I thought could never happen to our family, has in fact happened.<br />
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My daughter is 27 weeks pregnant and hid it from her father and I for 25 weeks. I am going to be a Grandmother at 35.<br />
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Shocked. Devastated. Hurt. Pissed. I can't even put into words here what I felt at that moment and what I'm feeling right now. All I could keep thinking to myself is, 'how did this happen to us?' Never in a million years did I expect my Senior in high school to be pregnant. Not her - not the athlete and and the girl who lived to go to Wednesday night youth and wanted so badly to do missions work this summer. Not the girl who had plans to play college softball. Not the couple who so vocally for so long stood for waiting until marriage. Not these two. How could it be happening with these two?<br />
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Over the last 3 weeks I keep looking back to the last 10 months and all I can keep asking myself is 'what did I do wrong.' What could I have done to prevent this? Why did my baby girl feel like for 25 weeks she couldn't come to us, who have done nothing but love and support her. Where the hell did we go wrong?<br />
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I've cried. I've been pissed. I have had heart to heart talks with my best friends (who by the way, I would not have survived these 3 weeks without). I've had individuals reach out to me who I never in a million years would have thought would have so many kind words of wisdom for me. And here's what I've figured out.<br />
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There is nothing we could have done differently. And her choice is not a reflection on us as parents.<br />
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Teenagers are teenagers. And at some point, they are going to make decisions, good or bad, based on what they want. We have done our best to instill a value system that we think should guide them through life and decision making, but the reality is, at some point they make decisions based on what they want to do and feel like doing. I've struggled with why she didn't come and talk to me, but no matter how open I hope the lines of communication are, they are still kids and there are things they just don't want to talk to Mom and Dad about. There comes a time when they step out on their own and start to live their life in the way they want to live their life.<br />
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I never thought it would happen to us. But the reality is, it did. We thought we were doing everything right, but the truth is, all we can do as parents is try our very best.<br />
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Where do we go from here, well that's probably another post for another day. I will say we are 100% on board with supporting our daughter and her decision to raise her baby. We will do everything in our power to ensure she gets her higher education and is successful in life for her and her child. Because, at the end of the day, we love our kids, even when they disappoint us. We are moving forward and making the very best out of our situation at hand.<br />
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But, I just want to caution everyone, don't ever say, 'that will never happen to us.' Because you just never know. There is no 'type' of teenager that this happens to. Teenage pregnancy is not an issue that only affects a certain race, socioeconomic status or only happens to 'those' families. It happens and can happen to any of our kids. Teenage pregnancy doesn't result from bad parenting or a lack of parenting. Teen pregnancy happens because they are teens.<br />
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So, for all who think it can never happen to you, I was right there with you 3 weeks ago.<br />
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Love,<br />
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The Momma Who Has Had to Eat Her Words<br />
<br />Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-132311422493031572013-10-28T06:00:00.000-05:002013-10-28T06:00:13.778-05:00Learning to embrace McDonald's and Ramen NoodlesA few weeks back I put a post up on Facebook:<br />
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<b><i>"<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">If I had known 2-1/2 years ago that all I had to do for Derrick to get A's on his tests was to buy him McDonald's - we would have had a lot smoother last 2-1/2 years!</span><span class="userContentSecondary fcg" style="background-color: white; color: #89919c; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"> "</span></i></b><br />
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You see, I didn't know any better 2-1/2 years ago. I had this naive notion that I was going to take 4, half grown children, and change them all overnight. We were going to start eating all our veggies (versus the years of eating mainly fast food), we were going to make straight A's (when our 4th grader was nearly failing the 4th grade), we were going to keep spotless rooms (after never been made to clean up after themselves) and we were going to do it all with a good attitude (yeah right).<br />
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When everything didn't happen just like I wanted, immediately, my first response was always anger. And then frustration. I mean, these were smart children. How could they not understand what it was I wanted and execute those things. For almost a year, we had a nightly war at the dinner table between ourselves and the youngest one over taking one bite (yes, just one bite) of the dinner I had made. Homework brought screaming and tears and fighting - nightly. Cleaning our room was a chore that included my husband physically sitting in the kids room and instructing them on what to do. To say I was flabbergasted by all of it - that's an understatement.<br />
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What the hell was going on here?<br />
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It took a long time (and it's a continuous learning process) for me to understand that: 1. all these changes couldn't take place overnight 2. some things may never change 3. it's all in how you approach the situation.<br />
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The only thing I knew about growing up was how I had grown up. My upbringing was about as opposite as you could get for these kiddos that came into my life. When I first met them, each one told me of their future plans - they were going to stay here in East Texas. They had no college plans or aspirations. No dreams. No goals. And it made me so sad.<br />
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So, I dug in. And what seemed like every day my husband and I would tweak the way we were doing things. We would try different things to see what encouraged them or motivated them. We tried taking things away, we tried giving them monetary incentives, we tried praise and unfortunately, did a lot of yelling along the way. What we learned is that no one way works for all the kids. They are each unique individuals who have their own things that drive them.<br />
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My biggest challenge from the get go has been the youngest one. He is hard headed, stubborn and ornery. Did I mention stubborn? I've learned several things with him. First of all, there is no point in making my entire family miserable at dinnertime each night over him eating the meal I have fixed. 9 times out of 10 these days, after we sit down, he makes himself a bowl of Ramen Noodles, and everyone is happy. It still drives me crazy he won't even try things, but my sanity is worth far more than that child eating a piece of corn. <br />
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The second thing is the right motivators can do wonders. That 4th grader who came into my life almost failing, is now the star student in our house. He has turned into an A/B student, who is so proud to come home and study and to do well in school. Junk food is a motivator for him - sad but true. We keep or eat very little junk food at home, so it's a big treat for him. If he knows he can get a 12 piece nugget meal out of an A on a test, he is all over it. So, it's working well for all of us.<br />
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Maybe most importantly I've learned that everything takes time. We still never have clean rooms, but all 3 of our kids now have big plans for their future. All plan to go on to college - and none of them want to stay anywhere near East Texas. They all have huge dreams and goals now - and that makes me happier than any veggie they could ever eat. This journey has brought us to a place where they finally see a huge value in themselves and know they are capable of doing anything they dare to dream.<br />
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And, if it takes a little McDonald's and Ramen Noodles to get us to that point - I would say that is a pretty good trade off.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-40017462693364266462013-10-21T10:01:00.001-05:002013-10-21T10:01:36.018-05:00No 'You're Not My Mom' Moments HereThursday night we had a football game. Again. We have two kiddos playing football now, so every Thursday is spent at the football field watching our kids - as well as my assorted 'adopted' kiddos (you know the ones who you think of as your own, because they are at your house so much) and Sunday School kiddos. But this particular Thursday, I happened to notice a scene unfolding down at the bottom of the stands. One that probably meant nothing to anyone else sitting there. I'm quite certain I'm the only one that noticed or gave it any thought.<br />
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Standing there was a group of people. I knew the back story to all the players involved. It's a small town. There are no secrets here and everyone knows everyone, not to mention all your business and every mistake you've ever made (oh the joys of living in a small town). There was a young girl (7th grade), her biological father, step-mother and her half brothers and sisters. What caught my eye was how incredibly awkward the whole situation seemed - even to me sitting 10 rows up.<br />
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Dad was talking to daughter, teasing her and joking around with her. But step-mom stood about 3 steps over to the side and didn't interact in any way. The other kiddos didn't interact either. When they all went to go their separate ways, Dad gave daughter a hug and step-mom gave somewhat of a half wave and a forced smile. Now, believe me, I understand this is a small snippet of these peoples lives, but it made me think.<br />
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Our blended family is really special. Really, really special. From day one, I have never had your typical nightmare stories of being a step-parent. I've never had one of the kids yell at me, "you're not my mother" or had any of them pull a "I'm not doing it, you can't tell me what to do" card. Maybe when God gave me 4 kids and made me an overnight Mom, he knew there was only so much one person can handle! But we've been lucky. It's hasn't always been easy, but our family runs like most any other family runs. There is a mom, dad, kids, schedules, ballgames, rules, cleaning, teenage angst and drama, bad attitudes, family game nights and lots of disagreements and lots of love.<br />
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What has made us all work so well together? I can't answer that for you. Unfortunately, it didn't work out well involving our oldest. However, I can tell you, that early on, David told me I had to start acting like a parent. I had to discipline. I had to do all the ugly parts of parenting. That he and I were a team and I had to do my part. And I did. I would like to believe I treat them just like I would my own flesh and blood. I set boundaries, structures and organization. I love them, support them and give them guidance. I listen and love. I've never, in any way, tried to be their Mom. But it helps us a hell of a lot that their biological mom is absent 99% of the time.<br />
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We are just a family. Probably a lot like yours. We are a hot mess most of the time. I have 3 kids in their teenage years - and that my friends, is not easy. But they don't give me any more or less trouble than other kids are giving their biological parents. They are kids. Enough said. I sometimes wonder what will happen or how the dynamic will change if David and I are blessed with having a little one of our own. I like to think that these 3 kids I have at home will be the best brothers and sisters they can be. They often ask when we will be having a baby and have all expressed a wish that we would have one. And that gives me hope that our blended family will continue to be strong and amazing as we continue to grow.<br />
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Some days it's very easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated and think to myself, "why did I take all this on?" But normally, I'm quickly reminded that our life together is pretty awesome compared to so many blended families out there. I have great kids who have never acted ugly towards me for being their 'step' Mom. They are pretty phenomenal kiddos who I'm super proud of. And seeing blended families who don't have what we have just re-enforces to me that we are pretty darn special. And for that I am proud. Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-39751755656272921652013-10-15T06:00:00.000-05:002013-10-15T06:00:00.914-05:00I Need the Goodwill Version of Stitch Fix It's no secret I've been in somewhat of a mid-life mama fashion crisis over the last year. I feel like I went from being this really cute, stylish, skinny gal to - fast forward one year - a frumpy, mom jeans wearing, never happy with myself, Mom. To say I'm not happy with myself is an understatement. And it's crazy - because I've never really found myself in a place like this. And I have more to be grateful for than ever before. I guess it's just the vanity in me. Hey, I'm a work in progress.<br />
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But this past month I got the brilliant idea that I thought would save me from my fashion mini crisis. I kept seeing everywhere about Stitch Fix and people were raving about it. I would see Instagram posts with people exclaiming they had 'kept the whole box.' I thought, 'okay, this is worth a shot.' I truly thought it might be a good way to start building me a new wardrobe for the new me. I understand that I'm in a new place in my life and that my style is changing. And that's okay. But I want to dress to feel beautiful. I thought Stitch Fix was the perfect solution. I was so excited after I filled out my profile and hit submit. I just knew magic was going to arrive in my mailbox.<br />
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One month later my box arrived and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Seriously guys, I was so excited! I opened the box and everything was gorgeous. I did want to keep all the pieces. They were perfect - like they had come straight off my Style Board on Pinterest. And then I looked at the pricing page - and my heart sank. Apparently I missed the disclaimer where you have to be rich to do Stitch Fix. Mind you guys, I was already $20 in - $20 I would lose if I didn't keep something. My favorite thing in the whole box was a gorgeous Aztec print cardigan - a piece I had been wanting! But it was $78. The jeans they sent - $88.<br />
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Now, for all you who 'love it so much I just kept the whole box' - kudos to you. I think it's great you can spend that kind of money on your wardrobe. But I'm a Mom with 3 teenagers at home. I barely spend money on new underwear for myself. So, to have to keep the cheapest thing in the box, which was $48 (just so I wouldn't lose the $20 I had to pay just to get the box), was hard to stomach. And I'm super disappointed in the whole process. Basically I need the Goodwill version of Stitch Fix.<br />
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Now here's the good news (or maybe it's not so good, who knows). I realized that maybe I'm just being a little vain in all of this. I mean, truly, I'm sitting here worried about designer labels and new clothes when I've been blessed with so much more than I deserve (I know, that sounds so cliche). But it's true. Really, how I'm feeling has nothing to do with my clothes (or lack there of), but more about feeling good about me. And that's what I need to be working on - me from the inside out. That doesn't mean I couldn't use some new digs to dress up the outside, but I bet I can rock it out in clothes from Old Navy just as well as $50 shirts from a Stitch Fix box.<br />
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And that friends, is my life lesson learned for the week. So, yes, Stitch Fix totally disappointed me. But I guess in the end, it made me think and re-evaluate some things. So, in that regard, it was a total win.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-30860035925842833202013-09-30T06:00:00.000-05:002015-05-14T12:10:28.473-05:005 Reasons Why Dogs are Better Than KidsYep, you read that title right. We are going to talk about why dogs are better than kids. Now don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but the dogs have been around a lot longer. And before you all gasp and go and get all judgy judgy on me, let me just say, if you are going to take issue with me comparing kids to dogs, just stop reading here. Also, if you're one of those who are going to say, "but kids are a joy like no other" or "you don't know how perfect life is until you push a watermelon out of your vajay and become a real mom", please, for the love of Pete, don't read on. Just seriously, click the x button.<br />
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Now that those people are gone, I'm assuming everyone else here has a sense of humor, so lets begin, shall we?</div>
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1. Dogs don't talk. Really, I believe this one is probably self explanatory. Dogs can't ask me for the one millionth time what time it is. They don't pester me starting at 3:30 on what's for dinner. They don't scream and yell at one another when one borrows the others socks without asking. They don't complain and gripe about, well, about everything. Occasionally they bark at something outside. Maybe a few howls here and there. But during the day, when it's just us at home, it's peace and quiet. </div>
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2. Dogs appreciate the small things. Well, anything really. If only we could all have the joy that my LuLu Belle has by simply going on a car ride. My dogs are happy with a pat on the head, a treat, a walk or just talking baby talk to them. They aren't always asking for something. Just some food and water and they are cool. There is never any "really Mom, I mean, thanks for the dog food, but what I really wanted was steak" They are just happy with what they get. Shouldn't we all be that way?</div>
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3. Dogs don't have homework. Or go to school at all. This means that they sleep in. It also means you don't have to yell and nag at them continuously about studying or getting homework done. There is no progress report or report card to bring home, so that more yelling can ensue. I don't lay awake at night praying they can pass the STARR test and get out of high school. I don't have to lecture the dogs on the importance of grades and education in regards to their future. </div>
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4. Two words - unconditional love. These guys love me no matter what. Even if I do have to yell at one for tearing open the garbage and eating week old food, she's right there with a smile on her face and still loves me. They don't care when I have a bad day. They don't remember when I mess up and bring it up over and over and over again. If I tell them no I don't have to contend with slammed doors and bad attitudes. They don't roll their eyes and I've never heard them utter a bad word. </div>
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5. They have no life, which means, I don't have to live my life according to them. We chill when we want to chill and we go when we want to go. There are no after school practices, games, church events, school activities that rule our schedule. We just do whatever the hell we want - when we want. We aren't slaves to any kind of schedule or calendar. </div>
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I could probably do more than five. I mean, they are great crumb cleaners (truly, our chihuahua gets on the dining room table and licks up the crumbs). They are a security system, as they don't let anyone in the house they don't know. And I never have to tell them to clean their room! </div>
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I mean, look at these faces! </div>
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And in case you were wondering, we have 4 dogs now! Yep, we are those people.</div>
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Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-3163215460453819622013-09-25T08:00:00.000-05:002013-09-25T08:00:03.084-05:00A Little of What We DoIt's been a little over a year since I took the leap of faith and started my own business, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Wonderland and Company</a>. It's been quite a ride. A very exciting ride. I feel extremely blessed to have my own business. We've been pretty successful this first year and I never imagined we would have a business, that was profitable, with a loyal customer base. It truly blows my mind!<br />
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We've taken our retail locations for <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.com/" target="_blank">Plaster Paint</a> from one to 7, in the span of 9 months. And of course, we are in The Arbors at the world famous First Monday Trade Days in Canton. Probably one of our biggest achievements thus far in the journey. We've really concentrated on building our brand, forming a business plan and developed a website. And it's all come together perfectly.<br />
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We really pride ourselves on doing some one of a kind furniture pieces and I wanted to share some of our recent work. We do have a business blog which you can follow along with <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. But my personal life and my work life continuously overlap. So, sometimes I add work stuff here and sometimes the business blog gets some of the personal stuff. </div>
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Here's some of my favorite pieces of late: </div>
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If you want to follow along with Wonderland and Company you can find us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Facebook</a> where we are currently having a giveaway for a Plaster Paint starter kit. Or you can stop by and visit our new website <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Or look for us on Instagram - WonderlandandCompany. </div>
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<br />Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-8620661691182786302013-09-23T15:15:00.000-05:002013-09-23T15:15:50.534-05:00The Big 'I' IssueThere isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the fact that David and I can't get pregnant. That I questions why. That I ask God to please just show us the path we are supposed to take. My emotions run the gamut.<br />
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Some days I'm just overwhelmed with sadness. The smallest thing can set me off. I see a pregnancy announcement pin on Pinterest or another Facebook status post that someone is expecting and I simply just lose it. Other days I'm mad. I am angry with God. What have I done to deserve this? I'm angry with my husband. Why couldn't he have taken better care of himself so we aren't in this situation. I'm pissed at all the women out there having their second or third kids, when I can't even have one.<br />
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All I want in the world is to raise one child with my husband. A child that is our very own. As much as I love my step-children, no matter what I do or how hard I try, they still have a mother. It doesn't matter how absent she is or what she has done, she is still their mother. It doesn't escape me that my husband had 4 children with this woman. He had an experience with her that we may not have the opportunity to have. And it absolutely breaks my heart and sickens me.<br />
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My heart has been with adoption since we found out we won't be able to get pregnant the 'traditional' way. It's truly what I want to do. But they don't make adoption easy. Aside from the money (anywhere between $35,000 to $45,000), we are disqualified from most international programs currently for a number of reasons. We haven't been married long enough or we have to many children living in the home currently. It doesn't matter that we have the means and love to give a child - we don't fall into the set parameters. For domestic adoption, you basically have to be agreeable with a semi-open adoption... which I am not.<br />
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I guess I write this with the hope that someone may have some words of wisdom. Maybe one of you can give me some adoption resources that I have not found or seen. A story from someone who has been where I am. A blog to follow from a family that is or has been through the same struggle.<br />
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I am trying my best to put my faith in God and hand it all over to him. But it's so hard. My heart honestly hurts - it aches. I'm tired of being emotionally exhausted. I'm 33 years old. I don't want to wait 6 years until my youngest step-child is out of the house to start a family with my husband. And I'm scared to death of making the decision to not have a baby and then being resentful the rest of my life.<br />
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I just want some peace. Well, peace and a baby.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-24868604554611300562013-09-14T10:42:00.001-05:002013-09-14T10:42:59.120-05:00Who Makes the 'Mama' RulesI went on a Facebook tirade yesterday that looked like this:<br />
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<b><i>"</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><b><i>What gives anyone - a complete stranger- the right to tell me that I'm not a 'real' Mom and never will be until I have a biological child. Then go on to say that she would never want her children to marry someone with so much 'baggage' and to top it off tell MY MOM she's not a real grandmother and those aren't her real grandkids! Who does this?!?! What gives anyone the right to have an opinion on my life, the choices I've made or how I feel?! Rant over."</i></b> </span></div>
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Two years into this journey of being a full time step-mother and I still have to deal with things like this all the time. It's not always from complete strangers. Sometimes it's from people who were supposed to be 'friends'. Every single time I am faced to hear this utter nonsense spewing from someones mouth, it enrages me. </div>
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Yesterdays encounter went something like this:</div>
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Idiot: So you have kids</div>
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Me: I have 3 full time step-kids at home.</div>
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Idiot: Oh, so you adopted them?</div>
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Me: No, but their mother has no custody or visitation, so they are with us full time. </div>
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Idiot: Well how is that working out for you?</div>
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Me: Great. They are wonderful kids.</div>
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Idiot: I would never want my daughters marrying someone with so much baggage. </div>
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Me: I think of them as my own. </div>
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Idiot: Well they aren't yours. You need to have one of your own. That's the only way to have real kids. It's different. </div>
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Me: We can't have kids. We might adopt though.</div>
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Idiot: That's a horrible idea. They aren't really yours unless they are biological. I would never adopt. You need a real kid. </div>
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This is just a small snippet of a conversation that I go through more times than I want. And you know what's even more sad? I never stick up for myself! I never tell these people off. I never put them in their place. I just let them steal my joy. </div>
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34 comments later on Facebook, I had reassurance that the lady from the above conversation was an idiot, jealous, crazy and one of my favorites, an 'ignorant bitch.' I didn't need anyone to tell me I was doing a good job as a Mom - but I appreciated all the sweet comments. What I really want to know is who is making these rules about what a 'Mom' is? </div>
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I do everything a Mom does. I love them, feed them, clothe them, go to parent/teacher meetings and pick out their Birthday cakes. I doctor their wounds, both physical and emotional. I drop them off every morning with an I love you and have a good day and cook dinner every night so we can sit down as a family and talk about our day. Their 'mother' hasn't done any of the above for at least 4 years or more. But apparently, by society standards, since she pushed them out and gave them life, she gets to be a mother and I do not. Even though she couldn't tell you what size they wear, what their favorite color is, what number they wear on the football field or what their dreams and hopes are. </div>
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I've even had members of my husbands family - people I've never even met - post things on my FB Page telling me how I'm not the kids mom and I need to stop acting as if I was and basically I need to know my place. They were quickly deleted from my friends list and blocked. </div>
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In 2013 are we really still in a place where we can't open our minds to the possibility that it doesn't take biology to parent? That being a mom or dad is so much more than the act of creating life? That parenting is based on action. Why do I have to continue to be attacked by people because I have chosen to love kiddos who need the love and support of a 'mom.' I dedicated myself to showing these kids what a mom is supposed to do and be. So that they can break a cycle and grow up to be loving and supportive parents themselves one day. </div>
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And seriously, who feels the need to berate anyone over the choices they've made in life? And who can give me some advice on how to handle these cray cray's in the future? </div>
Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-63037066281346555412013-08-20T09:00:00.000-05:002013-08-20T09:00:03.284-05:00WTF Happened to Me?!This is a true conversation that took place via text between myself and the person who I am closest to in life (excluding my husband). We are both fairly new mothers, trying to figure out this motherhood thing. And having a lot of issues, questions and 'what the hell' moments along the way.<br />
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Yep, this basically sums it up in a nutshell.<br />
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<b>Her</b>: Why do kids stomp around like elephants? Drives me nuts!<br />
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<b>Me</b>: Lol. Derrick does that. Drives me nuts too!<br />
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<b>Her</b>: And they don't watch where they're going!!!! I have bruises on the back of my heels from being stepped on!!<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I have PMS soooooo bad<br />
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<b>Me</b>: Lol. I have 'if school doesn't start I'm going to kill someone'<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I only have to make it 36 more hours without having a stroke or killing a kid and summer will be over. I'm not sure one of us is going to make it.<br />
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<b>Me</b>: I will trade. I'm back to school clothes shopping with picky teenage boys.<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I've got to start buying some clothes for myself. The last season of 'What Not to Wear' has been taped, so I've lost hope of anyone nominating me. I just don't know where to start. I need everything, but it causes me anxiety to spend money on myself.<br />
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<b>Me</b>: I don't like to spend money on myself either. So I understand. I can't tell you the last time I went in a name brand chain store and bought me new cloths. I shop at Goodwill a lot. lol.<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I'm a hot mess.<br />
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<b>Me</b>: I feel your pain. I got married, gained 20 pounds, no longer wear pants without an elastic waistband. AND I bought granny panties from Walmart last week.<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I wear yoga pants and a sports bra, yet do no yoga nor sports and my granny panties have holes and period stains! I occasionally make hamburger helper and I watch TLC all day while I clean. WTF happened to me???!<br />
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<b>Me</b>: We need to start a blog together where we talk about what life after kids is really like. Not that unicorn and cotton candy bullshit.<br />
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<b>Her:</b> I currently have a sleeve that has been peed on, but haven't bothered to change my shirt!<br />
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<b>Me</b>: What the hell DID happen to us? We used to be young and hip.<br />
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<b>Her</b>: I do know, but I'm taking it back! This is ridiculous, I'm buying myself some clothes on payday! AND (insert hubby's name here) and I are going to have some sex whether we're awake or not!<br />
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And that my friends is what motherhood is really like.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-85221225319212294402013-08-12T09:00:00.000-05:002013-08-12T09:00:07.821-05:005 Things I've LearnedWhen I used to blog all the time (like 4 to 5 days a week), I always randomly did a '5 Things I've Learned.' I'm trying to get back in the swing of blogging. I love to write. Always have. Have I ever mentioned I placed 3rd in State UIL for writing. Yep, that's right, be envious. But why I really love to write is that I love to share. And chronicle this journey I've been on for the last two years. And hopefully, every once in a while, hit on a topic that someone else is facing/dealing with. And let them know they aren't alone. So, I'm going to do 5 of those in one today. Ready?<br />
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1. <b>Being married doesn't feel any different than not being married </b>- Maybe this wasn't the case for you, but it was for David and me. Don't get me wrong, I love being married. But nothing changed. We still have four kids. We still have a mortgage. We still have no time what so ever for ourselves. Life is stressful and challenging. The difference is I get to do it with a new last name. And say I have a 'husband' - which is pretty cool. But honestly, there was no 'honeymoon period' for us. We went on a honeymoon, came home and life went right back to normal. No magical movie first year for us.<br />
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2.<b> Sometimes you just have to let them go</b> - I don't know who it is for you, but for us it's our oldest child. 18 and just graduated from high school - ready to take on the world and giving us nothing but grief (lots and lots and lots of grief) in the process. We finally had to give an ultimatum - and she moved out. Mind you, we gave more chances than Dr. Phil would probably advise! But we knew that there is a point when you just have to let go and let them figure it out on their own. It wasn't easy. And we have no idea how it will play out in the future. But currently she has chose to not be a part of our family and as much as it breaks hearts, it was a hard decision that had to be made.<br />
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3.<b> Parents who monitor their children's social media are in the minority</b> - Maybe you're a parent who is not to this point yet. However, I have ages 12, 14 and 16 at home. I'm one of those crazy moms. I monitor everything. If I see someone use a cuss word on one of the kids pages, I'm that lady who gets on and comments, "this is David's step-mom. Could you please refrain from cursing on his page because I don't appreciate it.' Yes, this mortifies my kids. But this is what I really want to say, 'hey you trashy little 14 year old girl - where are your parents and why do you think it's attractive to talk like that?' Yes, it's the girls - more and more - with filthy, filthy mouths. In 7th grade we were dealing with girls sending 'naked' pictures to our son. Instagram is full of kids drinking, flipping off the camera, showing off body parts that should be covered. Where are their parents??!! Please, I beg of you - be a crazy Mom like me. These kids have no idea how this could negatively affect them in the future.<br />
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4.<b> My family is average</b> - Sitting in our youth pastor's office the other night, verbal vomit spilled from my mouth. The 18 year old moving out. Issues with the 16 year old dealing with grief. My mouthy, disrespectful 12 year old. He was getting all our dirty laundry. I then looked at him and said, 'I know, we are a hot mess.' And you know how he replied, 'you sound like the average family to me.' What? Really? You don't know how good that made me feel! You mean, what we are dealing with is normal? Sometimes we feel so alone in our struggles and battles. I look around and everyone else's life seems so 'perfect.' It was a huge weight lifted to know that we aren't alone.<br />
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5. <b>I suck at teaching Sunday School </b>- My husband and I started up and started teaching Jr High Sunday School several months ago. It was my idea. Something that I felt had been placed on my heart. And I just drug David along. Ends up, our entire class is male. And I suck at teaching them. David is so much better at it. And I never give anyone credit for doing something better than me. That's the control freak in me. But he is so good with that group of boys. And that makes me so proud of him. So, I'm his trusty sidekick and he's our fearless leader. And we make a pretty awesome team.<br />
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What have you learned lately?Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-10856291785158597392013-08-05T09:00:00.000-05:002013-08-05T09:00:06.865-05:00When The Unexpected Offers Inspiration There is this amazing young woman in my life. She inspires me on a daily basis - and she probably has no idea the impact she has on my life. When people talk about being 'beautiful on the inside' - that is her. She is drop dead gorgeous, but it's who she is, the fiber of her being, that makes her truly beautiful. And she has no idea.<br />
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She has a faith at 16 years old that I don't even begin to have at 33. Last week her youth director told us that she is 'favored by God.' What he meant was that she has a profound impact on everyone she comes into contact with. Just by being true to who she is, she touches and changes peoples lives.<br />
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She's not pretentious. She doesn't push her beliefs off on you. But she lives her faith out loud every single day. How many of us can say the same thing? A year ago she told us that all she wanted for her 16th Birthday was to be baptized. And I cried tears of joy the day that came and I stood there with my hand on her shoulder as she made an outward pledge of her inner commitment.<br />
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Just two months ago she lost one of her best friends to a senseless car accident. An accident that could have easily been avoided. On a morning when everyone in the car should have been at school. And when so many people turn from God in such trying moments, this girl's faith grew. She never wavered. Her trust in God only grew stronger.<br />
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On the field, in the high school hallways, in youth group - this lady is a true leader. She is someone who people look up to. She has never compromised her morals or values to be part of any group or to 'fit in.' She is naturally popular - because people are drawn to her. Because she radiates compassion, joy, laughter and is 100% genuine.<br />
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When I first met her two years ago, I never in a million years dreamed she would have had such an impact on my life. I look to her for inspiration. I watch how she walks in her faith every day and it makes me want to be a better person. I want to be a better person for her - because she deserves that. She is one of the biggest blessings in my life and I'm proud to call her my step-daughter (but normally I drop the step, because in my heart she's my daughter).<br />
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<br />Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-34613806349081173882013-07-30T08:00:00.000-05:002013-07-30T08:00:05.254-05:00Fashion? And Where Did 20 Pounds Come From?I've been married a little over a year now. Back when I was engaged, people would joke about getting married, getting comfortable, gaining weight and 'letting yourself go.' To which I always said, 'apparently you don't know me. I would never let that happen.' You see, prior to David (and even in the time leading up to our marriage) I was a pretty put together, size 4, girl. I may not have been a fashion blogger, but I was put together and looking cute every time I stepped out of the house. I made it a fact to be 'on point' when we went to any event - open house, softball game or business event.<br />
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Fast forward a year. I've gained... weight for it... twenty pounds. And I have no clue how it happened! I went from a size 4 to a size - well, you can figure it out. And I'm not going to lie... I'm not happy about it. I could give you a bunch of crap about loving myself and being happy with me. But the truth is, I hate me right now. Fashion? I'm lucky if I get out of my yoga pants and t-shirt. Nothing fits. And, until recently, I refused to buy bigger pants. I kept believing one morning I would wake up and magically be a size 4 again. It hasn't happened yet. Even when I get 'dressed up' I don't feel good about me. I feel like a giant Oompa Loompa.<br />
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I finally broke down last weekend and went to look for new jeans at Goodwill. Yes, Goodwill. Because I refused to pay $40+ per pair of jeans in a size... well you know. And I found 4 pairs of jeans that my husband lovingly refers to as 'mom jeans.' Hello? Mom jeans? When did this happen? I'm 33! I'm not my mother! I'm not ready for the elastic band pants yet. But, lets face the cold hard facts. I've turned in my skinny jeans for Mom jeans. And I'm just not okay with it.<br />
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I understand that I'm now a mom to 4, but that doesn't make any of this any better. Okay, so now is the part where someone is saying, 'well Amanda, if you're not happy do something about it.' To which I say, 'nah nah nah nah - I'm not listening.' I loathe working out. I already eat pretty healthy. I am doing more physically since starting my own business than I ever did before. Isn't that good enough?<br />
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I keep telling myself it's okay. I'm happy (fat and happy). That I'm entering a new stage in my life. I just have to find a new style that works for me and makes me feel beautiful. But tell that to the size 4 that keeps glaring at me from the mirror every time I look in it.<br />
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Please tell me I'm not the only Mom that has had a fashion crisis, gained weight and is having an identity crisis? Come on ladies - come clean. Because this size... well you know... is needing to know I'm not alone!Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-28336202724182513322013-05-28T14:17:00.000-05:002013-05-28T14:17:06.703-05:00Project 'B' I never wanted kids. Truly, I didn't. I never had that urge to hold a cooing little baby. I didn't go crazy over other peoples newborns or toddlers. I had my mind made up that I would never have kids.<br />
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But God had other plans for me. He brought David into my life and with him came 4 kids. I never hesitated to take them in, move them in and take on the job of a full time Mom. It never occurred to me to question it or give it much thought. They needed me - and I stepped up to the plate.<br />
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But with David came this feeling - this little gnawing on my brain and heart, that I wanted one of my own. I wanted my own baby. Because I wanted the opportunity to raise a wee one with the man that I love. As much as I love my step-kids, it's not the same as raising one from a baby. Being able to mold it and shape it. Instill my morals and values in him or her. Love it and nurture it and mold it. I wanted that! And it went from being a gnawing at my heart into a full fledged 'need.'<br />
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So, you can imagine my disappointment when after a year of trying, nothing had happened. No baby. No nothing. And so, much to my heartbreak, we had to go to our doctor and find out what exactly was going on. And I can't tell you the anguish I felt when we were told we would not be able to get pregnant without fertility treatment - and even then, nothing was promised.<br />
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I was MAD. I was so mad I can't even begin to put it into words here. I was so angry with God. How could He do this to me? It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. I cried and cried and cried - until I couldn't cry anymore. I was resentful - of David and my step-kids. I turned my anger on my husband. How dare he be able to have kids with someone else and to find out WE couldn't have kids. Needless to say, my emotions have run the gamut.<br />
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I decided from the get go that fertility treatment wasn't for me. I couldn't imagine the pain of getting my hopes up, just to be disappointed. The money we would spend with no promise of a positive end result. I know myself - and I knew that fertility treatments would wreak havoc on my marriage, our home life and any normalcy we have as a family. I just knew - in my heart - that fertility wasn't the road for us.<br />
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But adoption is. And that's where we are in our journey. David and I made the steps over the weekend to narrow down what country we may want to adopt from and contacted some agencies. I talked to some representatives and have started to get an idea of what this will entail. This option won't be easy either. But in my heart of hearts, I know that IF we decide to have a child together, that adoption is the option for us.<br />
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We have a SR in high school currently - she graduates next week. We won't do anything until we get her to college and settled in September. And then we will start making some serious decisions. Our main obstacle at this point is money. The estimated cost for inter-country adoption is upwards of $27,000. If anyone has ideas or has been through this - I would love to talk to you. We are looking at the Ethiopia program.<br />
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I don't know what will happen over the next year. I do know that I'm praying about it fervently. I know that the thought of bringing home my new baby (or toddler) gives me so much hope and is an overwhelming (in a good way) thought. But I also know that God often times has a different plan for us. So, we will see where this path leads us.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-43810793025469673872013-05-23T09:11:00.000-05:002015-05-14T11:06:53.576-05:00Keeping It Real {Our Family Life}I have to keep it real.<br />
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There are days I absolutely just want to give up. Run away. Get in the car and drive until I can drive no more.<br />
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Not because I hate my life. Or I don't love my husband. It's not that I dislike my kiddos. It's just that life gets really hard sometimes. There are days I go to bed and pray that God just give me the strength to get through another day.<br />
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We have four kids (ages 14, 16, 18 and 20). That in itself is a challenge. I own and run a business (that takes up a lot of time). We have activities that keep us away from home almost every night. We are out of town most every weekend with select baseball. The list goes on and on.<br />
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I'm not writing this as an attempt to whine. On the contrary. I write it because I get so sick and tired of seeing everyone around me (online and in real life) that act like they have the perfect life. I hate looking from the outside in on other families and saying to myself, "why are we not like that?" That Mom who posts on Facebook, "the first day of summer is my favorite because I get to spend every day with my kids." When all I can think is, "holy hell, how are we going to make it through summer?"<br />
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Am I missing something? Am I the only person in the world who doesn't want my kids glued to my side every second of the day? Sometimes my husband drives me crazy. There are days I just want to pull the covers up over my head and stay in bed. I'm far from perfect - but why does that have to make me feel like a bad person/Mom/Wife?<br />
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One of the main reasons I stopped blogging regularly and got out of the whole 'blogging scene' is because it truly made me start to feel bad about myself. I got so burnt out on looking at all these picture perfect lives and outfits and businesses - and then constantly comparing myself to them. So, I just took myself out of it.<br />
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I would like to think that our life is normal. We have fantastic days, good days and horrible days. There are days when we all get along and there are days we are all ready to rip each others hair out. We have good grades and we have failing grades. We make good decisions and we make poor decisions. But at the end of the day, we love each other - no matter what.<br />
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Life is not always unicorns and butterflies. More days than not, we have conflict, drama and some sort of issue. And I'm okay with saying that. This is who we are - and that's keeping it real.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-74797348141683445672013-04-24T11:36:00.001-05:002013-04-24T11:36:35.212-05:00A little of this - a little of thatWow.<br />
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That's all I really can say these days. My life is a whirl wind. If someone would have told me two years ago I would be married, have four kids and be running my own business that is actually turning a profit the first year - I would have told you 'you're nuts.'<br />
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But that's exactly where I am.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Wonderland and Company</a> has taken off like wild fire. After starting the business back in August with my Mom and opening our Etsy shop, a lot of things have happened.<br />
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<li>We took on my Aunt as a 3rd business partner, making this a true family owned and operated business</li>
<li>We became vendors at First Monday Trade Days in Canton and received a permanent spot in one of the more prestigious buildings - Arbors II</li>
<li>We became the first Texas retailer and only online retailer of Plaster Paint by The Plaster Paint Company</li>
<li>I have opened up 4 more locations (other than Canton) where we are solely selling the paint and are currently scouting our 6th and 7th location</li>
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And all of this in the span of less than a year. It's crazy to even wrap my brain around it! And in the meantime, we are still buying and selling vintage and re-finishing furniture (using our Plaster Paint of course)! Add to that being a full time Mom and Wife and I'm feeling like patting myself on the back!<br />
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Plaster Paint wasn't our first idea when we decided to start this business - but boy do we love the product! With the chalk paint craze sweeping the nation, it's a great business to be in. Our product is just like some of the other brands out there you probably have heard of - but ours is a much cheaper option. It's also a Made in the USA product, water based, no VOCs and 100% Green. We offer over 25 colors in 4 different sizes.<br />
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And the best part is that we are one of the only online retailers for it, so no matter where you live we can get it to you through our <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a>. I've also started a second blog that is solely dedicated to DIYs and projects using our paint and is business focused. I invite you to stop by <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">THERE</a> as we build our fan base and continue to grow our new business. And I would love to start working on some guest posts and doing giveaways - so if you have a blog and are interested, hit me up! I'm back in the blogging world and ready to hit the ground running again (I feel like all I do is run anymore).</div>
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It's hard to believe in July I will have been married a year! I have a SR in high school that will be graduating in June. And our Sophomore just went to her first Prom! My gosh, how time flies!<br />
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Life is good. And I am feeling so very blessed. I hope to keep up both my personal blog and business blog on a regular basis moving forward. Just from the time spent writing this - I feel like I'm back connected with the real world again! I hope all of you will come along with us for the ride!<br />
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It still seems so surreal that I quit my day job and started my own corporation! But I'm trying to savor and enjoy every minute of it! </div>
Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-48070629855291811582012-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:002012-12-14T09:00:12.859-06:00Living on a PrayerI pray A LOT.<br />
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Like a million times a day (well, at least it feels like a million). <br />
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Prayer is sometimes the only thing that keeps me going and gets me through. When I'm on the verge of a total Mommy meltdown, a quick prayer gives me a little bit of calm and gets me centered. <br />
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I'm not an over the top religious type. We go to church on Sunday. Pray before dinner. I read my morning devotional. But I fail daily at living a good Christian life. And that's okay. Because I'm not perfect. <br />
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But I never waiver in my practice of praying. I pray for everything. For my husband, my kids, stability, our friends, our world. I offer prayers of Thanksgiving for our many blessings. I pray more times than not that God will help me to be a better wife, mother and role model. <br />
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There is no situation I don't take to God. Our finances? You bet. The way I just handled a situation with one of our kids. Sure. My feelings of failure and inadequacy? All the time. Because if I can't tell God and ask for help, than who can I tell?<br />
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And you know what never ceases to amaze me? The fact that He hears me and answers my prayers. However, he rarely answers them in the way that I had envisioned in my head. More times than not it takes a few days for me to even realize it's a prayer answered. That God, he's a tricky one. And he answers our call for help the way he sees fit - not always the way we do. And he's always right. In the end, it always makes sense. And all I can do is chuckle to myself, shake my head and marvel at how a little faith and a few words go a long way. <br />
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So, I'm not really sure if that's what Bon Jovi had in mind when he recorded 'Living on a Prayer.' But this girl right here lives each day by prayer. It's what keeps me going on the rough days. It reminds me to count my many, many blessings. And most importantly, it's probably kept me from about a million 'Mommy Dearest' moments! Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-29338105665590284142012-12-12T09:00:00.000-06:002012-12-12T09:00:10.388-06:00Let's Catch Up Whew. Life has become a whirlwind. I have started wearing so many hats and juggling so many different things - I kind of lost me along the way.<br />
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Let's recap:<br />
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-Wife<br />
-Mom<br />
-New Company Owner<br />
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It's a lot. Sometimes I get so frustrated and overwhelmed, I lose all motivation to do anything. And then I remembered - I have to continue to do something for me. And blogging has always been about me. So, here I am. <br />
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In the last 4 months I quit my day job and started my own corporation with my Mom - Wonderland and Company. We have successfully opened our <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy shop</a> and are seeing a lot of success - which delights us to no end. <br />
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We also became the first and only Texas retailer of a fabulous new DIY product that we are taking to Canton Trade Days. It's called <a href="http://www.theplasterpaintco.com/" target="_blank">Get Plastered by The Plaster Paint Company</a>. It's a paint that allows you do re-finish most anything with no stripping, priming or sanding. And it's waaaay cheaper than some of the other similar products out there and even more importantly, it's made in the USA. <br />
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We also set up a booth at a local antique/craft mall, sent in our application to Canton and did our very first craft show! And happy to say, it was a success. We actually made money after we paid all our expenses. So life is good! We got a new workshop built at my home so that I have a dedicated workspace to get all my endeavors accomplished!<br />
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But I've been feeling like I'm still missing something. And I think that's a place for my voice to be heard. A place of like minded, supportive and super creative and talented people. That place is my blog. <br />
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This time I'm not going to track my stats. I'm not going to keep up with how many followers I have. I'm simply going to do what I love - write. And talk about my life, family, failures, successes and everything in between. This time I'm not going to worry about what makes anyone else happy, simply what makes me happy. The good thing is, I've finally found my place in the world. I'm doing something I absolutely love. I don't need to be a big time blogger to be a success. <br />
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I'm a success already - at least I think so! Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-69280999375513534142012-09-26T12:14:00.000-05:002012-09-26T12:14:43.281-05:00We're Halfway There First of all, I've been down for two days with a staph infection - again! The doctor has no idea why I'm getting them or how we can prevent it. The good news is, I don't have to feel bad for missing work and can still get things accomplished propped up in my bed while I rest. One of the perks of having your own business.<br />
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When Mom and I started this venture, my mother was determined that we would start out with a 100 item inventory on Etsy. After the first day of photographing and listing, she saw that this would be no easy task! It's time consuming. We do a ton of research on every piece. I photograph and upload and publish. I told her I though we would be doing good if we could get 10 new things a week added and aim to get to 100.<br />
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Today I added item number 52:<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/110519700/vintage-re-purposed-red-wooden-tray" target="_blank">Vintage Re-purposed Red Wooden Tray Chalkboard</a></div>
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So friends, this puts us halfway to the 100 goal. I'm feeling pretty happy right now. We opened our <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Wonderland and Company Etsy Shop</a> shop on September 7. So we are less than a month in. We have had 8 shop sales so far - one being on the first day we were open. We are very content with this for right now. Because our furniture is selling locally too! And, we are offering our services as vintage item locator's and have had success with this already as well! </div>
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Folks, life is good right now. </div>
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This weekend I'm looking forward to starting on re-purposing and re-finishing some of our larger furniture. I can't wait to share before and after pictures with you. And we are having a girls trip to Canton Trade Days. That's always something to look forward to. </div>
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So, we're halfway there to one of our goals. We still have a lot more to accomplish, but we're feeling really blessed with where we are at! </div>
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If you want to see more of our inventory, stop by and browse at <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.etsy.com/" target="_blank">the shop</a> or head on over to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a> and 'like us.' We would love to have you.Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-29104815877971440702012-09-24T00:01:00.000-05:002012-09-24T00:01:00.146-05:00Sometimes the plan changesFirst of all, can I just say I love having hot spot Internet! Why I didn't do this forever ago, I'm not sure. Bu as I type this we are headed down the highway at 70 miles per hour on our way to a baseball tournament. Nothing like multi-tasking when you have an hour drive ahead of you! Now, if I had only remembered my ear buds so I could also watch some Doctor Who!<br />
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I mentioned a couple of posts back that my Mom and I have started our own business <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Wonderland and Company</a>. It was super scary to turn in my notice and quit my day job, but I knew in order to really chase my dreams and be a success, I had to take a leap out on faith. And leap we did! Our original plan was to simply start with an Etsy shop and buy inventory that we could sell and ship on Etsy. And then we had a 6 month plan to get setup to sell monthly at Canton Trade Days. We were thinking baby steps. We started off doing just that, hitting up estate sales and finding vintage treasures that we felt comfortable shipping.<br />
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However, living in a small town (population 4,500) word spreads fast about anything. And word got out pretty quick that Mom and I had formed our own corporation and were now in the vintage re-sale business.One morning I get a phone call from someone I know about a mutual acquaintance who had a house with the contents for sale. And apparently the contents were vintage treasures and he was at the house right now if I hurried. So, I did just that. I jumped in the car and showed up at the house, unannounced, to see what he had. And boy, were there some treasures. The house was originally built in the 1930s. The same owners for the entire duration. And the stuff inside looked like it was straight from a museum - pieces in pristine condition that looked as if it had never been touched. The owner wanted to sale the entire contents to one person. He was not interested in having an estate sale or piecing it out himself. I told him I would have an answer to him that next day.<br />
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To say I was excited is an understatement. I felt like this opportunity had just been handed to me and for a reason. So, I called a Wonderland and Company meeting that evening to discuss the opportunity. Mind you, this was a 3 bedroom, two bath house with two living areas, a formal dining room and a kitchen with eat in area. This went far beyond just purchasing items we could sell on Etsy. This would give us Etsy inventory for a while and then throw us into a whole new realm of vintage furniture.<br />
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We met. We discussed. We came up with a price we felt comfortable offering for the whole lot. And the next morning I met with the owner to make my first true blue business deal and negotiation. And I walked away the owner of the contents of that house! It felt so good. I got it for the price I wanted and now we really had the inventory to be considered 'serious.' There are no words to describe the feeling of success when it comes to your own business and negotiating a deal that directly affects you and your success and future. I was so proud of me!<br />
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So, here we are about 3 weeks later and the house is almost completely cleared out (thank goodness we have until October to get it all done). We've already sold a lot of the furniture pieces and the rest will be stored for our Christmas show in November and Canton. I will not lie, it has been hard work sorting through, packing up and moving this house. But the amazing thing is that I love every single second of it. And that's how I know I made the right decision chasing my dreams.<br />
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So, we might have veered from the original course we had set for ourselves, but when opportunity presents itself, sometimes you just have to take the plunge. It's crazy how things have just fallen into place since starting this new adventure. And we are so excited to see where it all leads!<br />
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If you haven't done so yet, please stop by and take a look at our Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.wonderlandandcompany.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Wonderland and Company</a> and go by and 'like' our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/wonderlandandcompany" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. We give tons of sneak peeks over there!<br />
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And if you're still reading this, thanks for coming back after my long hiatus. Sometimes we just need some time to stop and re-evaluate and start again. And at this point, I feel like I'm finally exactly where I'm supposed to be. So, sit back and enjoy this next journey with me. I'm thinking it's going to be a really good one!<br />
<br />Wonderland and Co.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11668070243424605799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6221291336292934745.post-64639788212627798302012-09-21T00:01:00.000-05:002012-09-21T00:01:00.691-05:00The Big Day So, I finally got my wedding pictures back. Facebook is still probably trying to recover from the picture overload. Yes, I am one of those people! I just can't help myself. It seems as if every single picture is fabulous! I will try to spare you guys the whole 200. It wasn't easy deciding what to share - but here you go. Some highlights of our big day! Enjoy!<br />
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