Madness

Why would people log on to blogs of people they don't know and leave idiotic comments on posts that were created TWO YEARS AGO?

Oh, I know because it is a very underhanded way of trying to drive traffic to your own site. Haven't you ever heard the saying, "you catch more flies with honey?"

My comments are moderated. . .I'm a busy woman and if you don't have anything constructive to say then keep your comments to yourself and stay off my blog. I'm not interested in you or your products.

Black Marriage Day

Today is Black Marriage Day. Really. It says so right here.

I'm just a little confused because I'm black and I've been married almost 9 years and we celebrate and collaborate EVERY DAY. It's not always easy but we are committed to each other and our family and we make it work. But I guess it doesn't hurt to have a reminder about what marriage means and why it's important to strengthen that bond. So, in honor of Black Marriage Day, this post is dedicated to my marriage and in the spirit of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married I give to you my reasons:

I got married because. . . .

1. I love him immensely
2. He makes me laugh often
3. He adores me
4. He desires me
5. He makes me feel like I can fly
6. I knew he'd be an amazing father (and he is!)
7. He supports me
8. He challenges me
9. He respects me
10. He is very smart
11. He holds his ground
12. He is a gentleman
13. He can fix just about anything
14. He loves to travel (like me!)
15. He is passionate

Although his Aquarian idealism often clashes with my pragmatic Taurus nature, we still respect each other's space and opinions. Sometimes our political views differ but we are totally in sync when it comes to parenting. We both want to ensure our children get all of the love, attention, discipline, and encouragement they need to become well adjusted, emotionally stable adults.

And I hope that one day they will be able to find a partner who sends them into a fit of giggles with one look or who shares their dreams without restrictions and loves them they way they deserve to be loved. And I hope that they reciprocate 100% because that's what marriage is all about.

Catching Up

My last full post was at the end of 2009. 2009! I haven't blogged in over a year! Wow. I thought long and hard about why it has been so long and wondered if I had run out of things to talk about or if I had so much stuff to say that there would be no way in hell I could fit everything in. I'd like to the think it was a combination of both.

The truth is that life with two kids, working full time outside of the home and taking classes is EXHAUSTING and the last thing I want to do (I think able is a better word) is log on and share my day or my experience with the blogosphere.

But lately I find myself needing that outlet again as I'm contemplating the next chapter in my life. I turned 40 last year (gasp) and my priorities have been shifting big time.

The title on that magazine cover is hilarious "WARNING: KIDS". Ha! Yeah, they should totally come with a warning label. I think the hardest thing for me has been trying to further divide myself and give enough time, love and attention to yet another person! But even harder is the subsequent guilt I feel when I don't think I've succeeded at giving everyone what they need.

I can hardly believe how fast the past two years have flown by. My baby girl is turning two in 7 days! That seems so unreal to me. I've been here with her every day and present in her life but in many ways I feel like I've missed so much. It's strange because it was the exact opposite with my son- seems like he was a "baby" much longer and I can remember specific milestones with him. I'm ashamed to say, I can't tell you exactly when my daughter started walking. It's like we looked up one day and she was on her feet!

I'm trying to slow down and focus more on her (and my son) but that often means sacrificing any time for myself and that's definitely not a good thing. In order to be a fully functioning parent you need to take time for yourself to refresh and renew. WOO-SA!!

(Sidebar- of course WOO-SA came from Bad Boys 2, did y'all hear there was going to be a part 3? I LOVE Bad Boys but seriously? Will and Martin are getting older and can't be running around like they used to. . .but I guess that didn't stop Mel Gibson and Danny Glover with the Lethal Weapon movies. .. but I digress)

Last year we took some family trips to see how well baby girl would travel because TheGenius is a travel pro! His first trip was to Jamaica when he was like 20 months old and he did not cry or fuss AT ALL during that entire trip!

Baby girl wanted to stand up in the seats and jump around on the flight to Philly. She did okay on the flight to Minneapolis, she was just a little loud. Okay, she was really loud! She wants her way constantly and that is going to be a lifelong struggle between the two of us. She's an Aries and I'm a Taurus so we're always locking horns!

We haven't traveled since the end of last year (a quick road trip to Dallas) and I have the cabin fever! I want to go somewhere!!! So, we're looking at Easter weekend maybe going to Florida or California- I need a beach!

Sorry if my thoughts are all over the place, it was a lot harder jumping back into this than I initially thought. My intention was to talk about what I've learned and what we've done over the past year and a half but I guess that will be the next post ;-) In the meantime, here is a video that highlights our 2010 escapades! Enjoy!

I'm Baaack!

Kinda. I want to start blogging again. I'm on Facebook and Twitter but there just seems to be something missing. Not sure if it's the character limitations or all of the people posting conflicting statuses that's got me a little down. I guess what it really boils down to is I just miss rambling and talking about being a mommy.

So, I'm back. It'll be light initially but I plan on diving back in full time within the coming weeks. I'm sure I'll have to re-establish myself (i.e., find people who will log on and read my ramblings) but I look forward to it. I'm also looking forward to re-establishing some great connections and meeting some new bloggers.

Please standby. . . .

Merry Christmas!

Best e-mail I've got this holiday season:

With days before Christmas REMEMBER:
Jesus is Better than Santa
Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited
JESUS stands at your door and knocks.. and then enters your heart.
You have to stand in line to see Santa
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO
JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.
Santa's little helpers make toys
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.
It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.
We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
Jesus is still the reason for the season.

May the Lord Bless and Watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas 2009
And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year.

Heart & Soul

I’ve been overwhelmed by the emotion I feel at being a mother. Sometimes it is all consuming and I feel like I don’t have a single second to myself. But most of the time it is extremely exhilarating and I feel like I learn something new everyday and my capacity for love and patience grows exponentially.

I think about the different dynamics that my son and daughter bring to my life. My son, TheGenius is of course my first born- he is what I like to refer to as my heart. He is at the age where he can hold some pretty stimulating conversations and challenge everything you thought you knew about life to be true. He is smart, intelligent, handsome, funny and caring. He loves me unconditionally and proudly proclaims he is a mama’s boy. Usually the connotation for “mama’s boy” brings to mind images of spineless, wimpy kids who cling to their mother’s skirts wishing they could still be breastfed- that is not the case with my son. He is very independent and he challenges me daily but he just genuinely enjoys being with his mama. We laugh, talk, do craft projects, play superheroes, read and I listen while he talks incessantly about Ben 10. We are just cool like that. Ha ha! He is truly amazing and I pray daily that I am around to see him grow up into the phenomenal man I know he’s going to be.

My daughter- oh sweet baby girl- I like to refer to her as my soul. My daughter is me revisited. I see so much of myself in my daughter already that it’s scary. Even my aunt and other relatives have commented not only on the physical resemblance but also her personality and attitude, which she has already developed! She usually just sits back and observes everything not really calling much attention to herself but when she does bless you with a smile or a laugh it’s like a beautiful blinding ray of sunshine! When she sees something she wants she’s pretty tenacious and she’s a tough little cookie not really prone to crying for anything other than food or getting her way. Ha ha! I look at my daughter and I get so excited about the possibilities of all the things we will get to do together but I have to remind myself to tread lightly because I already realize I’m planning on being able to have a “do over” with my daughter. In other words everything I didn’t get to do or wish I would have done (even things I shouldn’t have done) I want a chance to do them with my daughter. If I’m being honest, I want to guide my son to make his own decisions and with my daughter I want to help her choose. I can’t wait for the first Barbie and Easy Bake oven! I want to start a spa day tradition and I definitely want her to get her college degree right after high school and land a fabulous job that she will LOVE.

I am very blessed and I hope God continues to allow me to remain healthy both mentally and physically so that I can be a part (and involved) of my children’s lives for many, many years to come!

Happy Holidays

It took me three tries to sign on to this blog. Forgot my user name and password. Pathetic. I've been away much longer than I anticipated. Blame Facebook! I was addicted for a minute. I think I might still be addicted . . .jury is still out. But anyway, I was reading over some of my older posts on this blog and got a little tickled. So, I was inspired to add a new post. Not sure how many more will follow but I just thought I'd start. . .

A LOT has happened since April and the arrival of The Princess. First of all, you might want to sit down for this one- can you believe she is already EIGHT MONTHS OLD?! I can't! And to whoever thought I was announcing another pregnancy: BITE ME! Ha ha! See I haven't lost my sense of humour.

Anyway, life has changed DRASTICALLY, I swear I blink and the days just keep passing sometimes without my active participation. My son is now in kindergarten, I'm back to working full time, finished a semester of school and the ICING on the Sock It To Me cake that is my life- is that my dear husband got a quasi-promotion at work that requires him to be out of town three days a week every other week. So on those weeks I refer to myself as a single, married mother. I don't think he likes the terminology but if the shoe fits. . .it gets extremely overwhelming sometimes and my biggest fear is that life is rushing by so fast that I'm not giving "enough" to my kids. Everything is such a damn routine. Homework, dinner, bath, story, bed time. Repeat. Agh! I hate it. I am thisclose to biting the bullet and just becoming a stay at home mom. They still make Spam, right? Ooh, with Ramen noodles. Yum.

So, I'm back for a minute to wish everyone in the blogosphere a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a safe, healthy, prosperous New Year. Live, laugh and love life! And come back. . .I might start kicking it here again. I have so much more material now ;-).

The Genius and The Princess in the photo after take 57. . .not bad.

PEACE!
MzM