TGIF!

Damn! This has been one LONG week. Let's recap:

I traveled Sun-Tues
Attended marriage counseling
Celebrated baby girls 3rd birthday
Changed my mindset on so many things
Cleaned my house from top to bottom
Helped two friends with life problems, even if it was only just by listening
Spent tonight with my wonderful sisters preparing for a 3 year old birthday party
Decorated a Princess Arial birthday cake...the ones with all the stars piped out of frosting...my hand is cramped but it looks awesome!

All in all it was a busy and stressful week and I am so glad it is the weekend!

I am looking forward to a new week next week!

Peace out!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl

Three years ago today we were blessed with our baby girl. After a couple failed and painful attempts at having a second child we gave it one more try. Could be the fertility statue I rubbed in a castle in Ireland, could be that my mother had a talk with God and Mother Nature, could be that we were just ready. Whatever it was, I remember the tears we cried when we found out I was pregnant and there was a viable heartbeat. I remember the absolute joy we felt when we found out it was a girl. I remember how beautiful I felt all throughout my pregnancy. I remember going to the hospital for the delivery and I remember the minute she was born. She was more beautfiul than I pictured and she was healthy and I was once again in love.

She is definitely a handful and putting our parenting skills to the test with the terrible twos but the good definitely outweighs the odds.

I love your laugh
I love your personality
I love your curly hair
I love the way you make me feel with just a smile and hug
I love how you dance freely when music is playing
I love the artwork that adorns our kitchen table
I love that you are curious and smarter than I could have ever dreamed
I love that you are ALL girl, barbies, books, babies, and princesses oh my!
I love that you want me to paint your nails

I love that I get to see your daddy melt when you doing ANYTHING

I am excited to teach you all the things you need to know to be a strong woman

I love that I must have done something right to be blessed with you!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! You are my salvation, heart, and soul and I wouldn't change one thing about you!

Taking stock....

I am indeed blessed. I have been doing inventory of my life and deciding what stays and what goes. I have been making lists in a journal....Many many lists just to get the clutter out of my head so I can sleep at night and focus at work during the day. One of my lists is what I truly can and cannot live without:

I can do without the crap that I have accumulated over the years...clothes, shoes, purses, scrapbooking supplies that could fill a warehouse.

I can do without all the material things in my life. I love nice things and have spent some serious coin on stupid shit that just gathers dust and doesn't really impress anybody.

I can do without my overpriced vehicle, though it is functional and not flashy

I can do without the constant pressure I put on myself to be the person everyone expects me to be

I can do without the guilt I constantly feel when I think I have let someone down

I can do without friends that constantly drain my bucket and refuse to fill it when I am dehydrated

I can do without society's unrealistic definition of what is beautiful and sexy based on outward appearances. Even the hottest men and women are unattractive if they are ugly on the inside

I CANNOT live without my children
I CANNOT live without my sisters, brother, nieces or nephews
I CANNOT live without my amazing girlfriends
I CANNOT live without my ability to provide a good home, food, and clothes for my family
I CANNOT continue to be a fool and only see the good in people...not all people are good and not all people deserve my trust right out of the gate
I CANNOT live a lie anylonger

It's funny how the lists differ and it is refreshing to get my priorities straight and out on paper.

Life is actually good now that I have decided on a path no matter how scary that path is....I'm going to follow my heart which has been screaming at the top of its lungs at me for far too long....

Wish me luck....