Happy Birthday, Fuss!

On this day, 2 years ago my amazing daughter was brought into the world. She was tiny, but feisty and came out swinging (literally).
Despite the nursing difficulties and the acid reflux, we made it through that first year. Despite my depression and Fuss's fiery nature, we've made it through year 2.
I don't pretend to know what lies ahead of us. I don't pretend to be the perfect wife or mother. I do, however, know that I will always be devoted 100% to my fabulous Fuss and her daddy. Wherever our road leads, as long as we face it together, nothing will stop us!

Review & Giveaway: My Freshwater Pearls

I received an email from Jennifer at http://www.myfreshwaterpearls.com/ asking me to do a review of their beautiful cultured pearls.


Here is a photo of me wearing them. I chose the peach pearls to match a necklace that I already had. The color on these pearls is amazing! They are lustrous (as you can see in the photo) and very deeply colored.  They have stainless steel posts and backs that are very securely attached and set flush with the back of the pearl (this makes them very comfortable to wear). Fuss actually tried to pull the back and the pearl apart! Go figure. I wore them all day long for 3 straight days with no sensitivity or soreness at all. For me, this is a big deal! I tend to turn anything silver green and anything other than the purest metals makes my ears red and usually infected from severe sensitivity. This didn't do either!

They have 5 colors of cultured pearls to choose from. I must admit, I love the purple colored ones! Of course, the traditional white pearl is available as well as green, peach, and rose. I found these earrings to be very high quality and beautiful. I would also highly recommend these to someone who has sensitivities!



Now, for the fun part: The Giveaway! Jennifer has graciously agreed to send one lucky winner a pair of classic white pearls! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below and we'll take care of the rest! Secondly, Jennifer graciously extended a discount for all my readers! Simply use the (case sensitive) code: SHOP10 for 10% off your entire order!! This code is valid from April 11, 2012 through May 31, 2012!

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope it is filled with smiles and blessings abound.

Wordless Wednesday

Technical Difficulties

So, I have no clue why my side bars decided to push themselves to the bottom of the page, but I am working on it. I hope to have it figured out quickly! LOL. May have to redo the whole template. *shrug*

Gotta love technology!

#MMM Time for Renewal

I'm joining in on a blog hop with The Gnome's Mom to share a little bit about the life I lead here. The Gnome's Mom is one of my favorite blogs to read and follow on a regular basis as well. If you're a blogger and would like to link up, feel free! And add us on Twitter with the hashtag #MMM

Many of you who have been reading the blog for a while know that we have had quite a few funerals lately. Fuss, Daddy, and I actually went to another one Saturday. I received word from my dad at around 12:45 p.m. on Sunday that my step-mom's grandmother just passed away. This brings the current count up to 5 (plus one from a guy hubby works with) for us in 1 month. Hubby's grandmother also just fractured her femur. We aren't sure how bad that is yet, though. I have spent sooooo much money on flowers in the last month it's ridiculous! I think I'm going to start donating to a charity instead of spending money on flowers. At least I do buy dish gardens that can be saved and live for as long as they are cared for. :-/

My original idea for this week's post was to talk about my movie date with Hubby to see The Hunger Games. Instead, I find myself thinking about life and death. The cycles of renewal that come with each season in nature and in our lives. With each death, there is more room for new life and a new beginning. That can be spiritually or physically but it comes when we least expect it.

We took Fuss to the funeral homes with us. We feel that it's important for her to understand the process. Is she still a little young? Yes. But the earlier I get her used to the idea of going, the easier it will be to explain things when she finally asks. Okay. Enough for now. I hope to have a lot more fun posts up soon. With summer coming, we should be having a lot of great times ahead.

Nightmares of a Mommy

After waking up this morning to Fuss calling, "Mommy, help me" because she wanted out of her bed and had a potty accident, I'm still feeling shaken. I cannot get the feeling out of my head: Fear, desperation, anxiety. Why? I had a nightmare. Fuss went missing. One minute she was there, the next gone. Thank goodness it was just a dream!

Here's how it played out:

We were at a carnival of sorts with my mom and sister. We'd been walking around all day and finally found a picnic table to sit down. Fuss was right with me as my mom and sister walked away. I put the diaper bag down to look for something inside it. Mom walks up to me and asked where Fuss was. Panic. I look frantically for her. Scream her name as I run around. No response. People aren't even paying attention to me. My sister comes up and I tell her Fuss is missing. She runs off to find help. I finally get someone to pay attention to me. They announce over the loudspeaker that a child is missing. She is 3 feet tall with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a pink sparkly shirt and shorts. Then they say they can't help me further. WHAT?!?!?!?! So, now, I call the police...and get an automated system! I'm shaking so badly that I can't even push the buttons on my cell phone. I find a picture in my diaper bag and start grabbing people, screaming in their faces, "Have you seen my daughter?" No one seems to care. She's gone and there's nothing else I can do.

Then I wake up. I hear Fuss in her room. "Mommy, help me!" Deep breath. She's here. She's safe. I take her to the potty and clean her up then give her a huge hug. I would probably cling to her all day today if I could.

Have you ever dreamed your child went missing or was kidnapped? I have a child recovery kit I will be making sure I have filled out and in her diaper bag at all times starting today. Do you have one?