Remember My MoJo?

I think I’m finding it slowly but surely.  The advantage to no sunshine and no pool time this weekend was I actually got some things done.

Look at these great glasses I found in the junk room, of course they were a thrift store find that I had forgotten about.  I love them.

I locked myself in my craft room and created a card I actually like, I usually pick my cards apart unless I CASE them from someone else.

I used the new Circle Circus stamp set, which I love.  Remember if you would like information about Stampin’ Up and especially information about becoming a demonstrator now is a great time. 

Happy Monday!

This and That

Is it July or October?  I can not believe the lousy weather we have had this weekend.  I’m sure some folks in Cincy disagree since fall like weather might make some people happy.  Not this person.  I wanted to have a weekend that consisted of swimming.

It wasn’t to be.  Instead I organized a little, not as much as I should have.  I cleaned out every purse that had a little of this and a little of that left in them.  I found $22, 6 tubes of lipstick and an old bottle of migraine medicine that came in handy last night.  I did not find my wedding band that I have misplaced.

Mr. Wonderful and I started cleaning out our junk room, I want to make a T.V. room for The Baby Girl.  It will be a multiple day project becaues I am overwhelmed.  We took out five boxes for our upcoming garage sale and 6 bags of trash.  Did I say overwhelmed?

I started a new book, Stone Cold it is written by David Baldacci.  I read another of his books last week, The First Family which I loved.  His books are a far cry from Karen Kingsbury, but isn’t that the beauty of reading.  Each book is a different adventure.

I am already thinking about two baby shower gifts that I need for the fall, I should be thinking about the wedding shower that I’m hosting this month. 

I’m going to make some cards tonight.  I’ve said that for two nights, maybe tonight I really will do it.  Anyone want information about Stampin Up, email me at paperglueetc@yahoo.com.  We have an awesome special right now for anyone wanting to become a demonstrator.

We did NOTHING to celebrate the 4th of July, I haven’t left the house since I came home from work on Friday.  I didn’t even go to church today, I should have.

I thought about Ryan Widmer a lot this weekend, I guess it was all the talk about freedom.  I don’t know Ryan personally but have to say it’s one of the few high profile cases that Mr. Wonderful and I both agree on.  I think an innocent man  is sitting in prison and it bothers me.  I emailed his mom to let her know I was praying for him and always for her.

I said I wasn’t going to post about MJ, but this post has gotten so random how can I not.  I have to ask what did we watch on T.V. before MJ died?  I’m not one of those people that think you can’t talk bad about the dead, I believe if someone was a bad person when they were alive they are fair game when they are dead.  However, I don’t believe we will ever know what MJ did or didn’t do.  He was wounded.  I told someone this week I know how much it hurts not to be loved by your own flesh and blood.  I know what it feels like to try to be a better parent to your children then your parents were to you.  By all accounts he was a wonderful parent and for that I respect him and my heart breaks for his children.

Hello

***Let’s see how do I introduce my blog. I guess I’ll start with what I write about. Hang around here long enough and you’ll hear it all, but somethings you may hear over and over like my trials and tribulations of organizing.

I love talking about how I took the above cabinet from it’s boring to fab.

I have an addiction and I need a 12 step program. I’m addicted to paper and ink. The magic happens here. Wow I need new pictures, I’ll work on that this weekend.

You may find a rant and rave about tattoos.

And then you may see me eat my words.

I often talk about infant loss, yeap I’m a member of “That Club”. You can read a little here about the day I found out that a part of my heart would forever be missing.

I talk about my kids so much that I had to give them nicknames, they had issues with people googling their name and ready all “the stupid things I tell about them”-yeap that’s a quote I won’t tell you from which adorable child. The First Born gives me the tattoo ideas, Mr. Perfect is the reason I write about faith, I need lots of it right now with him and The Baby Girl is my entertainment-with her their is never a dull moment.

I often talk about Mr. Wonderful, anytime that I show some great project and take the credit for it…I lie. Mr. Wonderful does all the hard work around here. He can fix anything and enjoys it.

My all time favorite picture, it says a lot about our everyday life. The Baby Girl is always ready to party and we are old and tired.

I love to do interviews on my blog. If you are interested leave me a comment or email me paperglueetc@yahoo.com. It’s as close as I will come to being a reporter.

I love a good Blog Party (check out my Blog Party list and let me know if you want me to add one), I try not to miss A Beautiful Life every Friday.  I will be starting a blog carnival on 7-11 and it needs a name. I would guess there would be a prize involved if someone helped me come up with a great name.

Please stop back by we’ll chat about scrapbooking and card making, thrift store shopping, holidays, parenting, current events, and anything else that jumps in my path.

***

Click here to enter your link in the blog hop and view the entire list of entered links…

I’m having Linky issues, I’m challenged so I’ve emailed Brent will fix ASAP!

Wanted: MoJo

Ok the other day I discoveredMckLinky, well I didn’t discover MckLinky I was actually told about MckLinky from MckMama well she didn’t tell me personally oh heck you know what I mean.  I love this because now I can have a blog party with Linky Thingies….woo who!!

So going back to my post from the other day I really need my MoJo back.  Not just for creativity, but for the whole picture.  I’m in a funk, I feel it.  I know when I forget to pay my bills on the due date, I don’t make time for scrappin or cardmaking, I carry my Dad’s Father’s Day card around for two weeks without mailing it, I yell at The Baby Girl for silly stuff, I ignore Mr. Wonderful I’m in a funk. 

I haven’t even been looking for inspiration online, so I started there, and of course I found lots of good stuff.

How about this adorable skirt over at Finding My Feet.

What would a search for MoJo ideas be without checking out Tip Junkie, and I think she was reading my mind…GREAT GREAT GREAT IDEAS.  Do you think she would mind if I stole her Super Saturday Craft Day for the name of my blog party.  Oh yeah did I forget that part?  I want to do a weekly blog party so I get a little MoJo every week.  Better yet how about some suggestions for a name….Super Saturday Craft Party, MoJo Madness, give me some others.  I’ll start it on July llth.

Blog Party To Be Named Later Guidelines.

1. Write a post about your MoJo-what you do to make sure you don’t get in a MoJo Funk, examples of your work, the room where you create, what inspires you, who inspires you, a craft or hobby that you tried but didn’t continue with, whatever is on your mind. 
2. Link back to Paper Glue Etc.

If you don’t have a blog and you would still like to participate send me pictures of your craft project with instructions to paperglueetc@yahoo.com and I’ll include you.  If you would like to be highlighted or know someone you would like to highlight please send me an email.  Let’s toot our own horns and give other’s a pat on the back for encouraging us to be the creative women we are.

What would a party be without prizes.  I will give a $10 StarBucks gift card to the first person who links and also a $10 GC to a random person, I will do the drawing on the 16th to give everyone plenty of time to get a post completed.

How about this cute idea that I found at This Mama Makes Stuff?

How about this little boutique if you haven’t found your MoJo but need something that is too stinking cute?

Don’t you love this flower?  My love of this flower made me try the tuitoral with paper and guess what, just as stinkin’ cute.  All the credit goes to Wise Craft.

Remember the first one will be July 11th, I better get busy on a project.

Got MoJo?

I have not put a picture on a scrapbook page in months. I’ve made a few cards, but nothing that really made me proud. I’m looking for my MoJo. Would you like to share yours?

I want to see some creativity. Show me what ya got. It can be any type of craft, decorating idea or anything that relieved some stress and used some creativity. How about a great recipe? You missing your mojo but want to point out someone’s elses MoJo feel free.

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Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Feeling So Blessed…

Today was Melda’s shower at church.  In case you missed who Melda is please see here.  I can not begin to explain how awesome the women at Winton Road First Church of God really are.  I have to say I never worried about not having gifts for Melda because my church just wouldn’t let that happen.  I knew they would give, but I was overwhelmed when I looked at the counter and saw the amount of stuff we had donated for her.  God is really awesome.  The verse Matthew 25:40 ran thru my head all day, and it continues to.  I can’t ever just do a little though so I know I can’t just send Melda these gifts and then forget about her.  I don’t know what I will do, but I know I’ll do something.  I was touched that two ladies thought of her grandchildren, one put koolaid in a pitcher for her and the other bought brownie mix to go with a cake pan. 

We had great cake and cheese cake and then got to work.  We wrapped the gifts, I wondered out loud if Melda had ever received a wrapped gift.  I think after watching Amber’s video and hearing her and Cathy talk about the six mission trips they have taken to Pine Ridge I know this is not the last thing I will do for the people of Pine Ridge.

Matthew 25:40

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

By the time we left we decided to do some personal items for Melda, did I mention these ladies are awesome?

Today in church something made me think about non-believers.  I’ve always said I can understand people who question God, I’ve even

had my own doubts at times in life.  Here is how I see it though, if the non-believer is wrong they have A LOT to lose-hell is an ugly ugly place.  However, as a Christian if I’m the one that is wrong and I die and there is no heaven, what have I lost?  The bible and the God that I serve makes me a much better person then I was before I became a believer.  My God puts things on my heart like Melda, my God loves me even when I am not very lovable.  I believe 100% that when I leave this crazy insane world I will hear the gates of heaven close behind me, I’m thankful for that faith. 

I have a list of questions that I want to ask God someday, it’s all of those “what the heck were you thinking” questions.  You know the ones-I think we all have “the list”.

I have some things I’m struggling with and when I struggle I always try to focus on folks who have a lot more going on then I do, like a mother who made the loving decision to place her infant son for adoption, or how about the family that is checking into a hospital to start the delivery of a baby with an uncertain future, or how about a 34 year old mother whose facing the nightmare of a cancer relapse.  Pray for these folks.

I See Bottle Rockets She Sees Fireworks

Tonight The Baby Girl wanted to have a night swim, her bathing suit was in the washer.  I wish I had my camera handy to capture her face when I told her to swim in her bra and panties.  She had that look that says, “My mom is a nut job.”  The entire reason we went outside was because she said she saw fireworks and they were beautiful.  A few minutes into our night time swim and I saw some pitiful bottle rocks and The Baby Girl said, “See Mommy aren’t they great.”  Do you ever wish you could be a kid just for a minute?  I got “that look” again when I broke into song…It’s getting hot in here….our night time swim was short she thought it was weird to be in the pool in the dark.

We are watching Happy Feet and doing a bible study on Solomon.  The Baby Girl sure knows how to keep things interesting.  I’m telling you the girl is going to be the next Joyce Meyers.

I think God knows I need some bible reading tonight, it’s been a long day.  I pray daily for wisdom with my only son and so far I’ve found everything but wisdom.  I want to shake that young man.  If someone would have told me a few years ago that Mr. Perfect would hurt me more then anyone else in the world I would have laughed at them, but he has.  I can’t make myself understand it.  Today I was hurt by him and I take that hurt and turn it into anger, I was so ugly.  The Baby Girl and Mr. Wonderful got the brunt of it and then I just left and went for a drive.  I went to the park and sit and talked to God.  I need some relief, driving home I remembered someone telling me about Einstein’s definition of insanity and a lightbulb went off.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

I will continue to get the same hurt if I continue to do the same things over and over.  I can’t take it anymore.  I need to change my thinking where my son is concerned.  Instead of putting the energy into trying to figure him and his moods out I’m going to just mother the child that still wants to be mothered.  My son is a grown man, actions have consequences.

Tomorrow will be hard on The Baby Girl, but we are going to have fun in spite of it.  We did some shopping for Mr. Wonderful tonight and tomorrow we are going to take him to lunch and get him a new pair of gym shoes.  I’m going to finish a letter to him that I started earlier in the week.  I love that man like no other and I can’t think of a better day to tell him so.

DAD

I have not done A Beautiful Life post in a few weeks, another example I’m depressed. 

I did a post the other day about The Baby Girl’s father or lack there of, I forgot Father’s Day was just around the corner.  It’s a hard holiday for her, how could it not be? 

I didn’t get my own dad’s gifts in the mail…he’ll forgive me.  For a matter of fact him and I have forgiveness down to an art.  I love my dad, I’m sure some of you are like well duh of course you love your dad.  If you read here often you know my family takes dysfunction to a whole new level.  It’s actually down right sad.  I have one full sibling, haven’t seen him in over 10 years, my daughter has met him one time in the drive way at my dad’s.  I have two half sisters, love them both and that love is returned by one.  I have four step sisters that have been my step sisters for so long that they are just my sisters and somehow get along with all of them.  It’s the perfect example that a family is what you make it.

Oh yeah this was about dad.  My parents divorced 30 plus years ago, my mother was and probably still is obsessed with my dad.  I heard my entire life what a sorry S.O.B. he is and was.  My children heard what a sorry S.O.B. he is and was.  Guess what….he’s not a sorry S.O.B.  There are two sides to every story, Daddy didn’t tell his side until three years ago. 

My dad’s best move in his life was marrying his current wife, she balances Daddy and believe me I think that is a full-time job.  He can be quite the grouch.

I love calling and talking to Daddy, you never know what direction a conversation with Daddy will go.  Recently we discuss our president and his shock that his eldest grandchild helped vote him into office.  We have lively conversations about his two oldest grandsons and the fact that he would like to strangle one or both on a regular basis.  He loves to get me going about my younger sister’s phone returning skills.  We talk about the economy, current news stories and he let’s me ramble and ramble about The Baby Girl.  Him and I both love that girl and she knows it.  I encourage him to try to heal his relationship with my brother, I pray about it daily.  I catch him up on what is going on with his sisters, the problem with this is I’m 200 miles away and I give him a hard time that I know more about them then he does. 

I have forgiven him for not being the father I wanted him to be, he has forgiven me for not being the daughter I should have been.  I strongly recommend that if you need to forgive or need to ask someone to forgive you to just do it.  Did I mention how much I love my Daddy?

When Daddy Is Better

The conversation started as many others do, “Mommy, what will happen when Daddy is better?”  These conversations take place further and further apart and for that I’m thankful. 

The Baby Girl is crying herself to sleep tonight.  We talked, we snuggled, we talked, we watched T.V., we talked and then she said she just wanted to go to bed.  I said, “Lizard, I am so sorry you are so sad.”  Her sweet reply, “Mommy it’s ok it’s not your fault.”  Gosh how I wish that was true.  It is my fault.  Me and me alone picked that no good man to be her Daddy.  Of course I had no crystal ball to show me how hurt this little girl would be.  I had no way of knowing that he would wander in and out of her life.  I did have indicators that he was not the most mature or honest man.  The old saying that love is blind, I understand.

My sweet child at 10 thru the help of a therapist knows more about bi-polar disease and alcoholism then a lot of adults.  She knows more about rejection and disappointment then anyone should know.  She has been hurt by several adult family members and as a mother I would like to protect her.  I would like to hold these adults accountable, but I can’t.  I can’t make a grown man be a father if he doesn’t want to be.  I can’t make a woman be a grandmother if she isn’t capable.  I can’t accept unacceptable behavior so she has an aunt in her life. 

I am sitting in my living room crying.  My heart hurts, but I have peace knowing that while my 10 year old is crying herself to sleep she is praying and seeking God.  My sweet girl has God in her heart and prays for others.  I can’t protect her from the ugly dysfunctional family that she was born into, but I can love her enough for a mommy and a daddy.  I can make sure she understands that she is lovable, adorable and that these people who have turned their backs on her are just plain SICK.  I can explain to her that I know what if feels like not to have the love of your own parent.  Most importantly I can pray for my girl, I can pray for her father, her grandmother and her aunt.  I can turn the hurt over to my heavenly Father and know that he has it all under control.

LOVE is deeper than any trial or tribulation. It will push you through any problem or pain and make you surpass any obstacle or opposition!

I needed something a little upbeat to end this blog on and I can’t think of anything better then BABY BOY IS HERE.  Stop by and show some love!  I can’t leave this mom out who I believe is about to get her second miracle.  God is awesome.

I ask you to please pray for My Baby Girl, pray that God keeps her heart open to love.  If you would like to leave a prayer in the comments I would love to print them off and give them to her.  She would love it!!  In case you want to pray for her by name, her first name is Alyssa.  She will always be “The Baby Girl” to her momma!

Praying for “B”

It’s been four days since I refreshed a woman’s blog for hours “living” her birth experience with her, reliving my sweet Baby James’ birth and death.  I wanted her not to forget to give April Rose a bath, I had an epidural and couldn’t get out of bed so I didn’t get to give Baby James his one and only bath.  I was hopeful she would get a great family picture of her, “D” and April Rose, we didn’t accomplish that task with Baby James.

I prayed that “B” was able to look into April Rose’s eyes and see into her soul, my sweet baby James never opened his eyes.  I wanted “B” to get the perfect prints of her little girls hands and feet, I cherish James’. 

I cried myself to sleep Sunday night and I wondered when I woke up Monday would I discover that April Rose was in heaven with Baby James. 

I don’t regret any of the time I spent on praying for “B”, “D” or April Rose, I have continued to pray over and over for this woman who is so broken that she “invented” this huge lie.  It hurts that she sought out women who were hurting and vulnerable to “follow” her blog.  I want to give God the glory though, I clung to him Sunday like I hadn’t in a very long time, I’ve sought his guidance daily even hourly this week.  I hope “B” gets the help she desperately needs and if she ever finds my blog I hope she emails me, I would like to pray with her and encourage her.  My email address is paperglueetc@yahoo.com. 

Remember pregnancy is a gift, a healthy baby is a miracle and pray for “B”.

Here is an interview done by a Chicago paper with “B”.