Proud to Be Colorful

Our little family is proud to be colorful.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude to those who stood (and continue to stand) for equality.  Many risked their lives and some were murdered for their beliefs.  It wasn't long ago, and it happened in our country of freedom.  The actions and sacrifices of those brave activists have enabled our family to live MLK's dream.

Personally, I think we'll know our country has overcome it's race issues when the mall Santa isn't always white and no one thinks it's a big deal.  I hope that happens in my lifetime.


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PS:  For information on how to talk to your children about race, I recommend Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.  Chapter 3, Why White Parents Don't Talk About Race, is fascinating and may be surprising to many parents.
PPS:  Thanks to my baby girl for lending me her dolls for this photo.

Feeling Grateful

I don't know if you are like me, but I find if I'm not mindful, it's way too easy to focus on the negative.  Our consumer-oriented culture continually reminds us of what we don't have.  But the antidote only takes a minute: I list what I am thankful for.  And just like that, my world is a happier, brighter, and more positive place.

Here are a few things I'm feeling thankful for today:
1.  Hubby has off for 24 straight hours!
2.  During his precious time off he woke up with Baby Girl so I could sleep in, solved my new phone issue, and made my gmail more secure.
3.  Baby Girl is taking a long nap so I can write this post.
4.  It's sunny outside.
5.  Reem had a healthy baby GIRL!
6.  Lisa arrived home safely.  (She was driving cross-country and made a 3-day pit stop in Dallas.)
7.  I'm writing again.
8.  We have enough.  More than enough.
9.  We are healthy.
10. We have each other.

What are you feeling thankful for today?

Winter Sparkle

Well, it's a new year and I'm feeling motivated to write again.  Maybe it's because I'm sleeping better (Baby Girl is now sometimes sleeping through the night) or maybe it's because of all your wonderful comments.  Thank you dear readers for your kind words- blog comments add sparkle to my day.

Since your words encouraged me to take steps towards one of my life goals (writing and publishing a book), I'm sending them back your way with the following quote:

When we are motivated by goals that have deeper meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing- then we truly live life.  -Greg Anderson

So here's to love expressed, meaningful goals, and big dreams.  And making someone's day a little sparklier.


PS:  I've been so inspired, I changed the look of the blog.  What do you think?  It took me much longer to figure out than I care to admit, but I finally got my own artwork up there in the banner.

Baby Steps to Big Changes

Last week I witnessed an incredible event. My baby girl took her first-ever unassisted steps. The next morning, two Today Show guests- both had lost half of their body weight during 2011- encouraged others by saying, "Take baby steps." 


And once again, I was humbled to realize that I am learning as much about life from my one-year-old as she is learning from me.

As a dietitian and health coach, I have told many clients over the years to take small steps to achieve their goals.  But having witnessed Baby Girl's breakthrough the night before, it dawned on me that there was much more to this suggestion than merely the size of the steps.  

So whatever your goals are for 2012, here is some advice from Baby Girl on how to reach your next milestone:

• Prepare. First we did tummy time. She hated it and cried a lot but we did it anyway. Then she learned to roll over. Then stand, crawl, and walk with a walker.
• Celebrate successes along the way.  She squealed with joy when using her walker for the first time and would shake her bootie when learning to climb.  She reveled in her progress and had fun along the way.
• Find support. She held our hands, the couch, and the walker, before she could go solo.  At each milestone (and in between) I cheered for her.  I clapped and encouraged.  As my girl Oprah says, find people who are going to lift you higher.   
• Set reasonable expectations. Baby Girl wasn't trying to win a race, she was just trying to go two feet to reach Auntie Lisa.  
• Keep looking forward. Learn from the past, but look ahead of you.  And keep your eyes off the floor.
• Expect falls.  Focus on progress, not perfection. Learn from your slips.  Cry if you need to but then get up and try again.
• Don't worry if you aren't perfect.  It's okay to be wobbly.  It's okay to put your hands in front of you and walk like a mummy. It's okay to revert to crawling on occasion.
• Have faith in the process and faith in yourself.  Many have come before you and succeeded and many will follow.  You too can do it.
• And finally, let go of the coffee table and just go for it!

Happy Miracle Day

What a difference a year (or two) makes.  


Days before Mother's Day in 2009, my first and only pregnancy ended in the emergency room.  Mother's Day was a painful reminder of what I was not.


Last year, I went to our IVF clinic early in the morning and awaited a call from the doctor.  After shots and procedures, we were hoping for a miracle.  What were the odds that the test was scheduled on Mother's Day?  I was certain it was a positive sign.  It wasn't.  Our hopes and $20,000 lost.  Not pregnant.


This year, a miracle.  As I type this, I am looking at our beautiful baby girl.  She is sweeter and more lovely than I ever dreamed.  She may not have my genes, but somehow she has my eyes.  Her name means "little girl prayed for."  She's the answer to years of prayers.  And I am so blessed to be her mama.  


If you are facing challenges and losses on your way to motherhood, I understand.  The wait seems interminable.  Each month waiting to take that pregnancy test feels like forever.  And then the devastation when the damn thing reads "Not Pregnant."  And everyone around you is getting pregnant- even those who aren't trying!  And every commercial talks about babies, or motherhood, or pregnancy.  But know this:  your baby will find you.  But it will be on his or her own terms and timeline.  Somehow, someway, your baby will end up in your arms.  And the long wait will make you an incredible mother.  You won't take a moment for granted, you won't sweat the small stuff,  and you will be grateful everyday for the little blessing in your life.  And you will experience the miracle that is motherhood.     

M.I.A.

I'm a bit embarrassed by how long it has been since my last post.  Yikes!  I don't know how mommy bloggers do it as this new mommy can't seem to find time to blog (or be crafty for that matter.)  I am blissfully busy taking care of my sweet pea.  But as Baby Girl is getting bigger I anticipate that I will find the time once again.


I did want you to know that I am alive and well.  And I also wanted to share a photo I took this week during our trip to Atlanta.

I was at my sweet friend Emily's home for an impromptu reunion with the Crafty Chicks, when someone wrote Mama on my cup.  It was something so small, but it made me so incredibly happy.


It's been almost 4 months, and I am still over the moon.

Embracing Winter

I feel incredibly blessed that I am now living in Dallas.  The forecast this week is sunny and mid-50's.  But for many long winters, I wasn't as fortunate.  For a girl who isn't a fan of cold weather, somehow I survived a total of 32 long, dark, and freezing winters in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.   So when I was interviewed by NCB reader and WorkAwesome writer, Sarah Nagel, on how to stay healthy, happy, and energized during the winter, I felt I had a lot of experience to draw from.  Here's the interview:


http://workawesome.com/general/winter-depression


The article was picked up by LifeHacker too, so you can read the tips here in a different format:


http://lifehacker.com/5719505/how-to-stay-happy-and-motivated-during-the-winter


Stay warm my dear readers and let me know your tips for embracing winter!

Worth the Wait

She didn't come when I wanted,

but she was worth the wait.

She didn't arrive how we expected,

but there is no doubt she was destined to be ours.

I wasn't the vessel,

but I was the destination.

Teeny baby girl, 

you made my dream come true.

I am your mama.

And I love you.

The Right Friends

"While the right friends are near us, we feel that all is well.  Our everyday life blossoms suddenly into bright possibilities."  Helen Keller


I am blessed with many "right friends."  But today I want to send a special shout-out to my dear friend Reem.  I haven't seen her in about two years, but that doesn't matter- I can feel her friendship despite the time and distance.  When I lost my only pregnancy, she sent homemade cookies.  Reem had her mother, who lives in Palestine, light a candle and say a special prayer for me and our future baby in an ancient church in the Holy Land.  When IVF failed us, she sent a ceramic angel to watch over me.  Recently, she mailed me a hot pink book entitled, "Bloom."  It's filled with wonderful quotes like the one above, that inspire us to bloom.  I look forward to sharing more of them with you.  And I love the idea that her act of kindness will go through me and inspire you as well.  

Thanks Reem.  You've been the right friend for the past 14 years.  Girl, your friendship keeps me blooming.

The Rogue Blog Post

This morning I received an unexpected blog comment from my sweet friend Heather: "What a great start to the morning!  It's great to see you blogging again, Kathianne.  I've missed you!"


This was surprising for two reasons:  1. Heather just had her fourth baby so I don't know how she has time to read my blog and 2.  I didn't write a blog post.  Yep.  My blog (or more accurately the email subscription service I use) randomly picked a post from March and emailed it to all my dear subscribers.  You thought it looked familiar, didn't you?


It appears that the Universe (or my blog?) is sending me a message to start writing again.  Or maybe there was something in that post that a subscriber needed to hear?


Anyway, my blogging hiatus wasn't planned.  A while ago I told myself I wasn't going to stress about the frequency of my posts.  I'm not getting paid to blog- it's just for fun and because I want to share some of myself (insights, stories, and art) with the world.  (As it turns out, connecting with my readers and other bloggers has been incredibly rewarding.)  It's just that over the past few weeks I just haven't been inspired to share.  Actually, that's not true.  A few weeks ago I wrote a really raw and revealing baby update but my husband respectfully requested I not post it.  In the past, I've revealed a lot on here which I assume has not been easy for him.  He's as private as I am open.  And this was his first request for blogging privacy which I had no problem honoring.  But after that I just got stuck.  I couldn't post about what was most on my mind, and everything else seemed trivial to me.  So no new posts.  Until now.


So, what to share in this new post after so many weeks of silence?  Well, there appears to be a bright light at the end of our long and dark (yet enlightening and insightful) journey.  The last few weeks I have been busy preparing for something very special.  And I can't wait to share that news with you.  But I don't want to jinx it.  So I am going to tell you after the fact.  I hope that's okay with you.


So until next time, nourish yourself dear reader.