Stress & Blessings

Today was hard. Well, this week has been hard. We've been hit with some blows this week, in our friendships, our faith, our finances. Prayers/thoughts would be appreciated for us.

I've recently started working outside the home again, only a few hours a week, but now we have to decide it it's time for me to leave. Which is upsetting.

Don't get me wrong! My calling is to be a stay at home mom, I've always known this. For this season I took this job to help in some other areas. But it may be conflicting with some things. And we don't know what to do now. It's disheartening, I'm really enjoying my work and my new co-workers and I'll be sad to leave if/when it comes down to it.

As my emotions were high today my exceedingly active daughter did not want to be still, and wanted to be constantly touching me if not playing, sometimes both at the same time actually haha. I'm more and more understanding the mom term of being "over-touched." By nine p.m. as we were waiting for Daddy to come home, I was crawling out of my skin from my want to not be touched.

Bree is working on her seventh (7th!!!) tooth, and is a biting, teething, stinker because of it. She is allll about biting right now. Biting your face, your shoulder, your toes.... biting mommy while nursing... its been a joy. And she is getting into head butting (where this came from I do not know). Today was literally CryingBitingTeethingNursingTOUCHTOUCHTOUCH.  I was pretty frustrated, and that is okay because it totally happens.

At one point I just broke down crying. I hadn't eaten all day (not good for my supply), had a raging headache, a child who wouldn't be sat down... it wasn't seeming to end. Bree looked up at me and apparently found my breakdown hilarious, as she started clapped and laughing hysterically! When she realized how well she was clapping (something she's been working hard at) she was so pleased with herself she clapped and laughed even harder out of sheer glee.

Which of course made me smile and laugh too.

The tides are hopefully changing. I've been a very unhappy person this week, and I don't like how it affects myself and my family. I am so incredibly thankful though, that no matter how hard the day is, I have a little bundle of happiness who can cheer me up and brings me such joy. She is worth everything, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Pray for us, think positive thoughts, whatever it is you do. We can use them.  But even in our hardships we are filled with joy, its so wonderful, I really am blessed.

The Realm of Facebook & Adulthood

People on Facebook are amusing. I am in the midst of a debate on the evils of pacifiers! PACIFIERS?! Oh noooo! I use a soothie-style binkie, and have no issues. I think you need to be careful to establish a good breastfeeding relationship before you use them (in case of nipple confusion or preference), but they can be a lifesaver for car rides and washing dishes.

Facebook is great for networking, keeping in contact, and sharing information. And like anyone else, I also use it in times when I need support or encouragement. I think that's totally okay. People contact each other more on Facebook than they do in person sometimes! And if you need someone, by all means, reach out.

But it's sad when I see adults using it to constantly complain and whine about life. I see 13, 14 year old girls doing that. Its totally normal for their age, everything in life is super dramatic. A grown women, however, posting a status about every single thing or person that bothers her or ticks her off is a bit ridiculous.

I feel at the age most wives and mothers are, you should be able to process your emotions enough on your own without having to need a social network to validate how you're feeling. If someone or something is bothering you THAT much, go to the source and deal with the situation, or if you need to talk, go to a friend or spouse.  

Where is our maturity, our dignity, our strength, that we constantly feel the need to tell Facebook (or Twitter, Tumblr, etc) our problems. Dwelling on them is negative and won't help. Many people have children on Facebook as well, what kind of example does that set? Its perfectly okay to constantly complain. In real life, if all a friend does is complain when they talk to us, we generally don't like talking to them or being around them do we? So why do we tolerate it on Facebook?

I recently took a month long challenge not to post any negative or complaining statuses. It was surprisingly hard to resist the want to post. "Ugh, have the most wretched headache today!" "Baby was up alll night, can't take this exhaustion anymore!" Or, the passive aggressive statuses pointed towards someone who, in all probability, will not see your post about them. "Some people need to learn how to drive!" "If you want to say something, say it to their face next time!"

Just yesterday I was in a debate with some people, and a friend who disagreed posted a status very obviously pointed at me. As a teenager I would have absolutely retaliated via status, but instead, this time I felt pity for her, and honestly, amusement.

I use the social networks to share pictures of my gorgeous daughter, spread awareness about my passions, share thoughts and musings, and to keep in contact with those far away. Let's rise above and be the adults we are, and keep everything civil and grown up. Its normal to need support and encouragement, as I said before, but lets not be Debbie Downers!