Thoughts of the Day
My life has qualified me as "experienced" on such topics as Army life, parenting, mental health, loss and grief, multi-tasking, and adapting to all things new (good, bad, or indifferent). I will share my thoughts on these topics and hopefully you will find some calm in the chaos knowing that others have been where you are.
-
Drop the Judgments and #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #20
As I was deciding the angle I wanted to take for this week’s #SpreadTheKindness post, I stumbled upon a Facebook status of a friend which said this: The shit that I’m passionate about is not dumb. And then it hit me what I needed to write about today in an effort to continue spreading kindness in this crazy world. We all have things that we are passionate about. Each and every one of us is unique in the combination of our different passions. Some are passionate about music. Some sports and exercise and healthy eating. Some clothing and fashion. Others are passionate about art, books, and crafting. There are people…
-
The Reality of Fantasy
Fantasies. We all have them. At some point in our lives everyone engages in fantasy. I am going to be bold and even say that at some point on a daily basis most people have thoughts that would classify as fantasy. Even if for the briefest of moments. We fantasize about all sorts of things…from the benign and harmless to the crazy and potentially dangerous. We have dark fantasies, light fantasies, unrealistic ones, and ones that could very easily become reality. The subject of fantasy has been surfacing in discussions all around me recently. Usually when this happens, when a subject presents itself to me over and over again in…
-
How Pornography Saved My Sex Life
Low sex drive. Decreased libido. Zero interest in intercourse. Gah. Much to my husband’s disappointment, I have been dealing with these issues for quite some time. But what causes it and how do you fix it? At least fix it to the point where both parties in the relationship can reach a satisfactory compromise? Seriously, I can go months without sex. And that’s not good. It really isn’t. It’s not good for my mental state. It’s not good for my husband’s mental state either. Resulting in a little bit of tension within our marriage around the issue of sex. I don’t want you to be mistaken, though. My marriage is very…
-
So Many Hats & Link Up On the Edge #39
How many hats do you find yourself wearing? And do you have trouble finding a healthy balance in the constant changing of your hats? Figuratively, I wear so many hats…I am a mother, a wife, an Army spouse, a sister, a friend, a small business owner, and a blogger. And there are so many little hat changes that happen within each of these jobs because, as you all are well aware, each job has a million different responsibilities that go with it. Outfit Details Coat: Old Navy (No longer available, but cute Spring options here and here). Pants: Target (No longer available, but similar options here and here). Sweater: Kohl’s…
-
To Dye or Not To Dye and #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #17
To dye or not to dye? That is my question. Do you or don’t you? I do. Oh, I do. And I have for most of my life. Here’s the scoop. I dyed my hair various shades of bright colors (green, red, blue, pink, purple) way back before it was cool. In fact, during my teenage years, I was labeled as a weirdo with my ever-changing rainbow locks. My genetically predetermined hair color was a boring shade of brown and I hated it. And as much as I hated it, I had an equal and opposite reaction in my love for dying my hair unnatural colors. Call it rebellion. Call…
-
Love Will Prevail and #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #15
Love will prevail. These are words I spoke last week and it really got me thinking about what that means exactly. I was chatting with another mom and I was complaining about how exhausted I am parenting alone for the past 3 months while my husband has been away. And she replied with equal complaints about how difficult it is parenting with a partner who is there in body but absent in every other way. She went on to explain that maybe they were just in a rough patch and it would pass. They are 13 years into their relationship and 8 years into their marriage with two kids. They…
-
A Letter to the Army from an Army Wife
Dear Army, Oh, how you torment me. Yet I would not have it any other way, I suppose. I understand that my husband is contractually obligated to you. But is he not also contractually obligated to me? Yet your contract trumps my contract…well, because he entered yours first. And when I entered my contract with my husband, I did so with this understanding. But man, I didn’t know all the ups and downs that would be involved in loving a soldier. He is gone once again, leaving me to care for the children, the household, and everything in between…all the while trying to make sure to take adequate care of…
-
What To Do When the Tired Sets In: Developing Healthier Sleep Habits
I know I am not the only one who feels like I am in a perpetual state of tiredness. I don’t know if it is parenthood, middle age, or just poor sleeping habits. Probably a combination of all of those things and more. But somehow, I get up everyday before 5:00 a.m. and trudge through the day, accomplishing what I can along the way. By about 7:00 p.m., I am completely done. Exhausted. Out of patience. Energy depleted. And ready for bed. And then, suddenly I am wide awake making a mental list of all the things I didn’t get done and need to attempt tomorrow. If you are like…
-
The Truth About Mental Illness & Link Up On the Edge #32
Many of you may already know that I have a history of Bipolar Disorder. And if you didn’t know, now you do. Recently, someone asked me how I have dealt with this disorder and if I could offer some input for a loved one of theirs who is suffering from depressive episodes. I unfortunately did not have adequate time to elaborate on how I overcame my mental illness. So I am dedicating this post to that person (who will remain anonymous due to privacy issues) and giving the topic the time it deserves and needs. If you have never suffered from mental illness or have never loved a person with…
-
The World Is Your Oyster & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #10
Did you ever hear that phrase? It is one that I have carried with me for many, many years. There once was a very influential man in my life…when I was in my mid-twenties. I was going through a divorce. I was still trying to discover myself. I was trying to figure out the person whom I wanted to be. I was working full time and going to law school at night. I was driven. I was determined. I was spiraling out of control. Much of this period in my life is really just a blur. It is sort of unfortunate that I don’t recollect much of it. Or maybe…
