When you snap out of it!

Change.  I thought I was really good at it managing it.  Then a TON of things changed at once and I kind of froze – for about a year.   New jobs, new life stages with the girls, new puppy, etc. …

Compassion + Business

I just got back from my first Matilda Jane conference – whoa.

There are so many amazing things I would like to list about this company, and I’m sure my blog posts will bend that way for a while, but there is one thing in particular I want to focus on today.

The founder, Denise, and her husband, David, recently launched a new foundation – The Mighty Acorn Foundation. They started by building an orphanage in Kitale,Kenya and are now working on securing sponsors for the many, many girls whose lives will change when they get to live at the new orphanage instead of returning to the slums of Kitale after school everyday.  The piece that was so awesome to me is that we are a group of women selling children’s clothes – BUT when you talk about changing children’s lives we are much, much more.  We are a group of mother’s with a pit in our stomach imagining ANY of those beautiful faces being our child, we are privileged Americans that can barely fathom the depths of poverty these children experience on a daily basis, we are savvy business women that can affect others’ lives by the way we do business, but mostly we are human.  We are people trying to figure out how to make a positive influence on a life that can, for many, be so so hard we will never understand their reality.

So today I am beyond thankful for the company I am newly a part of.  I am thankful for the opportunity to not only change children’s lives, but to be able to share how others can do the same.  The coolest part of the website to me is the ability to see what children have already been sponsored.  As of Friday, when we saw the presentation, there were 18 girls sponsored.  Take a look now! 😉

 

Creativity – BIG GRATITUDE

“Bubbly” Creativity allows me to say things like… “This? l can make a hat or a brooch or pterodactyl…”

“Somewhat Deep” I have a driving urge to constantly create something.  My husband can attest.  When we talk about a new business or a business idea I always come back to, “But I want to MAKE something”.  This urge has become stronger as I’ve gotten older, had kids and run out of time to be creative on a regular basis :). Oh the irony.  When I’m creating something – whether it’s knitting, sewing, baking, cooking – I’m calm.  I am so thankful for THAT in regard to my creativity.  What drives YOUR creativity?

Some recent “must do now” creative endeavors :).

Mom You May Cry – You’ve Been Warned

Continuing on with gratitude, we move to my mother…

 

Is she the cutest thing in the whole world?  ANYWAY – I am unbelievably blessed to have a relationship with my mother that is so so special – both my sister and I are.  So she will be BOTH parts of my gratitude today .

“Bubbly” I thank my mother for giving me the confidence to wear my pajamas to the grocery store with a cute pink coat over them while thinking it’s totally appropriate.  I sometimes joke that mom has instilled too much confidence in me, but as mothers isn’t that the absolute best thing we can wish for our daughters?!  I’m also grateful that her passion for sparkly/glittered anything has been passed on to my sister and I.

“Somewhat Deep” My mom has dealt with some serious loss in her life – her parents passed too early and 3 of 5 siblings have passed from disease and accident.  She really has been through enough to be a little crabby, a little pessimistic, a little dark.  Well, anyone that knows her can attest, SHE’S THE OPPOSITE OF ALL THOSE THINGS!  Hardly anything gets her ruffled, she just goes with the flow.  Sometimes that ends up being dangerous – like when she’s driving 😉 – but mostly it makes her a compassionate human being.  She accepts everyone, loves all she can and laughs about almost anything.   She watches me raise our girls and even when I’m probably doing something bonkers she stays quiet and figures out how she can help.  She beams.  She lights up a room.  And she’s a hell of an iPad solitaire player. I’m so GRATEFUL to have her as my mom.

And she does celebrations with a bang – here’ s Ms. B’s birthday dinner at her house.

Gratitude

It’s a buzz word right now – gratitude.  It’s trending on Twitter, it’ s all over Instagram and you can find it on Facebook.  What an awesome band wagon to jump on. I am going to share November Gratitude on this page too – but with a small twist.  Each time I remember to post I will post a “Somewhat Deep” piece of gratitude and a “Bubbly” piece of gratitude.  Because honestly we all have both – right?!  How can I put “fir-tree scented candles” next to “world peace”?  Well now I can with my handy two-part gratitude series.  I’m sure I’m the first one to come up with this idea (insert sarcasm).  Feel free to join in!  Just post a comment for all to see – or just quietly think about what you’re thankful for – I guarantee serious feel good results.  Here we go…

“Somewhat Deep” – I’m thankful for the web of relationships I enjoy.  From childhood family friends, to friends that live too far away, to new friends in the past decade to my unbelievable family.  When I think about how amazing they all are, how much I’ve learned, how much they’ve all shaped me I get overwhelmed – in a good way.  A friend, that is truly family, is a having a cord blood transplant today to fight her second form of cancer in two years.  SHE makes me thankful for our relationship. HER journey inspires me on a daily basis to be kinder to all, slow down and enjoy each step.  (LOVE AND HUGS TO BECCA!)

“Bubbly”  I can’t get enough of Pandora’s “Positive Hip Hop” Station.  I know every song and feel the need to sing every one – loudly.

How about you?!

 photo by the fabulous Meghan Archer – you can contact her at Meg.Archer88@gmail.com