Love Wins: A Supreme Court Ruling Conversation

Photo Credit: Silikids

Babies and Boobies

Strange title? Not if you know what I've been up to in my sewing room! Check out my post on the "new job" I've started to find out what it's all about. :) Or, better yet, take a look at my new shop! In addition to creating my crafty schtuff, I've been doing crazy research on all things boobie since Anthony's birth. So, you'll be seeing lots of new info on babies, boobies, and how to make those two things go smoothly (or, at the very least, how to calm down the crazy just a little bit!)

Hope you'll stick along for the ride! To start you off, here's a really cool infographic I found:

These statistics are crazy! I had no idea that 1 out of 4 mothers don't breastfeed. But - I wonder if that accounts for those who can't, or merely those who don't? Keep in mind, and stay tuned for info on, that many instances of mothers who can't breastfeed are simply those situations in which help was needed! I know many people who didn't breastfeed simply because it didn't work the first time, so they assumed it just wouldn't. Get informed, loves! Hopefully I can help with that. :)

Thanks for reading!

I Just Wanna Be Happy, People!

Ya'll know where I'm going with this title. Happiness is irrelevant isn't it? Happy is simply the mental and emotional state of well-being, generally characterized by the by pleasant or positive emotions. I want to feel happy! Then I look back at Thursday's blog and remember James 1: 2-4. Joy. Count your trials joy.

Joy is the source of happiness, according the Merriam-Webster. Wouldn't you rather have access to the source of happiness, instead of happiness itself? Happiness fades. After you've left your husband/boyfriend/wife/girlfriend and spent enough time with the new guy/girl - the happiness is going to dissipate. Fights will ensue, and eventually, you will feel exactly as you did with the first person. The problem isn't other people. The problem is you. The problem is me. We need to access the source of happiness, so that when those warm gooey feelings about life are gone, we can tap into more of them despite our circumstances. 

According to Beth Moore (my new favorite author) "We need a sustainable quality that shows who we really are and to whom we belong." I belong to Christ! Wouldn't I want others to see that? I talked about that in the very first blog on this journey. I want to be an example - someone worthy of others' jealousy. I can't be that if I'm consistently relying on happiness to keep me going. My misery is going to roadblock happiness. I need joy to come in with the orange flag and direct traffic to another path that will lead to those positive emotions. The detour that joy provides lies on the pages of the Bible. It's in my words to God as I ask him what the heck is going on. 

"And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

The sustainable quality I need is joy, and I gain it through the imitation of Christ. Only then can I become an example to others. The example I'm leading now is NOT one to be followed, let me tell you. It never has been, and part of me fears it never WILL be. This is part of the reason I am so hesitant to share my faith with others, and hesitant to give up habits and people who might bring me down. I now I should only surround myself with things and individuals that would uplift me, but I'm no better most of the time! So, who am I to judge? Who am I to say "follow Christ, He'll fix all your crap". Especially if I don't reflect that in my own life. So, here I am, attempting to pursue joy through trials and temptation. 

How do you pursue joy, if at all? How do you pursue happiness? Do you find there to be a difference in your life between the two?

Till next time,

Heather

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

The title of today's blog is a quote from the Tinker Bell movies . Ricky LOVES them, and, of course, so do I. I have become incredibly girly as a mom of 2 boys. It's a bit oxymoronic, doncha think? In any case, I've been thinking my next study topic for this 30 day journey would be trust. In the process of ignoring my bible study , I've learned a bit about trust.

Ricardo hurt his back at work last week. Not  completely shocking for those of you who know us, but what's interesting to me is that it's a completely different part of his back. His lower back has actually been doing BETTER with this job. His muscles have been strengthened and he has lost a lot of weight! Last week, his upper back started having muscle spasms. It got so bad that I had to pick him up from the job site. He was in tears as he tried to walk by himself to the car - there was just no denying that he was actually hurt. You guys know me - I'm no sympathetic wife - but it's clear that he actually has back issues that require something more than losing weight and exercising. This knowledge is SO depressing to me. We've had these issues before with Ricardo, and spent two years with him on disability. He has finally been back to work and doing well, and now this. We are in a new state; at a new church; and he is at a new job. Having this happen here is very unsettling. I know the system in California. I know our options, and we know WAY more people, so that if I needed to get a job quick there might even be opportunity.

This stress on top of my feelings of loneliness and stress about the kids has really pushed me towards numbness. I'm just done with emotions all together at this point. What else can I do? What are our options? As of today, my husband has no income. My proofreading online brings in about $400/month if I'm lucky. I've started up my own business (besides my online writing), and I hope it takes off, but other than that - my option is to trust that God knows what He's doing.

I have no idea why God has decided that this is a good time for Ricardo's back to have NEW problems. It can't be so that I'll "turn to Him". I'm already on a stupid 30 day journey to a relationship with Him! What more does He want?! (I've learned to really never ask that question) I don't know!  But I do know that I am to have joy...according to the Apostle Paul: in all things.

"Consider it pure joy, my brethren, when you fall into various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing ." James 1: 2-4

Through these ridiculous trials we CONTINUE to have, I will become perfect and complete. I love the book of James; it always tells me exactly what I'm screaming to understand. You'd think by now, in my 30th year of life, that I'd know that and simply follow directions. But no, temptation awaits. This week especially, I am feeling so incredibly tempted to jump ship - in all facets of life. And though it's never helped me in the past, it's still a nagging urge. Like in The Screwtape Letters the devil has sent his little demons out to flood my mind with alternative options for my happiness. Or, like this quote suggests, that the demons are blocking anything good from coming in...so all that's left to roll around in there is the crap.

BUT - with a little bit of faith and trust, I will be able to see through this fog of circumstances, and hopefully I won't need the pixie dust. ;) If we can continue on in our pursuit of a life lived after God's own heart, we can't help but have faith.

How about you? What trials are you facing right now? How are you handling them? Tell me below! I LOVE hearing from ya'll on a personal level.

Till next time,
Milk Mama Heather

Gone Fishing!

So, my little man has a fishing pole. One of those kid kinds that actually has fishing line and a reel attached. He's had this fishing pole for about a year and, up until now, he's had a plastic frog attached to the end. He would cast the line and then reel the frog in. Well that seemed a little boring to me so I decided to make some fishes for him to catch! 

After some research, I decided fabric was the way to go! (Plus I have so much fabric that I never know what to do with) They turned out to be about 7 by 3 1/2 inches. I used a pattern that I made cut out from cereal box cardboard, haha! But if you happen to have a printer, this pattern is the way to go since it has options for you advanced crafters. I used one layer of batting inside just to give it some definition, but you can stuff it and have a puffier fish too if you like!

Magnets seemed to be the way to go as far as finding a way to "catch" the fish, and I got some pretty strong craft magnets at Joann's. After putting the fabric, batting and magnets together, I stitched the fishes around the edges and called it good. Then, I stitched one magnet inside a circle fabric pocket, attaching it to the fishing pole's paper clip "hook! 

Ricky and Ricardo had a blast fishing on the stairs. Playtime success!!

Apparently as a bonus, they stick to the corners of walls!! :)