Community is LIFE

I honestly don't know how parents with a busy, active household can get through life without a community to support the daily grind. Our community life started with this group of "young marrieds" and we established ourselves within our Catholic parish back in 2014. It is tremendous that we have stayed together and have stayed the course! 

Here we are continuing to grow our families and continually leaning on each other for spiritual counsel, friendship and just some good ole' summer fun before the kids start another year of school.

I believe our family is thriving because we have plugged in to multiple communities from our Catholic parish to our sons' Catholic school to all the different ministries we volunteer and serve in. We have many people in our lives to help us when we struggle to juggle it all on our own. We have a sphere of influence that cares we are deeply nourished in the spiritual and also practical ways. 

How do families that aren't as fortunate survive this current world? The village hustle is what I've heard it called once (shoutout to Jennifer Fulwiler). The pace of this way of life is as messy as life is unpredictable. The more your life is filled with interruptions and people randomly asking for favors is a clear indication that you are living out the village hustle. It can be chaotic but more importantly, it is life-saving in more ways than my tired mom brain can count. 

So, cheers and thank God for the village hustle! 

Life has never been busier!

I am super excited to get back to regularly blogging. It has been quite the journey since I last posted. My husband and I now have 4 boys and we're down to just 1 dog. Our life is abundantly blessed, but oh my goodness...I am on edge trying to juggle it all. 

In short. my husband and I have co-founded a small business called, "Get to Give." For now, I offer public relations support to women in ministry. I would be honored if you checked out my credentials at www.gettogivefundraising.com. 

We are discerning what to do with this small business. Our ultimate goal is to garner generational wealth by utilizing our spiritual, professional and financial gifts through the vocation of marriage and the messiness of family life. We feel most inspired to guide marriages/families struggling financially with practical tips to become better stewards of their financial blessings. 

So into your hands, Lord, I give you our hopes, fears, victories, challenges, talents, ambition, and business pursuits supporting Get to Give. Please open the doors that YOU want us to go through. Please blatantly shut the ones that aren't going to serve the greater good. Amen.

Let's GOOOOOOOOO!!!!

"You're Wrong, and You're Loved..."

I thought this was such an informative and thought-provoking read that I had to share it with the blogosphere. Christianity is about love, and this writer's written truth is way beyond my ability to ever explain where I'm coming from. I feel like after reading this important message, I'm more equipped to stand up for what I believe in when it comes to such a racy and controversial subject. Read on, and I pray you be empowered too.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/why-homosexuality-is-not-like-other-sins

Thanksgiving 2013

There are many wonderful blessings I am thankful for this holiday season. This year, I’m forever grateful for my husband who loves me physically, emotionally and unconditionally.

First of all, I don’t believe I deserve a lot of the great things I have in my life. In all honesty, I don’t ever feel good enough for my handsome husband who loves me. I am imperfect in character. I am cruel at times and dangerously self-centered in most cases. I have created rifts in our relationship and have brought us to painful depths I never, ever want us to feel again.

But together we stand eternally, and our love is deeper today with greater substance and purposeful meaning. We just celebrated our six-year wedding anniversary on November 17th. We have made it this far and have two young boys to nurture and lead by spiritual example. There is more to us than meets the eye. But what a beautiful picture God has created for us, through us and in us.

After giving thanks for another blessed year of life and answered prayers, I am most grateful for one moment I shared with my husband on Thanksgiving night. Our house grew quiet after it was once filled with family and toddlers during a festive lunch. We were up late with our two boys just enjoying our family time together. We were all exhausted from the busy day and looking forward to not having any set plans for the rest of the weekend. I don’t remember what happened right before, but out of nowhere, my husband got the attention of our two year old and then tackled me to the ground. Once I was defenseless with his entire body weight pinning me down, he kissed me all over my face and my head and my hair--so lovingly and frantically all at the same time. Our son noticed us and laughed. I assume he felt just an ounce of the joy that filled my heart at that moment. Our two-year-old son could see just how much his daddy loves his mommy and was amused at the very sight. It was the perfect ending to another great family holiday and such a special reminder as to where we are in this union despite all the twists and turns God allowed to happen in our marriage.

I’m really giddy thinking about those few minutes we shared a few nights ago. For in that fleeting moment, I was overjoyed that the Lord gives us times like those to revel in forever and for always. For me, it was another reminder of His merciful grace that comes in many forms. But I’m eternally grateful for the package it comes in as an adoring husband He gave to me love.

Breast is BEST!

Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your newborn. I successfully breastfed my two boys (who are 17 months apart) and am so impassioned about the subject as a whole.



Thanks for tuning in to Motherhood and Marketing!

Feeling lonely

This is a particular subject that may leave some confused, hungry for more or even in blatant disagreement with where I’m trying to go on this stream of consciousness. My husband and I have been reading blogs, listening to podcasts and following the work of influential individuals who we admire on a spiritual and financial level. I’m not sure how else to put this, but it’s a lonely feeling taking the road less traveled. So we have turned to folks like Dave Ramsey and Kari Patterson to find some source of inspiration as we learn how to be good stewards of our financial blessings.

My husband and I are trying to get our family out of the (relatively) little debt that has held us down for too many years. Before we had children, we enjoyed living a life of extravagant luxury: international travel, random excursions to Las Vegas, bottle service at swanky lounge/nightclubs, designer clothing, owning/operating a Mary Kay home business, and eating at the finest restaurants all too regularly. Man, we thought spending on our credit card was the right choice at that time. WRONG! Oh we were so WRONG, and now we’re paying for our foolish and irresponsible choices. I’m so embarrassed to admit how ignorant we once were. We literally charged most everything to our credit cards for the first few years of our working professional lives. We both had (and still maintain) excellent credit. But back when we had dual income and no dependents, we foolishly thought we could live large and in charge.

Now let’s visit the present day. Our looming credit card debt is holding us back from financially giving back. It’s disgusting, and I’m mortified to admit that we are not currently giving to the church until we can eradicate this horrid debt. I need to mention that for years, even with our gut-churning debt, we still gave our more than 10% to the church. It wasn’t until recent months had we decided to withhold our giving. Both my husband and I feel terrible that we are now focused on our own financial goals of eliminating our debt without giving back as Biblically encouraged. Thank you, Dave Ramsey, for making it so clear that we have to take care of our self-indulgent-buying-on-credit mess before we can fulfill our financial stewardship.

So now I’m feeling the pangs of loneliness because I don’t know how to reach out and talk to people about where we stand and where we’re trying to go. I have never asked friends if they give 10% of their income to their church. I have never asked if any of my friends care to be out of personal credit card debt. It’s none of my business, so therefore, I will never ask. But I’m so self-centered in thinking that people must wonder why we don’t buy more or do more now that we’re enjoying a (relatively) luxurious life with our kids and dogs. I believe we’re in a unique financial situation. For many that know our background and personal story, you know what I mean by unique. For those who may know what we’re able to enjoy, I’m guessing they may not know the kind of sacrifices we’re choosing to make in order to pursue debt elimination. It is uncomfortable to bring this all up because I personally believe money talk is taboo. But there is more we could do and indulge in because of our financial blessings. But we are freely (and temporarily) not going to add to our collection of unnecessary luxuries while taking away from the collection plate. For our family, there is one goal and one purpose…to get to a financial point where we can GIVE more to whom it all came from.

It’s so hard to explain in words the passion and fire we feel to take what we have and give back. It’s no easy feat to give up certain comforts or pass on impulse purchases. Thank God we have some wisdom and sense that giving in to our interests/hobbies might keep us further away from being able to give more. We have a plan of action to reimburse the money lost in our giving to the church. When we get to our financial goal by paying off our personal credit card debt, returning to automatic giving is our number one priority. Until then, we’ll have to wait it out by delaying fun trips with our boys or refrain from buying extravagant things we don’t necessarily need but really, really want. It’s uncomfortable, and I kind of hate it. I’m not perfect and doing what’s right doesn’t feel natural. We’re human and are inclined to indulge, even at the expense of giving back. But tithing is necessary and as stated in the Bible, it is what we are called to do. If only there was a way I knew how to talk this out without awkwardness or pride getting in the way…………. But for now, I will have to resort to blogging it out. Thanks for letting me share.

Tina Fey is a comedic genius!

Although I never voted for Sarah Palin, I will have to agree with Tina's improv. If ever I were asked on the spot how I feel on social and political issues, I will just reply quoting a genius moment of Tina Fey's quick, non-judgemental (and I believe honest) impersonation on touchy issues. Tina is a comedic phenomenon, and I love her. I don't know where Tina stands politically, socially or morally. But in a light-hearteded attempt to speak the Biblical truth on lifestyle choices, I agree with Sarah via Tina's improv.

She is a living miracle!

I am a Christian, God-fearing woman. I am absolutely pro-life. I believe my life is not mine to control. I am empowered by other proclaimed Christians who put their faith and trust in the Lord above their own prideful comforts. I'm inspired by the following abortion survivor's testimony.



So with the humility her message has instilled in me, I will admit that I am NOT perfect. I too am WEAK. But above all, my purpose here is to live life "trying to make God smile."

Motherhood and Marketing Take One

I have a line up of products/services/companies to feature in my upcoming "Motherhood and Marketing" segments. In a nut shell, I am strategically reaching out to women who fall into at least one of the following categories:

- soon-to-be mothers
- stay-at-home mothers
- working mothers
- "mompreneurs"
- clothing boutique-shoppers
- fashionable trend setters
- active and health conscious
- social media enthusiasts

DISCLAIMER: The women who fall into this demographic listing are all just top of mind and were not gathered by formal marketing research and/or consumer behavior analysis. These categories include the women I have been in touch with daily on a personal and professional level. I am not currently accepting any monetary compensation for my product/service mentions. I'm ultimately doing this YouTube video series because I am aspiring to be a TV personality one day, maybe in the distant future...God willing! I don't have time to practice my stand ups and confidence-building techniques on camera in a formal studio setting. So instead, I'm trying the broadcasting thing via YouTube while also promoting some great stuff that I hope fellow moms also find useful. I'm such an amateur...it's quite hilarious. But, I'm having a blast and getting positive feedback from people I respect and admire...thanks for your support and love! Enjoy!

The popular girls

I don’t make time for myself these days. That is no one’s fault but my own. I have more than enough help to run personal errands, but I don’t care enough to make the effort. I do, however, make time to practice disciplined skincare treatments and I savor every fleeting second of a long shower. BUT, there is something I have prioritized in my personal budget of time. It’s a weekly event I participate in for me, myself, and I.

Lately, I have attended mass at the nearby Catholic Church totally solo. When I first got into the habit of attending mass by myself while my husband bravely manages our sons (and dogs) at home, I felt pressured by time. I know it’s wrong to feel like a guilty mom when leaving to worship in the Lord’s house. But I did. I would keep my cell phone on silent and would keep it within close reach as if I were an OB doctor on call to deliver a baby. Beginning that habit made me feel even guiltier. So I stopped the guilt-ridden anxiety trip, and I made a change.

Last night, I attended the “Life Teen” mass at my church. It’s the service where the high schoolers are encouraged to attend with their families and connect with their friends while worshipping the Lord. I love coming to this mass. It’s inspiring to see young men and women at the altar serving the Lord. But what I look forward to the most during this service is the music. The music ministry at my church is AMAZING!

Well as I mentioned previously, I made a change to my worship ritual during last night’s service. I decided to sing louder than usual. For some reason, I am more comfortable singing during mass when my family isn’t with me. Sharing my talent and love of singing is much easier around strangers…for obvious reasons.

I went and found a seat in the overflow room where all the families with little ones sit next to their trendy strollers. Soon after I sat down, a quartet of what I assumed were high school-aged girls sat in the row in front of me. Already, I was all too quick to pass judgment based on their appearance, their demeanor and their overall presence. Like any teenage flick chronicling the perils and torment of high school life, these girls were such a cliché.

I painted a picture in my head that these four beautiful young ladies were THE popular ones at their school. They were dressed exactly the same, adorned with outlandish accessories, figure-fitting and skin-bearing clothing. Not to mention, I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck a 17-year-old was doing wearing a Chanel bag that I could never justify owning but so enviably want. They were a distraction to everyone else as well. I could see pre-adolescent boys gawking at them. I watched a couple of creepy old men do a double take when they walked by the quartet. I most astutely noticed two mothers giving their disapproving looks towards the attractive foursome. I guess they were thinking to themselves, “How could their mothers let them attend mass wearing THAT?!”

It was hard to keep my eyes on the cross when these young gals were so eye-catching. I am embarrassed to admit that I judged these girls. But early into the mass I decided to let it all go and just worship Him. With whatever was in my heart when mass started, I was compelled to sing passionately and fervently throughout the mass. I let go and prayed the more earnestly with every note I hit. As freeing as it was to sing my heart out, it was uncomfortable and I felt intimidated by the foursome. Like any group of girls would do, they snickered and giggled amongst themselves throughout the entire service. As self-centered as I am, I was convinced that they were making snide remarks about how loudly I was singing. Self-conscious much? Yes, but I worked to squash it and asked God to keep me focused despite the distraction.

Then we reached the point of service where we all shook hands with our neighbors saying, “peace be with you.” I didn’t expect any one of those girls to reach out to me. They seemed too preoccupied giving hugs and kisses and peace to each other. But to my surprise, three of the four girls reached out to shake my hand and complimented me on my singing. In fact, they were so genuine and took the time to tell me to my face that my voice is “so pretty.” I was floored. I thanked them, told them they were sweet, and ended the chatter with a “Praise God” closing remark. Not sure how they took that, but it didn’t matter.

It was an empowering moment. I cannot ever remember singing so openly during a mass service…ever. I did struggle with the propensity to use my voice as a means to “show off.” I’m not a shy person and humility is something I lack. But God humbled me to the point where I had to surrender my self-consciousness in order to worship during service. When I did, I sang out loud…and it was empowering for myself and apparently for others around me as well.

Katie Couric mourns with our country

Thank you, Katie Couric, for your very important show honoring the families who have been affected by Friday’s tragedy along with others who have also suffered such painful loss. Your show today is important. For those who long for comfort and solace, I believe hope can be found in prayer-filled faith and spiritual wisdom first and foremost. I’m a wife and mother of two little ones. But before any of these roles, I am a Christ-following woman. Although I have never suffered this kind of loss, I believe that in God alone, I can find a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Your guests today are living proof that the God I honor and serve is one of forgiving grace and mercy. It is hard to fathom how a parent who has lost their innocent baby so violently does not feel anger towards the deeply disturbed man who killed their beloved. But in their unshakeable faith in Christ their Savior, the parents on today's show feel compassion for a soul so lost in despairing darkness. Thank you, Katie, for giving a voice and stage to these families mourning the loss of their little ones. Those parents have inspired me to look at my own faith and to know that when even in the darkest moments, my faith, my hope, and love for others will heal even the most unbearable pain. I am now a loyal viewer of your show. God bless you, Katie. God bless everyone that has been affected by this national tragedy. God bless America in this time of mourning.

Thanksgiving 2012

The picture below says it all. This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for the family God has blessed me with.

Surprising, as it may seem, what I’m most thankful for is the gift of wisdom. Where my heart and head now lie is where my infinite joy can be found. When things were once so difficult and overwhelming, the promise of hope becomes most consoling. Right here and right now is where wisdom has never been so clear.

After lots of life I have lived in the past few years, I never thought I would be blessed to know such happiness in my marriage, in my family or in my heart. My God is a God of second chances. I am not perfect, but praise God I am redeemed.

Thank you, Lord for my husband. Five years ago, the man of my dreams married me. Despite all my mistakes and imperfections, I know my husband loves me to no end. Our life together is beautiful because he loves me as God intended man to unconditionally love his wife.

Looking back, I see the truth in every consequence. I realize I’m being molded into the woman I never was because I was too selfish. I’m still selfish. But as a mother, I have no choice but to serve others first. It’s hard to be something that is so unnatural for me. I have always been self-serving and ambitiously chasing what is best for me and only me. Thank you, God! Now I know that path will not lead me to the fulfillment You have in store for me.

When my day-to-day gets out of hand and unruly, I know it’s because I have lost sight of where I am going. That realization is a lifesaver. My wisdom is my security and my grounding.

So this Thanksgiving, I have lots to say thanks for. But in all honesty, I am most thankful for the gift of wisdom that makes me so happy to be right here, right now. Thank you, Lord for your gifts. I am so blessed.

Postpartum Update

Since my August 24th post regarding my postpartum plan to achieving my pre-pregnancy pounds, I’m sad to say that I don’t have much to report. I was doing great the first few weeks. I was able to get to the gym nearly every day for about 3 weeks. Then it became less and less. Now trips to the gym are non-existent and my husband and I are still “donating” to the fitness chain. I had the honest intention of making my work outs work for me in terms of scheduling. I figured that since I want to lose weight so very badly, I would find a way and make a way. But as most parents can relate, the inevitable happened with the little ones getting sick here and there, my abnormal sleep/night feeding routine got the best of me, and every plausible excuse became my justification as to why I’m still sporting the extra poundage in my gut…and butt…and thighs…and arms…etc. But life goes on, and there are more important things to fret over.

On the brighter side, I have lost 6 lbs in the past 30 days doing it the natural way…breastfeeding! While I don’t make the time to exercise, I have been enjoying every morsel of any decadent dessert while giving in to most food cravings at all hours of the day/night. I’m not close to my pre-pregnancy weight. But if I carry on with breastfeeding as my primary workout regimen, I’m pretty sure I will achieve my goal weight by Christmas time. Now if I make the slightest effort to do cardio and/or weight training, I could possibly achieve my desired results in record time. Things are looking up!

On that note, I just want to share how grateful I am to be blessed by the kind words of strangers. It never fails that when I’m out of the house and most oblivious to those around me, young women come up to me and compliment my appearance. Each time I have gone out in the past three weeks, a different woman has complimented my outfit, my accessories, and or my skin. What the heck? I promise, I don’t ever recall having this kind of neighborly treatment. But each friendly and unexpected remark makes me feel so good, especially during these postpartum months. As a busy mom doing whatever it takes to just survive the day, it is such a kind gesture and flatters me to no end.

Supporting his success

Praise God I’ve had a change of heart. In an effort to look at the glass half full, I’m now reaping the benefits although I had another mommy-meltdown moment a few weeks ago. I had a terrible day and was exhausted physically and drained emotionally. With all of my responsibilities at home with the kids, I felt like I was drowning. I sent text messages to my husband throughout the day saying I’ve just about had it and was feeling defeated. He was extremely sensitive to my emotional and mental needs and even offered to listen to me vent right before he walked into an important meeting. I passed on that opportunity and went about my hectic day.

Later that afternoon, my husband sent a text asking if I’d be okay for him to attend a happy hour event with a colleague. I replied saying that although I was worn down from the day, I thought I would have been fine if he went out after business hours. He assured me he wouldn’t be out late. But it didn’t take long for me to become resentful and to settle into crazy stalker mode.

Around 8:00pm, I began calling him repeatedly and texting him to come home because I couldn’t handle things any longer. It seemed that I had given in to my own weaknesses and let my exhaustion take me over the edge. When my husband rushed home to rescue me, he wasn’t greeted by a hello or a thank you. Instead, I gave both babies to him, yelled stupid remarks about my dreadful day, took the car keys and “ran away” to the nearby movie theater parking lot to cry my eyes out for 10 minutes. After I had my very emotional breakdown, I went back to the house and carried on with a bitter and resentful attitude.

Looking back to that episode, I’m ashamed at my behavior and feeling so sorry for my sweet husband. He didn’t deserve that kind of treatment, and my boys should never have to see their mother act so deranged. So, I’ve made the simple decision to look at my busy life in a new light. I must always remember that neither my husband nor my boys deserve my resentful bitterness.

Earlier this year, my husband was promoted to manager of the engineering department at his company. I’m quite proud of his impactful accomplishments at his young professional age. But with this big promotion came a huge time commitment and sacrifice. My husband now works six days nearly every week. Lately he has been coming home just before 7pm. He travels internationally and domestically and is a manager overseeing 9 other engineers. He is busy and we praise God for the job security. But that means I have become even busier here at home since he’s out working for his hard-earned money.

There are times I pressure him to come home immediately so he can relieve the stress I feel from the kids. The poor guy gets pressure from his demanding job and pressure from his demanding wife. But all of this madness is changing, slowly but surely, for the better. I’ve only now realized my husband cannot be great at what he does if I’m not great at what I do.

My husband has an important job as the provider and protector of this family. It’s my wifely duty to make sure everyone in his family is loved and cared for in all ways. I better not forget, it’s Biblical to live the womanly role managing my household while my husband is at the office working to support and provide for us.

So I have started to support him in the best way I know how. Most recently, I happily packed his bags with clean laundry for a tradeshow he had in Las Vegas. I got up at the crack of dawn to masterfully prepare his breakfast sandwich of choice… Nutella spread wedged between three layers of whole grain toast with a thermos of searing hot coffee.

Prior to his trip, I stayed up super late one night to critique a slideshow presentation that he delivered to his company’s executives and international sales team. That turned out to be a fun night. Helping him prepare for that big-time presentation was more than satisfying…it was so rewarding.

He has assured me these little tasks have helped him in his day-to-day grind, but they’re nowhere near as vital to his success as my attitude and acceptance of the truth. It’s that Biblical truth that I firmly hold on to and come back to whenever I get distracted or discouraged when living out my role. This role I play oftentimes beats me down emotionally and physically. This role I have accepted is not always convenient nor is it my preference when my selfish ambition creeps in. Being wife and mother can seem like the most difficult and thankless job, and I become resentful sometimes. But these are my faults and my weaknesses. I think being a wife and mom is about self-sacrifice. I give so much of myself everyday so everyone around me can be great, and praise God that I can and that I do.

I find great fulfillment in my daily life knowing that my husband sees just how hard I work at home. Perhaps my stay-at-home wife and mom career will help my husband advance in his career path? Well it actually isn’t a question. He is moving on up and experiencing bigger and better things at work, and I’m so proud of his accomplishments. I can only imagine his value and potential at his company. I’m not trying to take credit for my husband’s success. But I do find great reward knowing that when I do my best in my job, he succeeds as well. I doubt I can find that kind of fulfillment anywhere else.

At the end of every day when I’m exhausted and beaten down after giving my all to my boys, I am eternally grateful. I praise God for the family He’s given me and I humbly accept the role He expects of me. I have never felt so needed by so many people. I feel I’m being used as God intended because I’m the one at home handling our ongoing responsibilities, appointments and obligations. I feel like all that I do here is one less thing for my overworked husband to worry about. So I will continue doing my best and being my best with the intention of lightening his already burdensome load. I’ll do what I gotta do because we need him to be great too.

My mommy job

In previous posts, I have gone on and on about being a stay-at-home wife and mom. I’m not great at it, but I definitely want to improve. Everyday I learn something new about my role in this family. Everyday I have to become more creative in how I manage the household while raising two boys so close in age. Man, motherhood is hard!

I had an emotional breakdown the other day. I’m guessing my postpartum baby blues may have something to do with just how dramatic I was. But regardless, I was a wreck as I struggled with my current mommy demands and my own selfish ambition. Although I’m embarrassed to share the details, I feel compelled to put it out there.

I’d like to first reference a light-hearted conversation that my husband and I had during our last trip to Los Angeles, CA earlier this year. As we drove past the high-end luxury boutiques of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, my husband said he would be willing to relocate our family if ever I got a job working for the Los Angeles based television network that I secretly dream of working for one day. So flashbacking to that chat, I went out of my way to see online job postings at this particular TV network. To my surprise, I found a couple of positions that I am qualified for. I swear, my heart skipped a beat. Adrenaline began to rush through my veins and I became so engrossed in my own thoughts that I immediately began tweaking my latest job resume draft. At that moment, I had considered applying for a job. I even went so far as to ask my husband during his busy day at work if I could apply for a position at the network.

I got so lost in my own thoughts. Without hesitation, I began strategizing our family’s big move to sunny California. It didn’t matter how much my plans seemed unreasonable and/or illogical. I committed myself to this ideal situation that my husband would find a new job, I would get the job at this network, my parents would retire their lives in Texas to be our live-in nannies in California, and we would take our two pups along for the ride. It’s so insane, right? Well at the time, I don’t like to admit that I thought it was a brilliant scheme.

When my husband came home from a long day of work, I was so eager to share my plan with him. Never did it occur to me that my plan was obnoxious. I thought that since my husband once said he would support me if a professional opportunity came my way then he would be on my same page cheering me on as he always does. When he broke it down for me and challenged me to reason out my poor strategy, I was crushed. Knocking some sense into my overzealous mind, I shut down because I realized my husband was right. My pride wouldn’t let me budge at first, and I became emotionally distant from him because I didn’t want to hear what I needed to hear. Thankfully, it later occurred to me that I was going against everything I am working so hard to fulfill as a stay-at-home wife and mother. Why would I even consider such a radical upheaval of my family’s privileged roots in Texas to fulfill a secret career dream? More disgustingly, why would I ever consider having someone else raising my kids so I could earn a living working some dream job when I don’t have to?

I will admit that I struggle everyday about leaving the workforce to fulfill a full-time responsibility at home. I will admit that sometimes, I cringe thinking that I could have “had it all” being a working mom while juggling my former “dream job.” Sometimes when I’m really feeling down, I don’t consider the luxury of staying at home a privilege but more of a hindrance to what could potentially be my thriving career. Yuck…I’m so selfish and so disappointed with myself. How did I get here and why do I still want more when I have so much to be thankful for?

I can’t help but wonder do other stay-at-home moms regret stopping work outside the home when they’re most needed by their husband and children? Or am I the only self-centered woman out there who struggles with her selfish ambitions?

Postpartum Plan to My Pre-Pregnancy Pounds

Two days ago I had my postpartum doctor’s visit, and praise God, all is good and I’m totally cleared to begin working out. I’m inclined to publish my postpartum plan to regain my pre-pregnancy body…my reason being for accountability. I need to share what I plan to do to keep me disciplined and motivated to achieve results. I’m a firm believer in that results only happen if you track your progress. (I’ve learned that from managing my Mary Kay business.) So, consider this photo taken yesterday of yours truly as the jump starter to my weight loss transformation.

Today was Day 2 of my work out plan and although it would have been so easy to stay snuggled next to my son and my husband, I forced myself to get out of bed and hit the gym at 6:30am. I’m so glad I did. My plan is to stick to a dedicated cardio routine everyday for the next two weeks so my body can get reacquainted with exercise. It’s been a good two years since I’ve had a regular workout routine. God willing, I will begin a full out work out regimen with a buddy beginning on September 6th. The plan is to lose 25-30 pounds before Christmas. God, please help me!

I don’t mean to bore you with these details. Again, I just have to hold myself accountable for the mission I’m trying so hard to accomplish. And for the record, I gotta say that these past two days of cardio first thing in the morning has helped me feel the happiest I have felt since I had Baby Eli. I’ve struggled with the baby blues for the past few weeks. Who knew that a burst of endorphins would help me come out of my postpartum funk? I gotta keep this awesome routine up!

Dear Lord, help me to stay healthy, to stay motivated and to stay focused on the end result. Let the transformation begin!

The nanny

I received a handwritten thank you note from our nanny who went back to college a week ago. To be honest, I’ve read her thank you note at least four times. Each time I get through it, I get choked up.

She spent the most grueling of times with me while I was finishing up my second pregnancy. She even worked during those daunting weeks of recovery after Eli’s C-section delivery. She had seen me through my roller coaster trip of hormonal rages. She had seen me with makeup and when I confidently felt I looked my best. She had also seen me stripped down to a bare-naked face full of blemishes and imperfections. As Isaac’s nanny, she basically experienced the good and the bad with me in the most candid and intimate way.

Her thank you note completely caught me off guard. I will spare you the details, but her words were appreciative coupled with a spiritual sense of sincerity. It’s a beautiful letter. I was touched by her words, not just because she seemed genuine, but more importantly because she saw how I live my faith and in her note claimed to want the same for her own life. To her, I am a good wife and a good mother. But above all, she believes that I’m a God-fearing woman who inspires her to be “always faithful in God’s plan.” Her compliments are the nicest praises I have ever received.

I can preach on and on about what my Christian faith has done for me in these life-changing past three years. But I worry that for those who read this blog as their only connection to my innermost thoughts, I may sound fake and pretentious. Strike that…I was once told to my face that on this blog I sound totally fake and when I speak of my faith, I seem “brainwashed.” Ouch! For those who feel the same way, I’m sorry that you do.

If I have been “brainwashed,” it’s only been a good thing for my life and for those around me. It seems that to those who are looking for insincerity and imperfection, my faithful words mean nothing. But to this particular woman who has seen me living my life in my daily walk with Christ, I’m empowering by my actions alone. Her words mean more to me than she will ever know. Truly God has blessed my life by allowing me to be a witness to her.

For my son, Isaac and future son, Eli

I’m now just over a week away from meeting my second son, Eli. I’m up at 3:30am and experiencing another night of sleeplessness. In pregnancy, it’s something I’m all too familiar with. About an hour ago, I came across a beautiful rendition of Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” by the incomparable Adele.



Music has always been a huge part of my life. I’m proud to say I come from a musically inclined family. My maternal grandparents have shaped and encouraged my love for music. I’m enlivened by an innate passion to sing and to reflect on my life when the perfect melody meets the directness of heart-wrenching lyrics.

I found THE perfect song to someday sing to my son, Isaac and future son, Eli. This will be the anthem commemorating how I strive to be for them. I can safely say no other ballad has touched me the way this cover has. I think it’s the ultimate love song.

With great ambition, I want to be the very best God-fearing woman and mother for my sons in every way possible. I pray my efforts somehow empower them to never settle for anything less than the beautiful men God has created them to be.

“I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love,
To make you feel my love”

But above all else, I’m hoping it clearly explains their mother’s unconditional love.

Let the countdown begin!

I’m in my final four weeks of pregnancy with Baby Eli. I’m scheduled for a C-section delivery on July 2 but am praying that Eli will be delivered the vaginal way. Call me crazy, but I would love to experience my water breaking and the torment of laboring for hours. My mom says I’m not missing out on much. But I’ll take 17 hours of labor over the intense weeks of recovery from a C-section surgery…bleh!

So far, I’ve gained roughly 31-34 lbs. The scale says something different every morning when I weigh myself after I get out of bed and before I put anything into my enormous stomach. My belly is SO huge these days, and I can’t seem to get myself to take pictures now that I’m so far along in my pregnancy. I am HUGE and no angle is flattering. But I feel guilty that Eli doesn’t have baby bump pictures to look back on. Hopefully I will come to my senses and will take some pictures before we all meet the little guy.

In about two weeks, I’ve been encouraged to take a last chance sonogram to see just how big this baby boy is. I was told if he’s anywhere below 8 pounds, I have a greater chance of delivery vaginally. If he’s anywhere over 8 pounds, the safe and smart route would be surgery. Isaac weighed almost 9 pounds at birth. It would be a shock to us all if Eli weighed less than that.

For those of you who read this blog, I ask you to please keep our family, Baby Eli, and myself in your prayers. We’re in the home stretch and although I’m more uncomfortable than ever, I’m so anxious to hold this baby in my arms and witness Isaac’s first reaction to his little baby brother. Thanks, everyone!

There's no business like MOM business

I’m officially 100% all in as a stay-at-home wife and mom. I made the bold attempt to maintain my marketing contract jobs alongside my Mary Kay home business while raising my son. I’m grateful for the income earning opportunities, and it’s a luxury to be able to do what I love as a profession. But no matter how hard I try to juggle it all, none have been remarkably successful. Not one has yielded a return worth the time I sacrifice away from my husband and son who deserve my undivided attention. I have come to realize that trying to be the mom who “does it all” is not the way I want to live this life because my work is most efficient when put into a role like no other – motherhood.



I’ve had a huge wake up call over the past few months thanks to life lessons, my faith and the spiritual wisdom I’ve gained. I graciously accept that while it’s my responsibility it’s also a privilege to stay home and raise our family. My calling is to work towards being a loving wife, an organized house manager, and a nurturing stay-at-home mom above all other things.



For the mothers who have the strength and perseverance to juggle work outside of the home while maintaining her family and home, I highly respect each one of them. I have attempted juggling work life and family priorities, and I was not as successful as others are. It’s not my forte, and I respect the mothers who have found that balance.

I just think I’ve been in denial for most of my son’s life. I really thought that doing the job I love while raising children would yield satisfaction and balance for me. I learned through trial and error that was absolutely not the case.

When great opportunities have come my way, I was once so eager to pursue them. I would think to myself, “Why would I ever pass up a fun work project that paid good money?” I thought it would be crazy to walk away from that. So, I hired part-time help to assist me in managing work projects and my self-owned business so that I could care for my son. It took less than three months for me to see failure from that poorly constructed strategy.

I cannot do it all nor am I expected to. The only priorities that I truly care to do well are being here at home for my husband and for my son. It puts me at ease knowing I’m the one changing every poopy diaper. There is great satisfaction when I’m the one maintaining the house the way I expect it to run. To me, there is no job that could ever be as important or life changing as raising my child. In my opinion, there is no other investment more promising than being a mother who is (and can be) 100% vested in her family’s future. There is no greater sense of peace when realizing I’m blessed to be at this point in life and I’m blessed with all that I have.

I pray I don’t give in to my own selfish ambitions. I pray that my family never has to take a backseat just because a job demands my greatest commodity…my time. I pray that God gives me His work until my life shall end and life until my most important work is done.