Grace for Every Mom

So, it's 1:45 a.m. & I'm sitting in the living room with my soon to be 2 yo son, Mason.  Mason has NEVER slept all night since the day he was born...not ONCE. I've Googled, read, researched, spoken with his pediatrician and other pediatricians, tried essential oils, warm baths with calming bath soap and adjusted his schedule so many times that I can't even remember. This past Friday I had a minor surgical procedure done but was told I couldn't lift anything heavy for 10 days (as the discharge nurse eyed my 30-pound baby boy). Can I just get some back up from other moms out there; if your baby falls or gets sick, you are NOT going to say “Well, I can't pick you up, just dust it off and go on about your day”, are you? I didn't think so. The meds they gave me after surgery turned me into monster mommy/wife. I snapped off the head of every poor innocent that happened to look me directly in the eye all day Saturday and Sunday. Plus, those same meds...

So today I had an epiphany. Everyone knows that life is all about the choices you make. Where you are today is a result of the choices you made yesterday or last week or five years ago. Can you be happy, though, with where you are today and still miss what might've been if you'd made different choices? Sometimes I find myself regretting a choice I've made that put me on a different path from the one I fiercely wanted to go down. I love my life today and the people in it, but every now and then, my heart hurts and longs for places and people I left behind years ago.  I guess part of appreciating what you have now is dependent on what you had before. Learning from the heartaches and bad choices of the past and moving forward while trying your level best not to repeat those mistakes in your present or future. Looking back on my life, I am a lucky woman to have met so  many wonderful people and to have loved and been loved by a few. I also learned from the ones that I hated a...

I am blessed with several family members I could have written about for this contest, but I chose my dad because when he died, a part of me left this earth also. I still miss him everyday.  Love, to me, looks like an alcoholic who, even in the throes of a horrible addiction, was the one person in the world who loved his little girl. Love, to me, looks like an 8x10 picture of a man holding his newborn baby girl in one hand and looking at her as if she is the only person in the entire world. Love, to me, is a Father who gets all tongue twisted at the mention of his little girl’s boyfriend. Love, to me, is that same Father who, when asked, “Who gives this woman away?” says, “I don’t want to, but I guess I will.” Love, to me is a Father who listens patiently as his daughter talks about marriage troubles that he has already been through and says, “Well, Little Girl, it will all work out for the best.”, and then pats her on the head as if she is only a child. Love, to me, is a d...

So today, I had a scare. Someone who is dearly loved by me got hurt at work. I never thought that anything bad could touch him because he is such a wonderfully precious person. The day started just like any other day and everything was fine and then, out of nowhere, I get a phone call to go to the hospital. He is fine now and is at home and resting comfortably. The point to the story is that bad things can happen to anybody, no matter how good they are. Think of the people in your life and how important they are to you. Not just today but EVERYDAY, make sure to let them know how much you care. Doing this can be as simple as a kiss as they leave for work or a note to say 'I love you'. You are blessed with these people and they shape your life more than you know.

So last night I let everyone know that my first article as a freelance writer was published. Well, it went live today. That means it can be found by running a search for it on Examiner.com. That also means that I can earn money on it! Please go check it out! Here is the link: http://www.examiner.com/intercultural-relationships-1-in-birmingham/beth-price

This is my first article for Examiner.com. Let me know what you think. How do you feel about interracial relationships in Birmingham, Alabama? - Birmingham Intercultural Relationships | Examiner.com

This a longer post than I would normally post, but I just felt the overwhelming need to share this. A very dear friend of mine sent this to me in an e-mail. It made me remember that we are ALL created to bring glory to GOD. The next time you see a homeless person or anyone who needs help, instead of looking down on them or trying to guess how hey got where they are, just help them. After all God knows everything you have ever done and yet He loves you anyway. I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.' The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after ...