Category Archives: Uncategorized

Growing

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My last post was about how I am okay with accepting help from others.  
Today that “okay” was challenged. 
And I was not.a.fan.  
There are a few facts you should know about me before I continue:
1. I have been working since I was 14.
2. I have been living on my own / paying my own bills / completely independent since 17.
3. I am not one to openly admit when I need help or ask for it. EVER. 
Having said that and also the fact that {I am super grateful that we DO have the support around us right now} I have to admit that I am not 100% comfortable accepting help in any form.  
I know that we can’t do everything on our own…
Though I still feel like I should be able to.
But for some reason I still feel inadequate when there is someone else helping with something I think I should be doing.  
I feel defeated…like a fraud. 
 I know that the reason we have family / friends / a church family
is to help when we need it but I feel like I should be able to handle everything, all the time.
Then a thought occured to me…maybe others feel this way?  
Am I crazy? Do you like accepting help from others? Is it just me?   
After all was said and done today I realized one thing.  
I am growing. 
I might not be comfortable asking for help or admitting when I need it but at least I am asking for it.  
A few years or months ago the thought would never have crossed my mind to even ask for help.  
Today I am accepting it from all areas. 
 I am growing and that is what life is all about. 
 Life is about stepping out of our comfort zone so we can grow as an individual, as a Mom, as a family.. 
and that is a wonderful thing 🙂

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

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Over the past two weeks I have learned that family has taken on a whole new meaning.

There is the family that you are born into.
There is family that you marry into.
There are friends that become family.
There are co-workers who become family.
There is a church family that you join into.
The later three of these have been super prominent in my life lately.
Friends, co-workers, and our church family have all united and rallied around us in our time of need more than I could have ever imagine.  
So many people have opened their hearts to us, given their time to us, and put their lives on hold for us.
One of my major concerns after the stroke was how is our household going to operate?
For the first time in my entire life I am learning to take help from others.
I am okay with meals being dropped off.
I am okay with  helpers around the house keeping my kids entertained.
I am okay with coloring books, snacks, and books being dropped off by co-workers.
I am okay with help around the house.
I am okay with all of this because I know this is the cycle of life.
I can’t do it all. I can’t get better if I don’t let others help.  
I am not surrendering and I am achieving 🙂
Through this whole process I am growing.
Today I need the help, but tomorrow someone else will and I know that I will be there for them in their time of need.
There is no greater feeling than realizing I am part of more than one “family.”
Everything is going to be alright, and I am one lucky gal!
{source uknown}

7 Vs. 5

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I remember being an impressionable 11 year old and my eyes lighting up as these 7 amazing girls took the stage in the 1996 Olympics. 
 Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Amanda Borden, and Jaycie Phelps. 
Oh how I wished I was able to do the things they were!
 I still remember sitting in front of the tv with my closest girlfriend dreaming that one day we could be where they are.  
We would make up routines just like them in my room, and on the trampoline too. 
Pointing our toes, doing back hand springs into a back tuck and landing perfectly! 
We would participate as our favorite person, mine always being Dominique Moceanu!  
The magnificent seven are forever etched into my memory.
A piece of my childhood not forgotten.
Fast forward. 
 I’m now 27 and there’s a group of girls dubbed The Fab 5.  
Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, McKayla Maroney, Jordan Wieber.
All sorts of changes to the rules and scoring of gymnastics have happened.
 I’m married with 3 kids hehe.  
But there was just something about this group of girls that had me glued to the tv (now a HD flat screen lol) Just like I was all those years ago!
 I’ll tell you what…
I was certainly brought right back to my 11 year old self sitting in my living room right on the edge of my seat, a twinkling in my eyes from watching the amazing things these girls are capable of doing.  
So thank you Fab 5 for letting a tired, under appreciated mom of three small boys have a great moment from her childhood back 🙂
I am so glad that I was able to watch the glory of the Fab 5 win gold for the USA…
even if it was 16 years later…eeeek!

I just want to write

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For me writing has always been therapeutic. 
I have always been better getting out what I need to say by writing down what I mean rather than trying to say it.  
Oh Lord, when I try to say what I feel it just comes out all jumbled and messy!
 Does that ever happen to you? 
 I remember being a little girl and getting my first Diary-I think I bought it at Six Flags haha!
  It had gold trimmed pages, was teal blue and had tweety bird on the front! 
It made me feel so sophisticated 🙂
 I felt like I had so much power…like I finally had the ability to write down what I felt, and thought it actually had a purpose. 
 I have always been drawn toward words and the English language. 
 I may “abandon” this little spot of mine for a while-but without fail I am always drawn back because I love the fact that I have my own little space to write down my thoughts.  
Sometimes it’s writers block that keeps me away.
 Sometimes I feel as thought my thoughts are too boring for anyone to read…
and sometimes I just get caught up in this thing called life.
But let’s face it most days I.need.this. 
 With everything else that is going on its good for me to take a time out for me to just sit and write.
  Some days the writing has more meaning than others, but after my recent health scare I have learned a very important lesson…
We have to do what makes us happy. 
We’re not promised tomorrow.
That’s a fact. And I’m going to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.

A priceless life

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Forgive me if my thought process is off but this past week I have been through A LOT. 
 There’s no easy way around it so I will just say it.  
On Tuesday I suffered a stroke.  
Yes I just said a S-T-R-O-K-E, for reals.  
I couldn’t move the entire left side of my body- I was completely incoherent, and couldn’t talk. 
 I was given TPA (serious blood thinning medicine) and shipped via ambulance from our local hospital to a nearby city hospital. 
Slowly my left side came back, first my hand and arm and I’m still waiting on my leg.
The talking came back very slowly at first, but better now.  
 I spent 5 days in the hospital and was finally released.  
5 days of being poked, prodded, and tested around the clock.
5 days of being away from my babies.
I am most thankful for still being here.
This was one of the most horrific experiences in my whole life.
July 23 now has a new meaning to me…
The day God showed me just how precious my life is.
It’s been a week and so far I have been much more appreciative of everything.
The sun. 
My kids.  
The messes my kids make.  
Their laughs.
 Family. 
The list could go on and on.
Through everything though this whole experience has brought me even closer to my faith.  
I have never prayed as much as I have this past week.
I think through my entire hour and a half MRI I said the Lord’s Prayer about 300 times!
I have never felt closer to, or felt as though I was being carried more by Him than this past week.
I would have been lost without my faith.  
Our church family has stepped in during our time of need as well-they are just incredible!
Through all of this my husband has been my rock.
He has taken on every.single.responsibility in our house.
Cooking. Cleaning. Diapering.  Food shopping.  Bed time.  Bath’s.
Everything!
“Through sickness and health” is the phrase that comes to mind.
Boy has he stood the test.
I could not be more blessed 🙂
Awhile back I said I wanted to have this blog to document all of the moments in my life.
The good and the bad.
This is one of the bad.  
Very, very bad.
But to me it is still important to document it because I never want to forget it.
I don’t want to forget how fragile life is.
I hope the next couple of weeks and months bring about improvement and that one day I will be able to move, think, and function as I did the day before my stroke.
I say a prayer of thanksgiving every.single.day. because He kept me intact.
He kept me here. With my kids.  With my husband.
Even though the road I am on is going to be one of the hardest battles I have ever fought and I am ready because I know he is on my side.
Through Him all things are possible.

I’m still here & a quick recap!

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Hidey-ho!
Still here..life has just been crazy busy.
This past weekend Hubby and I were able to escape from the kids for a wedding {on the beach} and a night with friends at a reception! 
The weather could not have been more gorgeous for a March wedding at the beach.
 It was fun and much needed.
On another note…
We’re gearing up for a big trip here in the Acosta house…
DISNEY !!!!
The kids are ecstatic and I’m borderline losing my mind!
Sitting in a car for.18.hours. with 3 kids age 5 and under…is not the most settling thought.
On top of the thought of everything that needs to be packed…Oye!
The lists have come out.
The cleaning has begun.
The bags are being packed…slowly.
And at the end of the week we will hit the open road 🙂
I haven’t been on here much lately-not to worry though I have been lurking!
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m feeling the writer’s block, or not feeling like my thoughts are important enough for others to want to read…
I’m thinking the latter of the last two 😦
I’ve been immersing myself in parenting/relationship/Christian books, 
and doing some soul searching.
Either way this vacation is going to be good.  A break.  
Some time with my thoughts.  
Hopefully the sand between my toes and I’m sure in my ears, on my sandwich and every other unmentionable place while trying to tackle the beach with 3 boys!
I’ve been thinking about re-doing the shop as well when we get back, possibly moving it to Store Envy.
Re-vamping the blog too.
Perhaps starting a diet, since beach season is right.around.the corner-HA! 
Time will tell.
Catch you on the flip side!
Enjoy a pic of me and Hubby at the wedding this past weekend!

Family

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This past weekend we were blessed to get to spend time with our family!  
If you’ve been following me for a while you know how lucky I am to have married into a genuinely wonderful family. 
 Sunday morning I attended a baby shower for mutual friends of mine and my husband’s and then joined up with my husband and the gang in the early afternoon.  
As usual we all had so much fun!  
There were laughs, jokes, a birthday, and great times all around. 
 There truly is no better place to be than surrounded by family.  
How was your weekend?

Pass it Forward

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So there’s this SHINE-Y girl, named Ashley. 
 I discovered her a few months ago on my blogging quest, and she has quickly become a daily read.  
Ashley is always thinking of ways to spread her shine and her latest venture is just AMAZING!  
It’s the Pass It Forward movement.  
Ever since I “met” Ashley I have been more concision to pass it forward.
I have looked for opportunities in the smallest of places, to make someone else’s days just a little brighter.  
This week I passed it forward.  
We made our first Easter donation to the local rescue mission and inside of the envelope along with our donation was a place mat.  
You could simply sign your name, or write a little word of encouragement on this place mat.  
I chose this verse from the Bible, “For I know the plans I have for declares the Lord, plans of welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 
Jeremiah 29:11.  
I can only hope that those few words, and one small bible verse would give someone encouragement.  
Perhaps it’s a fellow mom like myself…or a son, a daughter, brother, sister, husband, wife, aunt, or uncle.  
The point is we all go through struggles.  
We have all come upon hard times-some harder than others.
Thankfully there are places like our rescue mission to help those in our area who have come upon these hard times. 
 Everyone we meet is fighting a battle.  
Perhaps they wear their battle scars on their sleeve, but most don’t.  
If I can make a difference in the life of one person, or put a smile on one person’s face where there wasn’t a smile before-then I have succeeded.
I can only hope that the person who receives my place mat will take those words of encouragement and pass.it.forward to someone else. 
 All it takes is one person to make a difference.  
Thanks Ashley!

TheShineProject

Thursday 13…

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So there’s this awesome bloggy girl I recently discovered who is cute, and outspoken and has this really fun Thursday link-up party !  
She’s also has the biggest collection of bouncy balls around !
So I’ve decided now its my turn to finally join her
I give to you my list of Thursday 13….
Things I would bring with me to a deserted island:
1. My kindle
I love books, always have.
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2. Pandora
Great tunes can get you through anything
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3. Chamomile Tea
This has become a big part of my night time routine
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4 & 5.  Toothpaste & Toothbrush
I love love love brushing my teeth!  This would be a necessity!
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6. Sunscreen
Ever since I had the boys I burn very very easily, ouch!
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7. Hair ties
I’m more of a ponytail kind of girl!
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8. My Bible
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9. Sauvignon Blanc
My new favorite wine!
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10.  My Keurig
I have a total coffee obsession…like at least 6 cups a day, yum 🙂
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11. Carmex
My lips get oh so chapp-y and sun burt easily.
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12. Rainbows
Not the kind inside of your lucky charms!  These are the most comfortable long lasting flip flops you will EVER own!
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13. My iphone
It’s true..I’ve become obsessed! You can seriously do so many things with this phone 🙂
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Well, there you have it my first Thursday 13! I’ve linked up so come over and see the other fun Thursday 13 girls!

Aunie Sauce

Saturday Fun

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Today Angel had a birthday party for a little boy who is in his class.
  It was a bowling birthday party-true Kindergarten boy style right there! 
 We’ve been to two so far this year and Angel wants to have his birthday at the bowling alley too!  
As it turns out Angel and the birthday boy end up getting along like oil and water. 
 After observing the birthday boy’s behavior for a while I finally figured it out…
Angel and the birthday boy have the exact same personality!  
Stubborn, full of attitude, and they think they are 5 going on 15.
  At one point the birthday boy’s mom came over {after having to separate our two kids for the 20th time} and tried to apologized.  
Before she could even get the “I’m sorry” out of her mouth I stopped her and let her know that there was no need to apologize. 
I felt like this was my point, my turn to turn to her and let her know that she wasn’t alone.
There wouldn’t be any judging or talking behind the back.
We were fighting the same battle.
She looked at me with the biggest look of relief and surprise and said to me 
“Are you kidding me?”  
I told her I had watched her son and the way he interacted with her, and the other adults at the party and it was Angel to a tee.  
The rest of the party was filled with laughs and looks back and forth between us two moms like “yup, I understand what you’re going through.”  
And you know what?  It was GREAT! 
 Honestly I thought Angel was the only 5 year old who thought he was 15, and apparently that is not the case. 
  As a mom it is a great feeling to know that someone else is going through the same thing that we are going through.  
That we are not alone and that we’re not doing anything wrong!
To know that we are not the only ones who feel like we don’t have control and that most days it is easier to not set him off than the try to fight every battle with him.  
At the end of the party the birthday boy’s mom and I exchanged numbers and gave a promise to call each other one night this week after the kids are in bed to discuss our “notes”  from the day haha!  
Overall it was a great day. 
 Exhausting, but great!