Meet Your Significant Other

Disclaimer: I feel the need to start with this.... If you don't currently have a significant other, or if you're in the market for a new one (kidding!!), there is no dating advice in this post. If you already have a significant other that you have not yet met, you need to do more today than read this post... run, don't walk, to the nearest therapist!! :-)

I love to write. Always have, I'm sure I always will. This is my third active (ish) blog, and though my husband knows about my first one (Random Thoughts from a Newbie Blogger) and my second one (Kat's Next Five Things), it turns out that I never told him that I'd started this one. It was an innocent mistake, I wasn't trying to hide something from him at all. He knows that early in the morning before anyone is awake or late at night when the kids are in bed and he's watching sports, I blog. I guess I just never told him I was doing a new blog.

Last Monday, I posted here about my daughter, Rachel. I wrote that post on my home computer (I usually use my laptop when I post, and no one else uses this one). I happened to leave the window open and when he got on the computer after the kids were in bed, he saw that post up on the screen. He started to read some posts from this blog, and also on my Random Thoughts blog. "What's all this," he asked me?

"Ah, love, there's so much about me you don't know," I joked. OK, I'm not sure there's so much about me he doesn't know... we've been together for 12.5 years now. What wouldn't he know? But as it turns out as he read through my posts, there was a lot he didn't know. Certainly that's not intention on either of our parts, and I do think it's OK to have a few things that only you know... the blogs just wasn't intentionally one of them.

Today, take a look at your significant other. What about them don't you know? Does (s)he have an interest in ancient Egyptian history? Has (s)he always wanted to try sushi? Is (s)he having trouble at work? Want another baby? Want a dog? Want to travel to Europe? Won the spelling bee in 3rd grade? Always wanted to be an astronaut? Hates your fuzzy blue slippers? Wish you'd let your hair grow longer or stop coloring it so blond? Loves how you look when you wear green?

Maybe it's a little thing, maybe it's a funny thing, maybe it's something that's been heavy on their mind or on their heart, and they don't want to "burden" you with it. Whatever "it" is, though.... find out. Learn about it. Support it. Act on it if you can.

If, like me, you think they're can't be anything left you don't know about your significant other, well, ask! If your significant other is still sleeping, as mine is as I write this post, I suggest you don't wake him/her up for this question. But maybe later on tonight, after the dishes are done and the kids are in bed, ask the question. See if it's true what they say: You learn something new every day. To me, there aren't many better people to learn something new about.

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~
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Blessings,
Kat

Photo Friday: Can't Hide from Mommy's Love

Try as you might, you can't hide from a mother's love. (Or a mother's camera, as the case may be.) And you know what? Even when you're grumpy, Mom will still always think you're beautiful.

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~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

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Blessings,

Kat

Volunteer Match

If you've ever thought about doing any kind of volunteer work but weren't sure where to start, check out this site: www.VolunteerMatch.org.

VolunteerMatch is a leader in the nonprofit world dedicated to helping everyone find a great place to volunteer. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. Our popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred internet recruiting tool for more than 50,000 nonprofit organizations.

I've used this site before and when I plugged in my zip code today (yes, that's all you have to do!), I got 232 local opportunities -- from volunteering to do Children's IDs/fingerprints at the county fair to joining the Peace Corps and everything in between. They even have virtual volunteer opportunities, things I can do with my PJs on, without ever leaving my house.

Some opportunities ask for a specific skill set (helping a client create a database), some just need friendly people who are willing to lend a hand. All are great opportunities, certainly a site worth checking out!

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat

Wildcard Wednesday: 7 Seconds

Recently, my husband, two daughters and I took a trip to New York to visit my family. My younger daughter did not have a ticket, she sat on my lap during the plane ride. I've flown close to 500 times (seriously!) and I've heard the "important announcements in the event of an emergency" so many times that I pretty much don't listen to them anymore. However, there's one that always sticks in my head.

"In the event that the cabin experiences a sudden change in pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. The bag will not inflate even though oxygen is flowing. Please secure your own mask before assisting others."

Once I had kids, this one always made me chuckle. Yeah, right, I'm going to put on my own mask before my kids'. Sure. I'm their MOTHER! Of course I'm going to put theirs on first, make sure they are OK, and then tend to mine. Silly flight attendant!

This time, though, one of the flight attendants made sure to point out that the baby and I should sit on the left side of the plane, there were 3 masks on that side (only 2 seats) so I should sit there since I may need one for the baby. He also proceeded to remind me that I should secure my own mask first, since it only takes 7 seconds without oxygen before an "altered state of consciousness" will begin, at which point I'd be less able to help my daughter.

Seven seconds. Wow. That's not very long. It got me to thinking....

I tend to go through life worrying about how to help everyone else. What can I do? What can I give? How can I help? How do I make sure that everyone else is taken care of? If there happens to be a little something left over for me, that's great, but certainly the "everyone elses" in my life come first. Always have. And hey, shouldn't they?

Seven seconds. That's not very long.

If I neglect myself, within 7 seconds I could start to become unable to help my baby girl. I want to believe that I can get her mask on first and then my own in those 7 seconds. But what if I can't? Then I've hurt both of us by not putting myself first. Wow. In this case, taking care of myself first is the only way to make sure I can take care of her as well as I want to, as well as I need to.

That's fine on an airplane, but what about the rest of my life? Though I'm sure he wasn't looking to instill a life lesson, that flight attendant made a big impact. I spend so much time and energy focusing on everyone else, that I may (unknowingly and unintentionally) be putting myself into an "altered state." Not enough sleep. Not enough time. Not enough energy. When I'm dragging, can I really help others the way I want to, the way I need to?

Putting my own mask on first only takes a few seconds, but it could make all the difference. Just like taking care of myself first doesn't have to take long, but could make a huge difference in my ability to be happy, healthy, and therefore, take care of others to the true best of my abilities.

No, I'm not planning a spa getaway or a shopping spree or lazy afternoon naps. But next time I want a pedicure, I'm not going to feel like I don't deserve it. Instead, I'll go to the local nail place, let them massage my feet and make my toes pretty for an hour, and come home a bit recharged, relaxed, and feeling good so I can be in a better mental place to do what I love to do best -- take care of others.

Mommy first, Mommy always, forever and ever, Amen. But I'm learning (slowly but surely!) that to the best I can be for others, I need to be the best I can be for me, first.

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat

Good in the News: Mother of 5 Wins her Dream

Goes to show that when you have a dream, passion and talent, nothing should stand in your way.

On Monday night, Melissa Lawson, a 32-year old mother of 5 was crowned the latest "Nashville Star" in the show's 6th season finale. This is the first year I've watched the show, but it certainly won't be the last.

From Day 1, Melissa's amazing talent has shown through and I'm thrilled to see her win. More than that, though, I'm thrilled to see that a mother of 5 has proven to the world that moms, just like everybody else, can still follow (and attain) their dreams.

This excerpt from an article by Mario Tarradel in The Dallas Morning News sums it up perfectly:

In many ways, however, she was a winner before her name was called. The relentlessly image-conscious music business, country or otherwise, would have probably discarded Ms. Lawson immediately because she's not model-thin. Yet it's in her realness – her looks, her story, her talent – that the heart of true country music beats. She represents most of the women out there who connect with the genre: the working mothers, the wives and the churchgoers. She proves that life experiences are the ultimate tools needed to sell a song.

Melissa, you go, girl! You're an inspiration to me as a woman, as a mom and as a dreamer. Looking forward to more of that beautiful voice.

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat

Meet Rachel

I have been blessed with two beautiful little girls. Rachel is the older of the two, and today she turns five. I mentioned in a post last week that I don't have many heroes, but Rachel is one of the few. She inspires me daily with her kindness, her wit, her bravery and her innocence. She makes me want (more than anything!) to be the best mommy I can be, the best me I can be. She puts my life, my work, my stress, my every single action into perspective, and she truly makes my heart smile.

Children are amazing. Life is so different through the eyes of a child, so much better than through my own, I think.

If you have children, take a special, intentional look at them today. Remember how amazing they are, how inspirational they are, and how blessed you are to have them.

To my sweet, beautiful, amazing little Rachel, may your next 95 years be as wonderful as the first five have been, for both of us. Happy, Happy Birthday! And most important of all:

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat

Photo Friday: Joy!

Drop all your cares and worries at the doorstep… and just revel in the fun. Jump in with both feet!

Photo and words by Mel Instefjord, June 2008. Bree Instefjord is 4 3/4 years old, and LOVES soccer!

~*~*~ May you always remember to dance in the rain, and may you have plenty of ladybugs beside you! ~*~*~

Blessings,
Kat