Last Thursday we attended our first ever Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. We dressed up as Elsa, Anna and Kristoff. Continue reading “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party”
The Barefoot Mermaid’s Guide to Disney World, Practicalities

We have been to Disney three times in the past two-ish years and once with I was younger. I wish it was many more. Here are our favorite things, tips and tricks. Continue reading “The Barefoot Mermaid’s Guide to Disney World, Practicalities”
Loggerhead Love

All my life I have risen with the sun to scour the beach for turtle tracks and capture the sunrise in photographs. One morning during our most recent trip I took Em with me. It was special to do this with her since I have the fondest memories of going out in the early light with daddy and Grandmama. Sharing this with her I had all the feels. I had been hoping for a spectacular sunrise and some turtle tracks to share with her. Well God and some Lowcountry magic delivered. Not only did we stumble directly upon the first set of tracks while walking onto the beach from our car we saw two more crawls that day. One false crawl, one destroyed nest and one that was relocated to safer grounds, so she was able to see all types. And the sunrise was spectacular.
Loggerhead Love

All my life I have risen with the sun to scour the beach for turtle tracks and capture the sunrise in photographs. One morning during our most recent trip I took Em with me. It was special to do this with her since I have the fondest memories of going out in the early light with daddy and Grandmama. Sharing this with her I had all the feels. I may have even teared up some. I had been hoping for a spectacular sunrise and some turtle tracks to share with her. Well God and some Lowcountry magic delivered. Not only did we stumble directly upon the first set of tracks while walking onto the beach from our car we saw two more crawls that day. One false crawl, one destroyed nest and one that was relocated to safer grounds, so she was able to see all types. And the sunrise was spectacular. Continue reading “Loggerhead Love”
The Green Door
Midnight, one more night without sleeping
Watching till the morning comes creeping
Green door, what’s that secret you’re keeping?There’s an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door
Don’t know what they’re doing
But they laugh a lot behind the green door
Wish they’d let me in so I could find out
What’s behind the green door.“Green Door” by Jim Lowe
Father’s Day
Disclaimer: This story is my story, thoughts and opinions. Therefore my thoughts and opinions do not apply to everyone who has walked a similar road as us. They might need and want and feel something completely different. But I am hoping to open up conversation, acceptance and how to better love and care for the that have walked a similar path. In fact I hope some of my thoughts and meandering can be “cross training” for other difficult situations you may encounter. If you have walked a road similar to ours, I carry your heart with me. You are not alone. No matter how different our stories might be. I am here for you. My story is mine and yours is yours. One story is not harder, sadder, scarier, longer, or deeper than another story. They are just different and what a beautiful, broken world that creates for us. I am not perfect and my husband is not perfect. But I do not believe in speaking negatively of him especially in a way that the entire world can read. So even though my post will generally always highlight the positive of him and our relationship please know we are not perfect. I am certainly not creating this space to feel better about myself and less of anyone else, so please don’t compare my highlight real to your behind the scenes. We are not perfect and we mess up and struggle just like everyone else in the world. So don’t for a second belittle yourself and compare us to you. Different is beautiful not better. 😘 Also please forgive my spelling and grammar in this space. You will see my thoughts and heart and dreams here but you will not see perfect English.
We are less than one week away from another bittersweet, oxymoron holiday. Father’s Day. A day meant to celebrate those who have loved us, taught us and raised us. But also a day that reminds so many of the lost dads, single dads, single moms who are daddy and mommy, the estranged relationships, the lost babies and even the longing for babies. The world as a whole does a terrible job holding close mamas with angel babies. I still can’t quite wrap my brain around why it’s so taboo and hush hush. But slowly I see it getting better and hopefully by sharing our experience I’m helping out. But you know where we completely drop the ball and leave out a whole host of people who need love, comfort and support. Daddies of heavenly babies. Just as women become moms the moment they see that positive pregnancy test daddies are created in that exact moment as well. Not in the delivery room or after the adoption is complete but long before. Some even have daddy hearts long before a positive test when the life is a flicker of hope in their eyes and a dream in their hearts.
We degrade men when we stereotype them as having the inability to be emotional or sensitive. We assume mama is an emotional wreck and daddy is strong, solemn, unattached and not affected after the death of a baby. Perhaps it’s not their lack of ability to be emotional or the lack of feelings but our lack of support, resources, love and space for them to process and be safe in their grief. Society does all kinds of boxing in and stereotyping for ALL the people of the world. I’m just going to focus on this one tiny area today (again see disclaimer). We tell the men of the world that they are our protectors and they are strong and they don’t cry. WHY does “being emotional” have a bad, weak attachment to it? I believe the more emotional a person is the more love and passion and praise a person has. Isn’t that more of what this world needs people who’s souls are on fire with purpose and love? Grief and emotional processing are proof that you loved and cherished something valuable. Continue reading “Father’s Day “
A Gift
I have a kindle that I love. The slim electronic that can hold hundreds and hundreds of stories that can transport you to any time and any place. BUT every now and then I love a good solid book. Touch it, feel it, smell it, see it book. I wish the screen was scratch and sniff for everyone to enjoy the smell of a new book or old book for that matter. Books are lovely. Many years ago my mama, aunt, and grandmother instilled in me a love of reading. Honestly, I don’t know how they were able to ingrain this into all of the children on my mom’s side but we all love to read. I wish I knew the magic formula to teach people to love to read. (I’d teach the lovely Mr.) I do not know. My best guess is they read to us and we watched them all sit in the same room together yet absorbed by books at some point every time they were together. (As a side note all three of them and I pick our toenails subconsciously while we read. Gross I know but yet it fascinates me that we all do it.) All of the cousin twins can manage to stay up past our bedtime engrossed in a good book. We crave them. We devour them. Occasionally, we try to savor them but often get too caught up in the story line and read it quickly. Even Kyle and Will have been known to read which is unusual for men. So to Mama, Aunt Amy, and Grammie THANK YOU for one of the greatest lessons and gifts you gave me, a love of reading. A gift that enlightens, transports, serves as an escape, educates, reduces boredom and passes time-sometimes faster than we would like. Thanks for giving me a love for real books and electronic books anyway I can take them I will. It’s truly a beautiful thing.
Hot, hot, hot…
Fact: it’s hot. Too hot to do laundry for fear the dryer will make the house even hotter. Too hot to cook. Too hot to do anything but not move much. It’s currently 81 degrees in the house with the air on!
Another fact: my wonderful family and I spent yesterday moving… It was 105 yesterday. Man they must love me is all I have to say! Not only did we move but we cleaned the entire house squeaky clean in hopes of getting our deposit back. I would be (and kinda am) excited that it is complete!!!!! Except…we had to move ours of the house into a storage unit because the apartment we wanted wont be ready til mid July.

Now we could have chosen the easy subpar apartment to move into but where is the fun in that! Besides its last year for Alyssa and I to fulfill our childhood dream of living together while she is in med school. We have to make this year rock and the only way to do that is a rocking apartment. Many thanks to uncle David, aunt Amy, Ian and Ryan! We started around 0615 and finished moving at 1049! Also many thanks Jessica for helping get the house clean. And mama, will and Claire who helped with pre-move preparations and my patriotic toe nails!

Needless to say after making it through yesterday moving any part of my body seems like a huge task but alas laundry does have to be done and we do have to eat. But maybe not until the sun sets tonight!
