Category Archives: love

Monday Makeover: Oh, patience, where did you go…

Apr 8

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This past week was a test of my patience. Deadlines at work. Ones where I am the planner, the detail checker, the layout designer, and I have to make sure everything is perfect. Public Relations is a profession of perfectionism, and with many hats to juggle, it’s a daunting task to stay on top. And there’s days and certain weeks where I’m sure we all feel, we’re running as fast as we can to get work done, but our steps are just not fast enough.

Then something happens. An unexpected event. You throw on the brakes way before you’re ready to stop, and you don’t know what to do.

Tuesday night rolled around, and suddenly my little one started to cling. She wanted mommy. She wandered in the bed at night and she couldn’t get to sleep. The next day the doctor said nothing was wrong besides her fever, so you wait and you hope and you pray that’s it. But sleep became harder to steal with the little one in the bed every night, rolling around every hour, screaming and crying and I felt so bad. And being the momma, life stops until all is well again in the family, including work. Thank goodness for Grandma. She came to the rescue a few times when I needed it.

Friday arrived and the fever skyrocketed. Another doctor visit. Tests were run, but nothing turned up right away, until her oxygen levels were checked, more than once—the verdict? Pneumonia.
 I won’t lie. I’ll just say it. Sick babies wear you down. You love them. You are there holding them, but your best becomes way less than that, and your feel like a zombie. 
Sunday saved me. Finally back to a routine with her sleeping in the bed, and eating solid food again, we had a major meltdown. My sweet little girl tends to turn into an instant tornado in a blink of an eye. This time it was over breakfast and sitting in my lap. She worked herself up into a giant fit, erupting, and crying and holding her breath. My calm Sunday mood hit the floor and I had to do something different before I lost it all.

We all have our signs. For me? Instant tenseness. I hold my breath. My words get short. And I try so hard not to yell.

So what do you do?

Music works. Breathing works. But there’s a point when you just need it all. I needed a complete change in my environment, so I dressed the kids and we drove straight to church where I could listen to the music, feel the energy, and above all things, find my faith. It worked! 

But my patience is still running a little thin. So I’m making it a focus this week. I read a really great article on patience and in a nutshell, here’s what I plan to do based on what I read: 
Identify my common triggers. What are the words my daughter says that set me off? What are her actions? What can I do to keep them from getting out of control? What can I do at work to focus my attention and maximize the time I spend in the office, since now, my second little one is home sick.
I’m following a mantra: “You’re doing your best. Hang on,” and I’m hoping it helps. I’m also remembering to breathe and to close my eyes to shut out the moment.
 I might sing a song or empty the dishwasher. Strangely enough, emptying the dishwasher is the first thing I do when my patience fizzles. 
I also plan to look for humor and remember a whole lot of love. Because looking back, these moments can be a little funny, and I won’t ever get time or love back with my babies.

Posted in cloud nine, cloud nine girl, emotion, Erika Beebe, finding faith, love, patience, sick kids, tips

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Knock the filth off. Jump up and Live.

Jan 17

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I have this vision of being buried under a giant pile of debris. I wake up. I realize I shouldn’t be where I am and I fight my way through the crap, knocking off boxes and broken junk, freeing myself, standing up straight on two wobbly legs-
The sun beats warm on my face
The air smells fresh
The sky overhead stretches blue and beautiful
I can’t get enough of the moment.
We’ve been fighting down the flu in our house for about a week and a half. It’s sort of suffocating, isolating yourself in your house, away from everyone and trying not to spread all the germs. ICK. But now we’re free! My son, my daughter and yes, I swore I wouldn’t get it because my husband never gets sick, but never swear. The flu is a mean little bug.  It found me anyway and tackled me down with a vengeance. 
So even though I stole this vision from my 7thgrade history teacher, recalling a story he shared with the class about how he’d cope if a tornado every struck our building, his being a way funnier version using student bodies instead of rubble, the story in some weird way just fits.
There’s always a light somewhere. There’s an end to the way you feel and a beginning of something else. The flu is done in my house. I still feel a little under the weather, but I’m drawing the line.
I’m waking up tomorrow and I’m hitting the day as hard and fast as I can. 
I’m going to let life fill me up and be a version of myself I LOVE, all over again.

Posted in erica beebe, Erika Beebe, live, live what you love, love, make something of your life

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Meaning Something to Someone Really Rocks

Jan 4

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My two precious miracles

It’s amazing what a little love can do for your day!

My son is four and a half. He is a type A kiddo with a huge sense for right and wrong. Sometimes I call him my little policeman. “Momma, that’s not supposed to go up there. Momma, they’re trying to drive on the road, too. Momma, yesterday you told me not to say that. Why did you say that word?” There are so many cute things he says everyday to remind me, to do the right thing. To model the right thing.

Today I received an email from the director at his daycare. She said, Simon was really missing his mommy today. He needed a little extra snuggle time, which is one of the reasons why I picked the daycare center they go to, because they are cherished there. They feel love everyday.

The director followed up and said, he wanted to send you an email, and I would have blushed ear to ear if I didn’t have olive skin.

This is the letter my son typed for me on her computer:

“J8fi,[0i =-kvt-o9,m=v-tk,\=\,=v5,3w0=,v,==v,v0,5,mk93b0-to,me-fo,v-eo,,,,,tvrtttttttttt[rdtv-,tr-vt-est,-,tvimtsmt-rmtm5trtvv0”

Then the director asked him if he felt better. He said yes.

I quickly emailed back and told the director, I had just blown him a kiss all the way from work. I asked her to see if he’d caught it.

I can’t wait to pick him up tonight and see what he had to say. I love my babies. They make me smile. They give me a reason to smile everyday and dream. Because I know when I dream and I take steps to make them happen, they watch me.  As a proud momma, I’m hoping they dream big and chase them just as hard I do.

Posted in dreaming chasing, erica beebe, Erika Beebe, kids, love, meaning something to someone

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Merry Christmas Eve!

Dec 24

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http://www.craftymamablog.com/2010/12/baby-jesus-in-manger.html

Today is a beautiful day. It’s the celebration of the night before a miracle baby was born. A baby who represents all things love and all things hope.

I wanted to take a moment today to remember the spirit of Christmas. How it’s not about getting gifts, but giving gifts. Gifts of the best kind. The gift of love for each other. Remembering the people that matter most to us. The gift of hope. Believing there will always be a new day and a new beginning because that baby was born.

As a parent, there’s nothing better than being fortunate to give gifts from my heart because I love my babies and I want them to feel love and dream about endless possibilities in their new gifts. And seeing my kids smiling cheeks, hearing their laughter shaking their chests, and of course, the awesome huge hugs, makes me feel quite good inside.

But I also want to teach my kids about the spirit of that baby. How Christmas is about Him and the promise of that baby growing up into a bigger more giant meaning for all of us.

Merry Christmas everyone. I wish you an awesome day of love and peace and of course, hope.

Posted in christmas eve, Erika Beebe, giving gifts, hope, love

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