Tag: love

Mom Life

Work from Home with a Twist

marcetheblogger

One of the advantages of working from home is that you can really change your environment for the day while still getting your tasks and responsibilities completed.

On Wednesday, I made this beautiful site my office. The weather was perfect and you can’t beat this scenery. My fiancé kept our son entertained while I attended my meetings.

The upside of this was when I had a few minutes in between sessions I was able to enjoy the space around me with my loved ones.

Nothing like some ecotherapy to relax you and clear your mind.

Has anyone else changed their at home office locations during this pandemic?

Travel

Labor Day Weekend 2020

marcetheblogger

What did you do this past Labor Day weekend?

I spent it on an RV farm! Our friends drove their camper and we were able to pitch a tent on their site.

I actually captured this amazing shot during a sunrise on our second day! The view was so much better in person but this picture gives you an idea. It was a little chilly but nothing a warm cup of coffee couldn’t fix.

The best part, you ask? I was completely alone.

How did I manage to escape by myself? Well I actually needed to use the restrooms and it was super early so I walked up the hill while everyone was asleep. I came out and checked what time the sun would rise so I decided to stick around and wait. Def glad I did since it was the only morning I was up early enough to enjoy it!

Love to embrace nature especially with family and good friends but also quietly by myself.

Pleasant Acres – Sussex, NJ


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Family, Travel

Do You Know How to Swim?

marcetheblogger

If not, please take some time out to go learn and if you do know then make sure your kids know too. I don’t ever give out parenting advice, just not my thing. We are all learning as we go for the most part so who I am to tell anyone what they should and should not do. BUT, the swimming piece I just couldn’t help myself.

A few weeks back, our family went to a river for some fun in the sun. Little did we know, it would end with a very scary experience.

My fiance and I purchased 3 life vests earlier in August and thank God for that. He, our daughter (11), and niece (13) went into the water for a swim. They challenged themselves to swim across and back. They made it all the way out but on the way back, my fiance got tired. At the same time, he started feeling claustrophic in his vest and took it off. Yes we know it was not the best decision!

This quickly turned into a panic as he felt the vest wasn’t holding him up and he began to shout for help. Fortunately, our daughter was near him so she tried to calm him down and keep him afloat. He really did not believe he would survive. My niece began to swim back to try and help because we were limited on vests and she was already in the water. My sister also jumped in with no vest and began to swim out towards him.

Side note: You might wonder why I didn’t jump in? Short version: I panicked as I got in due to a traumatic experience of almost drowning in my teenage years (even though I know how to swim!!)

Back to the story: Some good samaritans in a raft, kayak, boogie board, and swimming noodles all started going towards him to help also! Yes there are still very kind people in this world.

Ultimately, the kayak was the life saver. He was able to get to my fiance the quickest and was able to get him to hold on and brought him to shore.

My fiance threw himself on the ground and did not get up for a few minutes. My niece and daughter made it back to shore and instantly started crying. They were scared and overwhelmed. They are his heroes. They kept their cool and because they know how to swim and kept their vests on were able to keep him afloat.

My fiance knows how to swim but in that moment he was too tired and panic took over. Definitely did not realize what a great investment swimming lessons were for my daughter until that very moment where she was able to maintain her composure and help out her stepdad.

My daughter learned at summer camp (extra fee) but there are many YMCAs that offer lessons as well as Boys and Girls Clubs. Please look into it, it’s worth every dollar.

Posts

Black Lives Matter

marcetheblogger

It seems like we can’t catch a break this year. From the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and others in a horrific helicopter accident at the end of January to the take over of COVID-19 shortly after. It seemed as if things could not get much worse but HA! we were so wrong!

Many callous acts against people of color specifically Black have come back to light. This time causing an uproar unlike any other in recent times. Protests, riots, and even looting have filled the streets in both the US and across the country.

I want to make it clear that I stand united with our Black community. Systemic racism has existed for far too long and change needs to happen!

Therefore, I wanted to provide some resources on how you too can help this cause. Thank you to my sorority for putting together this list. Just remember, these are only some of the many out there. Do your research. Educate yourself.

Donations:

Petitions:

Podcasts:

Books:

Articles/Websites:

Friends

Lupus Warrior

marcetheblogger

Today I want to share a story from one of my best friends, Aeisha. She is a Lupus Warrior and was kind enough to let me interview her. She also gave me permission to share her story with my readers.

Q: How old are you?

A: 28.

Q: When were you diagnosed with Lupus?

A: October 2012.

Q: What was your initial reaction to your diagnosis?

A: I thought I was going to die.

Q: What has been the most challenging part of living with Lupus? Has it held you back or prevented you from doing things you have wanted to do?

A: The most challenging part of living with Lupus is not being able to travel as much as I am used to. My lupus caused me to have kidney failure. Now I am on dialysis and it’s hard to just get up and go like regular people. Everything has to be planned.

Q: Are there any organizations/groups that have helped inform you more about Lupus?

A: There are a lot of people on Instagram that I follow and follow me because we share this same disease. It’s comforting to know that I am not alone.

Q: What are some misconceptions people have about Lupus that you have faced?

A: There are people that think those with Lupus are lazy. Just because you can’t physically see my disability, it doesn’t mean that it is not there.

Q: Where are you today with your Lupus?

A: Today, I am still taking my monthly infusions, which I think is helping. I haven’t felt any pain since getting on it. “Fingers crossed!” I still am on dialysis. I am also on the transplant list waiting for a donor.

Q: What keeps you motivated?

A: My education keeps me motivated. The fact that I’m working towards a goal keeps me going.

Q: Any final thoughts or words you want to share?

A: Don’t let anybody say you can’t be!

Lupus affects every person differently. Despite Aeisha’s struggles with this disease, she doesn’t let it keep her down and still works towards her goals. Aeisha is actually receiving her BA this month in Social Work from Rutgers University. So not only is Aeisha fighting her own battle everyday but she is working towards being able to help others in need. She is the definition of a Lupus Warrior!

Posts

Coronavirus…ish got real

marcetheblogger

If you are anything like me, you didn’t think this whole COVID-19 was going to take over the way it did. I was definitely one of those peeps who kept saying and thinking that this would blow over in a week or so. I was so WRONG!

It has now been almost 2 months since I started working at home and I am still in disbelief. Everything changed so abruptly and it literally happened overnight. One day my daughter was in school and the next we were picking up a Chromebook for her to do remote learning. One day I was at work and the next was told to stay home until further notice.

These past few months have been a rollercoaster ride. We had to start wearing masks, hand sanitizing repeatedly, wearing gloves, and even spraying alcohol when coming back into the house. Let’s not forget the mental effects this virus has had on just about everyone! I have had days where my emotions, feelings, and thoughts have caused me to have mini meltdowns. This coming from someone who didn’t take this seriously at all at first.

This virus hit a little to close to home though. At the end of March, my mother tested positive for the virus and was extremely ill. It was super scary and it was even worse because I couldn’t be by her side like I would have wanted. I had to rely on phone calls to my dad and hoping he was being honest. My sister and I would take turns checking in with them throughout the day. Once my mom started getting better, my dad began to feel sick. Fortunately, by the grace of God, he tested negative for the virus and actually felt better in about a week. Sadly, it doesn’t end there. Several of my aunts and uncles also tested positive and are still healing slowly.

This, however, is not the case for all of them. One of my uncles is still in the hospital and it has been a long 3 weeks. We have been praying for him and checking in with him every day but it is extremely difficult. We are fortunate enough to have a close family friend that works at the hospital stop in during her shift each day just so we can say hello.

I can imagine that a lot of the world has experienced an incline in so many stressors and it has truly affected our mental health. However, it has also made us open our eyes and look back at moments we may not have appreciated as much. I know for me, it’s small things such as merely stopping by my mom’s place and hanging out with the kids for an hour or even our small birthday gatherings where we could sing Happy Birthday and cut a cake. It’s these small things that I truly miss. FaceTime calls have definitely become more frequent.

I write this in hope to offer some comfort to others experiencing these same or similar things. Know that you are not alone. We are in this together. Please take some of this time to distract yourself from all the negativity that is being put out.

Find some time to turn off your television, log off of social media, and just enjoy some fresh air and some sun. One thing they haven’t banned us from doing is going for a walk (of course being safe). So go out and enjoy it! I know this works for me; it is a way to recharge.

Some other suggestions: use this time to boost your self-care, pick up a hobby, or even teach your kid(s) something new (bike riding is on our list here). Self-care was at the bottom of my priority list which is NO BUENO (not good). It took me so many weeks before I finally made time to workout again and write some blog posts. I even used a face mask a few times. Go Me!

Let us take these tough times and use it to rebuild ourselves. This way once the world opens up again, we will be ready to conquer it.

Family, Mom Life

Happy Mother’s Day

marcetheblogger

Keeping it simple for this special day.

Yesterday I was finally able to reunite with my parents, sister, and our kids in our home to celebrate Mother’s Day. It was a great feeling to be able to be together once again and seeing the joy the kids bring my parents. These past few weeks have been rough and have truly showed me how important it is to enjoy each other everyday and in every way.

Family, Friends, Mom Life

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

marcetheblogger

This year like others I have a lot to be grateful for. The big difference for me this year was I opted out of writing some long thank you on social media and sending out a ton of Happy Thanksgiving text messages. Reason why: it’s not necessary. This past year has taught me many things and one of those is to live in the moment and focus on the ones around me.

However, I did want to write a post on here to share with you what I am thankful thus far. This year I am thankful for my family. We are such a close knit unit and are there for each other in times of need. I cannot express how many times my mom, sister, dad, or other relative has helped me out. Not just them but my best friends and fiance have been great with helping out with childcare for my little guy. It is so difficult to find people to help you and they have definitely come through.

I am also thankful for the strides I have made in my career. I am finally at a place that I enjoy coming to daily and feel inspired. This has been such a significant part in my life recently and I cannot express the appreciation I have. The process was long but I made it with God’s assistance.

The one aspect I am most grateful for is the changes I have decided to make. Being more positive and optimistic has made me feel so different inside. I have also had to accept that some big things in life are beginning to change on their own due to personal growth and development. After a conversation I had with a close friend, I realize this is okay. This is simply life happening and if things are meant to be they will be!

Many blessings are here and many more are sure to come. There will be ups and downs along the road but remain thankful for each part of the journey. It all makes you who you are and will determine who you become.

Friends, Let's Get Personal

Change is Hard!

marcetheblogger

I have been going through many changes in my life primarily in my career. These changes have been positive and have really made me realize I can apply positivism in different aspects of my life. This along with conversations with loved ones have persuaded me and motivated me to make some changes.

I use to think I was a really optimistic person but because I am human I have found myself sometimes having negative thoughts. That could range from being judgmental to the way I speak to others when I get upset or frustrated. Therefore, at the beginning of this month, I began a gratitude challenge and it really affected my outlook on life.

This month I decided to put on the optimistic/positive lenses on my glasses and have begun to look at life more differently. With so many blessings around me, I have realized there is no time to dwell on negativity or pettiness. I have to let others be and worry about myself because if change is difficult to do, it is basically impossible to make others do it.

This all sounds great and very easy however it is not! Changing is a difficult thing that takes a lot of will and self-control. I am very conscious of stopping my negative or judgmental thoughts but when it comes to action, it reached another level of difficulty.

Very recently, I had a falling out with a close friend. We spoke about the situation via text and I thought it was put to rest (to an extent). However, shortly after I noticed she stopped watching my stories on social media. YES, it sounds super petty that I even noticed but this is a close friend I am referring to. I was bothered by this because that takes EFFORT. To purposely stop watching someone’s stories either takes the push of a mute button or just physically skipping over selecting that person on your timeline. I was not sure what to think of it and considered addressing it but I did not. That same friend’s birthday rolled around and I actually considered not even saying happy birthday. This is where I had to take control of myself and say do the right thing.

You love this person and although they have resorted to this type of pettiness, do you really want to do the same? How does this play into what you are trying to do with your life today? How will you feel if you skip this person’s special day? These are all of the questions I asked myself throughout the day. Finally, when 6pm came around, I made the decision to send a simple birthday text. It was not my usual long mushy text but it was happy birthday text nonetheless. When I say being the bigger person in this situation was hard, it was HARD! My pride inner voice kept trying to sucker me in but I did not allow it.

I want to put out good into this world. I want to bring positivism and optimism to those around me. This can only start with myself. I know at times I will make mistakes but ultimately I will be making conscious effort to avoid those but also to accept when I do fall short and address that. I feel this is a great way to end the year and also bring into the new year.

Good vibes only & positive thoughts mostly!

Courage to keep changing, faith to keep pushing, love to keep spreading!

Family, Let's Get Personal, Mom Life

November Gratitude Challenge

marcetheblogger

Checking in as I finish my November Gratitude Challenge…

At the beginning of November, I randomly came across the November Gratitude Challenge → http://www.gratitudechallenge.com/downloads/gratitude-calendar.pdf.  I looked at it, printed, and put it in my planner.  I did not really think much of it, I just thought I will get to it when I have time.  Not only did I not intentionally make time for it but it was in my planner for a week before I even took another look at it.  

I am really glad that I sat down one day and began to read it.  It is a very reflective challenge and I encourage everyone to try it, it definitely does not have to be month specific.  You could even try to do some of the items on the list in a week span.  

Why was it great?  Well self-reflection or any reflection for that matter is a good thing.  It requires being still for a moment and doing some deep thinking. I don’t really set time aside for myself but this challenge really helped me to make that time that we all need.  Some days I would get backed up with the daily tasks but I made it my responsibility to catch up. Some of my favorite ones were thanking some negative things in my life, sending thank you notes to five people who deserve recognition, and standing in front of a mirror and focusing on 5 things you love about yourself.  

Such simple sentiments yet not on my daily to do list.  Never would I think about thanking the negatives in my life, most times you end up dreading them or letting them stress you out but I literally thanked my negatives out loud and it made feel a sense of relief.  Sending thank you notes was my ultimate fave as it required recognizing some close ones that I may not always speak with. It made for a great entry to catch up and acknowledge them. Looking in the mirror is something I do daily but rarely do I ever focus on things I love.  Often times, I think about how my hair looks, how I don’t like my outfit, and how I want new glasses like yesterday. This was a bit more challenging for me but so worth it. It gave me a boost of confidence and just what I needed as the end of the year is nearing.

I am feeling extremely grateful for the amazing things happening in my life today.  I am also thankful for the not so great things I have faced to get me here. All of it keeps shaping me and influencing to keep on going.  I am more determined than I have felt all year and I want to share that with all of you. If you are going through a tough time, struggling with life, or just feeling down, take a look at yourself and what is around and just start thanking each and every bit of it.  Struggles eventually run their course and if you stay positive and always keep a bigger goal/picture in mind, you will come out on top!