Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Theme Thursday: Girls (& Remembering Bella’s Birth)

It’s Thursday again (the days are going too fast, right??) and time for another photography post with Theme Thursday: Girls. It seems like I am always posting pics of the boys and  Bella is due for some blog time.

I remember when I was pregnant with Bella I secretly hoped that my firstborn would be a girl but when we went to my ultrasound, the doctor couldn’t tell. He said if he had to guess, it looked like boy. I was just happy to see my little peanut dancing around on the screen and I  filled the baby’s closet with blue  outfits and cover-alls and various other boy things.

Well, her birth was a surprise on many levels. I had just finished my eight month and had one month left in my pregnancy. My dad, my mom and one of my brothers drove up from So Cal to attend the baby shower my mother-in-law was giving. The night before the baby shower I was feeling really tired and the braxton hicks that I kept having didn’t seem to let up.

After a restless night I told Brian we better call the doctor because although the pain was sporadic, it felt like something out of the ordinary was going on. Before I could reach the phone my water broke and contractions came at full force. Eventually Brian and my brother (who was sleeping on the couch at our apartment) got me to the car, drove me to the hospital and got me checked in. When the nurse walked into the room and looked to see how I was doing, her face looked up in alarm and she called out that I was ready to have the baby NOW. The doctor and nurses rushed around gathering equipment and before I could fully comprehend what was really going on (I think I was still in shock and denial) I was told to push. Shortly after, I heard the unexpected words, “It’s A Girl!” And there she was, 3 lbs and 12 oz of sweetness screaming her lungs out. We still laugh today that Bella’s baby shower became a birthday party. (You can read the longer version of Bella’s birth story here. Just scroll down to September 2001.)

After 11 days in the NICU, we were finally able to take our sweet girl home. It feels like such a short, short time ago.

My baby girl at 3 months.

Last night I grabbed my camera and told Bella I wanted to take a photo of her for today’s theme. She asked me to take one with both of us. I told her I had been cleaning all day, my hair was a mess, I had no make-up, let me at least fix myself up a little…blah, blah, blah. She grabbed my hand and said, “You look great, mom. Let’s do it together.” So for the second week in a row, my heart melted at such child-like love. So as Brian and the boys were running around the house re-enacting Jedi light saber duals, we ran out on the deck and snapped this photo. Mother and daughter bonding as female allies in a house of boys.

My baby girl at 11.

Then we grabbed some extra light sabers and joined the battle. 🙂

Thanks to Cari for hosting!

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{pretty, happy, funny, real} vol 67 & Theme Thursday: Self-Portrait

It’s another mash-up with Like Mother, Like Daughter’s {pretty, happy, funny, real} and Cari’s Theme Thursday: Self-Portrait. (Skip to the {real} if you want to go directly to that.)

{pretty}

I was at one of our local churches and shot this with my iphone.

{happy}

I was trying out a new salsa recipe last night and took out my camera to take a photo of it. Matthew got excited and kept saying, “Cheese!” until I snapped his photo.

{funny}

The other night  Bella was getting ready for bed while Brian and I were watching a movie. Suddenly this text popped up on my phone. I have many job description as mom. Now I can add Official Spider Squasher to the list.

{real}

This are the photos I am linking up with Cari.

I was not excited about doing a self-portrait as I dread looking at the dark hallows under my eyes and the wrinkles and dark spots popping up on my face. But with my iphone I was able to snap a decent photo in forgiving B&W that hid the flaws. At least I was showered, dressed and had a little make-up.

Then last night (as I was making the salsa and kneeling on the floor getting Matthew’s picture), Matthew grabbed me by the neck and wanted to take a photo with me. So I turned the camera towards us even though I needed to shower, had no makeup and there were dishes piled up in the sink behind us.

It’s off center, we’re not looking in the right direction and we’re scrunched up but I love this hand around my neck, the smiles on our face and the sun flower in the window. It’s my reality right now – a lot of messy imperfection coupled with smiles and bright moments. (And still using forgiving B&W also helps. ;-))

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Theme Thursday: Bodies

It has been busy, busy, busy today and I was going to skip Cari’s photography challenge Theme Thursday: Bodies today but I just couldn’t. I haven’t missed a single one since she started and I couldn’t break my record. So when I finally got home I grabbed my camera and snapped a photo of these small bodies that I find all over the house.

No, not my kids but various clone troopers and other Lego civilians that were drafted into the battle. Some lost a few parts along the way.

 

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{pretty, happy, funny, real} vol 66 & Theme Thursday: Animals

Well, my blogging break didn’t last very long. haha! I’m actually just making a quick post since I took a lot of photos on Mother’s Day and I wanted to share them. 🙂 I’m linking up with Like Mother, Like Daughter for {pretty, happy, funny, real} and with Cari for Theme Thursday: Animals. (But you’ll have to scroll down to {real} for that one. :-))

{pretty}

I took these photos at one of our favorite places to walk – Point Lobos State Reserve, CA. If you ever are visiting Monterey, make sure to stop and visit there.

If you go to Point Lobos and the parking lot is full or you don’t want to pay the parking fee, park outside the gate along Highway 1. There is a walking trial you can take instead. That’s what we did on Sunday.

After you clear the forest area, you look down at the ocean below.

Love the colors.

The fog was rolling in fast so we lost our blue skies.

The forest across the way looked eery with the fog rolling in. You expected to see Aragon in the distance.

 

I was trying to get reflections.

Poppies, the official flower of California. 🙂

We are back at our car parked along the highway. You can see the fog sitting over Pebble Beach.

{happy}

These five blessings couldn’t possibly make me happier.

Brotherly Love

After the first 1/2 mile, Matthew wanted to be carried. I got quite a work out. 😉

{funny}

For school John-Paul had to fill out a questionnaire about me. Here are the facts. It says:

My mom is 10 years old. (Funny that to a 3 year old 10 is really old. LOL)

My mom is prettiest at Easter. (Maybe I should get dressed up a little more often than Christmas and Easter. ;-))

My mom likes to make dinner. (I’m proud of this one. I am finally feeling a lot more comfortable in the kitchen. :-))

My mom always says,  “I love you.” (Aw. Happy tears.)

My mom is funny when she is at Disneyland. (LOL! I’ll be at my next Disney laugh-fest in the Fall. ;-))

 

{real}

These are the photos I am linking up for Theme Thursday: Animals. The other participants had awesome photos of cute dogs, cats, farm animals…heck, there was even an alligator! I guess I’m really a city girl in this regard because horses make me gag, I’d rather eat a cow than look at one, I hate cats (and not just because they drive my allergies insane),  and if it can’t wear a diaper, it is not allowed in my house. Although, my no pet policy finally broke when Bella won a goldfish at school in the first grade. (I still think she rigged the contest.) Since then we have kept fish. These little guys turn one year old on Memorial Day. I’ll admit I fell in love with their beautiful, bright colors! (And having to clean up poop only once a month? Even I can handle that. :-))

Bella’s fish is on the shy side but feisty when provoked. His name is Spike.

Poor guy. He’s trying to get away from the camera flash.

Andrew’s fish, Rocky, is spunky. I caught him napping in his tree.

Rocky spotted some fish food floating to the bottom of the tank and he made a dive for it. I love that you can see the folds of his fin as he was swimming through the water. 🙂

Thanks to LMLD and Cari for hosting!

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Catholic Woman’s Almanac (5/14/13) & Theme Thursday: Mom (a few days late)

 

Hosted by Suscipio

Moments of Gratitude…

Today I am especially thankful for

  • My hubby
  • Being a mom
  • The love of family
  • Laughter
  • God’s grace

 

Beauty in the Ordinary…

Since Sunday was Mother’s Day, I received homemade gifts from the kids. It was so sweet to see their excited faces as I opened up the treasures they made me. And the feel of their little arms around my neck as they hugged me brought tears to my eyes.

 

In the Kitchen…

  • M – Chicken Cacciatore
  • T – Enchiladas
  • W – Breakfast Dinner
  • TH – Grilled chicken and mango salsa
  • F – Leftovers
  • S – Meatball subs
  • S – Dinner at in-laws

 

Praying…

  • For all moms
  • For nuns/spiritual moms
  • For all women who love and nurture God’s children
  • For moms dealing with an unwanted pregnancy
  • For women suffering from infertility & the ache of longing for a child
  • For moms who have lost a child
  • For those whose moms have died

 

Pondering…

“A married woman must, when called upon, quit her devotions to God at the altar to find Him in her household affairs.” – St. Francis of Rome

 

Around the house…

We had two sets of visitors this weekend, so the house actually looks tidy right now. (Shocker, I know.) Although, I was driving myself insane cleaning up beforehand!  I admit, there were numerous things shoved into closets to accomplish that. I told Brian that  it is ridiculous that I have to kill myself to get the house decent enough to have company over. And it’s funny that there is a sense of peace that comes with having everything tidy and in its place. I suspect that is why they say cleanliness is next to godliness. Whereas mess causes me inner turmoil! I have been spring cleaning and purging but it is slow going. Plus now I have to tackle those closets of death that I cannot walk into or can barely close the doors. Say a prayer for me! 😉

 

Reading…

My Bible

A Message of Hope: Confessions of an Ex-Satanist by Deborah Lipsky

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (That’s a re-read.)

 

Listening to…

Imagine Dragon’s album Night Visions

 

On My DVR…

  • Hallmark’s The Confession, The Voice, The Middle , Arrow, Grimm…

 

On the blog…

I’ve been on a blogging break this last week. I have just been so busy with home life, school events and other things that I haven’t had time to post. I’ve also been going through a “I’m tired of blogging and I’m going to quit” phase but I think that is normal for all bloggers at different times. Instead of shutting it down, I simply stepped away and forced myself not to link up with Hallie, and Jen and Cari. (Although I just realized it is not too late to link with Cari. :-)) It’s been good for me. Not having the self-imposed pressure of having to get a post done is freeing. There are also days like today, when I am just itching to type and touch base with you. So you won’t hear from me much for the next week or two but I may pop in occasionally. After things settle down a little more (May and June are always super busy) I know I’ll be missing blogging and having a creative outlet  like crazy and I’ll be back with a renewed spirit.

Also, for all of you who have commented recently, forgive me for not answering back. I read everything you write and I love hearing from you! 🙂

 

Posts I’ve Liked on my Bloglovin

  • Dishin’ It Out by suscipio4women.com (Tips for praying while doing housework. Also the source of my pondering quote.)

 

Pinned…

 

Plans for the Week…

This week I have on my schedule a school party, kids’ well check appts, a Mom’s night out (woohoo) and family confession.

 

Captured…

I just realized that this is the last day to link-up with Cari’s Theme Thursday: Mom. So my captured photos are my submission as well. 🙂

I wanted to post a photo of me with my mom but she’s old school and not keen on personal photos posted on the internet. I found this one where you can’t really see her but you know she is there holding me up. I like this photo because it is reassuring to know that although she is not in my day to day life (living 400 miles away from me) she is still there offering her support and love from afar.  I know she is only a phone call (or plane ticket) away and it is reassuring just hear her voice and hear her laugh over a funny story. I owe so much to her – she taught me how to love, how to laugh, how to persevere,  and how to see God in all things and to trust Him above all else. Thanks, mom. I love you.

* * *

This was taken on Sunday during our Mother’s Day outing. I am incredibly blessed… blessed to be the mom of these four precious children. They may drive may crazy at times (and I them) but I couldn’t imagine my life without their sweet smiles, loving kisses and infectious giggles. 🙂

Have a blessed week!

Oh, and don’t forget to link-up here for this week’s Pinterest Party! (It can be an old or new post.) 🙂

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