There has been a lot going on over the past 2 weeks that have weighed on me in varying degrees.  The major stuff is obviously Red and Baby Lala (who continues to do really well in the NICU).  Add in the typical pre-holiday stress, crappy weather, a cold, a crazy work load and other annoying day-to-day stuff and today I woke up in a Chicken Little-like tizzy.  The sky was falling, y’all.

Only it wasn’t- but I needed my perspective tweaked to figure that out.  And this post did it for me.  Jenny, the author, was giving out $600 worth of gift cards to people who needed them.  People with sick kids. People out of work. People who wanted to pay back some kindness. People who just wanted to get their kids Christmas presents and couldn’t afford to do so.

And my problems? They didn’t seem so big anymore.  I have a great husband and two amazingly healthy, smart kiddos. My bank account may not be as robust as I’d like it to be, but I know we’re damn lucky.  I spent my night having dinner with my family and playing a crazy game of hide-and-seek with a 2 year old and a 4 year old who giggle the entire time they are hiding in the same 3 spots over and over.  Kids who ask for hugs and kisses and spend an hour coloring pictures for Lala’s NICU crib.

Yup, I’m blessed.

During this time of year, I encourage you all who are equally as blessed to give back. Donate to Toys for Tots. Find a local Giving Tree. Sponsor a family. Donate to your local food bank.  Give something- I promise it’ll come back to you tenfold in one way or another.

One of my favorite bloggers recently wrote a post a about accepting to yourself. About realizing that you’re beautiful for a variety of reasons- that beauty shouldn’t be defined only by the super models of the world.  Her post in and of itself is amazing and in it she asks people to share why they are beautiful.  I dare you  not to read the comments and smile.  Here are a few that were shared:

> I’m beautiful because I survived a crazy, anxious childhood; a long slow drop into alcoholism, drug addiction and street life; and now, at 55, I think everything is funny. Because for such a long time, nothing was.

> I am beautiful because somehow I manage to get up one more time than I have fallen down.

> I am beautiful because I have my mother’s strong hands, my grandmother’s hips and my father’s feet. I have the same blue eyes as my sister and the same mole on my third finger as my daughter. I am beautiful because I am parts of all those that I love.

Seriously- how great is that??

But it’s hard- really hard- for me to say what makes me beautiful. When I look in the mirror most of the time, all I see are the flaws. The 12 pounds that I’ve been trying to lose since having the Bean. The random gray hairs. The eyes that need a stronger prescription every year. The various scars all over my body- from my car accident, from being pregnant, from being the least graceful person in NY state.

But that body, as imperfect as it is, finally after 3 long, hard years carried and birthed two healthy, perfect babies.  That baby weight doesn’t reflect as much time at the gym as I’d like, but it does reflect time that was better spent with my family and friends living life.  The outside may not be conventionally beautiful, but my sense of self, my innate optimism and my fierce love of my family and friends make me beautiful.

What makes YOU beautiful?

It’s been a long week. A looooong week.

Big doings at work have left me drained. Lots of stress and anxiety and worry as good friends got some really crappy news.

There are also big changes on the home front brewing. Thankfully those changes are good ones- but change of any kind is stressful.

The kiddos are doing wonderfully, but have had their sets of challenges this week as well. Scorch is learning to navigate his way socially at school and while he’s rolling with it, Mama is struggling watching him figure things out.  And Bean? Oh, the Bean. Earlier this week she learned how to get OFF her diaper while still wearing a onsie when she should have been napping and she made a mess in her crib. Thankfully it’s been a one time only deal- but lord only knows when she’ll strike again!

My brain is too fried to do a huge well thought out post, so I’m just going to tell you the simple things in life I’ve been loving this week:

– Tonight it was putting everyone in their PJs by 5:30, eating breakfast for dinner and reading the new library books with the kiddos. Having both kids asleep by 7:45 doesn’t hurt either.

– Good books- since joining the library again, I never have a shortage of books at my finger tips and that makes me happier then I should admit in public. Good books are better then chocolate to me and that’s saying something.

– My fireplace. Snow is *gasp* in the forecast tonight and my fireplace is much appreciated tonight.

– My Mother-in-law who is giving up her weekend to help The Hubs with the kids so I can go to my sister’s house with my mom to start getting things in order for their up coming arrival!

– The fact that Hubs has to work late tonight so I can go to bed at 9 without any guilt.

Happy Love Thursday to you all. Let’s hope next week is a better one!

I’ve always considered myself an optimist and have very little time for negative people. I always look on the bright side- life is so much more fun when you see the good instead of the bad. So it’s no surprise I adore Karen Walrond’s blog– she’s got an amazing outlook on life and her photography skills turn me green with envy. Weekly she does a Love Thursday post and offers an invitation to her readers to share something- or someone- that they love. This week she takes it a step further and asks that we share our imperfections- with a reminder that because of, not in spite of, these imperfections we’re worthy of love.

So here goes mine.

I’m incredibly laid back (some may say lazy) about decorating our home. Curtains, matching kitchen towels, even holiday decorations- who needs them? I’d much rather decorate with framed photos, Pre-school art projects, books and use Easter themed dish towels in September. I’m envious of friend’s perfectly pulled together homes, but taking the time (and money) to buy all those little things just isn’t a priority for me. 99% of the accessories in my house are a result of gifts or The Hubs nagging.

But I’m still worthy of love.