A New Year

So it's been a while since I've posted anything...it's a new year!!  We have had some changes!!  Exciting changes! I'm no longer working midnights at the hospital.  I'm still working as a consultant with Tastefully Simple but most of my job right now is just being CEO of a busy household with 4 busy growing boys.  I will return to the workforce full time someday but for now this works for us...although I have days where I miss my co-workers the passion I had for the job I did is still alive and well so I hope to feed that someday! 

The Team Brones is starting off with a busy calendar full of basketball, a talent show, kindergarten meetings, and birthday celebrations!! The days around here always seem busy.  I need my fresh hot coffee every morning before I dive into what the day has in store for me.  I never thought that a good cup of joe would make me happy...but it really does :)

 I have learned that boys + gross stuff = FUN!  I'm also learning that it is so important to play. stop to play.  I'm learning to tell the dishes to wait a minute or the phone to wait or the email to hold on....and telling the boys sure, yep let's do it, and yes let's play, oh but it's not easy because let's face it there are always chores that you can find to suck up your time!!  It seems to be working and I'm having fun too!!  It's honestly my dream job!!

I hope that 2013 brings good health, happiness, and a feeling of fullness for your soul~

Have a great day ~ Remember to Pay It Forward ~ Remind those you love that they are appreciated everyday!

The Power of One

It's amazing to me what power one person can have.  One person can persuade you to say yes or say no.  One person can teach you something new.  One person can influence a nation.   One person can love you and make you feel on top of the world.  One life can have such an impact on you that it can forever change you.
My eyes have been opened to a "new" person I can be.  A person that can do more, that can move more, that can use this life that I've been given MORE .  After having 4 children and being married (For 11 years on Sat) it is so easy to get into a routine into a rut.  The same old, same old way of eachday.   Yes there will always be laundry, and dishes and meals, and bills but what can I do to make eachday have a purpose beyond the "normal" day.
One person can serve others by volunteering a little time to help in some way.  A neighbor in need, a friend that needs a listening ear, a child that needs a playmate and a friend, a spouse that needs encouragement, a parent that needs thanked for all they've done, a cause that needs support in the form of two helping hands.  There are many things that one person can do with a heart that is open to it.    Whatever it is you are One Person that has the power!!  One life that can offer help and love another.  So what kind of One are you going to be.  Someone is waiting for your heart to be the one that makes a difference~

Have a beautiful day~

A Long Time...

A few months have passed since I have posted in this blog and it only seems appropriate to follow up with my last entry.
In my last blog I asked for you to "Come Pray With Us" for dear sweet Quinn Rosalie Seymour.  At the time in December she was in the middle of a courageous battle with EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa).  She had traveled to Minnesota with her family and had a bone marrow transplant.  This is the only treatment available for the type of EB that Quinn was fighting.  Quinn was the youngest to have ever had this procedure done.  THIS IS WHY IT IMPORTANT TO GET ON THE MATCH BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRY.
She fought it with a smile.  Quinn fought with a positive courageous spirit that was contagious and uplifting.    On April 7th, 2012 Quinn passed away.  She is dancing in The Kingdom of Heaven  In her short life she did so many things.  She taught life lessons in love, in spirit, and in faith.  Quinn showed us all that no matter how tough things are a smile and a positive spirit can lift you and those surrounding you.  Quinn did so much to help the cause of a cure for EB.  Her battle , her journey will someday save someone because it holds answers to the cure.  Her life here on Earth was too short.  She is so very much missed. 
I want to share one of the lessons Quinn taught me.  I wish so much that she was here, I wish that I could read her updates.  The updates that I would anxiously wait for because being so far away  was so hard as I was so used to getting updates so quickly and it was so hard not being on her team in Minnesota as I was here waiting in Akron.  I wanted to pray and pray the right way...the best way for Quinn.  I wanted others to hear Quinn's story and pray with us. Quinn's miracle ...I wanted for God to hear my prayers...I needed God to give Quinn that miracle.  I found myself wondering more and more about miracles. 
What is a miracle:

mir·a·cle/ˈmirikəl/

<><> <><>

Noun:

<><> <><> A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is considered to be divine. A highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment.

                              QUINN IS THE MIRACLE!
       Quinn's Journey, Quinn's Fight, Quinn's Journey to HEAVEN ..Quinn is The Miracle!

Please spread awareness of this rare genetic disease..EB ( Epidermolysis Bullosa ).  Please take at look at the links below and like my previous post.  "Be a Light So Others Can See" 

♥ Quinn you are loved, and missed and I will continue to fight this disease because YOU taught me to!  THANK YOU Quinn for the gifts you have given to me.  THANK YOU Mandy and Marc for sharing Quinn ,Your Miracle, with all of us~ with the world.  God THANK YOU for the Miracle~THANK YOU for Quinn~

http://www.thislittlelightimages.blogspot.com/
http://marrow.org/Home.aspx
http://childrenscancer.org/puck/#.Tu98FlchZiY.facebook

Be A Light So Others May See

 As a co-founder of a non-profit organization that makes blankets for children and families at Akron Children's Hospital Team Sofie Chapter 2 www.teamsofiechapter2.org   I love that I'm able to spread the love, hope, and inspiration of beautiful angel Sofie through the warmth and comfort of a fleece blanket when those need it most.  I love that we are able to have people from anywhere go to our website and request a blanket for anyone, anywhere.  I love that peace is found through these blankets. If one person recieves comfort and love fromthis then TSC2 has had a successful journey!!

Team Sofie has opened my eyes to helping in anyway I can to offer my heart to others.  This Summer I met an amazing family they have a daughter named Quinn and she was born with EB.  She is amazing and has been through so much in her 4 months of life.  She is currently in Minnesota going through a medical trial of a Bone Marrow Transplant .  She had the transplant two weeks ago/   This is a life changing/saving measure as children with EB are not givin a long life expectancy and she is the first ever to be recieving this type of treatment at her age.  It is amazing journey of love, faith, courage and strength.

I'm asking you today to read this and act and learn more.
Share a link so that others can learn more.
There maybe someone else out there in your world that might want to do something for EB....maybe it's a doctor/scientist that wants to do more research, maybe it's someone that wants to volunteer to help, maybe it's someone that will go to a Be The Match drive and see if they can be a bone marrow match for someone else that needs it, maybe it will be someone else that is touched by this story and wants to spread awareness!!

Please help me spread the word , pray for Quinn and her family.
 This Holiday Season ~ BE A LIGHT SO OTHERS MAY SEE!!
Thank You~

www.thislittlelightimages.blogspot.com

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/tripp-roths-tears-reveal-pain-epidermolysis-bullosa-strikes/story?id=15173125

http://marrow.org/Home.aspx

http://childrenscancer.org/puck/#.Tu98FlchZiY.facebook

The Eve Of One~The Baby

As I embark on my youngest child turning 1 tomorrow I'm filled with an overload of emotions.  We are done adding to our family and we are in transition.  In nine years I've been pregnant 5 times, I have had 4 healthy boys and one angel baby.  One we only ever saw a heartbeat and a picture a few times on a screen, one was premature, one weighed 10lbs. 5 and a half ounces, one was born in Wadsworth, and one will forever be "The Baby".  Tomorrow My "baby" hits a Huge milestone.  I'm so happy that he is healthy, happy and I'm so blessed to have been able to witness everything that he has done.  I didn't miss any firsts!!  However I'm embarking on uncharted waters ...the last baby in the family.  I must say it is an odd feeling. Anyone that knows me really well knows I'm a baby person.   I loved being pregnant ...every time.  I was not the best pregnant person but I did enjoy it.  I love infants I love the smell, the sounds, the amazing miracle of all of it!! 

As I move into a new chapter of my life my roll will change.  I have been a caretaker of an infant for half of my married life.  I'm nervous, excited, and really wishing that I would have the power to slow everything down.  I'm so worried that in all the Boys everyday I'm going to miss something and not ever get that time back.  So, this is where the importance of the birthday party comes into play.

The baby will have his BIG party on Saturday and It is so important.  Life is a gift that we must celebrate and cherish no matter how long or short.  I'm hoping to take pictures, have our wonderful family and friends over and enjoy this time.  I'm praying that Colton gets to enjoy his cake and some new toys that make music and help him make new connections with the world around him.  I will take time to just watch, and listen.  I will make sure that my Big One year old knows that tomorrow is a special day for him.  Like his brothers he will know that on 10/13/10 he was brought into this world into a loving family, and before he was ever created he was always in my heart. 

So, on the Eve of Colton Lee's birthday I say "Thank You".  Thank You for being my baby.  Thank you for allowing me to be part of your everyday.  Thank You for being such a bright spot in my darkest days.  Thank You for making me a momma to 4 boys and.  Thank You for letting me be the mom that will always call you baby......even though your age is changing from months to years! How did I ever get to be so lucky!!  I love you!!! 

God and  Angel Sofie Thank You for consistently reminding me of the gifts I have been given.

Back To School ~ The Shift

Since making the decision to work nights and leave my fulltime job as an early learning center administrator I've enjoyed the opportunity to stay home all Summer with The Boys.  It has challenges.  Trying to keep 4 young boys out of the black hole of bordem is both exhausting and wonderful.  There are the highs when you see smiles and happy giggles fill the air, and there are lows when you are so tired you can't possibly imagine answering the question " Can I have a friend over?".  There are moments of "Why?, What?, How?...Ugh!!" and there are those moments of "I love you mommy" and "I love you to my little love bucket, love bug, buzz, mister man", and all the other little names I have for my little men.    

I'm so blessed to be able to work nights and have my days with my boys.  However, this Summer I got to the point in early August  when I was excited for school to start.  Ready for Carter and Tyler to go back to school, to have them go and learn and be busy ALL DAY!!!  Ready for them to see their friends ready for them to not be here everyday.  Well not really, but yes really.  That IS what happens when they go back to school.  They leave and are out of the house most of the day.  It is both happy and sad.  So I'm so excited for Carter and Tyler.  I see that they embrace  school, they celebrate their friendships.   This is the second full week of school and I miss them terribly.  It's quiet, it's calm, it's strange, it's different.  Let's just say I'm counting down the days til Holiday Break!!  I'm so proud of my BIG third and first graders!!

CHESTER"S SONG
I know how scary it can be
To go out on your own,
To leave your favorite books and toys
And mom and dad at home.
But if you dare to take a step
And see what's waiting there,
You just might make a friend or two
With toys and bikes to share.
So open up your hand real wide
And feel that loving kiss
That rushes straight into your heart
And just remember this:
A Kissing Hand upon your cheek
Will warm you through and through:
A Kissing Hand upon your cheek
Says "I love you."

One of the best stories ever.  Thank You Mrs. Larabee for sending this home with a "Kissing Hand"...I think it was more for me not for Tyler! I love it!!  They grow fast they become so indepedent ...I'm learning that even when it's tough to cherish it, embrace it,  I must plant the seed of love and watch it grow!

Bad People Making Bad Choices in Great Communities

I have always had the privilege of living in a community that had low crime.  There was no reason to lock your door, have a security system or worry about people knowing you are out of town.  I’ve lived in comfort, the comfort of my home, the comfort of my neighborhood, the comfort of a quiet community.   I’ve worked hard to make sure that my children too have the benefits of living in a community with low crime.  We have left doors unlocked, we still have a block party every summer, and we take walks after dark. 

Yesterday my comfort was shaken, stirred by the shootings in Copley.  Growing up in nearby community and having so many friends, co-workers and relatives live in Copley it’s similarities to my childhood community make it such a close relative.  Copley and Revere were huge rivals.  We would battle for the bell every year but most of us would still have friendships with students from Copley.  It was part of the culture, the peace because we lived in such great communities we had so much in common it was easy to be friendly with one another.

If you told me that this would happen, that I would wake up and see Massacre In Copley I’d say you’re crazy it doesn’t happen there.  The reality is it can happen anywhere.  Green, Wadsworth, Norton, Hudson, Medina, Jackson, Strongsville, no community is immune.  It is so hard to remember that people make bad choices everyday and follow the wrong path.  It’s even harder when others bad choices effect your everyday, take away the ones you love, and alter your future.  I commend all law enforcement involved, (Akron, Fairlawn, Copley) and I’m impressed with their swift action and organization.  Delivering information to people that are struggling to understand.  Another piece of what makes a great community.

We will pray for the families, we will remember the good times and we will hug our loved ones a little tighter as the realization comes to light.    We never know, We are not in control.  We will still raise our children in these great communities, because they will ALWAYS be great.   We can still love our neighbors; still come together at High School football games.   We can still enjoy our parades and festivals our school systems.  We will support our friends, our neighbors.  We will be reminded that everyday is a gift and to live it well!! 

Today I remember all of the victims of the shootings in Copley, Ohio on Sunday August 7, 2011. 

~God Bless