Merry Christmas!!!

I am a soul that lives within

Making a difference

Is one of your goals in 2009 to volunteer your time? Do you want to make a difference in the world? Here are a couple of great organizations to get you started:

Volunteers of American and Volunteer Match These websites can connect you volunteer opportunities in your area

Ordinary People Change the World is a site where you can read about something positive, get connected to a charity, share inspirational stories. There is a space to submit your good deed. You can also search charities by cause or by area and get connected with something you're passionate about. 

Another gift that gives back

RWANDA PATH TO PEACE COLLECTION

Exquisite works of art handcrafted by Rwandan women.The sale of these one-of-a-kind crafts provides sustainable income to the artisans who create them.

The ambitious project has changed thousands of lives and created a global community that connects Rwandan weavers with the customers who cherish their beautiful work.

 Check out: Fair Winds Trading

Since 2005, Fairwinds Trading has opened U.S. markets to thousands of artisans and entrepreneurs in Africa and Indonesia while introducing high-value, culturally expressive products to millions of Americans.

Fairwinds Trading is an American business built on enduring partnerships that bring together people and products across global divides.  In Rwanda, we partner with Gahaya Links, handicraft business owned by gifted women whose family tradition (design of woven baskets) has put them at the center of Rwanda’s cultural and business renaissance.

Buy Baskets at Macys

For more information and slide show check out CBS news

You can do bad all by yourself !!!

I'm reading a post from a friend talking about drama with her fiance' and how much he lied to her. She was questioning would the right person ever come along. If I could tell all the women (and men) out there one thing it would be DON'T SETTLE! Don't stay where you are unhappy, being used, abused and mistreated because you think there may not be anything better out there. THERE IS!

I was in a long relationship with a physically and mentally abusive and controlling man. He told me I'd never find anyone if I left him. I then dated a compulsive liar and cheater for several years. Every time we would break up he'd then ask me to marry him, but when we got back together it was clear he had no real intention of getting married. I left both of those long-term relationships. I would rather be single then unhappy with someone else. I can do bad ALL BY MYSELF!!!

I made a HUGE list of criteria and decided any man I would date would have to meet my standards. No more accepting someone not up to my standards or trying to fix the broken man. Sorry honey, I am a whole woman and I need a whole man!

When I finally put myself first, I met the most wonderful man. A year and a half later we were married. He is my best friend, my lover, my husband. He makes me laugh, supports me, loves me, heals me. He loves God, Loves our children, Loves me!! When he looks at me, I SEE the love in his eyes. That is real, that can't be faked. This man puts me first in his life and his heart. I admire him, I respect him and I love him with all my heart. I don't have to compromise myself to be with him.

When the "right" person comes along you don't have to compromise yourself. You deserve to be happy... If someone makes you feel bad, realize you can do bad all by yourself and walk away! There are too many wonderful people out there to be stuck with someone who does not appreciate you!!

Love God.... Love Yourself... and you WILL find Love (if that's what you seek) !!!

Blessings~Jennifer

The loss of a child....

I have read some blogs of fellow "Mommy Bloggers" talking about the recent death of a two year old boy Bryson Ross. His mother, Shellie, is a blogger and twitter user like myself. Her two year old son fell into a pool and drowned. She tried to save him, and somewhere between his falling into the water and him being pronounced dead she twitted "Pray like never before, My son fell into the pool."

Apparently there have been many people online attacking this woman and saying that if she had not been online her son would still be alive. This woman is a military mom and alot of her support seems to come from her online community. Though she does have many supporters here, I can imagine that she cannot turn on her computer without also running into the negative, hurtful things being said about her.

Can you imagine? It's right before Christmas, you just lost your two year old son to a very unfortunate ACCIDENT and there are people blaming you??!! There have been tv interviews, e-mails, online polls, tweets on twitter and countless attacks on this woman. Do these people have no heart?

Mothers (and Fathers too) I want you to think back to when your children were little, or perhaps they are small now. Think about how many accident you have avoided, a toddler nearly running in the road, nearly falling in the tub or pool. Maybe they climbed up and got ahold of a knife or other sharp object. Now think what is you had turned you back during that "almost time" and God forbid something happend to your child. Surely you would feel tremendous loss, sadness and guilt. Can you imagine what it would feel like to then have people viciously telling lies about you and saying you are at fault for your child's death?!!

I can honestly say I have a small fraction on an inkling of how this might feel. When my beautiful little girl was a baby she had a pretty bad accident. I had newly moved into the family dorm at my college. There was base board heat but it was on top of another baseboard so it was pretty close to my mattress. I was breastfeeding my daughter in my bed and she fell asleep. I quietly went back out into the main room to shut down the computer and turn off the lights. When I returned to my bedroom all I saw was her behind and legs, she was upside down between the bed and the wall and her head was on the heating unit. It was the most horrific moment of my life. I rushed her to the hospital. They shaved my baby's head because she had a large blister on the top of her head. They watched me closely and questioned me and thought that I may have injured my daughter. I am in the hospital just wanting to be with my baby and they are taking me into a room with all these people (and cops) questioning me about my parenting. I brought them all to my dorm and showed them the baseboard heat and how close it was to the mattress and how she was found...after seeing this and talking to my child's daycare, doctor, and family they apologized and said they were wrong about me.The baseboard heat was WAY too hot and way too high. After the horrific night I had that apology meant jack. My daughter doesn't remember these events but she will always have the small bald patch on her head where she was burned. I will always live with the guilt of having left my baby in bed for those few minutes, always wonder what if I had not returned so quickly. I will probably always tear up remembering that night....

My nightmare is over....but this woman's story turned out differently. She lost her baby boy. Added to the tremendous pain and loss is guilt. WHY are these people kicking this woman when she is down? How heartless do you have to be to say the things they are saying to a grieving mother? I just can't imagine how you could try and put yourself in her shoes and still say these horrible things to her.

I just want to show my support for this mother, and let her know so many of us are praying for her. Our hearts go out to her, her other child and her family. Let God hold you in his arms during this very painful time.

Peace and Blessings ~Jennifer

Good Riddance 2009!!

I rang in 2009 in church, not my church but more of a community church service with several pastors speaking. At one point a pastor put his hand on my head and told me that 2009 would be free of suffering, I claimed that, I truly believed that! With tears of happiness in my eyes I embarked on a new year full of new hope.

Well it turns out 2009 was going to be quite a difficult year.

My husbands younger brother, Javontae passed away on March 27th. He was a pretty healthy 19 year old, enrolled in college, on his way to becoming a doctor. He caught a cold, went to the ER with pneumonia and ended up passing away days later. We were all in shock!

2 months later I collapsed with a pulmonary embolism and nearly lost my life. I spent 11 days in the hospital and still go for weekly blood work. Apparently the birth control pills they gave created blood clots in my legs that traveled to my lungs and cut off the oxygen supply to my lungs. I went home on oxygen which I recently discontinued and blood thinners which I still take to avoid another clot.

My uncle Donnie passed away this year as did my grandmother. Both very sad losses.

I had to stop working due to my medical condition, my husband applied at business after business and could not find a job in our area.

I'm surely not writing this for sympathy....because through it all I have come out even happier than before. I appreciate life more, I appreciate the simple things. My relationship with my husband has been strengthened. My relationship with God has been strengthened! I spend more time with my children. The tough times have strenghtened us and brought us all closer...

But I am still ready to say GOOD RIDDANCE to 2009!!

     2010 we're ready for you!!

Here's to a year of PEACE!!!