THANK YOU!

HOLY COW, you guys are AWESOME. I'm overwhelmed, and amazed and GRATEFUL for your sweet notes, and posts, and tweets, and positive feedback. Seriously. I try not to be attached to results, but it's hard when you've put bits of your heart and soul into something. So THANK YOU. Yesterday turned out to be surprisingly emotional, and moving. I will keep everyone posted about the bags, and I'll leave a link up top for people to still sign up for the mailing list. We had to create a rule in Outlook that automatically filtered those emails into a separate folder. It was amazing. THANK YOU again!

Today I'm getting ready to leave for two weeks (on Thursday). My stomach is flipping for many reasons. But mainly because I have a BAZILLION things to do before I go. And my lymph node is aching. How weird is it that I even know what a lymph node is, and where it's located. But I do because mine is wrapped up in a scar from a surgery I had a couple months ago. I'm not sure this is normal, and the last thing I need is to have a lymph node emergency in another country. So I'm forcing myself to go sit in the waiting room. Feel free to text or email me at my phone as I'm sure I'll be bored. Compounded with anxiety about everything that's not getting done. 

Better go, but posts are better with pictures. So here's a random one of Mimi from a while ago. I love how she's working so hard at that cupcake. 

And it dawned on me that I never blogged about Austin, so I'll do that tomorrow before I leave (again). Have a fab day! xo

"tomorrow"

*Cross-posted today over at Shutter Sisters.

Apparently it's the kiss of death when I say that I'll post something "tomorrow". Inevitably it turns into a week of watching Mimi stare into the rain. Then it bugs me, especially on days like today when it's nice and sunny. Well, outside anyway. Inside my head it's been a chaotic hurricane. Had a bit of a melt down about it actually. And realized that my friend Cara was right when she flatly said, "you need someone to help you". *Sidenote: Why are lives so much easier to see when they're not your own? I'd thought about hiring someone SO many times. But then I'd get stuck on what they'd be doing...as if it had to be set in stone. Editing? Emails? Things are so different from day to day. But she helped me to see that I just need an Everything Person. Someone to go to the post office, the grocery store, who can also burn CDs or place orders. I needed a Professional Chaos Diminisher. Does that even exist?! I wasn't sure, but I made a phone call to our awesome babysitter Lindsey, who just started her first year of college. And voila! ASK and you shall RECEIVE. I feel like my life is lighter already.  

Okay, I have some late night editing to get to. But before I go, I wanted to share a few random links that I've been enjoying lately.

Found through Andrea, The Art of Non-Conformity: Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work, and Travel. He's on a mission to visit every country in the world, and is really transparent about his adventures. I love reading it because it touches on my secret desire to live a weird life. Jason and I have always talked about how much we'd love to be that couple that everyone gossips about because they sold everything off and moved into a motor home. 

Oh, that reminds me of a pod cast I heard the other day! It was Jesh DeRox saying that sometimes it's better if people just think you're crazy. That way, whatever you do can be chalked up to their initial decision about you. Consequently, you're not held up to the cookie-cutter standard that society loves to impose so much. Isn't that great? And speaking of pod casts, they're a perfect way to pass the time when the editing becomes mind-numbing. And I found that one at F-Stop Beyond.   

I think I'm the last one in the world, but I've also been finding inspiration at Fluent Self. Havi Brooks is a kind of a life coach, but her site banner reads simply "When you  need some destuckification." Who doesn't love that?

Lastly, she's probably going to kill me for mentioning this because she only has one post up. BUT, my friend Cara (the one I mentioned earlier) STARTED A BLOG! I've been begging. Because you know how Micheal Phelps had flipper feet, and all kinds of other genetic features that defined him as a BORN SWIMMER? Cara is a born writer. And also hilarious. I love her, and you will too. So please go visit and say hello, and bookmark her.  

And maybe someday soon I'll post the Austin pix.  :)

quality time

"The basic human instinct is to pray. Stifle prayer, your passionate longing for communication with the Ultimate, and your existence within, your personality, shrinks and your demeanor turns into a stuffy semblance of something human. This remote resemblance to humanness issues in mannequin men and women." This is the first paragraph of the book my mom gave me for my birthday. Good, right? 

This photo is of Mimi yesterday morning, before school. After this long summer of drought, I'm not sure she recognized the liquid substance that was falling out of the sky. Will post a few from Austin tomorrow. Today I'm spending quality time with my to-do list.

happy thursday :)

Baby Covarrubias

 

This was such a peaceful session. I think partly because Betyna's mom had flown in from Brazil (I hope I'm remembering that right) to stay with her for a long while. When I had my babies, my mom always flew in for at least a month, and it was such a burden that lifted. To have a few weeks where you're not responsible for everything, is the best gift you can give to any new mom.

And speaking of my mamacita, she is flying in today! Annie woke up this morning and declared this "the best day of her life". To say the least, we have all been counting down the days until Nana and Papa get here. Happy birthday to me! 

Outbreak

Last Thursday poor Mimi crawled into our bed around midnight and promptly threw up all over us. After changing the sheets, we spent the rest of the night trying to anticipate her little groans...which ones just meant "uugggh" and which ones meant "GRAB THE BOWL NOW!" The joys of parenthood. Especially when you have multiple kids, and the realization sets in that this is what the rest of your week is going to look like. Then the dreaded moment comes when the Plague taps you on the shoulder to say that it's your turn to spend the night hovered over the toilet. Oh, there are just no words to describe how much I despise that feeling. You know how there are 5 Stages of Grief? Well, the minute I feel the slightest bit nauseated, I go through every one of them. 

1. Denial and Isolation: "This can't be happening. If I breathe slowly and deeply enough, I can make it go away. I will force myself to sleep, and only think of unicorns. Because I'm sure it's impossible to barf if you're thinking of unicorns. And rainbows. And tree sprites."

2. Anger: "Oh my god, why is this not working?! This is such #*^$%@ crap... I'm never sending the kids to school again. Damn those dirty classrooms and their germs. I hate my life!"

3. Bargaining: "Okay, please God, PLEASE take this away. PLEEEEAASE. I swear I will stop cussing. At least for a week. Okay a month. PLEEEEAASE."

4. Depression: Mostly shows up in the form of moaning and groaning so that everyone in the house is aware of my torturous existence. 

5. Acceptance: I think this is the step that I never quite reach.

Because I am THAT much of a  baby, and completely phobic about puking. The whole action of it just feels like violence. Like your body is pummeling you from the inside out.

So, yesterday was spent recovering. And while we're still bathing in sanitizer, I think I can safely say that we've contained the Outbreak. And it's a good thing too, because Nana and Papa are flying in from Oregon tomorrow! My birthday is this weekend, so it looks like there might also be a celebration trip to Austin too! WOOT! Things are looking up!

*The photo above was taken a few weeks ago when Mimi woke up. She said she was trying to curl her hair. Naturally. After wrangling with it for 15 minutes, it occurred to me that I could just break the comb in half. Voila...the tangles came undone. You know, a helpful hint for all those times that you might wake up with a comb lodged in your own hair.

**Also, The Plague has caused me to get behind on things around here. So if you're waiting for photos or an email, I'm doing my best to get caught up today. AND, appointments are dwindling away for 2009 peeps, so if you need one, make sure you call or email soon!