It's Awwight Mama

In case you haven't heard - I MOVED!

2010-06-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

Looks like blogger hasn't updated, so I've lost some readers due to my name change. So! Click the link below to head on over to the new site. Thanks!

Make sure to follow the new site too!

~Miranda

Peanut Butter & Toilet Paper

2010-05-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

Here, let me adjust my soap box before I get started today. This is a very important subject and one that has really been on my heart lately. What I'm about to say here, may not make complete sense to you, but trust me - I get it. ;)

Da Boy has been growing lately. I know this because he's been eating us out of house and home, sleeping weird and crazy hours, and has been almost physically attached to me whenever I walk around the house. Now, none of this is new or different, he's always like this when he's growing. His favorite thing to eat is cereal. His second fave is peanut butter... on a spoon. Everyday I hear "Mom, can I had eenut bu'r ona boon? Pthweeze?" (still workin' on the speech delay, but getting better all the time).

Nothing wrong with peanut butter. I love it, I grew up with it and I love that my kid can eat it whenever he wants to. However... (Oh boy, I'm about to turn into my mother and I can't even believe it)... there are children in this world that don't have peanut butter. They don't even know what it tastes like, because they've never heard of it. They don't have pink lemonade or fish sticks or even toilet paper. They are poor and toyless, starving and homeless, sick and scared and dying. And what am I doing about it? Typing? My family sponsors a child in Africa through our church. One child.

Here are some stats for the city my family lives in. You might be interested to look up your city's statistics for hungry/homeless also.

Every weekend almost 400 children in Carson City will go to bed hungry.

Almost 20% of all children living in Carson City under the age of 5 live in poverty.

The average age of a homeless person is...9!

Our community has approximately 500 homeless children enrolled in its schools at any given time.

Many of our homeless children have little or no food on the weekends, often going to bed hungry!

This is JUST IN CARSON CITY, NV! A small town of about 60,000 people. You want a bigger picture? Here are a few National statistics from FeedingAmerica

Feeding America is annually providing food to 37 million Americans, including 14 million children. This is an increase of 46 percent over 2006, when we were feeding 25 million Americans, including 9 million children, each year.

That means one in eight Americans now rely on Feeding America for food and groceries.

Feeding America's nationwide network of food banks is feeding 1 million more Americans each week than we did in 2006.

Thirty-six percent of the households we serve have at least one person working.

More than one-third of client households report having to choose between food and other basic necessities, such as rent, utilities and medical care.

The number of children the Feeding America network serves has increased by 50 percent since 2006.

That's just the US - now think about the rest of the world. It's a scary thought. When I think about it I get a very anxious, panicky feeling in my body... I need to do something about this - NOW!

But what to do? I can't afford to sponsor anymore children. I can't open a shelter or soup kitchen. I can (and do) donate food to our church's food pantry, but it's shelves are still bare. Why? Because we feed a lot of families through our food pantry. But it's not enough. It's never going to be enough. Not unless we ALL pour our hearts and souls into it.

I am taking an oath. I promise to tell people about this. I promise to up my food donations to our local pantries and ask my friends/neighbors/co-workers/associates to do the same. I promise to explain to my child about hunger, and why it's important to fight it. I promise not to condemn him for wanting fruit snacks or peanut butter but to be grateful to God for providing us with them. I promise to pray vigilantly for those that are hungry, homeless and hurting. I promise to not forget about this in a few days, when life gets complicated or stressful, but to focus on doing my part to help.

Will you take this oath with me? Will you do your part and stand with me as a soldier in the fight against hunger? Will you help change the world?

Feel free to take this badge and put it up wherever you want people to see. Your blog, your email, your Facebook/Twitter - whatever. Take the Oath, take the badge, and take charge!

Bloggy Code Blue

2010-05-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

code blue definition

Function: n

, often cap C&B : a declaration of or a state of medical emergency and call for medical personnel and equipment to attempt to resuscitate a patient especially when in cardiac arrest or respiratory distress or failure Code Blues, doctors had brought her back to life more than once —Bill Bryan>

also : the attempt to resuscitate the patient

I'm back. I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I've been here, I really have and I've been wanting to post... I just haven't. Why, you ask? I don't really know. Maybe because I didn't want anyone to know what was really going on, because then you would comment and I'd be required to reply and/or comment on your blog posts (which I have been reading, btw) I just haven't... felt up to it all. There's been so much rolling around in my mind and in my heart, that I just haven't been able to gather it all together and put it out there.

Anyways... I've got posts, I just have to type them up and publish. And I will. I promise. I'm going to back-date them, but I'll post links for each at the end of this post, so you can find them without searching. Thanks to all of those that have taken the time to contact me elsewhere (facebook, twitter, church) I love you all, and you have no idea how much your hugs, smiles, and support have meant to me.

Somebody get me a crash cart and some coffee... I'm about to bring this blog back to life! CLEAR!!!

Bringing Miranda's Back...well, back!

4 Days of Awesome!

4 Days of Awesome

2010-04-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

(back-dated from 5/12/2010)

Mr. Man and I went on the most amazing trip this last weekend! He took Friday and Monday off, and we packed our bags and headed to Roseville, CA! The setting was perfect... 80 degree weather, Mr. Man in shorts, me in a purple tank top and flip flops (and pants, gettchur head outta the gutter!!) The plans were exciting... The Larkspur Landing Hotel, Bayside Church (including Ray Johnston and Lincoln Brewster) The Dead Sea Scrolls, and Chick-Fil-A!

P.S. the links I've set up for you here - consider them a total RECOMMEND!

All this.... and I was sick. Hardly said 10 words the whole trip, simply because of the fact that I had no voice with which to speak. Snot, however, I had in abundance. Oh, and a plugged-up ear. Oh yeah. Thanks. It was great. No really, I mean - even with the being sick and dizzy part (especially through the DSS exhibit) it was awesome. Bayside is massive! Lincoln Brewster was incredible, it was like being in the 3rd/center (yes I said THIRD) row at a concert that I didn't have to pay for. I would have taken pictures, but since it was during service, I didn't think it was appropriate. We ate Chick-Fil-A twice in one day... since we don't have one within 2 hours drive of here, we kinda go overboard when we can get it. The hotel was wonderful, I can't tell you to go there when you travel enough - it's worth it! Oh and if you DO go .. bring me back the body soaps and lotions, oh, and the shampoos & conditioners too - seriously. They are the best I've ever seen and I want more!

Bringing Miranda's Back... well, back!

2010-04-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

(back-dated from 5/12/2010)

If you take a look at my last post, Hiatus - I was in a pretty bad place. Hurting, cranky, and worried, I was not really in what you'd call a 'good place'. Today, however, I'm a bit better. Yesterday I went to the doctor and had my first, and hopefully only epidural shot for my back. I woke up this morning almost completely pain FREE! Only some soreness, but what a blessing not to wince with every step! God is good ALL the time!

The visit to the doctor's was not very note-worthy, but I'm proud to say that I went in alone (they wouldn't let Da Boy in, so he and Mr. Man hung out in the waiting room) I didn't scream or pass out, and I wasn't ashamed that I cried a little. It hurt. No, not as much as I thought it was going to, but yeah - it hurt.

See I wasn't even going to get the epidural. I was terrified of the procedure, scared to death that it would be painful, and worried that it would somehow make me worse. With that said - I owe huge and sincere thanks to a couple of people.

THANK YOU Mr. Man for telling me "it's your choice whether or not to do it, but I think you should" and praying with me about it. I love you.

THANK YOU DeeJay for telling me about your experiences with this disease and the epidurals. Also for telling me to get the epidural .. I think if you'd said not to, I wouldn't have.

THANK YOU Princess, Loue, Tess, Alice, Mark, Debbie & Bill, Brian & Jo, Sunny, Caitlin, Steph and everyone else who prayed for me, talked with me about it, and supported me through this. I cannot explain how much it means to me that I am called 'friend' by so many. I can only pray that I am as good a friend to all of you as you are to me.

Hipstamatic!

2010-04-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from Mr. Man's iPhone app called Hipstamatic

Philippians 4:6

2010-04-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

I have spent the last several days doing just that. Or rather, trying to do just that. I've been anxious, and scared, and unable to make simple decisions for the last week. So, once I figured out that I was being attacked by the Enemy, I've been battling those feelings, and turning to my Life Manual for help. I found it in two places. The scripture above has been a mantra for me throughout these last few months, but I've also been directed (by friends, the Christian radio station I listen to, and Pastor Bill's sermons) to Jeremiah for inspiration, comfort and support from my Father.

Jeremiah 29:11-15

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 31:3-4

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

I will build you up again
       and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.
       Again you will take up your tambourines
       and go out to dance with the joyful."

I am scheduled to have my first epidural shot today. This is supposed to help relieve the pain so that I am able to do physical therapy and strengthen my core and back so that the next time it starts hurting it may not be as bad. I've been really stressing about this procedure, but I know that God wants me to do it, and that it will help. I also know that many people are praying for me. I wish there was a way I could say "Thank You" enough for everything that my friends have done for me... but I don't know how. The only way I can, is to do my best to get better.

Hiatus

2010-04-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting lately. I haven't been able to. So... here's the short version, since I don't really have the energy or sitting ability to give you the longer one right now. On 3/28/2010 my back went "out". Now, I've had back troubles for years, but this was different. After hours crying and screaming and horribleness, Mr. Man finally convinced me to go to the hospital. They gave me pain meds and whatnot and several hours later we headed home, after a trip to Walgreens for oxycodone and a cane. Yes, a cane.

That was a week and a half ago. Since then, I've been in a lot of pain, ranging from really bad to tolerable, depending on how long ago I took my meds or whether I was sitting, standing or trying to pee. Last Friday I had an MRI done on my back. The results are in. I have something called Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease and Lumbar Stenosis. I'll just call it LDDD since it was a bitch to type out. From what I've been able to find out online about this disease, it's basically arthritis of the back, but normally is only present in the elderly. I'm 30. So, I have an appt. with a back specialist on Friday to go over my MRI results and find out what we can do about this, to get me back on my feet (yes, I'm still on the cane).

I'm fine. Really... I am. It's just hard to walk, or sit/lay/stand for any length of time without changing position. I'm sorry I haven't posted. Joshua comes home today, and I'm a bit worried about it, since I can't do 3/4 of the things I normally can, but it IS getting better. I'm hoping to be done with the cane in the next couple days. I cannot thank my loving church family enough for all of the support and kindness we've received since this started. Meals have been provided, rides to the doctors, phone calls, facebook messages and prayers.... I love you all, even if you don't read this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and am still hoping to find a way to repay these kindnesses. Sitting here at the computer for the time it has taken me to type this up is starting to wear on me, so I'm going to wrap this up. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm here, I'm ok, and I love and miss you all. I'm hoping to be able to start my daily blogging again regularly, and I'm going to start trying with tomorrow's post. God bless you all, my friends, and I'll keep you posted!

~Miranda

Friday's Funniest Quotes

2010-03-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Well Da Boy is gone for two weeks and I'm on a rampage for some "lol"s. Here are the best I've got for today...

Best blog comment (not mine, or one to me, just the funniest one I saw)

I just left a spring market event at our local civic center and here’s another tip for making enemies.
When people try to sell you their craptastic trays that are wonderful for parties you can respond as I did, “Oh no thanks, I don’t need trays. I don’t have parties. I don’t like enough people to have a party and serve them food and shit.”
Poor little man couldn’t even say anything. ~ Amy Mayfield

Best smart ass conversation of the day:

Mr. Man: "The [NASCAR Sprint Cup] qualifying is rained out, that's it I'm done with NASCAR!"
Me: "Nyaanaa nyaaa" (Me imitating him) 'I haven't gotten to see a single race all the way through this year' :( 'I never get to see my racing anymore' and now you're done?!?
Mr. Man: "Hey, I'm allowed to be a fickle bitch sometimes!"

Bwahahahahahaa!!! That was awesome! I haven't laughed that hard in a loooooonnnng time!

Funniest Picture of the day: (Ok, I couldn't pick just one, so here's 3)

Wordless Wednesday - 3 Days of Pictures

2010-03-24T12:06:00.000-07:00