I'm 33 today...33...
My life is almost opposite of what I pictured it to be when I lived in the land of la-la in my teens/twenties...If you ask most girls, I'm sure they wouldn't daydream about becoming a blogger, risking it all opening a business and raising two babies back to back, one with special needs.
But I have to say my life is something else...Something pretty damn special...
And after this past year seeing my little girl face surgery after surgery, finding out my best friend's little guy has cancer and having a friend get murdered, I am nothing but grateful to be given these 33 years...
And with that I leave you with...
- Be honest.
- Kiss your babies every night and as much as you can...Even though by bedtime they are driving you mad, snug them, love them, just be with them.
- Say thank you - It means a lot to people and you should appreciate what others do. Even if that is passing you a coffee in a drive-thru window - Thank people.
- Cherish those you love - Maintain friendships that are important, call your parents, love your siblings.
- Have an open mind to ALL things...Trust me, life is so much more interesting that way.
- Be silly - If riding the grocery cart like a skateboard to your van makes your two year old laugh outrageously, who cares what the woman parked next to you thinks.
- Make things happen - Take risk - You only have one life to try.
- Read novels - Get lost in a book, it's good for your soul.
- Be interested in people...Really interested - Barbara Walter's them so that you hear their story.
- Apologize if you need to - If you're a twonk, recognize it and fix it.
- Drink wine, beer or gin.
- Flirt...Not in a sexual way but in a charming way.
- Realize life is never going to be what you pictured it and that's a good thing, a really good thing.
- Get angry, mad, sad or whatever at God/Fate/Karma or Whomever...Shout if you have to, cry if it helps...It's okay to grieve things before moving on.
- Help others...Do things for other people...Try to be the change the world needs in simple ways.
- Eat dessert...ALWAYS!
- Be genuine and real.
- Realize you're body, those wrinkles, that baby ponch is all a part of you now...It's not going away so learn to embrace every wrinkle as a laugh line, dress to fit your body so that you feel good & if ya can do a crunch here and there.
- Do things that you normally wouldn't or that make you uncomfortable - Live abroad, join a new group, do something creative - Sometimes the very best of things come when painting outside the lines.
- Embrace, recognize and celebrate the differences within yourself and in others .
- Believe....Whether that's in God, Miracles, People, the goodness and hope that's out there - Whatever it may be just believe in something greater than yourself.
- Trust your momma gut when it comes to your babes...From how you parent them to how you fight for them medically...Trust what's inside to be the best momma you can for them.
- Be grateful for the life you've been giving - Live thankfully everyday.
- No Judging - EVER- literally...Who cares what other people do, love, believe, etc? Focus on living your life and that alone.
- Find your purpose...It's life changing when you do.
- Love your Home Team more than anything else on the planet...Work to always be the best Home Team you can be.
- Realize life can change instantly - so chillax, take each day, each moment one step at a time.
- Fight for something - stand up for something you believe in, advocate for people who need it or join others in a cause that's dear to your heart.
- Work hard at whatever you are working at.
- Let go sometimes and just be.
- Laugh...Laugh...Laugh...At yourself, others, anyway and time you can.
- Dream Big....Why not? Strive for things outta reach - A book, Ellen, more projects why not?
- And lastly be the type of person you'd like to be friends with - Be Awesome Today and Everyday...
That last one pretty much sums up everything I try to teach my hooligans on a day to day basis...Our amazing team Tricia & Sara from our Painting Outside the Lines Collection made me this sign and I simply, absolutely am in love with it.
We have in proudly hung above our front door so that every time you leave our house you are reminded to go out into that big, bright world and be awesome today...

6 Comments
Great post Tara! You are so inspirational.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! Happy Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteLove it and I am swooning over the pictures of the littles holding the sign :) Perfection!
ReplyDeleteYour blogs and advice and way of life always make me smile, giggle or send prayerful hugs. Sometimes tears too.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom said being a Mom is the best and the worst job. She was right. Almost a year after my husband and I finally started our family with our adopted baby son from S. Korea, she passed away suddenly and I didn't have her to rely on. But I have lots of lessons from her and so appreciate all she did to really raise my family of me and 6 brothers and my Dad. We did have extra special time with my Dad tho, when he lived with us for almost 5 years.
He and our son (2 yrs old at the time) had a great relationship, as did my husband and I. We were very fortunate.
Life sure throws some curves, but being positive and God-loving has saved my sanity too!
Great advice, very wise for such a young lady! Your babies are incredibly blessed to have you.
ReplyDeleteI am very inspired with you and your family. I have a special child as well, a real life angel.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a poem for all the mother's of the special child.
Broken wings….
Dedicated to mothers and fathers of children that lost their way.
My baby has her broken wings
She can walk but not yet run
She can talk but we can’t hear
She tries talking every day
She says ba-ba-ba, ba-ba-ba
Every word is a ba-ba-ba
She keeps on trying every day; we keep on hoping every day
We know the day will come and she will talk like one of us
The only sadness to my heart that
That time for her is passing by.
She is eighteen of age today
She runs against all odds of time.
She wants to win, she wants to talk
She wants to run and walk like us.
Her wings are broken all her life
Please God, please save my baby
Please God please fix her all for me.
Please God please make her talk and run.
Please God please heal my Angel.
If looks could kill they would already.
The looks are everywhere we go.
The looks are in the park, the looks are in
The stores, the looks are everywhere she goes.
She doesn’t walk the same like us,
She doesn’t talk the same like us,
She doesn’t look the same like us
But she is our Angel.
She brings us luck, she brings us hope
She shows the way to live our life
She shows what life is all about
She shows the meaning of your life
She teaches not to be so sad
She gives you hope, she gives you life
She smiles when you look at her
She gives you inspiration
My petty problems go away
When I sadly look her way
Her courage in this world will make you feel so strong.
Her fight for her life will teach you to survive
If I could teach her how to fly I know she could have reached the sky.
If I could fix her wings for her I know she would have fly away.
She could fly against the time; she could win against the time.
Please dear God please make her fly; please make my baby touch the sky.
Please dear God please make her strong please let her win the fight of wrong.
Please tell me God that she will be okay and that my baby will fly again.
I hope and hope and try and try I never ever let her die.
If your baby lost her wings please never think you’re all alone.
My heart is with you my soul with you my hope will make you strong like stone.
You take my hope and hold it tight my hope will make it right for you.
You take my hope and you could fly and then your baby will touch the sky.
You’re not alone we are with you, my courage and my baby girl will teach you how to fly.
So please remember not to cry about your baby’s broken wings
We’ll pray and pray and hope and hope and God will help us cope.
So long my friend let us fly let our babies touch the sky.