Relief

Well the last week or so has been a little stressful on me. I've had a lot on my mind and heart that I'm not really quite sure to do about yet. I hate when that happens. So today while Talent took his nap I did something for me. Something I truly have come to enjoy. I fed the cows.

I know. It sounds like work, doesn't it? But for me, growing up in "the city" the only animals I was ever around we're dogs and cats. Now that I've married a man who likes country life and I've settled into it myself, I find I enjoy these things. Since we've had these cows out here I have been naming them. I've watched 6 of them have babies. I have really enjoyed this aspect of country living. So today feeding the girls was something to get my mind off of the things causing me so much heartache. It did the trick.

There is one cow I am getting to keep, Left Eye. I've posted about her before. She always eats out of my hand. She's so sweet. I got to spend some time feeding her this morning but was interrupted by a very hungry and very greedy Lucy. I also got to spend a little time petting a cow I have affectionately named "Knot Head" because she has a big knot on the top of her head. She is the only one that will stand still and let you pet her like a dog. She is so sweet. And so soft. These cows are always happy to see me. They know I either want to feed them or give affection. And they are okay with that.

I never in a million years thought I would enjoy cows and all the things that go with it. But I do. Feeding them. Making sure try are okay and taking care of them. I love this country life of mine. Sometimes it's just what I need to take my mind off the things that hurt me or bother me the most. It's funny how we can let a person hurt us so bad and we can't say anything to them. And we can go spend a few minutes feeding a cow and petting a knotted head and things seem a little better. So today I just want to say in thankful for this country life. The joy it brings my heart and soul amazes me daily. It's a relief to know that even when people disappoint, I have animals that never will.

My Life Rocks!!!

Well, I know I've been on a blogging kick this week between this blog and my other one! But I just felt the need to blog about this today. I usually blog about my baby and life as a mommy on my other blog but today I'd like to post on this blog about my life and just how wonderful it truly is.

This time last year I was way huge pregnant. My feet were swollen. My Daddy had to paint my toe nails because I was so big I couldn't reach them to paint them myself. I had kept them painted blue the entire time I was pregnant as a way to be "connected" to my best friend who lives 2 hours away. I was hoping for a baby boy so when I found out I was pregnant we promised to keep our toes painted blue as a way to "be connected" the entire pregnancy since she couldn't be here for all of it. I had Daddy paint them pink about this time last year because she found out she was pregnant (BIG SURPRISE!) and she already had two boys and wanted a girl. So, I had the same pact with her but we painted them pink. I can still remember him painting them and worrying he was messing them up. He did a great job.

I can still remember being able to feel Talent's little movements in my belly. I can remember his hiccups. I can remember feeling his heels dig in to my stomach when he would turn over in there. I can remember it all so vividly. I can also remember the night my water broke and this wonderful journey began. I was so scared of what this change would bring to my marriage. What this would bring to my life. Would I be a good Mom? Would I still be able to be the best wife possible? So many worries, so many thoughts going through my mind.

Well, I'm happy to say this today. I think that having Talent has been the biggest blessing to my marriage and my life. For my marriage it has been a huge thing. I had 22 hours of labor that led to a c-section. I threw up through out the entire 22 hours of labor. It was no fun. Seth held a bucket for me while I was sick in the operating room. He walked with Talent to the nursery while they finished stitching me up. He helped me with a shower the next day. He helped me when I had to get up and down out of bed. He helped me SO much. I don't know how I would have ever made it without him by my side. I know that the throwing up thing was gross and hard for him to stomach. If it wasn't for one of my best friends being in the delivery room with us, he probably wouldn't have done as well as he did. But he did come and hold my hand when I finally fell apart at the end. I was exhausted in those final hours. I wouldn't let him go anywhere. I wouldn't let him leave my side and I am not typically that clingy. When we got home he helped me as much as he could. He didn't complain that my family and friends were here so much. He was amazing and got up with me every time Talent woke up. And now that Talent is bigger, he still gets up and helps me sometimes. There are mornings when I haven't gotten any sleep and he will get up and feed him breakfast and let me get some sleep. He will watch him so I can have some "me time" and have a few minutes to breathe. This whole experience has changed our relationship. I always heard that it would and I worried it would be a bad thing. But it has been an amazing thing. Our relationship is so much stronger than I ever thought possible. I'm so glad.

As for how it has changed my life....

I think it has helped me to realize that I have some wonderful people in my life. Some that have helped me SO much since I had Talent. I have come to realize that I don't need tons of friends, it isn't quantity of friends, but quality. And I have realized this year that I have some of the highest quality friends ever. That hasn't always been the case. I have had a few friends over the last few years that I disconnected myself from. I have waivered back and forth on if that decision was the right one or not so many times. Now that I have Talent it's so easy for me to see that I made the right decision regarding those relationships.I've learned that there are no gray areas when it effects my child. I'm thankful now for the wonderful people that I've allowed to be a part of my life. I'm grateful to God for putting them there. And I'm glad that I have them to teach me how to be a better person and mom. 

I love being a wife and a mom. I truly think that those two roles were what I was born to do. When I met my husband 9 years ago, I knew he was something very special. We will be married 7 years in May. Being his wife is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. In April when I became a mom, I knew then, something special had happened to my life. I had only felt that feeling when I got married.....that feeling of complete love and adoration for another human being. This time it was a little different because this time, Seth and I had made this little person. It is an amazing feeling becoming a parent. It changes your heart. Makes you a sap. My life became even more important. Being a wife and a mom is the best two things I've ever done. EVER. So tonight I'm just writing because I love my life. I have never been happier than I am right at this very second.

Talent & me

My sweet little family!

I am a follower

I have recently discovered a beauty blog and fallen in love. If you've ever been on Pinterest you have probably ventured to the hair section at least once. And if you've done that I know you've seen this bloggers hair. Well she is amazing. I'm hooked. Her name is Kate and she is the owner/writer of The Small Things Blog. I have become a frequent visitor of her blog. I'm talking almost daily. Recently she blogged about a few products that I decided I wanted to try. Now you should know I'm not a beauty trend follower. I have my make up routine and I don't vary from it....EVER! But something about this adorable blond girl makes me want to try new things. So she blogged about Revlon Lip Butter and BB Cream (made by several different companies).

I first tried the lip butter. I'm a sucker for lipstick that is more like gloss or Chapstick. This stuff is amazing. I love it. I am not good at wearing lipstick usually because it feels heavy and I'm lazy. I dot like to deal with reapplying it 8000 times a day. But this stuff is light and lasts for a while. It feels good and even after it wears off I still have a little tint to my lips because it hydrates your lips so well. It is something I'm glad I tried and I know I will buy it again.

Now onto the BB Cream. This stuff I just purchased this weekend. I bought Garnier brand at Walmart and it feels amazing. Now if you don't know what BB Cream is let me explain. It is a tinted moisturizer and makeup primer all in one. You can wear it alone or under your makeup. It has a high SPF sunscreen in it and it is supposed to help make your skin look and feel amazing. I've been using it for two days and am already in love. It gives my skin this glow that makes it look young and alive. Since I had Talent my skin and hair have both been lacking. I'm still working in the hair but think I found the fix for my skin. This stuff feels good under my bare minerals makeup and it helps to keep everything on and in place all day. I looked the same last night when I washed my face as I did when I did my makeup for church. Usually I just look tired and my makeup looks a little washed out. Not with this stuff. No ma'am. I will definitely be buying this again. I think it would be a little heavy if I wore liquid foundation but I don't. So it's perfect. And on days I want to just wear mascara I can wear the BB Cream and mascara and still have beautiful skin.

Here are before and after pics.

No BB Cream...ordinary Bare Minerals Makeup.

BB Cream, Bare Minerals Makeup, and Lip Butter!

March Madness

Well, for anyone that knows me, you know I'm married to a sports fanatic. Well this week is March Madness. Now when I was younger I had heard the phrase but had no idea what it was about. So this is a little blog about how 9 years ago I met a beautiful boy who changed all of that.

About nine years ago I met Seth. I had been dating my best friend and we had broken up. He was dating someone new and our relationship was difficult to say the least. He had been playing on a men's open league basketball team and needed a pretty girl in the stands to cheer for him because his girlfriend said it was stupid and she wouldn't go. So, who do you think he called? That's right....me. I went and when I walked in I noticed this beautiful muscular boy sitting on the bench next to my friends room mate. I asked the guy who had taken me to the game who the boy was, he didn't know for sure. I was determined to find out. Another guy I knew walked inland I asked him and was told, "That's Seth Reynolds" and I knew I had to meet him. After the game I went back to my best friends house and begged him to introduce me. He wouldn't. He told me he didn't wan me to date anyone and especially not Seth. Well I of course got angry and decided it was time to leave. His room mate had heard our conversation and stopped me on my way out and told me he would introduce me if I would come to the next game and cheer for him and not my best friend. Well I was mad and agreed. Well I went to the next game and my friend, Shawn (my bff's room mate), got hurt in the game. So I didn't get to meet Seth that night. Instead I went home to play nurse to my friend with a swollen knee because he lived with boys and well, let's face it, they aren't very caring. But, Shawn kept his end of the deal. I went to work the next day and on my way home I called to check on him and see what all he needed since he still couldn't walk. He said Seth was there and he wanted me to come over.

To make a long story short, I met my husband that night. Neither of us wanted a relationship but once we started dating we didn't want to be apart either. He introduced me to the game of basketball. A sport I had always hated. Even when my baby brother played it for 3 years. I loathes the sport. But it was his thing. He always told me what was going on and explained the game without getting frustrated at my million questions. I have grown to really love the sport. So much so that this year he asked me if I wanted to fill out a college basketball bracket and I did. I have never done that before and I'm really excited that he thinks I know enough to participate. Basketball is something that kind of brought us together. It is the one thing that I know he loves and I live watching with him. So starting tomorrow, our tv will be on basketball non stop. It will stay that way until the weekend is over. And no, I really don't mind. He includes me in this passion of his. He explains what I don't understand and he never makes me feel dumb. I love this time of year.

COWS!!!

So about a week or so ago, Seth's friend, Brendon, brought 14 cows out here to eat down our pasture. I was SO excited! I'm a city girl and I've never been around livestock of any kind for an extended length of time. Seth has always told me that you can't make a cow a pet. So, those of you that know me know what my mission has been. I want these cows to LOVE me. I want them to let me pet them, feed them, and come to me when I call them! Well, I am almost there! When Brendon dropped the cows off, they were all pregnant and only one of the 14 had a name. Now 6 of them have a name and 2 of them have babies! I know, I know, I am the biggest dork for naming cows. But I love them. They are the coolest thing ever! I have been calling them and getting them to come to the fence by whistling and yelling "Hey girls!"....they always come running! I have already made a friend that will come to the fence anytime she sees me. Her name is Left Eye (yes as in Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez from the group TLC, and yes I know I'm dating myself by knowing who they are).  I also have one who absolutely hates my guts and lets me know how she feels every chance she gets. She is the biggest cow I have ever seen. I have named her Daisy Mae. She always snorts at me when I am out there. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the girls.....Enjoy!

 This one I named Reba....she's sassy and was the first one to let me pet her....she's brave!

 This is Jaret's cow, Jessica....she was named before she got here.....she's very shy.

 This is Daisy Mae.....I'm lucky she let me get this close. She hates my guts!

This one is Left Eye. I may never give her back. She and I have become friends. She always comes to the fence if she sees me outside. She is a very sweet cow.