Category Archives: Bridget Blogs

I close my eyes…only for a moment and the moment’s gone.

Hours and hours of scouring books and magazines and the internet.
Time flying by as I click over and over and over again on Pinterest.
Looking for something that my heart knows, my mind knows…but my eyes can’t see.
I’ll know it when I see it.  I know I will.

Looking at images and ideas of others,
I glean inspiration and spin the idea my own way.
Imitation really meant to flatter, not steal intellectual property.
(Although it hasn’t always happened this publicly, we have always copied one another.)

But it seems that lately instead of feeling inspired, I feel trapped.
I see other ideas and think mine aren’t good enough.
I see other ideas and wonder how could I possibly make that better?
I see other ideas and think only about how to make it work for me.

So I step away.
Quit looking at the beautiful art,
the lovely snapshots,
the simple and clean designs.

Instead I close my eyes.

I imagine the way the light will float down through the trees.
And how it will land gently on his back.
And how the backlight will make you glow.

And then snap.
I take my picture, your picture.
And though it may look like a million other pictures on the surface,
it is special.  it is unique.  it is you.

EandM wm 1 I close my eyes...only for a moment and the moments gone.

And you will look at it for years to come (i hope)
And the warmth of the sun will feel heavy on your skin.
And the smell of fresh grass will come to your mind.
And the heavy, comforting weight of new love will flood over you.

And that is what I want my photographs to be.
A moment immortalized, ready and waiting to be visited and cherished.
From this moment on.

Getting It All Wrong

It started like this:

photo 768x1024 Getting It All Wrong

But I was afraid you couldn’t read it that way, so I typed it out here.
(Because I’m still trying to get it all wrong.  That’s not easy for me.)
(Well, not on purpose.  I get it all wrong by accident all the time.)
(You know what I mean…)

I used to be a think-out-side-the-box kind of person.
And then I became an adult.

But I’m taking baby steps to change that.

I bought a colored purse.
And not a dark color, but a bright! happy! one!

photo 1 300x300 Getting It All Wrong

I am writing the wrong way
*gasp*
And hoping the figurative follows the literal.

It feels good to be different.
(I’d just forgotten how good.)

 

6144223072 aba44084aa m Getting It All Wrong

Late for Lent

I typically take Lent very seriously.
The symbolism weighs heavy on my heart and always pushes me into a cycle of introspection.
I’ve given up a variety of things.  (Diet Coke, meat, yelling, makeup).
I’ve also taken up some things. (Kindness, giving, living purposely).

But this year I was overwhelmed with getting ready to leave my family behind for 5 days
And I was in Nashville on Ash Wednesday and it just kinda flewrightbyme before I realized it.
And then I got home and I was hugging and cuddling and editing and uploading.
(I still haven’t completely unpacked.)
And I kinda convinced myself that it was too late.
If I didn’t start on DAY ONE, I can’t start at all.
But that’s silly, isn’t it?
The point of Lent is not that we deny ourselves something just because we’re “supposed to”
But because of the self-examination it provides us.
(And it will take much more than 40 days for me to complete the process of self-examination!)
And so now, nearly two weeks late, I’m finding my stride again.
And I am sitting here with pen and paper and writing.
Writing for me, but also writing for God.
And they are words that will stay in the holy of holies of my heart.
And they are words that will be written down and tucked away.
Whispers from my heart to my God.

So for Lent, I give up nothing but my time.
And I will use it to glorify my God with words that aren’t big enough or bold enough or sacred enough.
But my God knows that it isn’t the words that matter, but the heart behind them.
And that heart is big enough, bold enough, sacred enough.
That heart is enough…
I am enough.
Because I was created by God.
And so were you.

Thanks be to God!

 

Bringing Back the Bliss

BDpost1 4 1024x471 Bringing Back the Bliss
I have so, so very much to write down about Blissdom.  As always, it was perfectly sparkly and wonderful and happy.
I want to tell you about sitting down to dinner with people I’ve admired for years and became friends with in seconds.
I want to tell you about meeting new people who danced right into my heart, took off their shoes & planned to stay awhile.

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I want to tell you about staying up late and giggling about silly things like boys and clouds of cologne.
(And about ninjas and monkeys and saying inappropriate things to inappropriate people.)
I want to tell you about sitting on the stairs and laughing and sitting in a session and tearing up.
I want to tell you about the sessions that pushed me to reach deeper and about the ideas that came to life.

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I want to tell you that Blissdom is a blogging conference, but it is so.much.more.
Blissdom is about friendships and inspiration and life changing.
Blissdom is about laughing and crying and enjoying the moments more than you thought you could.
Blissdom is about finding your bliss and bringing it back home with you.

(Also?  There are a loooooot more pictures to come.  I’ll post a link to my flickr stream soon!)

Finding Myself Under All The Glitter

There are moments that you look back on and realize that while they seemed rather insignificant at the time, they were indeed fairly pivotal in your story line.  And then there are moments that blow the doors wide open and announce “THIS IS IMPORTANT!”   Blissdom’10 was – for me – most certainly the latter.

I could write volumes about the things you can do and see and learn at Blissdom.  I could talk about what to pack and what to bring and how to not get lost.  (Those are all great things to know, especially if you’ve never been before.)  But the thing that no one can prepare you for is the emotion.  No one tells you that you should come to Blissdom expecting to come home changed.

Here’s the post I wrote right after I got home from Blissdom that year.  I can re-read this and bring back every single one of those feelings.  And I cannot wait to be back in Nashville and see what awaits us all this year.

Blissdom 2010

I could tell you a lot about Blissdom.  I’m sure there will be hundreds of posts chronicling the sessions, the parties, the speakers, the food.  Well-written posts about friendships made and cultivated, the beautiful Opryland Hotel and Harry Connick, Jr will surely be out there, too.

And although those things were awesome and I learned so much and met so many, something bigger happened.

Somewhere inside me, in that quiet little place that I sometimes hesitate to share with even my closest friends,
I felt a movement, a revolution.

There were times this weekend when I laughed so hard I cried.
There were times when I was my normal, loud-mouth self.
There were times I stepped outside my comfort zone.

But often I found myself just being quiet.
Watching others.  Listening.
Listening to others and listening to that inner part of me that so frequently gets drowned out at home,
shushed and squashed by my to do list.

Blissdom was not a Christian conference.
Blissdom was not about religion or God.
Blissdom was not about growing in your faith
or becoming a better person.

But Blissdom was inspirational.
And Blissdom was educational.
And Blissdom changed me.

Over and over and over, whether in sessions or conversations or within my own mind,
the same three phrases kept re-surfacing:
Be authentic.
Be passionate.
Focus on what’s really important.

Not really novel concepts.  Not something I hadn’t heard a hundred times before.
But exactly what I needed to hear,
what I wanted to hear,
what I was ready to hear.

Several panelists talked about finding your voice, but I realized that in order to find my voice, I must first find me.
I’ve gotten lost in the shuffle.
I’ve gotten wrapped up in things that don’t matter.
I’ve let some influence me too much, and others not enough.

It’s time for a change.
Thanks, Blissdom.

You are incredible.

One dog perched on my feet, the other uses my leg as a scratching post.
The kids are just beyond the threshold of my hearing.
I can make out the sounds of their voices, but no words.
But they are laughing and that makes me smile.

The baby’s asleep and I suppose I could (should?) use this time constructively.
But I find myself staring blankly towards the kids – looking, but seeing nothing at all.
I can’t seem to break the trance and so I close my eyes.
Although it is a beautiful day, my imagination is even more vivid.

I lie down on the grass and let the sun dance on my skin.
I take in a big, deep breath and feel myself breathe.
It is still a miracle to me that the human body does this -
this in and out and in and out -
without me even knowing.

It’s incredible, you know?
We are incredible.
How we breathe and blink and digest both food and information.
We are nothing short of miraculous.
Even when we are broken, we are still a miracle.
That thought overwhelms me.
So complex that it’s simple.
And so simple that it’s complex.

I don’t hesitate to tell my children how special they are.
I encourage them to embrace what makes them unique
And to celebrate what makes them alive.
But I forget to tell myself these same things.
Don’t you?

I need to hear that, even if it’s just in my own head.
(And you do, too.)
You are an incredible miracle.
I am an incredible miracle.
We are all fearfully and wonderfully made.
Thanks be to God .

 

 

 

Nutrition Possible {GiveAway and Coupon Opportunity} **Updated to add winner info**

Until I had children, I was never really a vitamin taker.  But when we decided to start trying to have kids, I started taking prenatal vitamins.  During each of my pregnancies, I took my vitamins daily and rarely forgot.  But when that newborn got home and I was so tired that sometimes I forgot to even brush my teeth?  Well, vitamins didn’t even cross my mind.  Occasionally I’d remember and take them a day or two but when the bottle ran out, I never got more.  That happened with every pregnancy.

At my last checkup, my lovely nurse practitioner (Hi, KW!) reminded me that I needed to be taking a daily vitamin and I had really great intentions of doing so!  But each time I’d go to the store, I’d forget to buy any.  So, here I am one year postpartum and still no vitamins.  Oops.

So when I got an email about partnering with Centrum’s Nutrition Possible website, I figured it was just the kick in the pants I needed.

photo 1 1024x682 Nutrition Possible {GiveAway and Coupon Opportunity} **Updated to add winner info**

But I’ll be honest, one of the things I hate most about getting anything over-the-counter is the 50 million choices.  Do I need calcium or Vitamin D or both?  What about iron?  What are probiotics, anyway?  I don’t eat fish, so do I need fish oil?  Or omega-3 fatty acids?  Aaaahhhh!  My brain just short circuits.  So when I heard that Nutrition Possible had an assessment quiz that could help you figure out which supplements best fits your needs, I clicked on over.  In less than 5 minutes, I not only knew what kind of vitamins I needed but I also had a chance to create a personalized health and nutrition plan that includes setting up personal goals and tips on how to achieve them.  AND when I completed the assessment, I was able to get a $10 off coupon!  I’m not a couponer, but even I know that’s a spectacular deal!    I really am excited about this and you should be, too!  Click on over to get your own assessment and big ol’ coupon!

So every one can get the $10 coupon, but I also have a nice little giveaway!  One lucky person will get a $25 AMEX gift card!  Who wouldn’t love an extra $25?  All you’ll need to do is go take the assessment on NutritionPossible.com and come back over here and leave me a comment about what you learned, what you didn’t know you were missing.    All comments posted before 11:59pm(EST) on Sunday, February 12 will be eligible and a winner will be chosen using random.org.

NutritionPossibleLogo Nutrition Possible {GiveAway and Coupon Opportunity} **Updated to add winner info**


I am participating in a sponsored campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received incentives and am eligible for prizing. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about NutritionPossible.com as a product or its effectiveness.

See giveaway rules here.  (Sorry, Canadians.  US only.)

Pssst…There are several bloggers working with One2One and NutritionPossible.com for this project.  The blogger with the most comments will win up to $500 in cash and prizes.  And *ahem* that would be super-duper nice to have.

Forty entries came in before the deadline.  I used random.org to determine the winner.  Congrats to number 28, Amedeo Tritto!

random Nutrition Possible {GiveAway and Coupon Opportunity} **Updated to add winner info**

 

Reason #429,650,912 That I Love the Internet

So often I find myself begging time to slow down.  But then there are days (like yesterday) when all I wanted to do was hit fast forward.  There was too much crying and too much whining from them.  And not enough patience and forgiveness from me.  It made for a very long day.

As someone who stays home with littles, I don’t have the opportunity to have much adult interaction.  Sure, I see people at school drop off and pick up, but it’s a little quick chat here and there.  I occasionally go to lunch with friends, but if you’ve ever been to lunch with me and my crew you know that the conversation is staccato at best and there are a lot of interruptions.
“Sit down and eat”
“Do not touch that lady’s hair again!”
“Oh!  Don’t pick that up off the floor and ea…too late.”

But this is where social media comes in.  Social media platforms are an integral part of my life.  It’s my connection with the real world.  And so I post.  I post a lot. ( Too much for some, I know.  Just hide me if you want.  I’ll never know.)  And I connect with real! live! adults!  And we laugh at my kids together and talk about important issues and tell jokes and make witty observations.  Those are the things I miss most about working outside the home.  Social media gives me the chance to have a little of that.  It makes this stay-at-home gig seem not quite so lonely – especially on a day like yesterday.

Yesterday, in the midst of all the tears and snotty mumbles, I got an email from a company I am working with on a post and it asked a lot of reflective questions.  One of them asked how friends would describe you.  I’ve never been good at those, so I reached out to my friends on Facebook.

i need help Reason #429,650,912 That I Love the Internet

And boy, oh boy, did my friends come through.  On a day when I was feeling like quite the failure, I found a big boost in an unexpected place.  You guys picked me up without even knowing it.  Words like engaging, vivacious, talented, artsy, faithful, generous, personable,  inspiring, confident, cheerful and creative, smart and compassionate, strong and honest.  Wow!  (Y’all are too kind.)

I don’t say this to brag on myself but to brag on you, on this community.  You can find experts that tell you that all this hyper-connectivity is bad for us.  That we aren’t created to handle this many relationships.  But I disagree.  My online friends have become my real life friends.  I’ve reconnected with some great friends I had lost contact with and I have cultivated friendships with people who were once just acquaintances.   Staying at home is lonely.  But you guys make it less so.  And I’m thankful for each one of you.

 

Shush.

I see you hurting and I want to rush to you and fix it.
Tears slowly drip – one by one.
The strain in your voice tries to hold it all in.
And I want nothing more to stroke your hair and shush you.
It’s gonna be alright.
It’ll be okay.
Shh-shh-shh…

Where you are…
Where you are right now?
It’s lonely.
I know.  Oh, I know.
And it hurts.
Oh, my how it hurts.
I’ve been there.
And – in some ways – I am still here.
(Is one ever in complete remission?)

My heart reaches out to yours.
And I hope, I pray that your heart can hear mine.
Because I want you to hear.
I want you to hear how powerful and brave you are.
And I want you to hear how loving and caring and kind you are.
(Those things can’t be counted with statistics or dollar signs,
but they are the things that really matter.)
And I want you to hear how you’ve changed me.
How your words and your actions have pulled me up when I was low.

I needed you.
I need you.
And you need me.
(And that’s as it should be.)

It’s my turn to be needed.
And it’s your time to just be.

Shh-shh-shh.
It’ll be alright. 
~for more just write posts visit heather

367 Days and Counting

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Sweet Anna Alden,
You are a few days past one and I’m amazed at how big you are and how much you’ve changed just in the last week.  You started cruising a few months ago, but that didn’t last long.  Once you realized you could go, you went.  For a few days you wobbled back and forth and took a step, maybe two and then BAM you were all over the place.  You are always, always trying to catch up with the others.

You are chattering away lately.  When I come into your room in the morning, I always say “Good mornin’” and you’ve started groggily mumbling “moh-een”.  You ‘talk’ to us all the time.  I really wish we could understand what you’re saying!  Because you obviously think you’re very funny.  You’ll blabber on and just laugh and laugh.  (Don’t worry.  I do the same thing sometimes.)

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You love all of your siblings so much.  I love the way you and Asa seem to talk without words.  Just a look here or there and little sounds.  And then with Lydia…your eyes just sparkle when she focuses her attention on you.  She thinks she’s your little mama and you love it that way.  Carter is a little more reserved with you, but when you interact it’s adorable.  He throws his arm around your neck and you lean into him – eyes closed – and smile.

You make us all smile.  You always keep us on our toes.  You are almost always up for a cuddle.  Your favorite food is cooked carrots and you transitioned from bottle to cup overnight.  You love to sit in Asa’s little recliner and it is so stinking cute.  You love to ‘read’ books and play with trains.  You still cross your legs like they were in utero – although that’s beginning to fade away.

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You are one.  I can’t believe you’re one.
But I also can’t believe that it’s only been 367 days since you first came into our lives.
I pray we have thousands and thousands more.
We all love you so, so much.

p.s. Yesterday when you gave me an unprompted kiss and then giggled, my heart nearly exploded from happiness.