L.O.V.E. Is More Than a Four Letter Word

Hey Y'all,

Today has been such an amazing day. I watched the Second Inauguration of the first African American President of the United States of America on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the head of my household put our 8 year old in place.

Love in my family is more than a four letter word it stands for Living Overjoyed and Victorious Everyday... when I hear my husband speak to our children in love and in reprimand, I'm reminded of how very blessed I am to have a present father in the house with my children. Many fathers live with their children but aren't 'present' they are there physically but not emotionally. I'm so glad that I can say my husband is very present in our children's lives. He play fights with them one moment and the next he's teaching Erick and Myles what it means to be a man in the way he cares for my daughter and I. My husband is a REAL father. I do compare him to Dr. King and President Obama. He is the head of our family and he makes it clear to our children that they aren't in charge of any decision making but that we are. My husband wants to best for our children just like Dr. King did for his and my husband is teaching our family to embrace our challenges and make a change,  just like President Obama is for America.

Erick is 8 and VERY head strong. He can be argumentative and always want to have the last say (wonder where he gets that from). His father doesn't play the talking back, smart mouth etc. He's no joke... he doesn't yell but you can tell in the way that he speaks (especially when he uses their full name) that he's no longer playing but he's very serious. I didn't grow up with my dad in the house so seeing this side of my husband makes me  proud that I'm giving my children something I never had. A present father. I know that my boys are going to grow up knowing how to follow the rules and take heed to authority because they are experiencing it at home.

I L.O.V.E. my family and thank God he loaned these four people to me for a time.

Until next time...
MUAH!

Rediscovery is a good thing...

Hey Y'all:

My husband and I have been married for 13 years; without children for the first 8 so we had plenty of time to learn one another and to develop our relationship without distraction. Now that we are the proud parents of three beautiful children; with very limited time together. My beautiful mother was gracious enough to take the children for a good part of this summer giving us the opportunity to rediscover one another. Since my children have been gone I've realized yet again that I truly love this man.


I learned that he still makes my heart beat faster when I know he's coming into my presence
I learned that I am excited to sit and have conversations with him about things big and small.
I learned that he is patient, kind and really rather smart.

Over the past six weeks I was reeducated on why I said "I do" in the first place. He still makes me smile and weak in the knees. His drive is intoxicating and his talent is invigorating I learned that I have a life long friend in this man that I've known well over 15 years.



I wrote this as an exercise a few months back and decided that I want to post it again.



My husband is a God fearing man who loves his family unconditionally; he shows us by his deeds and actions on a daily bases. He is taller then me, strong and well built, his arms are strong enough to lift a heavy load but gentle enough to hug his children's pain away. My husbands voice can be comforting and stern all in the same breath. He is patient and understanding, he is a gentle lover and a passionate father. He is mine and I'm so blessed to have him in my life.

Until next time...
MUAH!

How many is enough?

Hey Y'all:

I love children. As you know I have three beautiful ones of my own. I have four Godchildren and countless nieces, nephews and little cousins. I'm an advocate for foster and adoptive care. One day I want to own a chain of child care centers, but today readers I’d like to ask how many is enough?

How many children that is!

I just read a story on Parent Dish about the Duggar’s giving birth… “Michelle Duggar, star of TLC's "18 Kids and Counting" gave birth to her 19th child, a girl, Thursday night via emergency C-section, although she wasn't due to give birth until spring, TMZ reports. Josie Brooklyn Duggar weighed in at 1 lb., 6 ounces.”

19 Children! Really? What does one do with 19 children? How many is enough? I understand if you don’t believe in contraception, I get it if you just want to let nature take it’s course; and I also know what the scripture Genesis 1:28 says: God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." but when do you say enough? When do you as a woman say, ok my body can’t take the trauma of having another child.

How many children is enough?

My mother is the oldest of 19 children and ended up raising five of her younger siblings, she also adopted five children from the same woman who just kept having drug addicted babies.

I admire the Duggar’s in that they are a self sufficant family and are doing this own their own… unlike Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman Gutierrez the Octo Mom. But my mind goes to the children. Does the 8th child in line really get any one on one time with his/her parents? Who’s really raising number 17? It just gets me to thinking. I’m the mom of three and it’s often difficult to divvy my time and make sure everyone is getting enough mommy attention. So what does one do with children when the amount gets into the double digits?

I’m really curious y’all. How many is enough???

Let me know what you think.

Until next time…
MUAH!

For the "If's" in life.

Hey Y'all:

Last night I had the privilege to attend a New York Urban League Young Professionals (http://nyul.org/nyulyp) financial literacy series event. The topic was "Cover Your Assets: Protecting your house, health and future." There was a panel of three finance professionals that participated in the "living room" discussion that really got me thinking about insurance!

Here are a few things I learned last night and thought you should know.

• There are so many types of insurance besides life, home and health. Do your research about: Long Term Care Insurance (is designed to provide coverage for necessary medical or personal care services provided outside of a hospital setting, such as in a nursing home or in the insured’s home.), Disability Insurance ( is a type of heath insurance that pays a monthly income to the policyholder when he or she is unable to work because of an illness or accident.) and Variable Universal Life Insurance (is a type of life insurance that builds a cash value. In a VUL, the cash value can be invested in a wide variety of separate accounts, similar to mutual funds, and the choice of which of the available separate accounts to use is entirely up to the contract owner)
• Before buying a policy make sure you are working with a reputable agency that has a long history. Also, shop around. Meet with different insurance agencies before you buy a policy.
• If you have a policy make sure it's valid for the state you currently reside in. The rules for NY are different then the rules in NJ and the rules on the West Coast are different then the rules on the East Coast.
• It's great to utilize the insurance that your employer provides but you should also have your own disability insurance, because you can't always take your employers insurance with you if you quit or get fired.
• Insurance is all about protecting what you own or have and the people you love. Even though you don't own your house you should invest in renters insurance... "for the Ifs in life"
• It's a hard discussion but a very necessary one. It's very important to know where your loved ones keep their life insurance policies. If they are in a safe deposit box they need to make sure they give someone the key or power of attorney to get into the box. It makes no since to have a policy that no one can get access to!
• The younger you are and the longer the policy the cheaper it can be.
• After age 65 most insurance companies will not give you a policy! That sucks right?
• Life insurance is money that shows up when stuff happens. Stuff doesn't always mean death. It can mean, fire, accidents, illness and injuries.

This seminar was truly eye opening for me. Since the death of Michael Jackson I've really been thinking a lot about how I want my children to be taken care of if something should happen to my husband or I. Not only is life insurance important but you should also have a will, a health care proxy and a power of attorney. Those of us who aren't affluent or don't come from a family with lots of money never think about the need for an insurance policy outside of burial costs, but your income is what keeps your family afloat. Think about what would happen if you weren't here. We shouldn't just think about not leaving bills behind but also not leaving our family broke. I want my three children to be well taken care of if something should happen to me! So tomorrow I have an appointment to set up my policies with them in mind.

Have you taken any steps toward securing your future? It's hard to think about insurance when we are in a financial decline as a country but it's a necessary discussion.

BTW I won a Wii at the event! Put my name in for a drawing and won! Go me!!! and Merry Christmas to Erick LOL..

Well until next time...

MUAH!

Today's "AH HA" moment!

Hey y'all:

Ok so after all my little pity party having self last night I realized that I was being a really self centered somebody!

My "AH HA" Moment -
Here I am married to a man who is working on building an entertainment empire while being a 'stay at home' Dad and I'm moaning about not receiving a birthday card! What is my problem? This man is the most attentive, patient and loving individual I know, he takes care of his handicapped mom's business affairs (every 3rd of the month he has to put his business on hold so he can take care of her), listens to my complaints but never complains, takes care of our children during the day while trying to work on the computer and then goes out to work at night, yet he still has time to make me smile.

Needless to say we had a bit of a communication issue yesterday (I didn't tell him that I was taking the day off and he didn't tell me that he had to work last night) so I had a bad attitude and didn't enjoy my birthday because I didn't feel celebrated! I didn't consider what he was going through and how he did try to make plans (he wanted to take me out to lunch but I didn't share that I would be home) and the day just turned to mush. Thankfully we have a WONDERFUL relationship and were able to have a really good conversation (and more hehe) when he did get home last night. I realized that my beloved is overwhelmed being self employed and I need to step up my game and not be so self absorbed.

My birthday present to myself this year was a true smack in the face... "girl you aren't 15 you are a 35 year old woman with three children, a husband and more responsibilities then just being celebrated ON my birthday" that man celebrates me everyday with simple gestures (washing the dishes after I cook, allowing me a few extra hours of sleep on Saturday, making sure there is always milk in the fridge for the babies and most importantly taking care of ALL our finances so we aren't out in the cold, sitting in the dark or car less). My husband is truly a superstar and today I'm so grateful that my gift includes his smile, caress and unconditional love!

Ok, I know i'm not the only one! Hit me up and let me know if you've ever had as seriouslly self centered moment!

Until next time...
MUAH!