Sponsor for Free

Are you interested in some ad space for a button or shop in the months of April and May? I am offering button-swapping and guest-posting opportunities…I will also offer one to two free shared posts featuring your blog if you are interested in participating in that.

The only requirements: I need a 200 X 200 size button to post on the sidebar. You can snag mine on the sidebar, as well (email me if you need a different size).

Email me here if you’re interested in either trading buttons or guest-posting!

Who, I ask you, doesn’t love free blog advertising?

More vacation pictures from Hatteras Island tomorrow…

love, elizabeth

5 Ways to Conquer Stress

Today I’m presenting at a conference in Kentucky which means…I am far away from my baby blog. In my absence, my dear blog-friend Ashley has come over to share her expertise as a counselor with all of us….leave her some love, please. And be sure to check out her blog, A Recipe for Sanity for great cooking tips, thoughts on learning to love herself, and life with her sweet guy…Ashley is on my regular reading list for a reason. If you haven’t met yet, I’ll think you’ll LOVE her!

………………..

Like all of you, I wear many hats. I work full time; I’m a master’s student in Marriage and Family Therapy (which means they’ve actually unleashed me on real people with real problems!), and I’m also a partner to Rob, the most incredible guy on the planet. You can see how sometimes things get a bit hectic.

I’ve realized over the years the importance of taking care of myself so that I can take care of others. Without self-care, I wind up sitting in the corner, crying and eating my hair. (Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but just talk to Rob. He’ll tell you it’s pretty close!) The lovely Elizabeth has asked me to share with you five ways to manage stress and take care of yourself, so here goes:

1. Pamper Yourself: Do something calming for both your mind and your body. This could be anything that relaxes you, and it doesn’t have to cost much, if anything at all! I’m a grad student, so I don’t always have the money to go out and get a pedicure or a massage. But I’ll pamper myself by giving myself a home pedicure, or using a face mask that makes me look like a member of the Blue Man Group. I’ll light a candle, take a long shower, and relax with a television show or movie that only I enjoy. Moments like this that are just for me really help me to manage stress and feel more balanced.
2. Move It!: I am so guilty of putting this on the back burner, but finding a physical activity that you enjoy is huge in managing stress. It could be anything you like: a run in your favorite park, a yoga class with a friend, or a zumba video you got from the library. Even if you go outside just to enjoy nature and look around, it’s great for your mind and body and will reduce your stress level. If you’re like me and you’re always putting the other things on your to-do list before this, schedule it in!
   

   Source: itsfitnessbaby.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

3. Eat Something (But Not Just Anything!): I notice that when I’m really busy and stressed, I tend to grab for the first thing I can eat quickly. The problem with that is that those meals are usually not what my body needs to feel energized and ready to face a long day. Lately, I’ve been making more of an effort to have healthy foods on hand, like pieces of fruit and yogurts I can just grab from the fridge. I know we’ve all heard it before, but I’ve noticed that when I’m getting the kind of nutrition my body needs to power through a 14+ hour day, I feel so much better. As tempting as it is, don’t skip meals because you’re too busy, and plan ahead so that you are eating delicious foods that support your crazy-busy lifestyle!
4. Rant If You Need To: I’m serious: I believe in the therapeutic power of venting to friends, on your blog, to your cat…whatever works for you. Holding negative emotions in is only going to increase the blow-up when you finally lose it later (or am I just talking about myself?). When you have a bad day, tell someone about it or do something physical (kickboxing class, perhaps?) to express your emotions.
   

   Source: someecards.com via Ashley on Pinterest

5. Get Some Sleep: I know, I know. You’ve heard this one before. The busier you are and the more stress you have, the less sleep you might be getting each night. Everyone tells you to get those 8 hours, but I know firsthand that it doesn’t always work that way. Still, get as much sleep as you can. Try to unwind before bed with a book or other relaxing activity. Make sleep a priority so that you can get the rest you need to conquer another busy day and keep your stress levels down.

- Ashley

 

Source: mylifecoachsparkles.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

See what I mean? Ashley needs to be MY counselor! Go here to check out her blog.

What about you? What ways do you manage stress for yourself?

love, elizabeth

Courtney from Life with the Baxtrons

Today I’d like you to meet Courtney from Life with the Baxtrons. Courtney is so sweet and she shares wonderful pictures and stories from her life with her beautiful family in New York City. This is what she had to say about her blog…

I'm Courtney: wife to Jerry and mama to Zion.  While I have learned to thrive on the witty sarcasm and hustle-bustle of NYC, my soul longs for the Pacific Ocean, organic fair trade coffee and the laid-back crunchy granola-ness of my home in Seattle, my spirit belongs neither here nor there, indulgently abiding in the love of my savior.  I love meeting new people, experiencing new things and overcoming obstacles in life.  Life with the Baxtrons is my place to share life, encouragement and the day-to-day adventures of our family of three living in New York City.

Be sure to stop by and visit her blog and check her out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, too!

Maybe we can even convince Courtney to stop by and do a guest post for January...(cough, cough).

Happy almost-Christmas!

love, elizabeth

Mad for Madigan: On Cats

If you met my pomeranian, you'd understand why she needs her own weekly post. Every week or two, Madigan discusses a topic weighing on her brain. And if you don't think dogs have stuff on their minds, well...you don't own a dog.

Dear Readers:
Today I’m talking about acceptance. And, in an effort to be more accepting of difference, I’ve invited my two cat friends (what? I have cat friends!), Pippin and Leo, to guest blog with me today. Check it out…

 Pippin

Leo

Madigan: So dudes, uh, thanks for being here today.

Pippin: Good to be here.

Leo: What kind of cat are you?

Madigan: I think I speak for all my readers when I ask, what the heck is up with cat-lovers? I mean, c’mon…what makes cats so great? You guys don’t really believe all your own press, do you?

Pippin: Cats are chill, not clingy or annoying. Unlike SOME pets I know.

Madigan: Chill? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

Pippin: Cats do their own thing. We’re independent. We don’t need you. You need us. And as we all know, whoever needs less in a relationship has all the power. Yeah.

Leo: This is boring. Where are the treats?

Pippin: Also, cats are sophisticated. We clean ourselves. We toilet indoors -in designated areas, thank you- and we appreciate the silence. We’re athletic, agile, graceful. We can fit in small spaces and reach great heights while lesser animals are earth-bound. Deal with it.

Leo: I’m cute. Pet me!

Pippin: Yes, thank you, Leo, for that riveting contribution. Next question, please.

Madigan: It seems like more and more pets are getting hip to the world wide web. We have Dogbook, Catbook, Dogster…even the vets are going virtual now! How do you two feel about this phenomenon?

Leo: I like to tweet.

Pippin: I used to tweet but I've forgotten my password. Twitter is so 2010.

Madigan: Well, it's certainly a great way to keep up with your fans.

Leo: I like to tweet.

Madigan: I think I’m just about out of blog space for the day. I’d like to remind readers that they can follow all three of us pets on twitter. To follow Pippin, go HERE. To follow Leo, click HERE. To follow me, Madigan, visit HERE.

In case anyone’s curious, Pippin and Leo are the pets of Sarah over at Saracastically. I myself am not open-minded enough yet to live with a cat and fortunately for me, Mom is allergic. Haha.
What about you? Like cats? Hate them? Are YOU a cat? If so, what are you doing on the computer? Share your thoughts below…

Love and kibble,
Madigan

PS: If you've missed any of my other Mad for Madigan posts, check them out HERE.

Guest Post: Laura from Fairdale Diaries

Good morning, everyone. I have another awesome guest post for you today from the very kind Laura. I think her story is an important one and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did…

Hi lovelies! I'm Laura from Fairdale Diaries and I am so excited to be over here keeping Elizabeth's blog company today!

She has asked me to talk about an adventure I've had. She said it could be either physically an adventure or an emotional one. And since I've been in touch with my inner self lately... read on for an emotional adventure I took with my husband!

One of our adventures began on September 27, 2009. That was the first bridal show we went to and the day we told everyone we had finally set a date to get married (March 27, 2010). We were both working full time, I was in graduate school full time, and we planned a wedding plus had all of the holidays and birthdays to celebrate. In February, we signed the 6 month lease for our first apartment. It was the perfect one bedroom for us. Small but cute and plenty of space for us just starting out. We were so excited. Our wedding day was perfect. I couldn’t have wished for anything better. After the wedding and a short honeymoon, we settled in to our new place and enjoyed being married. We were excited to start the first year of our marriage and see what wonderful adventures married life would bring. Little did we know that the adventures wouldn’t be joyful but would bring us closer than we had ever been in the 7 years of dating we had…

On May 19th 2010, my papaw went into the hospital for a fall but was admitted because of possible pneumonia. My papaw’s lungs were already in bad shape with COPD and emphysema so they wanted to watch him for a few days. My family went and saw him every day while he was in the hospital. So the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before, my mom went to the hospital Saturday morning while I was at work. I had been at work maybe an hour when husband called and told me to come outside real quick. As soon as I walked out the door, he was sitting in his car with the window down and said “Your papaw is on life support, go clock out and come on.” My mom had walked in to my papaw’s room that morning to sit and talk for awhile and keep him company, but when she turned the corner to his room, he was on a ventilator, unconscious and unresponsive.

I went and clocked out at work, jumped in the car with Josh and called my manager on the way to the hospital. Those next 2 months were a rollercoaster of emotion. Because I was the only one in my family to know anything about hospitals and procedures, that inadvertently made me in charge of listening to every doctor, nurse and specialist then relaying the message back to my mom in layman’s terms.

Source: etsy.com via Kyle on Pinterest

 

So how does any of this have to do with a journey, my husband & I have been on? I’m getting there…

After a month in the hospital in our town, after getting a tracheotomy and finally progressing to be a little better, the hospital recommended my papaw be transferred to a specialty hospital about 30 minutes away to the next town too be weaned off the vent. Here’s where my wonderful husband steps in and saves the day. He works for a small family owned company (not his family) but they think of him and I as a part of their family so, they gave him off as much time as he needed (I was still working 40 hours a week at this point, taking as much time off as I could), so he ended up leaving his job for about a month to spend every waking hour and every night with my papaw. My mom and I hated to leave my papaw up there by himself and we always felt better knowing Josh was there in case something happened.

Josh and I had only been married 2 months, our lease finally ended and the doctors were hopeful that my papaw would be coming home to live but would need help, so without hesitation, Josh helped me pack our things, rent a U-haul and we moved to my papaw’s house back in the town I grew up in. He never once complained of being tired or having to do too much for my family. My papaw thought of Josh like a grandson and loved having him around.

In my papaw’s final days, he was getting worse, not better, and we all knew it. He never was able wean off the ventilator so we had some tough decisions to make. I, being the power of attorney and durable power of attorney for his medical decisions, had to sign off on everything during this trying time from tests to procedures to finally making end of life decisions. I won’t go into that but I will say that this journey of dealing with the illness and loss of my papaw was one that I wouldn’t wish on my greatest enemy but I also wouldn’t want to have been through it with anyone else but my husband. He and I grew closer, he saw me cry more during those two months than the 7 years before that, and I saw what great character he has, and how he will step up in times of trials and hardships to do what’s best for not only himself but family, including mine. He showed me how caring and sensitive he could  be while still maintaining composure. He allowed me to break down at night and let out all of the feelings I held inside during the day when I had to be strong and work or talk with doctors or explain things to my mom.

I am thankful for that adventure with my husband in our first year of marriage because a lot of people wouldn’t have made it through, that I am sure of. But the fact that we did and we learned from it and allowed it to strengthen our love and marriage and bond we have with each other instead of breaking us down and distancing ourselves makes it one of the bitter sweet experiences of our first year as husband and wife that help us to grow and mature, even during a time of great loss.

Hope you enjoyed and hopefully, if you ever have a significant other, you can have adventures that are joyous and some that test and strengthen your relationship.

Thanks so much to Laura for sharing such a powerful and personal story with us! These are the kinds of love stories that make me so thankful for blogs where such amazing people can share their hearts. Now you need to go HERE and check out her lovely blog!

love, elizabeth

PS: Tune in tomorrow for my very first link-up…Clue: it involves SIGNS.

Guest Post: Janet from Made for This

Hello from Louisville! Wedding week is in full swing here but fortunately, I have another guest post today and I’m so, so excited to share it with you!

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I’m pretty biased about this particular guest blogger. You know, being that she gave birth to me and all…

That being said, I think I can objectively say that this woman has had quite a few incredible adventures. She’s definitely had an undeniable influence on my own attitudes towards love, marriage, and life experience. I asked Mom to share a little bit about meeting my dad and this is what she sent along…I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did…

And when you’re done, be sure to stop Made for This and say hi! She loves visitors!

Choice, Chance, and the Sovereignty of God

When I graduated from high school (oh, some time ago) I was headed to college in my hometown with no idea what I wanted to do. One day, I opened a letter from the Army ROTC recruiter on campus. I read ‘Army’, thought ‘Navy’, and the next day found myself in the Navy recruiter’s office. After much consideration and cajoling, I went ahead to college for the year but could never shake the Navy bug so in October 1974, I headed to boot camp. Now there’s a story for a different time. [Editor’s note: I’m holding you to that, Mom.] 

I wanted to be a Hospital Corpsman but the wait was too long (good thing since I get close to passing out just hearing about illness much less seeing it!) and ended up as a Cryptologic Technician, which, by the way, I hated. BUT at my first duty station, set in Acadia National Park in Maine, I met the man who changed everything for me. My beloved husband Eric.

We took a direction I never could have foreseen – the mission field (after Navy, and school, and much more). Then there are my two precious children (see Love is the adventure for Exhibit A). The travel, the adventure, the challenges – all because I “read ‘Army’ and thought ‘Navy’.”

So when you are tempted to think that THIS choice or THAT choice won’t make much of a difference, think again. When you are tempted to think things happen by CHANCE, think again. A sovereign God has planned an adventure for each of us. What a ride!

- Janet

So show of hands, who wants Mom to come back at some point and tell us about boot camp? I love having an excuse to make her tell me all her Navy stories. (And what she didn’t tell you was that she not only joined the Navy, she was also named Sailor of the Year and worked as a Company Commander training Navy recruits.)

What about YOU? What adventure are you having this week, month, or year?

love, elizabeth

PS: Tomorrow, Sarah from Sarahcastically will be back for another round of Stranded with Sarah. She’ll be talking about her feelings for Captain America and more. Be sure to check in and share your thoughts!

Guest Post: Ashley from Recipe for Sanity

My blogger’s heart is extra full this morning because it knows that while I am in Louisville getting ready for the wedding, you all are getting to talk with one of my favorite bloggers on the world wide web, Ashley. Ashley keeps one of the most genuine, sincere, and down-to-earth blogs I have read and she writes with such kindness and grace, that it’s difficult not to love her immediately! Also, she often shares her many amazing and easy recipes. Make sure to go visit her at Recipe for Sanity and say hello! I promise you’ll love her.

When Elizabeth first asked me to guest post, I had trouble connecting my image of Rob and I with the word “adventure”. After all, we’re not exactly the cliff diving, zip-lining type. We get our adventure from movies and trying a new entrée on a restaurant menu, not from hanging upside-down by a bungee cord. Yet after talking things over with Rob, I realized that in five years together, we have had some real adventures and challenges in our relationship. Moving in together was unquestionably the biggest adventure of all.

The move itself was a hot mess. One would think that moving from a one-bedroom unit to a two-bedroom in the same complex would be the easiest move possible. Not so, my friends. Not only were the movers sloppy and late to arrive, they created a large hole in our bedroom door (heart-shaped, ironically), which they refused to take responsibility for until much later. There was also the shower curtain rod that hit me in the face, and the shower head that came out of the wall in my hand…all in the same night. Or the washer that was improperly installed and flooded the whole kitchen, leaving me ankle-deep in water, sobbing about how I couldn’t handle one more thing happening with this move. Yet what Rob and I did not know was that leaking washers and faulty shower heads would be the easiest thing for us to handle. Moving in together was the real challenge.

You woke me up when you came to bed last night.

Well YOU left the dishes in the sink.

Why don’t you EVER take out the garbage?

These were the type of arguments we had on a regular basis. Prior to moving in together, we rarely fought. Once we shared an apartment, however, we started disagreeing on the smallest, least important issues. Being of Latina/Italian descent, I naturally made the most noise about it. My way of expressing my anger was to cry, sulk on our bed, or slam a door. The slamming door phase ended quickly, after that heart-shaped hole cut my hand. Served me right. Rob is a lot calmer and more passive, so he preferred to get defensive (quietly), shut me out, or sit in silence while I rattled off my laundry list of reasons for being angry with him. I found myself wondering if we had made the right choice, if all of this arguing meant that we weren’t the couple we thought we were.

If I could go back in time and talk to the girl I was then, I would tell her that this was an adventure. The challenges, the painful moments…those were growing pains. We weren’t falling apart; we were coming together as a family. I was so frustrated because I was learning to put Rob and our relationship at the top of my list, instead of always thinking about myself. I was learning to stick it out through the tough times, and that always being right was not as important as our love for one another. Three years after our move, I know now these things to be true. Because we had that challenging time in our relationship, we now know that we can make it through anything, and that giving up is not an option. That adventure laid the foundation for what we have today: a love story that I never dreamed could be mine. I wouldn’t change a thing.

- Ashley

Told you she was great. Don’t forget to head over HERE and say hi. Thanks so much, Ashley, for taking care of the blog while I’m away!

love, elizabeth

PS: Tune in tomorrow for another guest post about adventure from…(you’ll have to come back and see!)

GUEST POST: Jenni from Story of My Life

Today, I am honored to be welcoming my very first guest blogger, Jenni, who writes a beautiful (and extremely popular) blog full of gorgeous pictures of her family, her adorable dogs, Gracie and Cooper, her darling home, and all the great places she's been visiting. Not only was Jenni was my very best childhood friend but she continues to inspire me as a blogger and a photographer (although I am nowhere NEAR as talented as she is in either department!).




Why, hello Elizabethans.  My name is Jenni, and I blog over at Story of My Life.  Elizabeth and I were the bestest of friends way back when we were suuuper nerdy homeschooled kids both living in Germany.

Now we're just super nerdy grown-ups.  Some things never change.

I found a mildly terrifying rather endearing picture of us together back in our glory days, but I seem to have misplaced it now.  I wish I had it to share with you.

Anyway, Elizabeth and I reconnected thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook, and I have so enjoyed getting to know my sweet childhood best friend again.  Elizabeth is a doll isn't she? And hilarious. And disgustingly smart.  All traits which, I remember quite well, she embodied at the tender age of 9, as well. 

While rummaging around in my "memory box" the other day (the place I put all of the funny little trinkets I don't have the heart to throw away), I stumbled upon an old letter that Elizabeth wrote me after my family moved back to the U.S. and away from hers (we were 9 or 10 at the time).  I must have laughed for days after I read it, and it seemed appropriate to share it here. 

"Ynnek" is code for Kenny, by the way.  He's the boy we BOTH had a major crush on.

Oh, and I used to spell my name with a Y (it wasn't a typo).

Enjoy.

My favorite parts are:

Who will tell me to put my glasses on?

and

I will tell you what Ynnek looks like.  Remember our code words, Jenny

and

As soon as your email is hooked up, write me!  It is important to the well-being of our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren!

Hilarious.  I'm sure you need no further proof that we were pretty darn nerdy.

Thanks for reading!  Come visit me at SOML any time!

Story of My Life

.......

Cough. I don't think anyone is surprised that I went on to get THREE degrees in theatre. I'm so surprised Jenni saved that! On a serious note, I really did cry for weeks when Jenni moved away. For a nine-year-old to lose her best friend across an entire ocean was pretty devastating. Very grateful for technology and the ability to reconnect after all this time.

So if you're not already addicted to Jenni's remarkable blog, go visit her right now and say hi! A million thank-you's to her for taking the time to post here today!

If you're visiting Love is the Adventure for the first time, I hope you'll come back again! I love having you here!