Special People – Page 4 – Birds of a Feather

Quality Time Away from our Little Bears

November 28, 2017Happiness, Love, Papa Bear, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

After Thanksgiving, Sean and I retreated to Fredericksburg for our first weekend getaway since Atticus was born. Leaving him behind proved to be bittersweet for me as I’ve never been away from him overnight. However, our quiet trip to the Hill Country was everything we both needed and more. This quaint town offered beautiful weather, fun wineries, and great food.

My weekend away proved to be incredibly eye opening for me. In this last year, I have “mommed” so hard that I rarely if ever left myself much time for “adulting”. As a new mom, the learning curve was steep and like all things I take on, I met this challenge with unwavering faith, unconditional love, and the can-do spirit of a Mama Bear. While all of this was noble and well-intentioned, I failed to recognize how my moments as an adult slipped through the cracks.

Now a year later, I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to getaway with Sean. It was such a breath of fresh air to stay up late talking about life, sleeping in, and taking our mini vacation as it came- with no expectations other than spending quality time together. I’ve vulnerably admitted before that being a wife is not always the easiest thing for me; not because I don’t love my husband with all of my heart but because finding the balance in all of it can be overwhelming. Sometimes by default, he gets the short end of the stick because everything else in my day took more out of me then I have left to give him at the end of the day.

Fredericksburg provided an amazing backdrop to a perfectly spent long weekend with my husband. I am truly grateful and blessed for the moments we shared and the fun we had together climbing Enchanted Rock, indulging in delectable sage and butternut gnocchi, sipping cocktails and people watching, and being chauffeured from winery to winery in a cheesy stretch limo. The best of life truly comes in the little things!

With a Grateful Heart

November 23, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Faith, Family, Happiness, Holiday spirit, Love, Mama Bears, Prayer, Running, Special People, Success, Uncategorized1 Comment

On Friday, the boys and I drove down to the Valley for a long weekend with my parents. The main purpose of our trip was to participate in the Mega Memorial 5K in Harlingen, a memorial run for a dear friend and former training partner, Meg Jorn. For a woman who dedicated most of her life to distance running, it was a touching tribute to a life tragically cut short. Family, friends, former competitors, and training partners all rallied together for a 5K race in her honor.

Race participants released purple balloons in her honor and her best friend, Dayna, read a beautiful poem and released twenty-six monarch butterflies into the clear blue sky. Moving speeches by both her husband and Dayna brought all of us to tears as we celebrated the incredible life she lived and how she had such a profound impact on her family, friends, and community.

Meg lived a “mega” life. She pushed herself professionally and athletically inspiring so many along the way. Her spirit will live on for years to come, but it does not make her loss any easier to bear. A quote on her Facebook page truly sheds light on the kind of life Meg tackled with gusto and strength, “Life is precious…..let us try not to waste it!”

Meg lived by an exceptional mantra. Life truly is an incredibly precious gift. The threads that make up the tapestry of our lives give us so much to be grateful for. In life, we never know how much time we have with the ones we love. Living each day to the fullest surrounded by the ones we love is such an amazing blessing.

Coming home this weekend allowed me the opportunity to bid adieu to a woman who taught me so much as we shared the road and miles and miles of words of encouragement, laughter, and joy sharing something we both loved- the pursuit of athleticism achieved through training and achieving PR’s. It also reminded me how important the little things truly are. Happiness is seeing your grandparents light up when they see their great-grandsons, catching up with your godmother and clinking glasses as we sip on prosecco, and witnessing the powerful love a big brother shares with his baby brother through a simple kiss and a hug.

My mother made an incredible Thanksgiving spread for us while we were home this weekend. Savory, comforting, and truly delectable, she put all of her love into the preparation and presentation. My mom is my rock, and a woman I derive so much strength and inspiration from. Who I am today is a tribute to the amazing things she has done for me all of my life to help me grow. I am truly grateful for the love, kindness, and grace she encourages me with daily, and I don’t know where I would be without her unconditional love and friendship.

Thanksgiving offers us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the profound blessings God has graced us with. Our health, happiness, family, friends, and all of the other infinitely beautiful blessings we call our own. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with delicious food and family and friends around your table. Even after tomorrow, let us remember that we have the opportunity to start each and every day with a grateful heart!

Remembering Granddad

November 17, 2017Faith, Family, Love, Running, Special People, Success, Uncategorized, WorkLeave a Comment

Earlier this week marked the fourth anniversary of my grandfather’s death. For those close to him, he was best remembered for how deeply he loved my grandmother, D’Ann, how dedicated he was to his work, and his passionate fire for the Texas A&M Aggies.

He was anything but the warm and fuzzy type. He cursed like a sailor and never apologized for his temper. For most of his life, he maintained a strict exercise regimen. Like clockwork, he was up by 5:00 a.m. and out the door for his daily morning walk. Rain or shine, he ventured out; often bragging that he was “airborne.”

My grandfather smoked like a chimney for most of his life. Most of my childhood memories include him puffing on a cigarette alongside my grandmother. When she became deathly ill with a lung infection though, he quit smoking cold turkey. A habit I can’t imagine was easy to do. There were few things my grandfather wouldn’t do for his beautiful, D’Ann. Married for over 50 years, they shared a love of traveling, tall Cuba Libres, and brown pelicans.

Hard work paved the way for a very successful career. It started first working on the railroads with his father and brother and later traveling further south to pursue a profession in the shrimping industry. My grandmother was anything but pleased about moving away from San Antonio to the quiet town of Port Isabel, but my grandfather soon made her realize the opportunities were plentiful on the coast. The two of them settled into life in South Texas with my father and uncle. Working at the docks meant long days in humid and hot conditions, especially when the season opened and closed or an imminent hurricane was in the Gulf. His work ethic instilled in me the importance of working hard for the things that matter most in life- your family and career.

Since my grandfather passed, the fall seems a lot quieter than I remember. He never missed a Texas Aggie football game on television. He’d hoop and holler at the screen cheering on his alma mater with the gusto of a yell leader. If the game turned south, however, he often had very vocal and profane words he’d direct at his beloved team. This usually meant a lot of “G D’s” as I often referred to them when I was younger. Being a member of the Corps of Cadets brought him great pride. He carried the spirit of Aggieland in his heart until the very end.

In reflecting on his life as a son, husband, father, grandfather, friend, and Aggie, I’m grateful for the moments we shared. For him, my accolades as a runner brought him great pride. I loved calling him after a race and sharing my accomplishments with him. How I wish Sean, Liam, and Atticus could have met him! I know he’s smiling down on me from a comfortable chair in Heaven. His feet are propped up and he’s enjoying the view from above!

The Road to Motherhood

November 14, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Faith, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Opportunities, Papa Bear, Prayer, Special People, Uncategorized2 Comments

The road to motherhood is not always a linear path. Sometimes a road less travelled leads us towards something our heart could have never expected. My journey started three and a half years ago when I crossed paths with a handsome widower’s online dating profile. I soon found myself falling in love with two incredibly special and unique individuals. One was a strong, motivated father who put his son’s needs ahead of his and opened his heart to the possibilities a relationship with me could bring. The other was a precocious toddler with beautiful eyes as blue as the sky and a smile that melted my heart every time his lips parted in joy. I could have never imagined my role as a mother would first start as a stepmother of a three year old, but I also can’t envision my life being any different because having Liam in my life has been an absolute blessing.

Two years into motherhood, I found out I was pregnant with Atticus. It was a rollercoaster of hormones, bouts of morning sickness, and a waistline that grew a little more every single day. As a little life grew inside of me, my heart swelled with love as I envisioned what this baby would be like when he made his grand entrance later that year. My life forever changed again when my doctor placed a precious 5 pound 15 ounce newborn in my arms for the very first time.

This last year has challenged me as a wife and a mother. It’s inspired me to be more mindful of the little things that make our lives so rich and meaningful. It has been eye opening, raw, real, beautiful, and unscripted. Life as a mother requires patience, a big heart, compassion, and humor. How else do you get through the messy parts of it like spit up, throw up, exploding diapers, and boogers for days?

Armed with all of this, I circle back to how this blog post started describing how the road to motherhood is not always a linear path. November is National Adoption Month, a month that signifies an important month for many children who find love, support, and happiness with their forever families. This is a month that will soon hold a very special place in this Mama Bear’s heart too as we will welcome a daughter into our lives sometime this year. This is a journey that started with a conversation over a year ago and developed into a more serious dialogue between Sean and I about eight months ago. Then this summer we started attending parenting classes and started the mountain of paperwork required to start this journey.

As public as I have been about my chronicles as a Mama Bear. This next step will be incredibly private. Because we are working with an agency contracted through Child Protective Services, until our adoption is consummated, we cannot post anything on social media about the expansion of our family. Our home study will be completed in the next few weeks and then we will cleared to begin considering little girls who would be an ideal fit for our family. I pray for my daughter every single day. I don’t know her yet but I can’t wait to meet her. I pray that her foster parents are meeting her needs daily and are making her feel safe and loved. Her past will undoubtedly require unconditional love, unwavering patience, and unfailing support to help her overcome and thrive. I know it will challenge me in ways I’ve never expected, but it will also only add to the rawness, realness, and beauty of my story as a mother.

The path to motherhood is rarely a perfectly straight line from Point A to Point B. My path thus far has shaped me into the mother I am today. A mother who loves fiercely, gives it her all every single day, and forgives herself when she falls short sometimes. I am far from perfect, but my heart is open and ready for this next chapter as a Mama Bear.

A Week of Little Things

November 11, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Faith, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Running, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment

This Mama Bear has been M.I.A. for the last week and for no particular reason other than I spent every free moment of my already limited down time reading a page turning thriller I couldn’t put down. One of my favorite perks of being an Amazon Prime member is Kindle books available for download one month before they’re released to the general public. It feels like Christmas every time I see the email message signaling the new releases. It’s a rather difficult task narrowing down the five books available to just one. I lament over every detail and reread the book descriptions several times over before I finally feel informed enough to click on the title I think best suits me. For the most part, I hit the nail on the head almost every time. On the rare occasion, I’ve missed the mark I find myself faced with the option of abandoning a book.

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This months book, The Good Samaritan by John Marrs, was one of my favorites to date. It’s truly not for the faint of heart though as the main character’s sociopathic tendencies make her an absolute force to be reckoned with. If you like psychological thrillers than this book will be right up your alley.

In addition to losing myself in a good book, this week included some easy dinners (I’ll post the recipes later this week) and a bulletin board of positive affirmations that lifted my high school students and colleagues up. “Take what you need” the board stated and around these words a plethora of handwritten affirmations encouraging others to persevere, believe in themselves, and be kind. Students and faculty alike shared these Post It notes with one another; leaving a trail of positivity on lockers, notebooks, and classroom doors around the school. Atticus received his one year vaccines, a heartbreaking endeavor for this Mama Bear. Four shots and a finger prick later he was all tears, and who could blame him. I’d probably be in tears too after being poked that many times with a sharp object. Our school hosted a blood drive on Thursday, so I donated alongside several of my students. The temperatures finally dropped and with it finally feeling like fall, I wore my new favorite novelty sweater for kicks. Liam spent most evenings after school jumping on the trampoline to his hearts content. He also decided his Halloween skeleton shirt made a great pajama shirt because it glows in the dark. I enjoyed some beautiful moonlit runs after the boys were tucked in for the night. Sean and I rounded out the work week a bottle of my favorite champagne; enjoying the bubbles as we made some vacation plans for the holidays, Spring Break, and the summer.

God continues to bless me in little ways every day. I’m grateful for all of these little things that make my life immensely better because of it. It truly was a week of wonderful blessings!

A 6th Birthday of Liamisms

November 6, 2017Family, Golden Bear, Happiness, Love, Milestones, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Today marked Liam’s 6th birthday. While driving to Shipley’s this morning for birthday donuts. I started singing happy birthday with an assortment of different nicknames for Liam just for grins. Each time it went a little something like:

“Happy birthday dear, Liamnardo da Vinci. Happy birthday to you!”
“Happy birthday dear, Liamnardo James Macaroni . Happy birthday to you!”
“Happy birthday dear, Liam Sweet Pea Mogwai. Happy birthday to you!”

Every time he chimed in with, “Mom, that’s not my real name.” I preceded to follow up with his full name. At which point he contested yet again that this wasn’t his real name either. He matter of factly followed up with, “No mom. My real name is just Liam.”

In honor of Liam and his special day on this 5th of November, it seemed only fitting to compile some of his most recent Liamisms to commemorate his sixth birthday.

“Mom, you want to hear something hilarasing? It’s so funny it will make you laugh.” “Liam, sweetie, I think the word you mean is hilarious. Hilarious is another word for funny.” “Oh yeah, that’s what I meant to say!”

“Liam, I really need you to be a first time listener, please.” “Mom, I think I’m having a hard time hearing because I have too much ear wax in my ears. Maybe you should clean them out with a Q Tip, so I can hear better.”

“Mom, why don’t we use mattresses at the dinner table anymore?” “What mattresses are you talking about Liam?” “You know the ones we used to put under our plate to catch the food.” “Oh, you mean place mats.” “Oh right, that’s what they’re called.”

“Mom, wouldn’t it be funny if I was only one like Atticus. Then we’d be twins. We could play together all the time.” “Liam, I’m sure that would be a lot of fun for you two but it would be a lot of work for me.” “You’re right, Mom. Think of how many poopy diapers two babies would make. That would be disgusting!”

Liam, your wit and humor bring light to our days. You are an incredibly intelligent young man with a world full of possibilities in front of you. Keep working hard, making us proud, and bringing a smile to our face with your perfectly imperfect Liamisms. May this year bring you happiness, adventures, and so much more! Happiest of birthday wishes to you, Golden Bear.

Baby Bears under the Weather

November 5, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Dinner ideas, Family, infant sleep, Love, Low carb, Mama Bears, Papa Bear, Recipes, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Things at Casa Mulroony the last few days have been rather stressful. Liam came down with the flu on Thursday afternoon. Then Atticus threw up at daycare on Friday afternoon. Since then, Sean and I have been pulling double duty to tend to the boys and also keep them isolated from one another so that Atticus doesn’t get the flu. This has undoubtedly proven to be a rather difficult task.

Poor Liam definitely was hit the hardest. Lethargy, a high fever, aches, and general discomfort proved to be a recipe for a patient in distress. Tender loving care and some incredibly expensive Tamiflu worked wonders, and Liam is slowly starting to return to normal. Thankfully just in time for his 6th birthday tomorrow! The picture below is of Liam with a sunnier disposition at The Thinkery in Austin. I’m confident he’ll be his sunshiny self in no time!

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Atticus threw up again this morning and had a few explosive diapers but otherwise seems to be doing okay. Thankfully he isn’t running a fever and his general disposition has been cheerful and jubilant. His stomach woes may have taken somewhat of a toll on his little body, however, because he enjoyed a three plus hour nap in the middle of the day.

With sick baby bears in the house, a simple chicken soup seemed like the perfect way to soothe and comfort the boys. Easy, healthy, and just what the doctor ordered, I highly recommend making a pot when you have a loved one who’s under the weather.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound chicken tenders or breasts, chopped evenly into bite size pieces
1 bunch of carrots, peeled and chopped evenly
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Russet potato, peeled and chopped
1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
5-6 cups chicken broth, depending on how much broth you prefer in your soups
Sea salt, pepper, and dried thyme, seasoned to your preference

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté the onions and garlic on medium high until fragrant. Add the chicken and carrots and sauté until the chicken is lightly browned.
Next add the salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour in the broth and turn the heat up to high. Add the canned tomatoes and cover until the soup comes to an boil.
Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer at least an hour.
Serve hot with fresh bread!

An Open Letter to my Baby Bear

November 2, 2017baby bear, Faith, Family, Happiness, infant sleep, Love, Mama Bears, Milestones, Prayer, Special People, Success, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Sweet Atticus,

It’s hard to believe that a year ago today, the doctor placed your tiny body in my arms. I remember vividly holding you close in those first few moments together and whispering in your ear how much I loved you. My world forever changed that day in ways I could have never imagined. Just thinking about all 5 pounds 15 ounces of you makes my eyes well up with tears. You, Baby Bear, are the greatest thing I’ve ever accomplished, and I will worry about you for the rest of my days on this earth.

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So much happened in your first year of life for both of us. I successfully mastered nursing and still find great joy in being able to spend quality time with you every day rocking you in the rocking chair my own mother once rocked and nursed me in. It truly is amazing how things come full circle! Your little hands and feet have grown and so has your length and weight. You’re now just shy of 20 pounds, and my chiseled arms are from lifting and carrying you around with me all through the house.

There were nights where I wondered if I’d ever sleep through the night again. You would wake up every two to three hours to nurse, and in a zombie like state I would shuffle through the darkness to comfort. But a year later, I can say with gratitude that you my littlest, sleep through the night and for the most part so do I. I find myself waking from time to time if you cough or stir just to check on you as I peer into the monitor. But most nights, that’s just my mommy worry getting the best of me.

Blank stares gave way to first smiles and baby coos of happiness. Tummy time, something you absolutely loathed initially, turned into playtime before I knew it. Rolling over, sitting up, pulling up, and now trying to walk came on so quickly. Leaving you alone for even a split second isn’t possible anymore. You’re in to everything and always require an incredibly watchful eye.

Exploding diapers, runny noses, teething, and drooling all made their mark on numerous occasions. Some of these moments were laughable. Others were downright disgusting and smelly. But even still, I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it for a second.

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You bring so much light to my life- watching you crawl with great curiosity across the hardwood floor or pulling up onto your tippy toes to reach for something you need to know more about. Your smile and belly laugh melt my heart in unimaginable ways. I live for those moments to see you so happy in your father’s arms or underneath your brother’s hug.

The Lord blessed me infinitely when he brought you into my life. I look forward to all of the little and big things your future holds. I ask for continued patience, guidance, and love as I make every effort each and every day to be the absolute best Mama Bear for you and your big brother, Liam.

Happy first birthday, my sweet Atticus. “I will love you forever, love you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby bear you’ll be!”

Ahoy, Matey!

October 29, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Love, Mama Bears, Milestones, Papa Bear, Special People, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

With birthdays just days apart for Atticus and Liam (November 1st and 5th), a combined pirate themed party seemed like the ideal way to celebrate their birthdays with our family and friends.

Pinterest as always proved to be a valuable resource for planning the perfect pirate themed party. Black and red duct tape lined the sidewalk and led guests to the X marks the spot; signaling the beginning of the birthday party fun. A giant inflatable pirate ship bounce house complete with cannons, a lookout post, a parrot, and a skull and cross bones flag brought the theme to life. My parents found a beautiful pirate ship piñata in the Rio Grande Valley to add some hard hitting fun to the mix.

Snacks, birthday cakes, and treasure map party favor bags brought the theme full circle. Guests sampled Pirate’s Gold (cheese slices), Polly’s Crackers (Ritz and Triskets), Cannon Balls (black olives), Shark Bait (multi-colored goldfish), Dead Man’s Fingers (Lil’ Smokies with BBQ sauce), Caribbean Sea Water (blue Powerade with the labels removed).

My Amazon Prime membership proved to be a godsend with personalized birthday shirts, pirates jewels, gold coins, temporary tattoos, and a treasure map. Thankfully Liam’s toy box yielded pirate figurines that made perfect cake toppers for their birthday cakes. Initially Atticus wasn’t quite sure about his cake, but with time realized he preferred the pastry part more than the icing.

Shiver me timbers, this party is in the books, and thankfully no one had to walk the plank. It was wonderful celebrating our baby bears with our friends and family. Thank you for showering the boys with amazing birthday gifts. They’ll be playing with their new toys in the days and weeks to come. We arrrgh so glad you were able to join us!

A Halloween State of Mind

October 22, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Healthy snacks, Holiday spirit, Mama Bears, Milestones, Recipes, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment

Christmas is undoubtedly Liam’s favorite holiday, but Halloween is a very close second. He wholeheartedly embraces the spookiness and mystique that encompasses the spirit of Halloween. This weekend he embarked on his first independent venture of carving a pumpkin. Now granted he needed a little parental supervision and guidance, but overall he successfully orchestrated a pumpkin work of art.

Carving a pumpkin is truly a labor of love, and you certainly can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Liam squealed with delight as his fingers combed through the squishy, stringy pumpkin as we made our best effort to get every last seed and all of the pumpkin pulp. He also meticulously combed through the pulp with an eagle eye to gather all of the seeds for roasting.

Liam spent the better part of the morning cutting his pattern, gutting the pumpkin, using the poker tool to outline his pattern, and finally carving out his design. The end result proved to be both a labor of love and a source of pride for him.

Carving a pumpkin creates quite the mess. Liam served as my little helper and in almost no time flat, our kitchen was spotless. We realized we’d worked up quite an appetite, so we snacked on some of our roasted homemade pumpkin seeds and relished in the beauty and artistry of Liam’s first solo carving venture.

If you haven’t carved your pumpkin this Halloween, consider saving your seeds for a savory treat. They are great as a stand alone snack but also would be ideal sprinkled over oatmeal or on top of a fresh salad.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Ingredients:

pumpkin seeds
sea salt
2 teaspoons of butter
parchment paper

Directions:

Melt the butter and pour over the pumpkin seeds. Mix together and then spread the seeds evenly on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir at least halfway through. The seeds are roasted to perfection when they are golden brown.

A side note: the buttery smell that permeates the kitchen as they roast is absolutely heavenly. Enjoy!