Another year older!

     So today, I celebrated another year older.  Its funny, I think, how when you are young you can't wait to get older then as you get older and the responsibilities start you sometimes wish you could go back.  Normally I don't want to go back at all.  Honestly other than to see my father when he was in bad car accident I have not step foot in my home state since January 2008.  There is a lot of back story as to why.  I didn't have a run of the mill life.  I grew up most of my life in Connecticut.  I was raised by my grandparents.  The story of how that happened has 3 sides and somewhere in the middle is the gray area of truth.

     At any rate, I have good memories and bad memories there. I guess people have those everywhere they have lived and visited.  But, for me, I can't really say whether or not I really enjoyed life.  There were great moments.  There were moments that made me excited to be alive but there were so many moments that I felt lost and alone.  I mean I really was one of those people who could be surrounded by people and still feel utterly alone.  No one around me could tell.  I never quite fit in but I was never completely out.  I had friends who were my best friends just suddenly disappear for no reason and never telling me why or if I did something wrong.  I tried to hard and I didn't try hard enough.  I was jealous of people who had everything go their way.  I settled for less than I deserved.

     A lot of these 'trends' have continued through a lot of my life.  At 19 I was in college, I did my first year as a commuter and HATED that.  I never really could make friends and the ones I did were 30-45 minutes from home if they wanted to get together and where I lived had nothing to do so I always drove.  OK fine.  That meant a lot of hanging out on base at the dance club because I wasn't 21 and some of them were.  Then I moved on campus and what happened there is something for another blog.  Anyhow, I found myself with a boyfriend who ended up just marrying some other woman and calling me after which is a trend apparently (yes another days blog) and I just lost it.  My life fell so far out of control.  Everyone had an opinion on what I should do and all I wanted to do was run.  So I did.

     I started seeing this guy.  Within 7 months of meeting him we were married.  2 children and a lot of verbal and physical abuse later, we split.  I couldn't do it any more.  Then I tried again at marriage and this one cheated over and over but told anyone that would listen that I was the one cheating. Lots of people to this day believe him and that is fine because I know the truth.  I had two kids at home and a full time job.  My kids were involved in dance and scouts and all of that. I had no time to cheat.  but that again is his issue not mine because I know the truth.  Did I have guy friends Absolutely.  I always have.  See I am a straight shooter and a lot of women can't actually handle it like they say they can.  The guy he was obsessed that I was cheating on him with was a friend only.  Yes when I left we split a house.  HE had the entire basement and we had a shared living room and kitchen and dining room.  my kids and I had rooms upstairs.  There was little to no contact.

     But that is past.  I left again.  Got back with my kids dad because I am an idiot and believed he had changed and my kids wanted him to be back in their lives.  So why not.  Moved to Colorado to be with him.  That was 2008.  At first it was great.  Then changes back to the old person he used to be.  In 2011 I moved to Illinois he followed knowing our marriage was over due to things I couldn't have in a marriage.  (I will leave that at that).  Then one christmas morning he packed up his stuff in his truck and left with the dog.  Didn't even want to say goodbye to the kids.  (Prime dad material).  4 plus years later I have yet to see child support.  But, my attorney is working on that still.

     Then something happened.  I met a wonderful man.  He was everything that I would have written a husband out to be.  This all happened when I decided to work on me.  Find who I am and what I needed to be happy.  He just dropped in my lap.  I started going to church and I was saved.  Then my life just changed like snap.  It was amazing.  I saw myself as someone worth loving.  I saw myself as someone who didn't have to be treated poorly.  The point of this days blog is to remind you that no matter how old you are (I was 37) you are never too old to change your life.  All you have to do is believe it.  Maybe it won't happen over night but it will happen.

     I always like the phrase...just remember there is a millionaire walking around out there that invented the pool noodle.

     I hope for everyone that reads my blog you find something that touches you or that you find useful.

For the one you love to the moon and back

     I recently was offered the opportunity to receive a bracelet at a discount for an honest review on Amazon.  I was so excited. I have a wonderful friend who uses this phrase about her children and grandchildren and ends it with something about and even more than ice cream.  I don't know about all that.  I mean ice cream is good stuff.  (YES I AM KIDDING).  I received the package and was immediately impressed with the jewelry store box it was in.  Great for gift giving.

     I was immediately impressed when I opened the box to reveal my bracelet.  I am still not sure if it will end up in its intended location, but I had given that friend a gift of a sign for her home that said that phrase and another friend had commented how she uses it for her kids too.  So, we will see what friend ends up with that amazing bracelet as a gift.  Well if I don't keep it.

     It is beautifully engraved with the saying  and has some extra charms on the bracelet as well.  I love the playful font they used.  The bracelet slides on nicely.  The only thing I found 'wrong' with it is a preference thing.  Some of the charms are on the adjustable part and some float around the bracelet.  Makes for it to be a little weird initially but overall the bracelet is just amazing.

     Here is a closer look at the bracelet itself.....

     I have seen similar bracelets in the same price range with less detail and less charms. I feel like this is a great value.  You can purchase your own here.

I do not receive anything for you purchasing the item. I only list links for poeple looking to purchase the items I do reviews on.  I hate when I find an item and then want to get it after reading a review and can't locate it.  Definitely a great bracelet.

Why would an orphanage NOT allow adoption?

     So my husband and I have been talking for a couple of years about adoption.  We have weighed in between us on all options.  An infant, an older child, a teenager have all been options we have discussed.  But there is a struggle in that. How would a teenager handle being in a foster to adopt situation.  We have more questions than we have answers.  It is something we definitely want to do this.

     Recently, members of our church went to do a mission trip in Mexico at an orphanage.  I had asked someone so do they do adoptions out of the orphanage?  It was something we would consider.  I was told no the children from the orphanage are not adopted out.  That broke my heart. I am not saying these children are not shown love.  I am not saying they are not educated.  But, what do these children do at 21 when they are getting married and need someone to walk them down the aisle.  What do they do when Christmas comes?  There is no family for these children.  No one to go talk to about their problems they just grow up and get out.

     I sincerely do not want to think about the lives these children will have as adults.  Yes they may be well versed in the bible, and they may have people who come in for a week and work with them and then leave.  So their frame of reference is I have met many wonderful people. But they just stay for a little while. They don't know the love of a family that will stay with you.

    I have decided to write a letter to this orphanage and ask them why they don't adopt any of the children they get.  This would make room for another homeless child and give the children they have there a wonderful life.  Just because an American church pay them money every month should not stop them from helping these children find a forever home.  I am very upset about this.  As we struggle to figure out what we will do knowing there are children out there that were orphaned, who would probably love to have a mom and dad, are being refused that right just bothers me.

Shieldo Sport Sunglasses Review

     My first review item I have to share is a great set of Polarized sunglasses.  View this item here!  I was really excited to get these glasses.  My husband has spent a small fortune on sunglasses.  He recently purchased a pair of Costas and another pair that I can't recall the name previous to that from Ron Jons Surf Shop.  

     I never really got what was so big about polarized lenses till I got my Bahko shades.  But once I had a pair I got it.  It is almost like life in HD.  When my package of sunglasses arrived, I honestly thought ok, these retail for $60 normally.  I had a small discount to purchase them.  But I honestly had thought the quality just wouldn't be there because of the price.  I was wrong.  

     They came in a very sturdy protective case and when we opened the case the glasses themselves were inside of a soft bag to keep them from getting scratched.  I was impressed with all of that because like the more expensive brand name glasses they come with that as well.  Then the tests.  We went outside with them.  They do have very good polarized lenses.  I was happily surprised.  It has a nice plastic attachment on the inside that will help them stay comfortable on your face.  Also the sides of the glasses have a little bit of a bend to them so you don't have to worry about breaking them easily.  

     The only confusion I had was that it does state the lenses are interchangeable.  It didn't come with an extra set of lenses and I never saw where you could purchase replacement lenses.  That being said, I am very impressed with these glasses.  They have great definition when you look through them.  For the price they are an amazing deal.  They also have a LIFETIME breakage warranty for frames and lenses.  I went back to the posting and it does say that there is supposed to be a second pair of lenses.  I will check that package again, if not I guess I will have to check with them on the other pair of lenses.  I will update this blog if I locate the lenses and post a photo with the other lenses.

Things have been quiet lately! Sorry about that!

Well I started a new job.  Like with any new change in your life things have to be reassigned and reevaluated.  We have had to realign all of the things I did when I was home all the time so that some other people could pick up the slack.  So, we have been working towards a new norm and the family stuff and home stuff came first.

In that time, we have finished tiling our bathroom floor.  For a small room that was a lot of cutting.....probably why there was so much.  We then realized we are noticing some mold spots that keep showing up in our other bathroom.  I think we have to pull out my dream spa tub that came with the house and find out where they put the short cuts in that room.  I don't like that things were done half way in this house.  But, it is what it is.

We have also been struggling with our church.  You see, my son had been waiting since March to get together with our minister. The minister had offered to sit with him and work through some of his transition issues.  Well the call never came. I had gone to the minister a few times about his need for some guidance outside of our immediate family.  It wasn't followed up with.  My son pretty much turned away from the church we have been attending since shortly after we moved here.  He wanted to check out some other churches in the area so we have been doing that.  Sad part is noone from our old church has asked if we are ok or anything.  That has kind of made me not want to go there either.
We are also getting an exchange student in 2 weeks so we have been overhauling a bathroom for a while but now need to step it up.

This whole making a new schedule thing and keeping the house up and getting it where we want it to be has been tortuous haha.  But we are getting there.  I also started getting discounts to do reviews on Amazon!  So I have a LOT of reviews coming up.  Make sure you stay tuned because like life we review tons of things.

Again sorry for the short hiatus but I had to get straight again and just pull it all together.