Monday, July 30, 2012

Back on the Air

So sorry for the dead air the last week. Getting back from two vacations has really put me behind in life in general.

I will be starting the blogging series One mom. $2.00 per day. 31 days. on Wednesday. The groceries have been bought, menus have been planned, and prayers have been said. I would covet the prayers of anyone reading this blog who is a Christian. Since I announced that I would be doing this series there have been several events in my life that have just made me want to give up. I won't, though. This is obviously way too important.

On a completely unrelated note, is it stupid that every time they show parents when an Olympian wins, I cry? I mean, full on tears.

Also, am I the only person who really dislikes Ryan Lochte's attitude? I really dislike it.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Guest Blogging

Hey readers! I'm officially a guest blogger.

You can find today's post at Heather Huffman's site. She is an author on a mission to end sex trafficking and we've been talking quite a bit since my decision to launch the $2.00 a day mission. I encourage you to explore her site, get to know her and her passion.

She will be doing a guest post on MH@24 in the month of August, and I'm so excited to be doing the same for her. Visit, leave a comment, be inspired!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Why on a Motherhood Blog?

I have been asking myself this question a lot. In fact, I have been wondering if it might be better to create a new blog for this "challenge." But I decided against that for a few reasons.
  • When I became a mom, I felt like I had lost my ability to dream big for anyone besides my children. This ridiculous feeling is one that I really believe is universal, based on my experiences with well-meaning people telling me that my life was not my own anymore and that I wouldn't be Kasey anymore, but instead "Noah's mom." I hated those well-intentioned comments. But now I realize that, as a Christian, my life was never my own. I was bought with a price. My dreams should be God's glory, whether that means with my children or with my own life.
  • Moms need purpose outside their children. I know, I can hear the negative outcry now. Hear me out, though. Your kids? They're going to grow up and move away. They're going to disappoint you at some point. And, most importantly, their lives don't revolve around you. I think that if our only purpose is raising our children we start to have some really unrealistic expectations for them. 
  • My readership extends beyond moms. Yes, this blog is a mom-blog. But many of my readers are still single or just got married or are planning for kids or anywhere in between those things. It's really turned into a blog for women. And I really believe that women are catalysts for change in the world. We can see need where others can't and have the kind of empathy that says, "Something has to be done here." In fact, many of the charitable organizations I'm going to feature were begun by women. And I totally didn't realize it until just now.
So there you have it. I wish I could write more, but my word, I have had one needy baby the past couple of days.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

$2.00 a Day. 31 Days.

It's about to get serious up in here, y'all.

I spent about four hours last night delving into all the possibilities for this 31 day challenge and I believe I am getting it squared away.

So, without further ado, here are:

The Rules

  1. I will eat on only $2.00 a day (or $62) for the entire month of August. 
  2. If I find myself in a situation where I have to be away from my house during meal times, I will either eat off of what little money I have and suffer the consequences for the rest of the month, or I will go without.
  3. I will post a blog by 8 P.M. (Central Standard) daily with a factoid about world poverty and an endorsement of an organization that is working towards ending human suffering.
  4. I will spend one hour per day studying scripture and praying for the needs of the world.
  5. I will find a way to personally support at least ten of the organizations featured on the blog.
I think that many of you will find this series to be interesting, if not informative and challenging. Please consider supporting one of the organizations featured in August. Volunteer, give monetarily, spread awareness. Be a world changer and not a world watcher.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Epiphany about Self Worth

I went on vacation to Florida last week. It should have been filled with joy and great memories of my baby's first trip to Florida, Disney World, and the beach. Instead I was filled with almost constant anxiety over my weight.

On the last day of the trip I finally said, "No more."

I am so glad that I did the 30 Day Shred. I am glad because I felt healthy and strong. I am glad because I was teased in high school because I wasn't athletic enough to be considered for even just-for-fun games between friends and this proved to me that I can darn well do whatever I please and don't tell me that I can't thankyouverymuch. I am glad because now I know that I have will power and self control.

Now it's time to move on.

I can't think about my weight anymore. I want to be healthy and I will still work out and try to watch what I eat to a certain extent. But I am done weighing myself even weekly. I simply cannot do it anymore and I am certain that it is not where God wants me at all.

I would like to find another 30 day goal. I've been listening to David Platt's sermons on materialism, and I've been playing with the idea of a $2.00 a day fast.

Did you know that 2.6 billion people live on less than $2.00 a day? That's how much I spend on a soda.

I have basically decided to make the commitment to eat on $2.00 a day for the month of August. I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of that, and I know that $2.00 a day would cover food, shelter, and clothing for those in poverty, but I have set expenses that would make that impossible. So this is what I can do. Spend a total of $62 for groceries/toiletries for myself during the month of August and pray for those in physical suffering while I try to live on the bare minimum.

I want to live Radically. I want people to ask me about the hope that I found and I want to live like I have hope that has nothing to do with this world. I want to look for ways to be Jesus to people.

This may seem simplistic, but I'm working on changing my mindset.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

My Next Baby Wish-list

Because of the utter shock of my last pregnancy, I didn't do a lot of really awesome things that I wish I would have done. Therefore, since I love making lists, I will make a wish-list of things I want to do during my next pregnancy/childbirth/baby.

  1. Tell Jordan in a special way (a.k.a. not waiting for him to come up the stairs looking like someone died)
  2. Do a pregnancy shoot (no bare belly pictures, though. I don't like them)
  3. Send out pregnancy announcements.
  4. Take my vitamins/folic acids very regularly. Morning sickness or not.
  5. Use a midwife service
  6. Go on a shopping spree at Cotton Babies. I LOVE this store. I mean, seriously. I wish I would have went into it before I had Noah. It would have completely changed my life and the entire way I ran my pregnancy/birth/infant.
  7. Take birthing classes
  8. Invest in pretty maternity clothes. Even though they're expensive.
  9. Eat well and mindfully
  10. Buy a birthing gown
  11. Try for a drug-free birth
  12. At least ask to not be monitored throughout my entire labor
  13. Spend at least half a day with only me, Jordan, and the baby
  14. Only allow family and a few select people at the hospital. I loved knowing that so many people loved us and our child, but we had over/around 50 people visiting us those three days, and it was just too much for me.
  15. Take care of myself post-birth a little better. Get rest.
  16. Buy a moby wrap
  17. Work a little harder on breast feeding. This includes being a lot more assertive about telling people that they need to leave and/or give me privacy. I understand that nursing is nothing to be ashamed about, but I prefer for it to be private. 
  18. Cloth diaper
  19. Send real birth announcements
  20. In general be more assertive about what I want. Mostly during birth, but a little bit after too.