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You Can Be A Strong Woman And Still Cry

Today, I’m tired. I’ve run out of steam.
So I wanted to share these reminders for anyone else that is pretty shattered with it all too.

You can be a strong woman, and still cry.
You can be a wonderful mum, yet still find days hard.
You can be incredibly happy, but still feel sadness.
You can be grateful, but still wish things were different.
You can doubt yourself, but still be a voice of confidence to others.
You can see your flaws, but still be perfect in someone else’s eyes.
You can love morning cuddles with your kids, but still wish for more sleep.
You can feel like you’ve done nothing all day, but to your kids you’re everything.
You can be scared, but still be fearless.
You can be tough, but still be gentle.
You can just do you, and that will always be enough.

🧡💛💚💙
credit to the amazing thenofiltermum
www.instagram.com/thenofiltermum

April 20, 2020
To The Girl Who Hated My Pregnancy Announcement

TO THE GIRL WHO HATED MY PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT…

I get it. I know the feeling.

That gut-wrenching, hard to breathe feeling.

Because I was that girl. The girl that saw yet ANOTHER pregnancy announcement on my newsfeed and just rolled her eyes. The girl that felt sick to her stomach because it wasn’t me doing the announcing. The girl that was so angry that you didn’t even have to try… It was an “accident”. The girl that would cry behind closed doors because my heart was so broken that my body wouldn’t produce a miracle like yours would.

I get it.

I’m so sorry.

I know seeing a pregnancy announcement yet again has made you an emotional hot mess.

I’m so sorry.

I know your heart is breaking into a million pieces all the while you are digging way down deep to express just an ounce of joy for the parents to be.

I’m so sorry.

I know the ugly jealous feeling all too well. The kind of feeling that makes you feel like you’re back in high school, and it isn’t a feeling you are proud of.

I’m so sorry.

This season of our lives has been hard. I’m talking all capital letter HARD. It’s been ugly, heartbreaking, and full of hope that ends in despair. And while I wouldn’t have particularly chosen this route for our life, I am learning to be thankful for what the Lord has taught me through my 17 months of infertility.

He has taught me to have faith.

And not the faith I thought that I had.. He has instilled in me the kind of faith that moves mountains… because let’s be real: conceiving is an absolutely M-I-R-A-C-L-E. In the small amount of research I have done, I have learned just what all has to happen for a baby to be formed. And wow… It’s such a one in a million miracle. Choosing to have faith in one of the darkest times of my life has allowed me to keep my eyes on Him rather than dwelling in my own sorrow. Because to have faith means to completely trust in… I choose everyday, multiple times a day, to believe that my God is for me and wants to grant me the desires of my heart. I have learned that I need His presence more than I need His answers and while I may not have all the answers, they have already been written by the most high God.

He has taught me patience.

Which is the worst. Waiting is no fun. But in my waiting, my eyes have been opened. They have seen the devastation and the depression that takes place while you wait. The unexplainable sadness that completely overwhelms every inch of your body. But in my waiting…. oh how I’ve seen just a glimpse of what Jesus sees in us. Waiting for us to draw closer to Him… waiting for us to choose what is right… waiting for us to just be still in His presence. While waiting may not be what you’d choose, it is necessary to realize the miracle that will unveil before your very eyes.

He has taught me compassion.

My heart has completely changed. I see you over there holding that sweet baby in the nursery longing and dreaming of the day you hold your own. I see you crying at baby dedication when the pastor talks about how big of a blessing children are. I see you cringe when you get asked once again when you’re going to have a baby and you just want to punch them in the face and cry all at the same time. I see you avoiding your pregnant friend like the plague because it’s just too hard… and there was a time when I did not even notice any of it. I have seen the other side, and I get it. There was a time when I wouldn’t have checked on a friend who had a miscarriage, or lost their baby due to unforeseen circumstances, or who can’t conceive no matter how hard they’ve tried, or the one whose adoption process has fallen through once again because I didn’t want to bring up any pain… But I’ve seen just how therapeutic it is to have someone who just cares. I mean truly cares. Someone that will take just a minute out of their day to check in with you and won’t accept “doing good” for an answer- because we all know that’s a lie. Someone that will drag you out of the house for some coffee, and depending on the day, will either sit there in the silence or will let you pour your heart out, and they won’t tell a soul. It is SO important to surround yourself with trustworthy people who get it because without it, it is a dark place that the Lord has not called you to walk alone.

My time of infertility has been an emotional roller coaster. Times of hope and times of heartbreak. But through it all, the Lord has never left my side. He has been there even when I didn’t want to acknowledge Him. He has been there through my excitement and my daydreaming. And He has been there through my heartbreak and despair.

But I know with all of my heart that even if the Lord didn’t bless us with a baby, my God is sovereign and He hears my cries… the pleading prayers, the constant tears, the angry outbursts, the jealous fits, and even the moments you feel like giving up. I’ve come to realize just how much He loves me in the process.

So here is my prayer for those of you in your waiting period…

I pray your hormone levels even out to what they are supposed to be in Jesus name. I pray for regular cycles. I pray for clear Fallopian tubes… no blockages of any kind. I am speaking healing over your ovaries. I pray for your uterine lining to be strengthened. I pray for any and all endometriosis to be non-existent. I pray your PCOS is healed or easily controlled. I pray against any cysts that may hinder your ability to get pregnant. I pray for your follicles to mature and your eggs to grow. I pray for you to ovulate at just the perfect time. I pray for the sex to be fun and for your love for your spouse to grow so deeply. I pray for his sperm to reach your mature and healthy eggs and for them to fertilize at just the right moment. I pray the healthy follicle embeds into your uterus and grows into the most perfect miracle(s)… I pray for your hearts to be softened and for you to not feel alone. Because you aren’t. I pray for your faith to deepen, your patience to increase, and for compassion to flood your veins. My prayer is for the Lord bless you and keep you… may His face shine upon you. May He show you favor and give you unexplainable peace.

So, this is for the girl who got another negative pregnancy test this morning… to the girl who has no idea why this is so hard for her… to the girl whose heart is so bitter… to the girl who has lost a child due to miscarriage or heartbreaking circumstance… to the girl whose adoption process has failed once again… to the girl who has one child but can’t seem to get pregnant again… I love you. I am so sorry you are going through this, and I know it’s just not fair. But, I am so thankful for your hearts and for what the Lord is teaching you through one of the most difficult times of your life. This does not define you. Jesus has already done that. Don’t miss what could be the greatest journey of your life because it isn’t exactly what you pictured. Don’t let the bitterness and jealousy flood your veins distracting you from what the Lord wants to accomplish through your circumstances.

Thank you Lord for showing me how to use what the enemy meant for destruction and showing me, through the pain, just how much you love me… and I pray that He shows you too. I am praying that when your miracle arrives, they are the beautiful ending scene to the story the Lord has written for you. Don’t miss it. This is a story worth telling.

476 days of infertility.
Thousands of dollars in medical bills.
11 months of Clomid.
Injection after injection.
Prescription after prescription.
Ultrasound after ultrasound.
Hundreds of needle pricks.
5 IUIs.
Months of failed treatments.
And 2 pink lines to remind me how faithful my God is in the midst of it all and that it was worth every single second.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/amber.stone.79

April 20, 2020
Why Christian Parents Don’t Want Children To Watch Trolls

CHRISTIAN PARENTS: LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE, DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN WATCH ONWARD OR TROLLS 2(OR ANY DISNEY MOVIE FOR THAT MATTER)

I feel awful but im one to learn and share from my mistakes. The other day, I saw Disney+ had a new movie, Onward. I didn’t research it. I didn’t screen it before letting Ellie watch. I was working my aquatics business and had a ton of packages so I just wanted to play a movie she hadn’t seen so I could get some work done. Towards the end of the movie when I finished, I noticed so much satanic symbolism that I really beat myself up for allowing Ellie to watch it. I don’t think she paid much attention and mostly played with her toys, but these movies have subliminal messages! After reading the movie summary I was just disgusted, it’s about two boys trying to bring their father back to life with witchcraft. There were MANY satanic symbols but the first picture below stood out the most to me. It’s a character in the movie that is like a “mother figure.” What do you notice about her? She is like the locusts from Revelation!

“7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit.”

Trolls 2 is introducing the New World Order but they call it the New World Harmony! Read the storyline- it’s exactly as the Bible decribes. It teaches that if they follow the rules of the New Order, they won’t face persecution. Not only are we as adults being prepared for what will be in the end times, so is our children! Satan is coming for our children.. don’t let him into your home! It’s easy to act like it’s just magic and harmless movies but they are not of God!

I can promise from this day forward we will no longer support Disney movies. Even when I was a kid things like beastiality(beauty and the best) and half animal-half human abominations(the Little mermaid, which was my favorite) have been programmed into our brains as “normal.” I use to think what we watched on TV or the music we listened to didn’t matter but IT DOES. Learn from me and ALWAYS screen what your child will watch. Share to other Christian parents, I know we slip up and have busy lives ourselves & we don’t always put 100% of thought into every detail, but for the sake of our children we should!

Edit to say: I really can’t believe how many of you think this is funny. Especially some of you who claim to walk with the Lord. When you TRULY follow Jesus, you cant pick and choose what you want to believe. Actually, I reckon I can believe it, because Jesus said his believers would be mocked for sharing the truth. I pray for you and your children! It’s easy to sweep things under the rug and laugh at people like me who try to open your eyes to what our children see and hear…but you’ll sing a different tune when these things begin to happen. I reckon some of y’all will have to experience these things to realize they are real and happening under our noses. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

Credit https://www.facebook.com/AllisonMitchell.57

April 20, 2020
You may not be her first, her last, or her only

Bob Marley once said:

“You may not be her first,
her last, or her only.

She loved before
she may love again.

But if she loves you now,
what else matters?

She’s not perfect—you aren’t either,
and the two of you may never be perfect together
but if she can make you laugh,
cause you to think twice,
and admit to being human and making mistakes,
hold onto her and give her the most you can.

She may not be thinking about you every second of the day,
but she will give you a part of her
that she knows you can break—her heart.

So don’t hurt her,
don’t change her,
don’t analyze and
don’t expect more than she can give.

Smile when she makes you happy,
let her know when she makes you mad,
and miss her when she’s not there.

Love with your whole being when you receive love.
Because there are no perfect girls, but there will always be a girl who is perfect for you..” ❤ ❤ 🙂

April 20, 2020
Ear Infections Can Be Deadly

Amber Ella is trying to raise awareness about ear infections

Most people are unaware of this danger

He had a basic ear infection

Went and seen family dr and got antibiotics

Later that night his head behind the ear got a little red and swollen I called the dr he said that sometimes this can happen just let the meds work their way in call him in a couple of days..

I just kept thinking oh my he just don’t look right so I took him to the hospital and with in 1 hour he was put out and a ctt scan was done and I was told he had mastoiditis

An infection that grows into the back of the ear bone

Which then goes deeper into the head

If not caught and cared for in time

Can cause meningitis….

Loss of hearing completely….

Brain abscess….

Or can lead to death

So please when your kids say their ear hurts always look for the signs

Swelling behind the ear…

Redness

And ear sticking out

If I would have waited my life could have been changed forever but thankfully I went with my instincts and went to the hospital

They had to cut his eardrums and drain fluid ….put tubes in his ears…

The cut behind the ear is where they had to drill in to release fluid and infection …

Very painful operation

Thank god for instincts

Please watch for these signs.

Thank you to everyone who shared this or is sharing this my son Markus is doing great.

Thank you for all prayers and get wells

The Dr who did this operation was amazing I’ve seen other incisions

And they were top to bottom of the ear.

Mastoiditis is the result of an infection that extends to the air cells of the skull behind the ear. Specifically, it is an inflammation of the mucosal lining of the mastoid antrum and mastoid air cell system inside the mastoid process

April 13, 2020
Just Ponder On This For A Minute

Just ponder on this for a minute…

2020 – We just have to stay in for a couple of months.
WW II – You have to leave your loved ones and might never see them again.

2020 – But my kids need some fresh air so we’re all going to the park.
WW II – Your kids have to be evacuated and live with random good samaritans for their safety.

2020 – I can only Facetime my family and friends I can’t see them.
WW II – I have written letters, I’m hoping they’re received and I get a response this year.

2020 – I am trying to order my food shop online, it’s taking ages to get to me I need, alcohol, and all the other foods I’m craving.
WW II – Are you coming to queue-up in the line for our rations-potato soup every day of the week?

2020 – The government hasn’t said we can’t go out, they just said we can but only once to exercise so I’m going to go meet my friends and do what I want.
WW II – I’m not going out just in case a bomb drops so I will stay in listening to some music quietly because the air raid siren might go off.

2020 – Netflix needs to sort the streaming out I can’t even watch a series without it crashing.
WW II – We are sitting in the dark around a candle playing cards keeping as much light in as possible so the warplanes don’t see us from above.

2020 – Every man for themselves, so I’m going to stock-pile as much as I can because we are more important than anyone else, never mind the elderly that gave us this freedom.
WW II – I’m so grateful for this community, everyone is helping each other out when and where we can, we must stay strong.

This is the perspective that we should have, we don’t know how LUCKY we have it and people still aren’t listening.

Stay in, it really is that simple!

London Underground in WWII

April 13, 2020
Someone Must Be Able To Help

Ethan is currently 3 years old. Easter of last year, 2019, he was playing in the garden all day and later when coming in he was complaining of spiders on his arms, we later gathered he was saying it because of the itchiness and feeling as though a spider was crawling all over him.

He was uncontrollably scratching at both his hands (not palm side) and his face. He was also complaining saying his nose hurt. There was noticable swelling to both his hands and face. I took him to the walk in immediately where they told me that it looks like an allergy of some sort and just to take him home and monitor his airways as the swelling on his nose and face may obstruct his breathing.

I then spent the good part of around 4 hours trying to calm my boy down was in so much discomfort telling me it hurts and that there spiders all while scratching his hands and cheeks. He eventually fell to sleep and the swelling and puffiness remained with him for a few days.

During that spring Ethan had several flare ups when playing in the garden, the park etc. He would get swollen hands, sometimes arms cheeks, nose and around his eye lids. He would be in uncontrollable pain and discomfort and cry for hours after saying it’s the spiders all while his scratching as well as saying his nose is hurting.

He would also get what looked like a chemical burn on his hands, they would go a very weird red colour and once again all of these would last for days then go down before the last flare up. Each time I went to the doctors they would tell me hay fever or an allergy. They prescribed antihistamine medication to take however this didnt really seem to help. We bought hayfever eye drops and nasal spray and it done nothing. At first we thought it was to grass and we told him not to touch any grass or flowers. Imagine having a 2 year old who your frightened to go and play outside because of what you know it’s going to cause.

Late June/early july last year we went to Weston Super Mare beach for the day where he had his worst flare up. Within the space of an hour on the beach Ethan was screaming that his hands and face were scratchy. We kept him within the shade, we spent a lot of time indoors walking around the pier etc. Yet within a few hours his face, hands and arms were 3x there normal size.

He was crying uncontrollably. He was scratching and scratching away and there was this chemical burn looking rash. He was saying his nose was hurting and was holding it. When travelling back around 8pm after spending the day in the shade, on the pier then in a restaurant all in which Ethan remained unsettled. Ethan cried all the way back on the car journey! Rather than going home I decided to take him to A&E Good Hope hospital where we got there around 11pmish and was waiting to be seen until around 12.30/1am.

The nurses were shocked at the swelling. They gave him pain meds straight away which allowed him to eventually begin to drift off. He had been awake for around 19 hours, the last god knows how many were spent with him screaming in pain. They suspected sepsis at first and full bloods were taken. We awaited the results and he was taken to a ward where he was able to grab around 3 hours sleep, interrupted with nurses etc. But better that then nothing.

Anyway, eventually the doctor dismissed us in the morning telling me looks like an allergy of some sort and sent us home. I tried emphasising to him how often this is happening and the effect its having on him but he just said his little and may grow out of it.

Throughout the main summer then we continued to give him antihistamine medication religiously, suncream on god knows how many times a day, limit him going outside and always wear hate etc and long sleeves where possible. We had a few more flare ups but nothing in comparison to the one at the beach.

Fast forward a year later and well, I was hoping it had miraculously disappeared however I was wrong. Ethan is severely anxious about going outside because he says the scratching hurts. He gets scared and doesn’t then want to go out. When he does go out he begins telling me that his hands are hurting, we try ice packs and everything we put in place last year. Yet it’s all still flared up!

He was playing outside yesterday, and done everything we normally do and his still swelling up on his hands and face and telling me there scratchy and nose hurts.

I feel for him so badly and you can see the effect its having on him. Imagine having a 3 year old who’s severely anxious to play in the garden with his sister and have fun because of the pain he knows its later going to cause!

To be honest I dont know what I’m looking for exactly, but any advice, tips, information, ANYTHING would be useful just to help him.

We demanded gp put through a dermatologist referral, she was very reluctant but has agreed but said could be a long wait due to current circumstances with covid-19

In the meantime my boy suffers badly with the anxiety or pain of going outside 😞

April 13, 2020
It’s Ok To Feel Sad That Your Pregnancy Isn’t How You Planned It

Mama, it’s OK to grieve the loss of a “normal” pregnancy, of hospital antenatal classes and catching up with your friends for coffee and walks.

It’s OK to feel sad that your baby shower has been cancelled – I know you were looking forward to it.

You’re allowed to be disappointed that your Babymoon – your last trip before welcoming your new addition – won’t happen now.

Mama, it’s OK to cry because your big boy or big girl won’t be able to meet their new baby sibling in the hospital.

It’s OK to be upset that your friends and family won’t be able to visit you after birth – or that it might be some time before they can hold your baby in their arms.

Mama, it’s OK to grieve your village, to feel down that mothers’ groups have been cancelled at a time when you need them most.

It’s OK to feel sad that so many of your plans for maternity leave have changed – and you’re learning how to be a mum in this strange new normal.

It’s OK to feel that the magic of this time has been stolen from you – while also being grateful for it, too.

It’s okay to grieve. Your feelings are valid and so are your tears.

You’re not alone ❤️

Art by Rita Navarro

https://www.cope.org.au

April 13, 2020
Drinking Out Of Cans Could Be Deadly

On Sunday the 1st of April 2018 , we had a family picnic, some brought with thema a few drinks in cans, like Fanta, coke and monster energy drinks.

However, on Monday, two family members( who joined the picnic) were admitted to hospital and placed in the Intensive Care Unit space.One died on the following Wednesday.

Autopsy results concluded it hit Leptospirosis. The bacteria, known as LEPTOSPIRA interrogans, is stuck to the tin cans, and were drunk, without the use of glasses, cups or sip straws. Test results showed that the soda tin was infected from mice urine, and that had dried, the mice’ urine containing Leptospirosis.

It is highly recommended to rinse the parts evenly on all soda/beer cans before drinking it. Cans are usually stored in the warehouse and delivered direct to retail stores without cleaning.

A study has shown that the top of all beverage cans are more contaminated than public toilets (full of germs and bacteria.)
So, clean it with water before putting it to your mouth in order to avoid contamination.
Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild such as headaches, muscle pains, and fevers; to severe with bleeding from the lungs or meningitis. If the infection causes the person to turn yellow, have kidney failure and bleeding, it is then known as Weil’s disease. If it also causes bleeding into the lungs then it is known as severe pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome.

April 13, 2020
To Be A Carer

A poem written by one of Brightspark Care Ltd support workers , Cat Maund 😃

To be a carer – by Me 🦄

The duties of a carer
Are not all black and white
A lot goes on behind the scenes
Out of mind and out of sight

We don’t just do the personal care
Not just feeding, dressing and hygiene
There’s more to life as a care worker
Then you might have ever seen

We’re there to provide extra support
When someone is unwell,
When they’re just not feeling strong enough
To help, encase they fell

To listen to the stories
Of times that have gone by
And hold a hand in times of need
And when they wish to cry

To show your understanding
When times are getting rough
When someone feels like giving up
And has really had enough

To support and to encourage
In hope to enhance a persons life
To offer an extra helping hand
To a husband or a wife

We must be understanding
And protect each persons rights
To support their independence
With every day and night

We aim to uphold dignity
And treat people with respect
We taylor to individuals needs
And ensure a plan is set

To care may come with sadness
And sometimes the darkest days
The worst of these has got to be
When someone’s passed away

Yet we shall continue
To encourage and support
To ensure the highest standards
And not let them fall short

To care is not a hardship
But rather more a gift
And if you ever need a pick me up
We are here to give the lift 💕💕💕💕💕🥰🥰🥰

April 13, 2020