WFMW ~ A Life Tip

Kristen over at {We are THAT Family} has one of my favorite blogs…. I love Wednesday nights, because I can get all cozy and go through reading what works for other’s.

I’m fashionably late today, but it’s still Wednesday!!! Today I’m talking about something completely off topic… most people are sharing recipes, parenting tips, home decor tips… today I’m spicing it up and I’m going to share with you a life tip.

The most expensive thing you can own is a closed mind.

Simple sentence. Most people will read it and not think twice about it, but if you do stop, and you do really think about that ~ it’s so true. It might be some good words to live by, because I definitely am. Had I had a closed mind I never would have learned about the company that is putting us on the path to financial freedom…. while staying home with my kids. So, I’ve decided that it’s my mission for everyone to understand the importance of that quote.
And this Wednesday was simple, sweet and hopefully very impacting.

P.S…. if you are curious what it is that I was open minded about and is changing my life then email me at amandagaribay {at} yahoo {dot} com

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First Monday Mingle…. on Tuesday!!

Okay everyone…. be easy on me! It’s my first EVER VLOG! I hope to do many more of these and get more comfortable!


Monday Mingle is hosted by {Eighty MPH Mom}!!  Head over and meet other bloggers too!!


This week we get to answer 3 questions…


1. Would you accept an invitation to do a survivor show? What would you hate most about being on the show?
2. When/how did you learn to ride a bicycle?
3. What do you want to have accomplished (personally) in your lifetime?


Untitled from Amanda Garibay on Vimeo.

Thank you for stopping by!! I’m excited to get to know other bloggers! Every Monday I also have a carnival here at Garibay Soup called {Just a Motivating Monday}. My dreams for this carnival is for people to know that they can come on Mondays and read uplifting, inspiring things from me and other link ups…. I’d love to have some of you join in and help uplift not only my week but other’s as well… we all can use a little inspiration ~ especially on a Monday!!


I’m looking forward to joining in every week on this!! Then maybe I’ll start vlogging more :)

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Letters for my babies

Dear Jayden,


Last night your dad and I were talking about how special you are. I know that every parent in the world thinks their kids are special, have a special soul, but we’re not the only ones that see it with you. Your soul is different, Jayden. Most kids your age aren’t concerned with the things you’re concerned about. Most kids your age aren’t as loving as you are. Your boyscout pack leader tonight told me how sweet and special you are. Jayden, your soul is so pure and I find it hard to think that it could ever change…. I told your pack leader, hey we just might have the next prophet right here. I love you, Jayden. You brighten my world and make my heart sing. I want you to know that I will ALWAYS be here for you… no matter what. You will always be my baby.


Love, Mama






Dear Ella,


I just want you to know that you are a complete joy to my life. I catch myself just staring at you while smiling. I catch myself praying to Heavenly Father just to thank Him for
blessing me with you. I tell you all day long that you and your brother are my best friends. Ella, I just absolutely adore you and I want you to always know that. I want you to always know that you are so special to me and I will ALWAYS be here for you…. no matter what.


Love, Mama

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Just a Motivating Monday – Our Choice



If you’re just joining in:
-Write a blog post about ANYTHING at all that inspires you, or something you feel will inspire others. 

-Please link back to Garibay Soup 

-Please snag my Just a Motivating button on your post.

-I hope that we can all go and visit each other’s blogs and read what everyone has linked up ~ I hope that this carnival can bring more traffic for you 🙂 So, spread the comment love!


Life gives us mountains to climb, and if we stop at the bottom we never know what beauty lies up at the top.


I don’t fully understand why we have to be dealt tragic things to deal with.  Loss, divorce, money issues, death… the list can go on and on and on.  There are so many life challenging things that we have to go through, and during these times the majority of us can buckle to our knees and throw in the towel.  A majority of us forget to turn our worries over to God trusting in Him that things will work out, because THEY ALWAYS DO.


This past week I went through another pregnancy loss.  I think that one main thing that got me through it is focusing on positive things.  The last time I went through this I didn’t do this, I buckled to my knees and felt like my entire world was colliding all around me.  This time, I felt my pain inside, but I knew that I had to keep going…. I had to find out what beauty is lying ahead of me.  Last time it ended up being a beautiful little girl I call Ella… this time, we’ll find out soon.


I was going to base my Just a Motivating Monday on pregnancy loss, but we all are struggling with something in our lives.  Something that has us sad, stressed, worried, sickened… something that we can charge head on and defeat with happiness.  But the thing is…. it’s your choice.  It’s your choice how you handle the hardships in your life.  It’s your choice when you will be happy again.  It’s YOUR CHOICE.  So, how are you going to choose this week?


Here’s how I’m choosing:


I just lost another baby that was growing inside of me, but….

  • I’m going to continue being a good mom and wife
  • I’m going to write out my goals and accomplish them
  • I’m going to smile when I get out of bed, because despite tragedy…. I’m still living
  • I CHOOSE to make the best out of each day
  • I CHOOSE to not let a day go by where I allow sadness or regret to take over my day

We choose the outcomes of every situation… good or bad.  Unfortunately we don’t to choose the tragedies and unfortunate events that happen to us, but we get to choose to embrace it for what it is and grow from it.

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ACK!

So I’ve sucked at Project 365… my pregnancy got the best of me and I just down right sucked at doing anything in life. Then my pregnancy ended… so project 365 isn’t happening. I’ll jump back into the game and maybe call it Project 335 🙂 But just bare with me… in the meantime you can always catch up on me and my life over at {Garibay Soup}.

The neighbors… oh how we love them! ;)

Me & Celeste out on the town for my 27th B/day

The story eventually had to come here. Back in September 2007 we moved into our home. We don’t own it, it’s not even a house… it’s a townhouse (individually owned) and we’ve always loved it.  When we first moved in of course we’d see our neighbors… a casual wave but then there was “THE” neighbors.


Celeste… I know you’re totally laughing right now as you’re reading this!


Right next door was this girl that was blonde, drove a convertible mustang and we NEVER said hi to each other, looked at each other… and in all actuality we just rolled our eyes when we saw the other.  We really didn’t like each other at all…. yet, we didn’t know each other.  I never introduced myself, and she never introduced herself.  


Then she got pregnant.  I casually talked to her about her pregnancy, nothing more.  


Then she had the baby… I made her dinner, started going over and talking with her.  And dang it… we’d wasted SO MUCH TIME not liking each other, because in all actuality WE WERE JUST ALIKE!  


A year ago she gave me the heartbreaking news that they were moving… not far, but moving.  There was no more convenience to our friendship anymore.  When that happens, and your life is busy you grow apart, and that’s sad, but that’s life.


Not us.  I’m actually gonna have to say that we’ve grown even more closer since she moved.  Our girls ABSOLUTELY love each other.  She has become one of my closest friends…and IS my closest friend in Oregon.  I absolutely adore her!


So, when she ended up having to move out of her dream house, and creepy pimp neighbor gave his notice she decided SHE’S COMING HOME!!!!!!  My Oregon BFF is going to be living RIGHT NEXT DOOR!  I can knock on my wall and she can come over…. our girls can play EVERY, SINGLE DAY!  


Can ya tell I’m excited?  I always think it’s so funny that we were so stand offish with each other at first only to become so close in the long run.


Now that these two girls are living right next to each other… you can probably expect a lot of blogging both here and over at {A Life Full of Ruthie} about us catching them doing things like this…. hey, since their mamas aren’t cleaning the bathrooms while visiting… somebody’s gotta do it!

On a side note… yes, this means there will no longer be any blogging about crazy pimp neighbor. HE’S FINALLY GONE!

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On a Funny Note….

Last night we were watching this really stupid movie called White Out. I asked Gino if it was taking place in Alaska (because I truly wasn’t paying attention) and he said, yeah… in the arctic, up North.


And here’s our conversation… please, laugh with me!


ME: Gino, they just said that it is in Antarctica, that’s south


Gino: No, it’s North… I know my GEOLOGY!!!!!


I busted up laughing…. I almost told him maybe he should just go make a CASE-A-DILLA and call it a night, because the last time I checked Geology has nothing to do with the positioning of Antartica LMAO


He of course said he was joking around…. YEAH RIGHT, GINO! Moments like these make me smile and realize why I love you so much.

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January 18, 2010 ~ Another Day of Loss

There’s little things about that dreadful day a little over 3 years ago that I remember. The color of my shirt, the time of day, the lonely feeling I felt… things that will forever be burned into my memory.



Yesterday things are still vivid in my mine… I’m sure that the way they’ll stay.  Some things will fade with time, but some I’ll forever remember.  I remember the excitement my nurse had seeing back in there, the talking of Ella already getting the teenager attitude at the age of 2, the talking of Mya and how sad that was to deal with, the talking of my nurse’s tween driving her batty with her new teenager attitude.  I remember waiting forever for my appointment and actually thinking to myself at one point…. it’s okay that I’m waiting, because it’s that much longer of being pregnant in case something goes wrong.  Yes, unfortunately when you’ve gone through a loss as extreme as my loss with Mya you can’t help but think this way.


The doctor came in… I really do like her.  She delivered Ella, my nephew, my cousin’s baby and she’s giggly and easy to talk to.  We just talked about Ella’s heart problem… the possibility of this baby getting it, how hard it is to catch in the womb, and then……

the ultrasound machine came in.  My uterus tilts to the back, so it was hard to get the baby on the screen, but we could see it.  With as many pregnancies as I’ve had, as many ultrasounds I know what to look for.  I know where the heart should be, and when I don’t see a flicker, I know there’s a problem.  I looked at my doctor’s face and saw the concern… SHI*!  Not again.

She turns it off after printing a weird picture for me, and tells me, well let’s just send you next door.  That’s where the good ultrasounds are.  Her’s sucked and she wasn’t sure if it was her angle.  I knew.  I had to wait for 45 minutes to get in to see if my baby was “viable” as the referral paper stated.

A couple walked in.  At first I wanted to tell them to please let me go in front of them, because I just couldn’t take the waiting anymore….. I am here to see if my baby is alive.  Then I saw her tears.  Her drinking her water and her husband with the same glazed over look my husband had when we went to “confirm demise” {as the referral paper said} of Mya.  That took my attention off myself real quick.  I still had a chance.  Even though for the past few days I’ve known that there wasn’t another soul in my body, because I felt something wasn’t right, I still had a chance.  This girl did not.  This girl was extremely pregnant, and all I wanted to do at that moment was hug her.  Tell her that I know that what she’s feeling at this moment feels like you’ll never recover, but God will hold you.  But I couldn’t.  I couldn’t go to this stranger and hug her, hell… she didn’t know me.  She doesn’t know why I’m in that room…. waiting to get the same news she’s about to receive.

She too was a patient of my doctor’s, and my doctor was not having a good day.  2 patients back to back with lifeless babies in them.

After that poor woman left the office bawling and feeling her entire world crash all around her, they called my name.  It was time and I layed on the table, closed my eyes and didn’t want to watch.  But I had to.  I had to get that glimpse of my baby.  It measured at 8 weeks 1 day, I should be 8 weeks 4 day, so that’s close enough that everything could be okay….. but nope.

No heart beat.  Another baby gone.  I don’t get it.  I have a hard time grasping why God allows drug addicts to have babies, horrible moms who beat their children, and then there’s good parents who love their kids, care for their kids…. he takes them.  I know, from experience that there is a reason.  I know that had I not lost Mya I wouldn’t have Ella.  I get that.  But the whole process just down right SUCKS!

This was what went on that dreadful Monday, Januray 18, 2010.  Not a very good start to the New Year, the new decade, but I have to hold myself together.  I have to be strong and appreciate the beautiful blessings that God has blessed me with.  There are woman out there who don’t have children and all they have is loss after loss after loss.  I know that I can have another baby.  After my loss with Mya I had a perfectly beautiful kindof healthy little girl Miss Ella.  I say kindof healthy, because while she is one of the healthiest little girls she does have her heart problem.

I’m going to be okay.  I think my main thing right now is I really don’t want to talk about it.  When people call me I’d rather talk about life and things going on rather than my loss.  There is nothing they can say that’s going to make me feel better or change what happened.  So, people…. don’t be offended if I cut you off and don’t want to talk about it.  I find my ways, twitter, blog world and unfortunately I feel more comfortable talking about it there.  With woman who have been through this and strangely know what to say.  I appreciate your prayers, your thoughts, but when we get on the phone please don’t talk about it.  I’m not trying to be rude at all, it’s just something I’d rather not talk out loud about at this time.  
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Another Loss… Another Heartache… Another Trial… I Cling to HOPE

I’ve learned that God doesn’t give you what you can’t handle. I’ve learned that when you hurt so badly inside that you think you might not survive, you amazingly do.


One thing I hadn’t learned until today is that God can give you one excruciating thing to deal with more than once.


It’s been 3 years, 4 months, 1 week, 6 days since I lost Mya.  Probably the worst day of my life.


Today marks day 1.  Day 1 of losing yet another baby of mine.  A baby that I wanted, a baby that I grew to love, a baby that I dreamed of, a baby that I planned on.  Another baby that never said hello, and another baby I can’t tell goodbye.


I’m numb.  I cried a lot today, maybe enough, because I can’t find anymore tears.  I don’t want to talk to people.  I haven’t even talked to my mom.  I just know that there’s nothing anybody can say to me to fix this, to make me feel better.  My baby is dead.  In all honestly what I need right now is the normalcy of life.  Maybe I’m in denial.


Tomorrow I’m dreading a bit.  I’ll be put to sleep once again in order to have what used to be life growing inside of me taken out.  I’ll come home with an empty womb, an empty heart, an empty soul.


But I also know that my life is going to go on.  I have 2 beautiful children that embraced me with smiles and hugs and kisses all throughout today.  I have a beautiful life, a wonderful husband, and I know that even though I might have a feeling hopelessness inside of me, there is hope.  Hope is what I have needed to cling onto when I lost my little girl.  Hope is what gets us through this life.


I have hope.  I have hope that I will have another baby in my life again.


I don’t know how I will be feeling tomorrow.  I will home with my empty womb, my empty heart, my empty soul, but I can promise you that I will cling on to hope.


I’m not ready to write about what happened today.  Maybe tomorrow.  But today I’m not ready.


Please keep us in your prayers.

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Just Like That

You could be sitting in your home, with your family, warm, smiling, all is well. In the blink of any eye your entire world can end up in shambles all around you.


Haiti


My heart has literally been aching for them. Seeing the babies being pulled out of the rubble. Watching moms scream out. Hearing of the thousands of dead bodies just being tossed into dump trucks with no regard. The millions of people that’s lives have been shattered.


Last night I layed in my extremely comfortable bed, my down comforter hugging me as I started to drift off, and it’s then that I realized Just Like That… we could be sleeping on the streets with all of our possessions crushed. Just like that, we could be down on our knees pleading for God to answer the millions of prayers for the disaster that just ruined not only our life, but the lives of millions of people.  Just like that, your life as you know it could be over.


For some reason I don’t think a disaster like this has hit me as hard as this has hit me. Maybe it’s the babies, the children, the anguish I see in mother’s eyes. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s millions of people feeling hopeless, and missing their loved ones, not knowing if their loved ones are dead or alive, or buried in rubble..  I don’t know what it is, but I’ve shed many tears, said many prayers.

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