Mommy Ever After » happiness

“Finally”: A Haiku

Rebecca Fox Starr — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 21:16:08 +0000

Boy curled in my arms,

Dad and girl doing puzzles;

This, our happy life.

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Morning Glow.

Rebecca Fox Starr — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 11:39:39 +0000

Morning glow by your light
We can make the new day bright
And the phantoms of the night
Will fade into the past
Morning glow is here

At last.

-Stephen Schwartz, Pippin

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Charming.

Rebecca Fox Starr — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 17:15:38 +0000

I had a few conversations recently in which I shared that one of my very favorite words is “charm”, in both it’s noun and verb form.

I was just looking up the video that I made chronicling my past year in music, and do you know how YouTube shows you a list of videos down the right sidebar of the screen suggesting music that you may like, based on what you are watching currently? Well, I cannot imagine why, but if you are watching my Fox & the Hounds review, the top video that YouTube recommends for you is an obscure video of Brett Dennen singing “Out of My Head” in what appears to be a little guitar shop.

And the reason why I am sharing this, besides the fact that he is my favorite musical artist and he gives me warm and fuzzy feelings inside, is because I find Brett Dennen to be absolutely charming. He is loveable. And I think you can see that here.

And I cherish every charming moment I can;

like this morning when my daughter traded videos with a new yet old friend of mine, involving doggie dance parties, mermaid costumes and “The Book With No Pictures” recitations;

or when we were giving Lola attention and my girl ran upstairs, changed and came down in a pink dress (the color of Lola’s bow) and dog ears;

or, how my son put his head up to mine (his version of a kiss) and said, “Mama”;

or how my daughter said, “Daddy, can you set up my wifi connection?” and we said “Do you know what that means?” and she said, “No. What does it mean?”;

Just a few happy moments that I can gather up into one little, metaphorical charm to place in my pocket and keep with me today.

Give your love, give your love, give your love now.

Any you get it back and you get it back

Featured Image captured by Lindsay Docherty Photography in 2014

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A (birth)day, in photos.

Rebecca Fox Starr — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 03:17:59 +0000

Yesterday, we said happy birthday to our main man. And this is how we did it.

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Stay Tuned and Get Pumped! (is what I was going to say.)

mommyeverafter — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 12:27:07 +0000

Patience, my dear ones. For I am off to a happy place, where I will be celebrating my 8th Engagemaversary in that very same spot.

…is what I had written, yesterday,

prepared to publish today,

as I would now be off to St. John, via St. Thomas, with my entire family; Parents, siblings, kids…

It’s funny. Just last week, Jordan said, “The way to virtually guarantee that a child will get sick is to schedule something that you really want to do.”

And it has been no secret that we have been sickie little chickies in my house for the past month.

But weeks of sick days and doctor visits all kind of came to a head yesterday when I crashed, unexpectedly, at 3pm, woke up two hours later in excruciating ear pain. I have been suffering from TMJ on my right side, but this pain was on my left. And I couldn’t hear out of my ear. Weird.

So, I shook the sleep out of my head and rallied to give the baby his nighttime bottle, give my daughter her kiss goodnight, and I told my husband that something wasn’t right. All of the local urgent care facilities were closed and all my doctor besties were stuck without otoscopes (I just wanted to see if I was crazy), so we found a Care Stat location a little ways away and I got checked out.

I told the doctor about my TMJ. “First let me look at your right ear, or your ‘good ear’,” she said.

“Yup, this ear is infected.”

Then she moved onto my left.

And all she said was, “Whoa.”

That’s never what you want to hear from a doctor.

So I have a double ear infection, but on my left side it is pretty severe, and I am prohibited from flying for a week. Which means that we had to cancel our trip to our happy place.

It’s ok. I was most disappointed for my daughter and parents, but we have made alternate arrangements so that my kids will be taken away on a fun family trip, just the four of us, that involves driving, and no change in elevation that will perforate my eardrum.

I walked out of the urgent care office, into the Krispie Kreme two doors down, and ate a hot glazed doughnut right off of the conveyer belt. Because, really, what else was there to do?

So, I will continue where I had left off yesterday before this all went down (when I thought I would be leaving you for St. John):

Please don’t think I would leave you hanging. Oh no.

Because we have some big changes on the not so distant horizon; my home for the past 4.5 years,

www.mommyeverafter.wordpress.com,

just got quite the makeover. We are moving on up people.

Very soon, this blog will be located at…

www.mommyeverafter.com

You can visit the site to countdown to our big launch on December 22. There will be ads! There will be new categories! There will be a feathers! This is forrealz.

And I realize that my audience here is mixed; some of you have been here from the beginning, while others are newer to the land of mom. So I am leaving you with some old favorites. And the fun thing is, they lead you to other old posts. You have almost 900 of ‘em to wade through as I wade through the ocean. (Editor’s note: I don’t even have to say it. Frowny face.)

Let me take this opportunity to say thank you.

This past year (and I am getting choked up) has been the hardest in my life; I am so grateful for the support I have received from YOU. You have empowered me to tell me story and motivated me to help others. Thank you. I would not be here without you.

So here you go. I’ll be popping in here and there over the next week, but to tide you over:

Something motivational

Something sweet

Something musical

Something nostalgic

Something comprehensive

Some Important Insight

The craziest call to the pediatrican ever. (Really, ever.)

The second craziest call to the pediatrican,, ever. And it’s a close second.

Something Happy.

Something Hard.

Something Hopeful.

See you on the flip side at www.mommyeverafter.com,

the home of everything ever after.

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Lindsay Docherty Photography

mommyeverafter — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 11:36:05 +0000

I’ve written and raved before about the magic and beauty and romance
that is Lindsay Docherty Photography. Here is the final installment of my journey with Lindsay.
Let me be clear in saying this: This is not a sponsored post. These photos are not c/o her business. I am writing about the phenomenal Lindsay Docherty because she is that and more.
Lindsay is beautiful. Her sprite-like presence lends perfectly to her work, as she can flit around, snapping photos, fitting into small corners as to not interrupt natural life, and capture all that is true.
Lindsay is talented. She dances. She flexes her creative muscles. She is incredible with children.
Lindsay is smart. She is clever. She is a gift and a joy.
My husband and I both went to High School with Lindsay (she was in his class) and though I did not know her well then (we were both a little involved in the theatre group), our interactions are as familiar and easy as if we have been lifelong friends. She is supportive, she is energetic and she is kind. So so kind.
Last night, when the kids had gone down and we were preparing to eat dinner, my husband and I were shuttling back and forth from the trunk of his car to our garage with armloads of firewood; someone had offered their surplus, so we were happy to take it off their hands. Out of nowhere, Lindsday appeared, with a big package in her hands; the final piece of art that we had ordered from her: a canvas print of our favorite photograph.
And because we had so much firewood, we asked Lindsay if she wanted some. She was excited to take a load off of our hands, and I told her to back into the driveway so that we could put it into her trunk. And somehow between her turning off her car and her coming out to lift, she locked her keys in her car. Because despite all of the incredible, almost unbelievable things that Lindsay is, she is also human. Which lends so well to her being the photographer that she is. She is warm and approachable. Her smile is incredible. And so, while we waited for her house mate to come with an extra set of keys, we shared glasses of wine and caught up a bit. I was sad when she had to leave. She has become a real friend. I feel so lucky.
This is what Lindsay brought last night:
We hung this piece in our entrance hallway, so that it is featured most prominently.
It is so perfect.
Lindsay captured many photos–moments– of our family, we wished we could have ordered them all, but here is a little glimpse of what she was able to create:

She captured life. She captured happiness at a time when we needed it most. To Lindsay we will be eternally grateful.
Lindsay is fun. She is funny. She is radiant.
You would be lucky to get some Lindsay into your life.
We sure are.

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All my loving

mommyeverafter — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 10:45:01 +0000

This morning, before the sun had time to rise, I had the chance to cuddle up in my little girl’s bed with my daughter, my son and my my Lola.
We all got under the covers.
My daughter held my hand, as I used my other arm to feed my son a bottle. And she asked me to sing for her. So I told her,
“There is this band and they are called The Beatles and they are amazing.”
“Okay, mommy.”
So first, I sang “I want to hold your hand.”
“I love it, mommy.” She was in a loving mood.
Then, I sang “All My Loving.”
“More!” She requested.
So I took her into The White Album and said, ‘This song is more of a story.” And I sang for her “Rocky Raccoon.”
“I like that.”
And I had my three little loves with me and I felt grateful, but I also felt something I haven’t felt in a very long time;
I felt peace.
And yes, a few minutes later life set in. I had to change my son’s full diaper. Lola ran downstairs to go out. My daughter decided she wanted “I’m Alive” from Next to Normal instead of the Beatles.
But for a little while this morning, I felt content and happy and oh so very lucky.
All my loving
I will send to you
All my loving
Darling I’ll be true.

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