Do Something Irregular for You

In the last two weeks I have said goodbye to someone I love, reconnected with family and friends I have missed an incredible amount, watched my babies reunite with cousins they have not seen in over two years like it was just yesterday the last time, and flown to another country.
That is only the half of it. The rest was pure work. I spent many years in overdrive working for my family, my job, my church,even my friends - but never focusing any specific dedication on myself - that it affected both my physical and mental health. I also had my relationship with God all wrong. I was working for it, when it was already established. All He wanted me to do was to love Him, and as a byproduct of that love, to love myself.
This week I am doing something for myself which is a little hard, but easier each day. I am in Aruba  vacationing. Since international cellphone rates are ridiculous, it is basically guaranteed that I wont be calling my family a lot - I have to focus on me.
The first day I missed my kids like crazy. It helped that my daughter is also out of state; and my son  has God, his dad, my mom and his aunts to take super good care of him. I missed my family and had random anxieties about whether or not they were alright. I practiced being in the moment and noticing the goodness of God all around me, and the beauty of this place.

This whole situation is a testament to how insanely difficult it is for my generation and our society to realize what takes priority and what should be simple and true. There was never a time when procreation meant making children need us every waking moment, nor any other person, place or thing desired or deserving that kind of attention. However, it is normal for children, jobs, activities, etc., to require that much time and attention in today's world.

When I focus that attention on so many other objectives I loose sight of the most important centric force of life and thusly, there is no center to my being. God is my centric force, drawing all things back to the center of me, whom He made fearfully and wonderfully.

That is what my trip to Aruba is about thus far - seeing and grasping the beauty of what God has done in nature, through nature, and naturally in me and for me. This is something I am doing for me - and it is amazing.
What have you done for yourself? Do you have a plan to do something soon?

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Sisters are Doing it for Themselves

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Damages Clause

Sometimes I feel burdened by divorce, even penalized. These are wrongly inflicted damages for which there is no monetary reward large enough to compensate. I randomly tell my ex-husband when I am bleeding from a wound he previously inflicted. This is one of those times. There is loss in divorce caused solely by one party - even if someone wants to tell you both parties were at fault. Sometimes, that is a lie. This is one of those times.

I am in a melancholy mood today. My cousin passed away and I feel somewhat bereft about her absence from this world. Nowhere in my reasoning do I recollect expecting her to be gone physically from us this early in her life, let alone my own.

I find myself in a peculiar position. I gained my cousin through marriage, and we grew to love one another. When the divorce was final, our love remained. Other relationships stretched a little, but they remained based in love. Since my ex husband is remarried, there is definitely a place where his wife should fit into his extended family. I don't want to usurp her authority as his wife.

Be that as it may, such a poignant, emotional time as this finds me on the proverbial tightrope, trying to maintain socially and politically correct balance. I want to be in the presence of my family, supporting and loving them, unconditionally. I have to be mindful of boundaries that divorce dictates - even if I don't know what that redistricting encompasses.

I am going to be with my family in a few days, with disregard to any distance or time that has been between us; only concentrating on the fact that God's love drew us together, and that same love will keep us.

When you live in a divorced family, you are going to continually work out what that new family unit looks like. Don't let that picture be ever narrowing - let it be non constrictive. Love is an expanding virtue.

Black, Divorced & Virtuous: Damages Clause blackdivorcedandvirtuous.blogspot.com/2012/05/damage…

— Blck Divrcd Virtuous (@BDandV) May 5, 2012

$500 Mothers Day Giveaway

Welcome to our Huge Mother's Day Giveaway!

Couponing 4 You, Coupon Hauls, and Koupon Krazed has joined together with a group of awesome bloggers to bring you this huge Mother's Day Giveaway! We all know how special mothers are! They are always doing and buying for others and doing without themselves! Well, in honor of Mother's Day we have put together an awesome prize package filled with items any mother would love to have in her kitchen, but probably wouldn't buy for herself! The prize package will include: a Keurig coffee brewer, a donut maker, a food saver, an ice cream maker, a mini pie maker, and a shaved ice maker! This giveaway will run from 12:01 am EST 5/1 through 11:59 pm EST 5/10. Continental US residents only. Entries are easy, just use the Rafflecopter below.

Xbox Kinect Bundle Event - Free Blogger Sign Ups Now

Have you heard? We are having a Techy Summer over at Mom to Bed by 8, the ‘Iowa Mom‘ and want to help you continue on with your sensational summer by offering you a chance to win an Xbox Kinect Bundle Pack (including Xbox 360 console, Kinect Sensor and Kinect Adventures Game). Retail value $299.

Special thanks to our lovely co-hosts TechyTribe, I Love To Gossip, Giveaway Bandit, As Mom Sees It and Couponing4you for their support in bringing this gamer giveaway to life!

Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect
Product Description
The Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways – no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect gets everyone off the couch moving, laughing and cheering. See a ball? Kick it. Control an HD movie with a wave of the hand. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. Wi-Fi is built-in for easier connection to the world of entertainment on Xbox LIVE, where HD movies and TV stream in an instant. Xbox 360 is more games, entertainment and fun.

Product Features

Kinect Sensor: With the Kinect sensor, you can experience gaming like never before. Easy to use and fun for everyone, the Kinect sensor utilizes revolutionary full-body tracking to put you in the center of the fun. This amazing new technology allows the sensor to recognize your body and mirror your movements in the game, making you the controller. With Kinect Xbox 360 now has the best controller ever made – YOU.
Built-in Wi-Fi: The new Xbox 360 is the only console with 802.11n Wi-Fi built-in for a faster and easier connection to Xbox LIVE. Stream HD movies and TV or download games from Xbox LIVE in 1080p and 5.1 surround sound from anywhere in the house. Compatible with b/g/n networks.
Xbox LIVE: Xbox LIVE brings a world of entertainment to you. Instantly watch movies and TV streaming from Netflix. In crystal-clear HD, or download game add-ons like new levels, characters, maps and songs. Easily jump right into online multiplayer fun and play along with friends around the world. Plus, get your favorite music from Last.fm, connect with friends on Facebook and post Tweets on Twitter. Xbox LIVE is your connection to more games, entertainment and fun.
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (black): This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller features a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries.
More ports: Connect more accessories and storage solutions with added USB ports. Now with a total of 5, (3 back/2 front) you’ll find more places to plug and play. Plus, in addition to the standard Ethernet port and HDMI output, we’ve added an integrated optical audio out port for an easier connection to the booming sound of your A/V receiver.
Kinect Adventures game: Float in outer space. Experience the thrill of roaring rapids. Tackle mountaintop obstacle courses and dive into the deep to explore a leaky underwater observatory — all from your living room. With Kinect Adventures, you are the controller as you jump, dodge and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations. Rated “E” for Everyone.

What’s In The Box?

• Xbox 360 4GB S Console
• Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360
• Kinect Adventures game - rated “E” for Everyone
• Xbox 360 Black Wireless Controller
• Xbox 360 Composite A/V cable (standard definition)
• 1 year limited warranty on console