Week 21: I'm Grounded (Member Photos)
Shelby Boechler - Our living room floor. The living room I've had both my babes in. Grounded by motherhood. In who I am and who I hope to become. Physically grounded. In the position I so often assume. Nourishing my babies. This also made me think, grounded, like encaged. Baby jail. Cooped up and sometimes so lonely. Anchored by the all encompassing needs of the children and the home. Here is me, grounded.
Sara Lowing-Wright - My backyard is the oasis in my hectic city life. We live in Portland, Oregon. In a busy neighborhood; sandwiched between two busy streets. Our street is actually a greenway, designated as a main artery for bikers, which is great. But at times I can hear bikers and drivers getting into verbal clashes. However, when I'm in my yard, with my super tall privacy fences, all that clatter is muffled by my, MY, private and intimate space. I love my garden and flowers. I get to tend to them on evenings and weekends. My favorite is going out in the evening to water. It's peaceful and I love the smell of the earth when the water mixes with the soil. The plants absorb the water, perking back-up, and I regain a sense of balance after the day's chaos. This is what keeps me grounded.
Vivian Stembridge - I have been struggling with anxiety and some days depression. Some days, it surrounds me suddenly and unexpectedly and I just feel hopeless and heavy. My therapist urged me to meditate. And I'm so glad she did- it has helped me stay grounded. When I feel like I may break apart and flow away, sitting firmly on the ground and focusing on my breath helps to keep me together.
Eboni Rivera - {www.luxeartimages.com} My husband does such an amazing job trying to create an oasis in our back yard. Today he opened the pool and put out the patio furniture. We call it Casa Rivera and also have our Rivera Farm. He gets to enjoy it, my kids get to enjoy it but me? Eh, not so much. As we kick off the unofficial start to summer this Holiday weekend, I'm hoping that I get to spend more time relaxing like this rather than stressing and working all summer long. Lord knows I could surely use the break! Here's to being grounded - with a mimosa toast. Cheers.
Jen Ostler - Grounded with...and because of... my boy.
Jennifer L. Bruce - Enjoying my new bike and the beautiful summer weather!
I spent many years riding mountain bikes, crashing through the woods and over the rocks in Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Alabama, and Alaska. But now, my body is worn and I can't do it anymore. My husband treated me to a comfy hybrid bike. My four year old just learned to ride a pedal bike by herself so I'm in heaven.
Briar Marie - {Briar Marie Photography}
I'm an outdoor girl. I LOVE being outside. I love the grass in my toes, the breeze on my face, and I actually do stop to smell the flowers. But somewhere in my mid-twenties I slowly began to develop allergies. I've also had cats my whole life, so I suspected it was our kitty and I finally went in to be tested. And I found out that I am now severely allergic to nearly everything: 7 types of tree pollen, 9 types of grass pollen, cats, dogs, many types of mold, dust, and actually at least a little bit allergic to every single thing they tested me for. And every year it gets worse. I take something every day and some days my face still melts off, getting chapped and raw from my runny nose and watering eyes. I'm non-functioning on those days. I go to sleep with vaseline on my face for some relief. I know I'm not alone. It is awful! And I'm so darn stubborn, I just pretend it's not there and roll around in the grass anyway ;) I refuse to be grounded when it's so beautiful outside! It's been a rough Spring though!
Manjula Prabhu - I'm currently reading a book on anti-gravity. I find it impossible to put down :)
Dana Overman - After what seems like a million years of having babies in my home, it has not been an easy transition to figure out what it means to have an empty nest...but I am settling into this season slowly but surely. I am grounded with my love, he is everything to me and has been my rock through extremely difficult years.
Lynette Davis - {www.lcdavisphotography.com}Me Grounded I wanted to be a mom, but on my own terms. You see I am a planner. I would meet the man of my dreams around 26. Get married at 28. Two kiddos by 32. What's the old Woody Allen quote? "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." He laughed and laughed loudly. My Knight in Shining Armor took his sweet time and showed up at 32. *insert smile* And my sweet miracle appeared after major surgery to to remove so many fibroids that my doctor still talks about it 15 years. *insert tears* The specialist told us not to get our hopes up, it would take at least a year maybe more to conceive. I was pregnant 6 weeks later. Blessed with an easy pregnancy and birth (although unlike his dad, he showed up early). And I never knew my heart was missing a piece until I heard his cry. I wanted another one. We tried again. And again. And again. I was diagnosed with secondary infertility. We went through several IUIs and an epic fight with the insurance company over payments for those treatments. *insert screaming here* And I still didn't have a sibling for Wonder Kid. The depression was real and I was lost. But I finally had an epiphany during my son's first snow fall. My little Georgia boy was in love with the stuff. "Mommy look!" "Mommy taste!" "Mommy get Daddy!" My epiphany? I am Ethan's mom. And if he was to be our only, then so be it. My child of love is my world and he is enough. He minds me to focus on who was in front of me and experience the joy of motherhood every minute of every day. We are heading into the next chapter now, the teen years. *insert sigh*. I am positive I will love him through this next journey (but if he is anything like me during that time, liking him may prove hard). But come what may, this one keeps me grounded. Oh and Happy 13th to my Wonder Kid.
