It’s Week 17 of Finish This! If you’re new here, welcome. This link-up is hosted by LISA (COASTLINED), JEN (The Arizona Russums), BECKY (The Java Mama) and I. If you’ve joined us before, thanks for returning and add your post to the link-up. If you don’t have a blog, don’t fret. Answer the prompts in a comment. Next week’s prompts are at the bottom of this post.
My last growing pain was…
recently admitting to myself that I can’t be someone’s friend. There is a difference between giving up and knowing when you’ve had enough. My role as wife and mother is not as much work as trying to be close to her. This one-sided relationship is exhausting. I’m done losing sleep trying to figure out what I can do to make this work. Instead of worrying about it, I’m focused on Husband and Kamden, my family, and the genuine friends in my life who love and appreciate me for who I am, not what I have. I’m also incredibly grateful to the folks who are present when their presence is important. Stick a fork in me, I’m done.
I grow and nurture…
every day being Husband’s wife, Kamden’s mother, and God’s beloved child. These responsibilities are blessings from above and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. I am nurtured by the maturity and experience of others, living as humbly as possible, serving others who have nothing to give in return, and exposing my heart and soul for the world to see. Albeit, at times, my heart has been broken but I’ve always gotten back up and thanked God for the lesson. I’m currently in a growing season where learning a life lesson is difficult but necessary. I’ve invested a lot of energy into a relationship that is one-sided but nothing has been reciprocated. It hurts. I am a very loyal person, but when I’ve been hurt and disappointed more times than I can handle I’m done.
The guilt-free snack I enjoy most…
Lactation cookies probably don’t count but I succumbed to temptation and made a batch last Saturday, probably because I’m an emotional eater. What’s better than a sweet treat laden with carbohydrates to soothe a fat girl’s belly? Let’s be honest: I don’t need a “boost” in my breast milk supply, it’s above abundant, but these cookies are damn good. They’re amazing chocolate chip cookies with whole oats and flax seeds for lactation. Actual guilt-free snacks I enjoy include fresh strawberries and pineapple, homemade granola, and soy yogurt, even though the yogurt has more sugar than I prefer, it’s a great way to get probiotics. Dr. Oz recently promoted white bean extract as it stops your body from breaking carbohydrates down into sugars and storing them as fat. I need that in my life … unfortunately, it’s unsafe for pregnant and nursing women. JUST MY LUCK! In other news, but not really a snack, I’ve become a serious water drinker. When I found out I was pregnant, I stopped drinking all caffeine and sweet tea. Yeah, this Southern Belle has not had sweet tea since May 19, 2013. I deserve a medal. Nowadays, I’d rather have water than anything else. I refill a 20-ounce water bottle all day every day, easily consuming 150-200 ounces, which helps me produce about 50 ounces of breast milk every day. Just call me Bessie, the milk cow!
The best reason to stay up all night…
before I became a mom, I’d stay up all night to read. It’s also fun to stay up late playing cards or board games with my mom and her two silly sisters. We have the best time together. Now, I stay up late to pump, wash/fill bottles for the next day, take a hot shower, enjoy some quiet/alone time, or edit blog posts. I honestly don’t mind getting up around 2:00am to pump, because the house is quiet, I can read or work on blog posts, or scan Pinterest without a worry or a care.
If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d…
swim and snorkel in the ocean, wiggle my toes in the sand, build a fire, catch fish to eat, collect rainwater to drink, and find a tree that miraculously grows Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper instead of leaves. It’d be awesome to have a solar charger and wi-fi access for my tablet so I could keep up with this Finish This link up party every week too. #justsaying
Now it’s your turn. Answer these prompts in a post on your own blog or, if you do not have a blog, simply add your responses in a comment. Join us next Wednesday for another round of Finish This where we’ll answer the prompts below!
Prompts for WEEK 18 (May 7) are:
I feel an adrenaline rush when …
I feel energized when …
I feel small when …
I feel big when …
I feel indestructible when …
I feel stupid when …
I feel smart when …
Three 31 
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 4:37 pm
Ok, I’ll need a cutting from your Charmin tree sent via corked bottle to my desert island.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 4:44 pm
It’s a deal, Jeannie!!!!! hahahahaha
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Staying up late to read is my total bad habit! Love it!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 2:15 pm
I used to be able to do it, but not anymore! I’m ready to go to bed before Kamden goes down, but I have to pump, wash/refill bottles, and shower. Wouldn’t trade a moment of it though. 🙂
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 11:49 am
Ending toxic relationships can be so hard, but very liberating! I have got to increase my water intake! I’ve almost cut out cokes which is a huge accomplishment for me as I couldn’t even manage to completely cut them while pregnant!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 2:01 pm
I’m a water drinking fool and it makes a huge difference in my supply. Good luck wit the cokes, I stopped drinking caffeine cold-turkey the day I found out I was pregnant. Don’t miss it at all.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 9:38 am
We could definitely be stranded on an Island together! Your bright ray of sunshine attitude would keep me going for sure!! I’m sorry about the toxic friend – never fun to have that breakup. Please let me know if you ever find that Charmin Tree – TP is spendy and one thing I can’t seem to grow 🙂
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 2:00 pm
If I wasn’t a wife and mom, I could totally survive on the island ….. with my Charmin tree. The lady parts deserve nothing less. LOL
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 9:27 am
I chose Wi-Fi too! ha ha! Great minds think alike! I breastfed Connor for 14 months enjoy your milk and perky boobies while you can!
Can’t wait to see you this weekend! Becky
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Perky boobies? You obviously have me mistaken for somebody else. These girls deserve their own zip code!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 8:40 am
Nicole~ The older you get the less you’ll lean on those that aren’t family. It’s a hard lesson learned but something that makes you grateful for the family you have. HUGS!
1. My last growing pain was realizing that my children aren’t mine… they are gifts from God and will one day return to Him. I knew it logically, but was still trying to direct their lives. Having a 16 yr old girl who demands her own ripped that misguided notion right out! And it hurt. But now… it feels freeing.
2. I grow and nurture my relationship w/ Christ daily now. I’m always mindful to have on hand an ongoing bible study each morning. Before I finish one, I always have another waiting. It keeps me close to Him and allows me to grow in Him.
3. The guilt-free snack I enjoy the most is caprese salad. I grow my own basil so I can have all I want! 🙂
4. No such thing as a good reason FOR ME to stay up all night. 😉
5. If I were desserted on an island, I would first find containers to put under leaves to catch rain water for drinking…then I’d relax, eat fruit. Seriously, I’d probably go nuts without a computer.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Oh sweet Jan, how I miss your sweet face and wish you were close enough to hug real right. You’re a jewel. I absolutely LOVE your prompt answers!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 8:34 am
Spa water… have you tried making a gallon of water and adding orange slices to it? I drank only water (sometime last year) for a MONTH and the added citrus helped to flavor it up.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 8:37 am
I’ll have to try that, Aimee. One of my favorite sushi restaurants in Fort Worth serves ice water with sliced cucumbers and it is AH-MAZING. I have to go to Fort Worth today and I might just have to stop by for a sushi date, thanks for making me think of this place!!!!! hahahaha
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 8:25 am
aww yea, the removal of toxic people in your life is hard…but sometimes necessary. And sometimes those people are even family members (in my case). Loved your answers!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 8:28 am
Amber, it is difficult, especially when you consider close friends like family but they never reciprocate the feelings back. It’s definitely a growing pain.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 6:15 am
I’d agree that “breaking up” with friends when you realize the relationship isn’t healthy for you is a big “growing up” or “growing pain” moment. It can be harder than breaking up with a boyfriend (as I recall). Well done for realizing you needed to let go.
I have a blog friend who does your hop – so I stopped by to have a look! Fun idea.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 7:06 am
Louise, I’m so glad you stopped by! Feel free to participate anytime. 🙂