My New Blog

It is with mild sadness that I am letting you know that I will no longer be posting my blog on this site.  I realized this weekend that Facebook is boycotting Blogger for some reason and refuses to share any blog posts that I repost on my Facebook page.  Since I'm a fan of sharing my posts through Facebook, I realized that I needed to try something new.  

Long story short, I will continue to blog over at my new site:

http://lauraherrphotography.wordpress.com

I would love to have you join me there!

Blogger... it's been nice.  I've loved my blogging journey which began just under two years ago.  You've been a fantastic way to share life with so many of my friends, family and other kind strangers who have happened upon my posts.  I wish you the very best and hope that you can work out your issues with Facebook soon.  

With Kind Regards,

Laura Herr

Three Fortune Cookies Later...

The past few days have been full.  First off, I'm proud to share that my amazing husband started physical therapy yesterday, and it's been exciting to see the progress he is making.  He's basically learning to walk again, after not walking for the past six weeks.  We found a great place nearby and will now incorporate three days a week of physical therapy into our new normal routine.

I managed to get to the gym four times this week, including a fantastic morning of Spin today.  I joined the gym just under a year sgo, and it's been such a wonderful journey.  I've made some great strides in my overall fitness level, but the greatest benefit for me is how much going to the gym has helped me to work through anxiety and stress.  I've met some pretty awesome people there and have also been able to have some of my friends join, including my amazing friend Olivia.  There is something so fun and incredibly bonding about going to the gym with a friend.  

I met up for lunch with some beautiful friends on Friday.  These are girls that I have known since they were in Jr. High, and both are now in college.  And it's just beatifully brilliant to see the amazing ways that God has worked in their lives.  They inspire me in so many ways, like good friend should and I'm very thankful to have spent the afternoon with them.

Finally, I met up with one of the world's cutest babies for a photo session this afternoon.  I'm excited to edit through the pictures and will share some soon.  As the weather is warming up, my photography business is picking up as well.  I'm excited for the beautiful clients and exciting opportunities that this year will bring.

And that's just a bit of an update on where I'm at.  Jer bought us Shrimp Teriyaki and California rolls from The Pearl tonight, and it was delicious.  Three fortune cookies later and I'm a very happy camper.  My belly is full and so is my life and I'm feeling pretty thankful and blessed.

If your son wakes up with an ear-ache...

If your son wakes up with an earache, you might decide to take him to the walk-in clinic up the road. You go to the clinic, because you live in Eastport and for the life of you, you can't find a good pediatrician's office closer than 25 miles away and so you find that for the little things, the clinic works just fine.    

When you walk into the waiting room, you will quickly scan the room to judge the length of your inevitable wait, depending on how many other people you see.  On a day like today, you will breathe a sigh of relief when you notice only two other people sitting there.  

While you wait, your son will read you interesting facts from the National Geographic Kids Almanac, because he is smart like that.  He may ask you who was the president was when you were born, to which you will realize that you can't remember.  When he tells you it was Ronald Reagan, you'll say, "Oh yeah, I remember that guy."  

When you finally get called, you'll head on back to the examination room.  You'll watch your eight year old son hop up on the table and you'll ask yourself, "Where did the time go?"  When you try really hard, you will still be able to see his sweet baby face, but you'll quickly realize that your once tiny baby is now almost as tall as you are.  

Upon closer examination, you'll also realize that your 8 year old is starting to outgrow his Size 10 jeans, and you'll make a mental note that a trip to Savers for Size 12s will be needed soon.  

While you wait, your silly son will entertain himself by pretending to sleep.  He will inevitably make those fake sleeping noises that we all make when we pretend sleep and they will make both of you laugh hysterically. 

While you wait, you will also check out the medical supplies that are sitting on the counter and you will wonder who in the world would need to clean out their ears with Q-tips that long.  

Your son may ask you to read some of the medical pamphlets that are in the room, so you will hand him the "Heartburn and Acid Reflux" one, because that one seems to be the only appropriate one for him to read.  He will probably just laugh at the picture and right about then the doctor will finally walk in.

Thankfully, the diagnosis will be quick.  You'll make small talk with the doctor and learn that some people think that many ear infections can heal on their own, but you will still be quite happy when she hands you a prescription for antibiotics.  

Afterwards, you will head next door to Rite Aid, where you will happily wait out the twenty minutes, because you just really like that store.  You will pick up your favorite toothpaste, a new stapler for your craft loving daughter and snacks for Kids Club.  When your prescription is finally ready, you will head out the door, happy that your son is on his road to recovery and thankful that it only took an hour and a half to get everything fixed.  You'll breathe a quick prayer of thanksgiving and continue on to the rest of your day.  

Things I Learn from Facebook

I'm not sure about you, but I've realized that I learn a lot of things from Facebook.  And I thought I'd share some of them with you tonight.  Also, I would like to half apologize for slacking on the blog for the past few days.  It's been busy and I just haven't taken the time to keep up with it.  And I'm only half sorry because in the whole scheme of life, it's really not that big of a deal.  

Moving along...  A few things I learn from Facebook include just how adorable my new nephew is.  My Mom posted this picture today and it was so sweet to see his adorable face.  Photo credit goes to my older sister Leslie and Cute Baby credit goes to my younger sister Sarah.  Well done, both of you!

I also learn about games that my friends are playing.  I'm not sure why Facebook thinks that I need to know this, but nevertheless there it is.

I also actually learn a lot of different health things.  Sometimes I don't read them, because in all reality, I'm not sure that I really want to know if the things that I like to eat are bad for me.  But sometimes I do read them and I learn a lot.  Last week, I read this huge post about Aspartame, and I'm pretty sure that it's the worst.  This poor woman had all kinds of horrible health issues, and turns out, it was just Aspartame poisoning from the Diet Coke that she was drinking.  

Being a huge fan of good deals, I learn about all sorts of free things that you can get.  This one was pretty funny, but hey, free bacon is free bacon.  Ron Swanson would be pretty excited about it.

I also get all my sports updates from the posts that my amazing husband puts up on Facebook.  It's good to be in the loop of what's going on in the sports world, especially when you're married to Jeremy Herr.

Facebook also is fantastic for businesses and getting the word out about amazing designers, including my awesome brother in law who designs the coolest t-shirts.  

Facebook also is quite diligent about keeping me informed about important days.  For instance, my beautiful sister in law's birthday was on Sunday.  And for the record, even though I was reminded about it on Facebook, I forgot to write on her wall.  So I thought I'd take a minute to send her birthday wishes here (because I know that she checks in from time to time).

Heather Herr.  You are amazing and beautiful and wonderful.  I hope that you had the most awesome birthday, because out of all the people in the world, you totally deserve it.  I hope it included lots of love, fun food and good cake.  Even though our times together are limited by the fact that we live hundreds of miles away from each other, please know that I love you and think that you are the best!  Happy, Happy Birthday (a few days late)! 

Finally, I actually learn all sorts of weather and news information from Facebook.  Honestly, I learned that we were getting a Hurricane last year and also about our Blizzard this year from posts that people put up.  It could be because we really don't watch the news, so I'm thankful for Facebook and the fact that it keeps me current.  It's also amusing to read some of the shenanigans that happen in our world as well.

I definitely learn other things from Facebook as well.  I'm personally a huge fan of the inspirational and faith based posts.  My cousin Amy is super diligent about sharing these and I know that I personally am always encouraged by her posts.

There are definitely a lot of negative things that can come from Facebook, but for me, I totally learn a lot and I appreciate the positive things that come out as well.

Sweetness

I have to say, newborn baby girls are just pure sweetness.  

Especially this one.  

She was an absolute doll when I met up with her an her sweet Mom for a session this past week.  

She remained awake for the majority of the session.  

Which just resulted in a lot of wide eyed, gorgeous baby shots like this one.

A huge thank you to her sweet Momma for having me come by.  Those first weeks are always a challenge but it was absolutely wonderful to meet up with them both for this precious session.  

I look forward to many more sessions with this precious baby girl.

Confessions

"Guess what? I have flaws. What are they? Oh I dunno, I sing in the shower? Sometimes I spend too much time volunteering. Occasionally I'll hit somebody with my car. So sue me-- no, don't sue me. That is opposite the point I'm trying to make." 

- Michael Scott, The Office

*This picture has nothing to do with my post.  But it is beautiful and warm and it makes me happy

There is this idea out there, enhanced by blogging and social media, that some people's lives are perfect.  Their kids are always smiling, their houses are always clean and their lives are always fun.  And we know this, because we get to see pictures that prove it and read inspiring blogs that affirm it.  

Personally, for me, I'm definitely not one of those perfect blog world people.  I blog about my kids to share their lives with our friends and families who are out of state.  I'm creative and right brained, which means that I have creative piles of stuff all over our house.  And while my life is pretty fun most days, it's not always fun and it's definitely not always easy trying to balance everything.  

Other confessions...

I don't drink coffee or tea and I'm pretty sure that I only drink hot chocolate for the whipped cream.

I still make my kids have "quiet time" in their rooms, but I'm pretty sure it's because I need the "quiet time."  

Sometimes, I watch Teen Mom and go back and forth between judging those poor girls and just plain feeling sorry for them.

Sometimes, I forget to cook perfectly good meat that I've bought and then it expires, and then I throw it out.  I have this thing about expirations dates, as though the meat instantly knows to go bad the day it says it expires.   Then I feel really guilty because I've wasted food and to be honest, it totally bothers me to the core that people are really starving out there.  But apparently not enough to be diligent about cooking the food that I have.  Sigh.

I worry about things that I have no control over.  I worry about the "what-ifs" of life (again, the things that I can't control).  True story:  When Ellee was a baby, she had a small bump at the top of her nose, and I worried that she would grow a horn.  When I write it down, it's even more embarrassing than the fact that I thought it to begin with.

The list could go on.  

We all have confessions.  We all have issues and things that we struggle with.  But today, I'm reminded, that God's love and grace and forgiveness covers it all.  A verse that was a huge encouragement to me today was 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me."  Yes, I have issues.  But for me, I know that God loves me despite them and works in me to strengthen me and teach me.  I don't have to dwell on the things that I struggle with, I only need to dwell in the truth that God will help me in any and every situation.  And that is a pretty amazing truth that can give us all the encouragement and hope on any day.  

In Between

I am trying really hard to wait patiently for Jer to come home from youth group, but in reality, I'm so hungry for the amazing crock pot meal that I made earlier today.  I'm sitting at my desk and I can smell it and it smells so good.  I tried eating a few of Ellee's gummy vitamins which happen to be sitting on my desk just to try to distract myself.  It didn't work, so I'm hoping that Jer will be home soon.  

Moving on, another distraction I thought I'd use is to put up some pictures from youth group tonight.  These were all taken during our game time and in between a few conversations with some of the world's greatest students and leaders.