A Minute with Mo

There is an old  Chinese  proverb that says, " A journey of a thousand miles began with a single step.' and today I took that baby step...again.  Months ago, I was actively embarking upon a journey toward better health and a smaller waist and well.... smaller everything. :) Somewhere along the way after I lost about 20lbs I got the big head and started feeling really good about myself. People were complimenting me left and right and I was getting more and more attention than usual (some good, some bad) Nevertheless, I figured, ah, I can slow down a little now, and I don't have to hit it as hard as long as I don't gain anything back and maintain my loss, I'm good. That worked for about a month or so and then I stopped working out... I went from 5 times a week to 2, then to 1 and then figured I was too busy to make it to the gym.  Along the way, my mind started playing tricks on me and in addition to slowing my workout I began craving items I KNEW I didnt need to...

April 11, 2012 - that's the last day I posted something on my blog... how sad... almost 3 months and I haven't had the opportunity to 'release'.  I have so many things going on in my head and I have to get them out and written so I wont have to hold onto them anymore.... so, if you're interested...buckle up, because we're about to go for a ride. :) ~Mo

Hey! So lately, I see these messages, pictures and quotes all the time that either inspire me or make me pause and think about myself and my life. I mean, some really good stuff.  It might be things that we've heard before but weren't in the right season to really receive it and apply it to our lives.  You read/see it and it just IS  and it usually is very self explanatory.  With that being said, I am going to start sharing them here on my blog in hopes that these "Little Life Lessons" inspire or help people that stop by as much as they help me. If you like it, share it with somebody else. :)  I'm posting the first one below. Little Life Lesson: "Don't try to stretch a season into a lifetime. Know when to let go." Okay, I have to say something about this one, lol... Love this... and its so very true. I had a conversation with someone yesterday about the acceptance that loving someone doesnt mean you're meant to be or meant to be in each oth...

I strive to....... 1. LISTEN without interrupting. 2. SPEAK without accusing. 3. GIVE without sparing. 4. PRAY without ceasing. 5. ANSWER without arguing. 6. SHARE without pretending. 7. ENJOY without complaint. 8. TRUST without wavering. 9. FORGIVE without punishing. 10. PROMISE without forgetting. Seems like a short list of 10 things but they arent all easy tasks... but these are great reminders that can make life so much sweeter. :) ~Mo

So, I grew up the ONLY girl with 2 younger brothers and was the first grandchild to both sets of grandparents so it goes without saying that I was just a little spoiled and pretty much got what I wanted because I was the only girl and the oldest. :) For me, it was always a matter of saying what I wanted and eventually it would be done. I think some of that poured over into my adult life and I thought that things would just 'happen' for me but  I'm sure anyone reading this knows that life doesn't really work that way and I was in for a rude awakening, lol. There have been many times that I've been disappointed and let down when I felt like God didn't just grant me the desires of my heart WHEN I WANTED THEM . <--- problem was the when I wanted it and maybe, just maybe my timing might not have been aligned with God's timing so I was rejected or told No. Looking back through slightly more mature eyes, I'm learning to be grateful and not bitter or angry...

So, lately I've found myself daydreaming (a LOT) about having another baby. I don't know WHAT has gotten into me. Years ago, I had this carefully thought out plan about how my family would be constructed, how far apart my children would be in age, a list of baby names and everything... but its funny how life doesn't always happen exactly the way we plan it. *Go figure*   It probably doesn't help that my family has grown quite a bit in the last year and a half or so too, as I welcomed my first niece and two nephews into the world so babies have been all around me. I love everything about them, their sweet little fingers, and soft little toes, the way they snuggle up on you and my all time favorite - just holding them and putting them to sleep. :) Even though my big baby is 9 years old now I still love for her to crawl up in my arms and the way she hugs my neck makes me smile inside and outside. I love the innocence of children, their inquisitive nature and their cur...

Soooo my daughter has her first official cheer leading competition this weekend at Cowboys Stadium! I'm super excited for her and her rec team (North Dallas Divas). So fitting, for anyone that really knows her.  They've been working really hard lately. I'm excited about being there to support her doing something that she loves and enjoys and ready to see that big kool-aid smile on her face! I'm wondering if I'm going to turn into this super crazy cheer mom traveling with her team to different competitions and what not, there with my makeup and bows and cooler in hand. I'm hoping it doesn't get out of hand like some Toddlers & Tiaras type mess, but I am excited about it. I wanted her to play sports but she is just tooooooo prissy for all that and this is as good as it gets. I've enjoyed watching her confidence in her abilities build. She surprises herself doing things she thought she wouldn't be able to do and as a parent its a great feeling to ...

Have you ever cleaned up your house/apartment, real good, I mean real good and sit back and admire your handy work you notice/realize you left something out or missed a spot and now you have to go back and clean it up after you thought you were   ALREADY DONE ? Makes you feel some kinda way, doesn't it... **Sigh** That's how I feel right now. I've worked really hard to clean my life up... pick up the pieces of my broken heart from a failed relationship, allow my emotional scars to heal, and just press forward and move on.... and every once in a while there is a reminder or something that happens or something that is said/done, something I hear/notice that triggers my emotions all over again and I realize... I've made progress but I'm still not there yet, and I still have some cleaning to do. I can and try to do what I can to minimize confrontation with my 'triggers' but what happens when you have no control of the things that could potentially affect you...

Have you ever been in a situation where you keep trying and trying and things just don't work out, you get frustrated and want to give up? I have... and its frustrating to no end. As children we are taught to try and try and try again. We've heard our parents, teachers, coaches, religious leaders and others always encourage us and say "Don't give up!" so we naturally take on this negative connotation to giving up.  Shoot, I do the same thing with my daughter, I don't want her to not try so I'll keep pushing her because that's what people did to me and FOR me. However, when it comes to giving up on people, I'm starting to see things a little differently.  Like the image above says... sometimes you give up on people because you realize they don't care. Its really unfortunate that you would have to 'write someone off' because they aren't putting forth the same effort as you, but its necessary sometimes. It's also very hurtful...

Everybody's fairy tale life is different at least in the beginning (how it might start), but the endings usually boil down to the same thing. Happily. Ever. After. - Whether its the husband and wife with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a dog, or a family consisting of a loving same-sex partnership with someone who adores you and your children, its the thing that makes you happy and makes life beautiful that create your happily ever after for you. Love and all that other mushy stuff.  I think as human beings we all (to some extent) long for a loving relationship/partnership with someone that we are compatible with, that loves us, complements us and that we 'click' with.  Relationships can be a real safe haven and a place of comfort, love, support and encouragement. But until we get to that point...what do we do? Can we have a happily ever after without all those things? (Its not a test, so I'll tell you now the answer is yes, lol)  When my 5+ years relationship ended...

Hey you! I hope you've being progressive thus far in this new year. Its been amazing for me in so many ways and I'm just grateful for each day and the new opportunities presented. :) I've been in a really 'reflective' mood here lately and saw a picture with the old cliche 'Dont Know What You Got Til Its Gone' and it got my wheels to turning and made me think really long and hard about some of the things that I no longer have... and if I truly recognized them for what they were, now and then.  In a lot of ways I agree with the statement and I've used it before but I'm curious what type of lens people are looking through when they say it, whether they view it positively or negatively, cause I think it can be used both ways. Frankly, more often than not, I've heard more people use the phrase negatively, meaning they are sad or down about the particular thing or person that they have lost and could have some regrets. It seems as though people looking...

Hey world! Its been a while... I've had so much on my mind and in my thoughts and just not enough time to get it down on paper or the computer rather... but I'm making the time in the next couple of weeks. My goal is to publish all of the things I have saved as a 'draft' :) Its been hard for me to write because I think I started becoming worried about my readers too much. Wanting to make sure I posted something 'good enough' that people would enjoy and through that I stopped using my blog as an outlet as it was intended to be. I dont always feel up to blogging a profound paragraph or lenthy lecture ...maybe just a simple sentence every now and then and something cool I saw that I want to share... I'm going to vow that I wont overthink things to much and post whatever I want. :) Hope you all had a wonderful weekend (I surely did) and look forward to a productive week! Mo

When I was little, I thought my daddy was the KING! I mean, he was the man... he was powerful, something like a superhero, he took care of his family and he could make things happen that would make me say 'WOW' and make me think, "How did he do that?"...my dad could do no wrong and I thought he had magic powers... As I grew up, the more I learned about my father I realized that although he was a great father to me and my brothers he wasn't always the best man or husband to my mother but, nevertheless, I cant deny the impact my fathers presence had on my life - both positive and negative. Now, as a mother, each day I'm faced with the issue of the occasional presence and frequent absence that my daughters father has in her life and it makes my heart ache...seriously. Like my chest gets tight, and I can barely breathe sometimes because I'm overcome with emotion. *oh goodness, I can feel my eyes welling up as I type* As her mother, I feel responsible for...

Hello World (Wide Web) and Happy New Year! A new year is upon us and I'm excited about it; new goals, new opportunities, new accomplishments to celebrate and the whole nine yards. I actually started working on my 'new goals' before the 'new year' got here but just like everyone else, I'm renewed, refreshed and energized and ready for another year, there's just something that gives you a 'fresh start' feeling when the beginning of a new year rolls around. My last post wasnt very happy... Actually I was kinda sad, maybe even a little drepressed about my holidays 'being different' when it turned out to be the same as it had always been. Kinda... funny thing is - that didnt make me happy either. I mean I enjoyed Christmas and all with my family and people I love and care about, but it didnt give me THAT feeling I was looking for. So with that being said, I've thought about my goals and things I want to accomplish in this new year and ME m...

I am normally very into the whole Christmas spirit and holidays but I'm just not feeling it this season. *Shrugs*  I've got to get it together because I don't want to be a Scrooge or Grinch when I have so much to be thankful and grateful for. This is the time that everybody is supposed to be happy and cheerful and I'm feeling kind of sad and alone...First holiday season in a long time that we've had to spend alone and I think that has a lot to do with it. :( All I can hope for is that it gets easier with time and I come around.... on the bright side at least I put up a tree, no? Ah well, I tried.

Just needed to vent a little tonight... and this was the result of my little rant to myself....  I didn't finish it cause I might wanna come back and add more but this is what I have right now....  So frustrating to talk and not be heard How could they listen so intently and not hear a word I'm saying I'm frustrated, confused, maybe even upset What part of any of that is so hard to get? I know people rarely see me, naked, exposed, and not wearing my smile, But I, just like you, get down every once in a while When I'm cut or hurt I bleed blood, just like you  do I promise you that I go through stuff too Aren't I entitled to have a bad day too To hurt, to sulk, and cry just like you do. Eventually at some point the strong will become weak But rest assured I'll eventually land on my feet. I know people count on me for the laughs and the smiles But like I said before, I too go through things every once in a while I wont be the...

Hello world, its me again. :) Did ya miss me...?  Life has been good, life has been busy...thats about it for me.  I've missed writing and so I'm here to get my fix. Lately I've been noticing a growing and pretty disturbing trend.  I'm all for social networks and what they represent when they are used the RIGHT WAY.  What I don't like about social networks is the ability it gives people to hide behind the guise of a profile picture or a username and enable them to believe they can 'create' the person they want to be.  More often than not I've seen the players portray themselves as the most faithful partners, the heathens (as my grandma would call them) are the most saved and spiritual you've and the perpetrator is always the victim, the person living paycheck to paycheck is balling out of control and sadly the deadbeats are parents of the year (men and women) and the list goes on...seriously...and no im not making this stuff up. I'm sure you...

Whew, its been forever (AGAIN...) I feel like I really do say that on each post, lol... this time being back on it is referring to my commitment to healthIER eating and a more active lifestyle.  I really started hitting it hard back in July and it wasn't easy because I have always started and just as quickly stopped working out and eating right. But I hung in there for a little longer this time and in just a couple of months: VOILA! I was 20 lbs lighter.  (Talk about excited, lol!) No sooner than I lost the weight did I get comfortable with my new 'look'.  I know you're thinking but it was only 20 lbs, well apparently that made a huge difference, lol... I got comfortable and complacent and stopped trying as hard. I had told myself "See, you could do it and now you've done it." and that was almost enough. Enough for me to slow down, stop even and say well if I need to lose it now I know how and know what I need to do. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT I'm g...

Here we go with the latest edition of "Truths" I've compiled that I want to share with you- just a little food for though... TRUTH:  Sometimes, it is better to not get what you want, so it won't distract your vision from what you need. TRUTH:  We must understand that whatever we give the power to make us happy, we have also given the power to make us sad.  Make it worth it… TRUTH: Sometimes, it's harder to forgive than to love; but true love, will never find it hard to do both. TRUTH:  A person playing a role, will soon forget their act.  Pay attention. TRUTH:   To have high self-esteem, you also need to love your bad qualities - it's fake to love only the good ones. Only by totally loving yourself, can you hope to love anyone else and their bad qualities. TRUTH:  Everybody lives, but not everybody learns. Make sure you are growing thru life, and not just going thru life. TRUTH:  Nothing can drag you down, unless you are holding on t...

So, I get the 97.9 the beat newsletter and they had this topic about Texting Rules and some of the offenses and no-no's, just thought i would share these for a good laugh.  This is hilarious because I’ve done most of these things…smh Avoid One Word Answers – If someone texts you a sentence, it is not polite to respond with “K” or “LOL”, its kinda rude, and in fact, it’s stand-offish.  At the very appear that you are least interested in the conversation you’re having and instead of saying “K” say something more like “OK, I’ll do that now”. See what a difference a few extra letters make? Response Time Is Everything – If you’re carrying on a text conversation it is very rude to leave a person hanging by taking hours to respond or not responding at all. If you are busy, feel free to let the person on the receiving end of your conversation know that response time will be slow or to give you a minute. If you can say it all in 1 message, please do – Although we don’t w...