Category Archives: Writing

On Marriage- From a Child’s Perspective…

Posted on by under Children, Family, God, Marriage, Mothers Day, Writing

 

Me and Noah Carosel

Richland Carousel – Mother and Son

Yesterday my Husband and I celebrated our fifth year wedding Anniversary. Our Marriage has been far from easy, and I think we have had every stressor a couple can have. A chronically ill child, myself being ill as well as my husband. Then we had the financial burden that comes along with all this illness. (And is still a burden we are still facing)

This year has been the hardest, but it has also been the greatest because we have each other. I’m so thankful for my family and for my Son, and for the grace God gives us to get through each day, one step at a time.

This Anniversary we Celebrated together as a family. It’s a miracle that we are all still breathing in this air on God’s green earth. What a gift it is to be alive!

We went to the Mansfield Penitentiary, and then the Richland Carousel. Noah was so excited to celebrate our Anniversary with us, and reminded me about something important. The celebration of an Anniversary, is not just about the celebration of a couple, but the celebration of a family.

Noah and Mike

Mansfield Penitentiary – Father and Son

I was six months pregnant with him when we were married. We all came into this marriage as a family. We were all brought together because of this special little guy. As such, our marriage should be celebrated together, and it hardly seems right that we should leave Noah out of it, since he was with us on our special day. Wise beyond his years, and my greatest teacher, Noah always has something to say…

“Mommy I was in your belly, when you, Daddy, and Me, got married to each-other.”

….Yes Noah. That is what marriage is all about. The blending of two families, and the creation of another soul born into this world to bring people together. Family, that is what a marriage is all about when you really think about it.

My Wedding

August 29, 2013 – Our Wedding

I couldn’t think of a more perfect weekend to have a wedding. Every Anniversary I get to celebrate Mother’s Day too, and the greatest gift God has blessed me with- my family.

Noah's Birthday

My Husband – Welcoming Noah into this world

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Finding Your Voice

Posted on by under 2018, Dreams, Writing

Finding your voice as a writer is not an easy task. It is something I have been trying to do for the last couple of years. If there is anything that my failed attempt at self-publishing helped me to accomplish, it was that it helped me find and develop my voice as an writer.

Over the last two years, I have completed every single goal I have set for myself…

  1. Self-Publishing a book.
  2. Writing a series of books.
  3. Finding my voice.

The important thing is that I failed. I am thankful that my self-published book failed, because I found my voice. I also found something that I am excited and very passionate about to be writing. That is not to say that I was not passionate about the Candlewick Falls series. I just didn’t feel that it was my best work, and that is why I pulled it off of Amazon. That is not to say that I won’t revisit the series later.

I look at every failure as a success. One step closer to achieving my goal. That goal is to be a traditionally published Author.

The Process of Creation…

Posted on by under 2018, Creativity, Writing

It is a funny thing how the creative mind works. I’m sure any number of you can attest to this.

It is 1 a.m. in the morning, your mind is swimming with ideas. So what is a person to do with all these ideas? There are several solutions to this problem and they are as follows…

  1. Lie awake in bed and let stare at the ceiling, thinking of all those ideas.
  2. Visualize those ideas.
  3. If your significant other is still up, tell them of all your ideas and future plans.
  4. Write them down.

Lying there and thinking up ideas is important, but to think up those ideas you must visualize. Sharing with others is an part of the creative process too. If you see that they become just as excited as you are about your idea, you know you are on the right track.

My rule of thumb for writing down an idea is this…

…it has to be good enough, that it sticks with you for at least a week or longer. If you forget about it well, it wasn’t very good to begin with.

 

I felt like I was dying…

Posted on by under 2018, Writing

A little over a month ago, I felt like I was dying. I had been in and out of the E.R. three times, with what doctors kept saying was a GI virus. A GI virus that lasted more than two weeks. I had upper right quadrant pain that radiated into my back. My liver enzymes were elevated and so was my glucose, even though I had nothing to eat. I looked like I was pregnant, I had swelling all over my body. I hadn’t eaten in nearly two weeks. My body was at the point of exhaustion. Two days before I wound up in it the hospital, I had stopped drinking any fluid. I was so sick, with pain and nausea. The worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. Worse than labor pains, and I had a difficult labor.

By the time they admitted me for surgery, I was dehydrated for the fourth time in two week, my blood pressure was elevated and so was my heart rate. My color was not good. I looked like a corpse. Almost four weeks later after an ultrasound that showed biliary sludge, and a HIDA scan that indicated my gallbladder was not functioning, it was finally removed. Still before they admitted me they had the nerve to ask if I could wait for another two weeks. I could hardly walk, I had to be wheeled in in a wheelchair. What really makes them think I could wait another two weeks?

Hurry up and die. That is the way the health care system is in this United States. Billing departments, and insurance companies are fighting amongst themselves, while doctors are trying to get the necessary treatments that their patients need approved. Financial departments are making sure they bill you for the maxim amount of money, squeezing insurance companies and patients for as much as they can.

There is no such thing as affordable health-care, as long as these corporations and insurance companies, run the show.

Hurry up and die while you wait for treatment. Its not about the quality of care or service to the patient, but all about profits.

Unconditional

Posted on by under Grandparents, Poetry, Writing

Cradled in my Mother’s arms,

my little fingers reaching out for Papa’s.

Daddy’s scratchy beard,

tickles my soft newborn skin,

as he leans in to kiss me.

Mama’s Daughter,

Daddy’s little girl.

No matter what age I am still.

The light is passed on-

trying to care for my Son,

Like my Parents still continue

to care for us.

The most loving Grandparents

anyone could have,

still the best Mom and Dad.

Beautiful Chaos

Posted on by under Children, God, Life, Motherhood, Parenting, Writing
Chaos

My Son and I

Amongst all the mess, the toys strewn across the floor, screeching children running around my house -after the week we had been through as a family- I welcomed it.

I was simply happy that my Son was able to play with his friends, and squeal with delight and joy -that the previous week- he had been unable to do.

Sometimes we just have to take a step back and realize, that when it comes to life, not much is in our control.

Sometimes born out of this chaos of life, we find things we never expected. A friend to laugh and cry with. Unconditional love and advice from our parents… Pure joy, and realization that life is so darn precious. We find gratitude, and are sometimes humbled by our experiences. If we listen close enough, dare I say we may even find the voice of God?

Children, we are all children of God. Maybe if we saw the world through the eyes of a child, it wouldn’t be so bad. Chaotic and Beautiful, something that we did not plan.

Just Keep Swimming…

Posted on by under Go Fund Me, Just Keep Swimming, Writing

I wanted to keep you all up to date on what is going on and why I have been neglecting my blog…

I rarely try to post things that are too personal, but I feel this time it is necessary. I recently started a go fund me account, because my Son has been in and out of the hospital. You can read about it on the go fund me page if you would like.

Read more here on our story….Just Keep Swimming

If you can’t contribute, all I ask is you share our story to raise awareness for childhood asthma, and please pay it forward to others that are in need. Even if it is just to lend a ear to listen to, and kind words of encouragement.

The kindness that people have shared with us, has been more than enough to get us through those difficult days and nights, and the many more difficult days we have ahead of us. (As I am having suspected Gallbladder issues.)

As Dory would say, “Just Keep Swimming.” That’s all we can do right now at the moment.

God Bless,

Christina

 

 

Memories

Posted on by under Life, Poetry, Writing

Memories-

Fade so fast.

Away, Away flies the past.

Upwards and onwards floats like water on a river.

With currents and streams that turn over and over.

Watersheds, that empty into the ocean.

Then back into the eather from wither they wander.

Memories-

Fade so fast

My,

life is gone

too fast.

Harry Saves the Day, and Dr. Penguin to the rescue!

Posted on by under Children, Non-fiction, Parenting, Writing

Being a Mother has its challenges, but it has been especially challenging as of late. We finally have an answer to the question, why my son continually gets croup, has trouble breathing, and has an E.R. visit or ambulance ride every time he gets a respiratory infection. He has Asthma.

I am learning, because I know nothing about asthma. Perhaps, if I had, my Son could have avoided numerous trips to the E.R. for the oral prednisone he so desperately needed to reduce the inflammation of his airway.

There are many things that I have learned about my Son. He gets really anxious and agitated when he is having difficulty breathing. Because he is four, he does not always tell me when he is feeling unwell. He just becomes more active.

He hates taking oral prednisone. I got one of his favorite stuffed animals from one of his favorite books. “Harry the Dirty Dog,” and pretended Harry was taking his medicine. I told him, “Harry does not like the taste either. So he is gonna open his mouth and I am gonna pinch his nose so he cant taste it, then he gets a shot of orange juice for being so brave.”

“I’m gonna be brave like Harry Mommy! Let me try it! Let me try it.”

My Son was able to take his medicine. Let me tell you, I tried it. It is bitter as hell, even with the flavoring the pharmacy puts in there. Thankfully, just like Harry my Son was able to take his medicine.

The penguin nebulizer the doctor gave us to take home was a genius idea. Whoever thought of this was brilliant. My Son was a little scared of the noise at first. I told him, “That’s the noise that Doctor Penguin makes when he is trying to make you feel all better.” 

So begins the saga of Doctor Penguin and his adventures. So I began to do what I do best. Tell stories to my Son of Doctor Mommy Penguin, and her little baby that she was trying to help get better. I talked in the goofy voices that each of the characters have. My Son, laughs and giggles and loves this so much. To make a long story short… It worked! He is now taking his medicines as long as I tell him the stories that he requests.

My Nightwish series, has been put on hold for a while, because I am not working on writing and illustrating Doctor Penguins adventures at my sons request. He has had quite a few adventures this week!

“Tell me a story Mom… read me your book…Oh yea! And please draw Doctor Penguin for me in my book. “

and this is why I am writing children’s stories and YA fiction. It has made this difficult time much easier on us both. Sharing something so unique and special has brought us so much closer. It helped him to understand what was going on inside his body, and why he needed the medicine so badly.  Harry the Dirty Dog might have saved the day, but mama penguin came to the rescue!