Happy Earth Day

Hey there Hey,

It's been a pretty rough past week and couple days for me. I will share some details on another post but I just wanted to quickly stop by and recognize the Earth today on Earth Day! It is the soil we live on and share with one another. Lets hug the Earth and maybe recycle or make the commitment to recycle or maybe take some steps on finding out information on what you can do to help conserve Mother Earth.

xoxoxo

iPhone Madness!!!

Hey there Hey,

And what a happy Friday it is today!!! Why?!? You might wonder....? It's because today after waiting for OH SO LONG, T-mobile is launching the iPhone 5 for the first time ever on 4G network and I will be there at 9am soon as doors open to get mine!!! I currently have a My Touch which has been great to me, but it fell  a couple weeks ago causing my screen to crack. That is when I went to the store and saw the picture I am sharing below and it was like angels singing: Ahhhhhhh!!!

Anyway, soon as I am back up and running, I will be posting some pics of my new upgrade!

xoxoxo

Throwback Thursday!

Hey there Hey!

I am so sorry for not keeping up with my post. This whole media networking tends to be a little hard fitting in especially when you are so use to other ways such as: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc... the list can go on! LOL With that said I would like to make it up to you and share some pictures with ya from back in the days. It's called throwback Thursday. Maybe some of you have heard of it, maybe some not. The objective is to post up pictures that are throwbacks. Please feel free to share with me as well and take a stroll down memory lane together. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. It's nice that a picture is almost like making time stand still. Being able to reminisce brings so much appreciation and gratitude to my heart. It reminds me how I have grown and how my family and I have come a longs way....

Let the Throwbacks Begin!!!

Me and my Little Britney 2009

2009 Miss my hair this color! 

At the Twilight Premiere with my stud friends Rob and Tay! #teamedcob

My sisters Bryanna Ashley & Taylor Marie <3 2009

My monkey man! 2011

Yeah! Try getting a picture with all of them looking.... LOL 2011

Me and my Bestie!!! My sister Chantelle <3 2010

My momma, my sisters & I 2010

Finally one of the whole gang!!! The Rafael's Summer 2012

With my most prized possessions Summer 2012

Sneaky Peeky

Hey there Hey!

It's a great Monday morning over in my side of the Empire. We have been experiencing some gloomy weather which I love as well, but it's nice to see some sunshine and feel nice warm kissed breeze. Anyway! If you can't tell I am very very excited! If I could share emoticons... wait let me search Google quickly!

Image from Google

OK!!! I am back and this is exactly how I feel. However, I do have a busy morning on Monday's. I have therapies with Brenden til about 11ish. Of course, I can't contain myself and if you knew me well you would definitely know that I can't keep surprises or anything that I may think might be of a surprise for too long!!! LOL, well it also depends on the context of the matter. In this case I am just really eager to share my genuine and honest thoughts and feelings about yesterday's Autism Speaks Awareness Walk. What a learning experience! 

I leave you with a sneak peek of the start to a great day!!! 

Stay tuned for more.......

Autism Speaks

Hey there Hey,

I am excited and proud to share that for the first time I will be participating in the Autism Speaks walk this Sunday to raise awareness! My son Brenden Shaun, if you guys didn't already know was diagnosed with Autism by the time he was 2 years of age. I am usually very positive and open about it with other parents, mostly moms I meet while in therapy sessions but noticed I have not really shared it openly with everyone that I know or consider a friend. I created a web page in hopes to share information that might be useful to other families as donations to raise awareness for such a complex disorder.

To be quite honest I can't complain. Brenden has been nothing but a blessing to my family. He has opened up my mind and eyes to see things from another perspective motivating me to choose a positive reaction. After all they do say it isn't always what you see but how you react to what you see that will result in your outcome. I remember my sister was in high school studying autism in psychology class and mentioning some things to me as well as my mother telling me that she felt something wasn't right. I had the choice right then there to react as most of us parents would..... DEFENSIVE!!! I remember having a few explanations (excuses). He stayed at home with me. Wasn't really exposed to other children, which may have cause the speech delay. He always responded to me and my simple commands but only baby spoke til one day he just didn't really speak that either. I remember thinking to myself well I know my sister LOVES me. I know my Mother loves me and well they wouldn't want to intentionally hurt me, so what if they really do see something and they are just sharing to help me. Often when you are the one in the situation it's kind of hard to see things from the outside view. So anyway, one day after long thinking I made the decision to do an evaluation online, myself. Now a days you can do just about anything online. I searched Google and came across a test and sure enough right before my eyes Chumbi (Brenden) fell under the Autism Spectrum Disorder. I of course immediately do what I know how to do best and that's find a solution to the situation and went with my information to the pediatrician for further assistance.

Of course from there we went to Neurologist. Now Brenden was 18 months old when all this came to light. So it wasn't til he was 24 months (2yrs) and genetics/chromosome testing which was all negative, that the Neurologist and I decided Brenden would be labeled Autistic anyway. Now I am not going to lie and I will admit that for a slight moment I felt sad, (I guess would be the best word to describe), that my son was Autistic and there were all these new things we had to adjust too and all these possibilities like being non-verbal and struggle with fine motor, etc... but I was reminded quickly that it's my reaction to the situation that is going to count in the end so what was I going to do?!? Yep!!! What I know how to do oh so well and that is come up with a solution to the situation because I choose not to see it as a problem. (How could any of my children be a problem to me) Brenden goes to Physical, Occupational/ OT Aquatics, Speech and Behavioral Therapy. It's been a long way I must say worth every milestone challenge. He is now 4 years of age and is starting to imitate verbal sounds and often sings a long. He is saying Mama, Dada and Hi clearly now. Words can't express how happy I am that I get to share time with him more often. Before he was always into his own thing and well WOW! I am honored that he gives me time and is willing to share time with others as well.

All I can say is that I learn so much from him every day! That only means more wisdom! I trust in my LORD JESUS and I know that he LOVES me so much and wouldn't give me anything in life to handle that would be a burden. He trust me with my little angel Brenden Shaun. I choose to see this as a way of growing and being one step ahead. The more I know the better right!?!? All that matters is guiding and loving Brenden. Jesus can worry about the rest. This is why I decided to really be true to myself, to my life and share with you all in hopes I can help others become more aware. I decided to actually be his voice and become an advocate for him. I am walking tomorrow proudly to raise Autism Awareness!!!

xoxoxo

Catching My Breathe

Hey there Hey!

Hope all is well with all this lovely Tuesday morning. It's nice and sunny on my side of the Empire. However there is always a calm before the storm - that is predicted this afternoon. (perfect blogging weather)

What I would like to share today as I link up to Ponder Wonders, Soul Food Monday is that sometimes, well a lot of times and quite more often lately I have been feeling anxious to let go! Let go of what I ask myself and it's hard to answer as I have to dig deep into ME once again after believing I was out of the bottomless pit in my soul known to me as my Abyss. Could it be that I found comfort in there? That I redecorated the Abyss? How did I get rid of all the dirt and webs that kept me bound for so many years....? Yep I am back at square one, or at least it is what it feels to be. I will say I am back at square one but this time with awareness and armor. I refuse to be consumed by guilt for resurfacing what I thought was dug deep in the grave. I will knock down and break through whatever walls were built and make room for my new garden of LOVE that will be planted with wisdom and watered by my JESUS, my GOD!

Now if you all knew me personally and for those of you who do, you'd know that I have always wished I could attach music to my post! Grrrrrr since I have yet to figure that one out, I will be sharing with you what I JAM out to, to get myself motivated. It's my new anthem and it put the words together easily for me. Hope you enjoy!

Catch my Breathe - Kelly Clarkson

I don't wanna be left behind

Distance was a friend of mine

Catching breath in a web of lies

I've spent most of my life

Riding waves, playing acrobat

Shadowboxing the other half

Learning how to react

I've spent most of my time

Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show

Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told it's supposed to be right

Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that

Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now

Addicted to the love I found

Heavy heart, now a weightless cloud

Making time for the ones that count

I'll spend the rest of my time

Laughing hard with the windows down

Leaving footprints all over town

Keeping faith kinda comes around

I'll spent the rest of my life

Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show

Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told it's supposed to be right

Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that

Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now

You helped me see

The beauty in everything

Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show

Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told it's supposed to be right

Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of this show

Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's supposed to be right

Catch my breath!

Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that

Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now (it's all so simple now!)

Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show

Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told it's supposed to be right

Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that

Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so simple now