Monday Morning Gratitude

It gives me true gratitude when I wake up to these shenanigans! I love my baby boy!

And the story of my life:

Welcome to 2018 Ms. Inspired Therapist

I’m going to try something different for this blog. I’d like to try to focus on some new topics that are more interesting or somewhat known by the general public. This could include newsworthy events or entertainment-related stories!

Since I see teens and young people in my career, I try to stay knowledgeable about current trends. I realized recently that I’ve been behind a few years when I finally accepted that my 14 year old was right when he kept discounting his dad and my level of understanding in the social media world.

It’s a bad sign when you have no idea what your teenage son is talking about when you were under the impression that you’re hip. Ha!

It was time to do some research.

So I’ve had an Instagram for a while but I literally only used it for posting pictures TO my Facebook. I didn’t even pay attention to my newsfeed or anything others posted! I actually deactivated my “lame” Facebook as my son puts it, to disconnect from negative people that have NO real value in my life. Then I got hooked on using Instagram for its actual purpose!

Y’all, there’s a world of fascinating people, places and knowledge on that platform. I learned that I was totally clueless about new music especially hip hop, which happens to be the best possible way to connect with my clients (and child)…

I’ve been keeping up with new fashion trends, music, entertainment, news and I’ve even found a place to locate mom bloggers, therapist bloggers and all kinds of information I wasn’t aware existed!

I’m dying to have more interaction on my blog from readers and I’m considering using Instagram as a platform for my blog! This is where I need your feedback because of my lack of experience.

Should I start posting as a blogger and make effort to gain followers? I’ve noticed that I’ve started to get some follow requests from other bloggers and I’ve always had my personal info on any social media set to private for security purposes. I know it’s not safe to allow too much information out especially when you’re a mother-on top of that, a very small woman as well. I tend to avoid danger or risk being under five foot and also a licensed therapist due to my clients being allowed to know only what I want them to know.

If anyone has experience in any of the above please help a girl out!

Recent pictures:

Oh my, weekend.

Part one:

In an attempt to literally escape from the daily grind, I took my youngest to visit his grandparents for this past weekend.

It was the perfect escape at the right moment. We needed Nana & Papa!

My parents have always been very active in my children’s lives. I’m their only child (explains so much, right? *wink wink*) and they welcomed my blended family including proudly accepting them as their grandchildren with no hesitation. It’s an incredible task to describe how important my family is to my parents and how much we love seeing them weekly. They consider their son-in-law no different than their actual son and the feeling has always been mutual. (Sometimes he calls them more than I do!)

My mom had an unexpected, somewhat serious surgery almost a month ago, interrupting our plans for Mother’s Day weekend and taking our traditional family-Sundays away for almost a month. I’m sure you can imagine how tough this was on everyone. Those Sundays have become crucial quality time to our kids and their grandparents’, with even Dad calling to ask when Nana & Papa would be able to come back to see us.

We thought it was best for Nana to stay home and continue to recover, making it easier for us to get out of town instead of them doing the dirty work of the long drive.

This weekend’s visit consisted of relaxing, reading, napping, eating, playing, sprinkler- time, four-wheeler riding, porch-sittin’… and several hours of women’s college softball championship-watching (the ladies at the University of Oklahoma were finally eliminated on Sunday morning as my whole family are total super-fans).

It resembled a nice weekend escape to a familiar, comfortable B&B in the woods, where the guests just happen to be some of our favorite people on the planet…

Part two:

Since my toddler and I had time to relax and bond with our family, I had time to do extra reading, my own rambling notes of journaling which helps me write my blogs!

I had some time to reflect and practice some much needed positive thinking and practical research. And some praying for a little extra guidance.

Overall I have been working hard to make daily improvements as a therapist, which consists of bettering my professional identity in order to BE a better clinician, and making my field better as a supervisor, which of course overall helps make my pockets bigger!

Since I’m proud of my progress, I’ve wanted to shift focus to continue also striving to be an overall BETTER person, mommy and wife.

So I decided to dig deep in my faith this past week to get the clarity I need, put more effort to be positive and focused about my family’s future and consistently balance my career. Writing your goals as a therapist is helpful, but making your visions happen is the most important… Now I’m seeing those goals being achieved! Time for family goals, as well.

I decided to start a new series including my new FAVE list! Who doesn’t love lists? HA! (I promise I’ll actually finish this series…)

The type A people always say, just make a list – and me, being VERY type B fights organization of all kind. So here is my effort in being more “type A”.

My blessings (/all the positive things in my life to remind me that no matter how negative things can get, I’ve got immense blessings and wonderful hopes to be thankful for):

1. My baby boy that changed my entire identity from Amy, to Mommy*
2. My baby’s father who would do ABSOLUTELY anything for me and his children
3. My parents-who have ALWAYS been there for me, through the good and bad
4. My stepchildren and extended family that makes me feel fulfilled with life and hope, those that will always back us when we need them – our circle
5. My career doing what I was BORN to do, help others CHANGE their lives
6. My material blessings that are necessary to be a successful person (vehicle, home, everything that my spouse and I have acquired and continue to strive to provide for our children)
7. The love and support from my friends (old and new) and co-workers who help me daily!
8. The community and our home – Oklahoma – I’ve lived in other amazing areas but seriously. There’s no place like home….
9. My family (me included) has great health!
10. My ability and training to actually be ABLE to practice therapy and provide for my family. It happens to be something I am truly passionate about, proud to have achieved from my education and training, plus the opportunity my credentials have to continue moving higher and one day achieve my all of my professional goals!

This is so exciting! I’m thinking about tons of other possibilities coming from this first list, not only to keep me positive but to remind me to keep my focus and keep reaching higher!

What are some of your blessings/positive rewards in your life? Feedback is always appreciated!!

Xoxo,

Amy {the inspired therapist}

“Boutique-ing”?

I realized today that I’m a total sucker for a boutique. The nice thing about traveling to different areas in my career, I (technically) have the freedom to stop and do a little shopping if I have the time. Or in today’s case, to actually kill a little time while waiting on a client.

I’m wondering if every other woman has a natural instinct to visit each locally owned boutique they see. I’ve had a new interest in “mom” gear in the past few years so these boutiques have peaked my fascination with stylish clothing and also decor related to my home state. Oklahoma is known for our Native American population and the items that have that special style is always noticed in my family. Today I found a lot of great stuff teaching me that in the last place you’d expect, you can satisfy your strange mid-30s need for pretty, hippy style mommy goodies. It might just be that hole in the wall downtown that has been transformed into “southern momma” heaven! 😘

Anyone else into this world of cute novelty’s like me?

💘

I’d love to show off my newest stash and see if anyone is interested too!

Mixed feelings 💕

Have you ever been so irritated with your kids you think you’re going to lose your mind, then almost minutes after they’re asleep, you feel guilt and miss them/wish they were awake? I swear this feeling makes me seriously think I’m nuts as it’s happening.

Today something rare happened: BD took our toddler to Lowe’s. He never takes him on his own (it’s usually all of us) so I knew had a valuable opportunity. I had put off tons of chores all week and really let my house tasks pile up, so I faced the music and started the cleaning process. As I picked up motivation, speed and probably stamina I didn’t realize I had, BD asked if I wanted to take our son to the carnival in town.

I was in the middle of mopping the kitchen with all the chairs piled high in the living room and stacks of bedding around to wash. (I was knee-deep and if I took a break the house would look worse than when I started) so I said the words, “nah I’m all sweaty-it would take me longer than a few minutes to shower but you guys go and have fun” – half lying, since I could’ve gotten things in order enough to jump in the shower, brush my hair/teeth and throw on clothes in 15 or so, but I really wanted to see my house’s surfaces ALL clean so I continued.

I stopped several times, started loosing momentum and became distracted because I was miserable. I was missing those moments of watching my son’s little face light up with new experiences! I wondered if he was sad and didn’t know where mommy is? I couldn’t focus on a single task for long and kept sending texts… moving from one room to another, lost without them and overwhelmed with my sadness.

I found some motivation, finished rooms one by one, then decided I’d just show up and surprise my baby boy! I kept picturing his face if he saw momma walking up to him and how he’d feel if both his favorite people were there to watch him ride the kiddie rides (assuming this year he’d overcome his fear). I could NOT get ready fast enough!

Then I heard my garage door open, which is usually my sign that BD is home. In shock, I ran through the house, makeup in-hand and swung  the door open with a huge grin!!

I saw daddy first and could see the obvious irritability on his face – his sweaty, shiny and obviously sunburned forehead plus a frown under his sunglasses. I see him carrying a new fish tank with a goldfish, bag of cotton candy, the (diaper) backpack as he pulls our son from the car. I immediately notice the dirty tear-streaked cheeks and know how valuable the time they just spent together truly was.

Just as BD told me, don’t be sad – you do things with him, without me all the time (he works a lot of weekends) so I just carry on without him. I’d never really thought about how much he missed unless it was by choice.

I felt relieved and a little silly for being such a baby. Much like that feeling when they’re asleep and you’re missing them being up, but then they wake up, start to annoy you and you regret “accidentally” snuggling with them and waking them in the first place…

Moms, stop being so hard on yourself! Enjoy the moments you have and enjoy the time you don’t have with them, too! It’s actually okay to want both.