Passion

All.of.the.time. I hear:

“I  just don't know how you “DO IT”.

What 'they' don't realize that they are talking/asking about are my passions:
Parenting 9 children

6 children with severe physical, emotional, behavioral special needs

Eating and Cooking Healthy

Regular Exercise

Doula Work

Service in my Community and Church

Baking/ Catering for Special events

Homeschooling

Foster parenting

Jewelry making

Living with a Chronic Illness

Moonlight as a photographer

Be Positive when things are hard

Talking/blogging Openly about Mental illness or my kids challenges

Decorating, re-purposing and Painting things all. of. the. time.

Gardening and sharing

Recipe and Food Blogging

Traveling at any chance I get

Hula Hooping/Gratitude/Meditation and Prayer Practice daily

Working for a Non-Profit in Haiti as a Sponsorship Coordinator for Sionfonds.

Let's be clear, some days I don't. I stop.I stay in bed, let my husband take over....run away, online shop, nap and use other things to not “do” some of the harder things in my life....I take breaks, lounge on facebook, watch crappy television and eat Doritos. Throw pity parties when I am sick, or my children or someone else has hurt me, pout and emotionally shop, get snarky and complain,whine , I overeat, rant and rave when things don't go my way...I am so very extraordinarily human.

But I also will admit, I do “do” a lot of things....

My husband just recently took up Skateboarding. I could say “again” because sometime in his teens, he did “skate” (so he tells me) and was “totally good” in his youth...but lets be honest two teenage life times lay between him and that “totally awesome “skater dude”he once was.
Though I tease him, and openly threaten if he breaks anything, he won't get any pity from me...silently I am cheering him on, finding time in the day that he can sneak away. I love the idea of my button up, mid thirties, daddy to nine therapist hubbie,is hangin' at the Skate park, and not being thwarted by the teens and others craning their necks at the sight of him landing on his hind parts over and over again. He Rocks my Socks.

Be still my inner teenage girl heart.
I married a Rock star skater boy. Avril Lavigne would be so proud.

At night after a long day, after he has helped people with their problems, anxieties and addictions....oh and he does that at work too folks, he picks up his guitar and chats with me between cords. Sometimes I am hooping, sometimes my patience wanes and I scream like a banshee call sweetly that I could use some help with something/children/dishes/a live polar bear.....but deep down, I love it. I love the things that keep him going. Whether it be, his Faith, Music, Job, Family, Me and even Skateboarding...I love his Passions.

I think along the way we let those go.
I get it, my cow! There are things like bills, mortgages...Dr. Appointments....but if you are waiting to pick something up again....or maybe learn how to play that piano at 45...right now could be the exact time to do it. Seriously.

The other day my friend Cathy posted this on her Facebook wall.

It made me stop, think, and smile. Story of my life sister.

I think often I am judged for having too full of a plate. This is not new. I remember once as a kid I went to a buffet with my grandparents...my grandpa laughed at my overly full plate saying “kid, don't you know you can go back as many times as you want”...my answer was “Yes, but I'm afraid I won't remember that I thought it looked good the first time, and what if I am too full, or don't have time...” I wanted to experience everything "now" and somehow had found room on my plate for it.

Life is so wonderful, chalk full of opportunities, things to do, go out an learn and experience. Just because it is hard, weighing, exhausting, heartbreaking and unfair too, does not give us reason to give up on our passions...it should make us seek them more, and in so doing find a little respite from the pitfalls and or land mines that find all of us.

I have a lot of HARD. I will be the first to admit....my pitfalls and roadblocks are sometimes mountains and canyons that look and feel impossible. Maybe that too is my excuse for my excessive need for Passions.

I am passionate about my relationship with God, my family, all of my earthly brothers and sisters,

what my purpose, my journey, my life lessons are and how I can help manifest them.

I am passionate about healing, physical and emotional growth for myself and everyone.

I passionate about growing and cooking healthy, fun, delicious food and sharing it.
I am passionate about Orphans and Haiti, passionate about my fellow Earthly brothers and sisters receiving education, food and medical care.

I am passionate about my children, each and everyone, and what their loves and likes, fears and the passions that too will drive them.

I am passionate about the miracle of life and helping women bring beautiful babies into the world, witnessing that promise of creation that reminds me life and everything after that is a gift
I am passionate about women in general,knowing their infinate worth and helping them know they are not alone in parenting, hard relationships,past or present abuse that their beauty and presence is vital and a gift.

I am passionate about living a true life, of honesty, living my religion, health, compassion, service and acceptance.

I am passionate about art, color, learning, beauty,movement and my need to be apart of it.

I am told there is a time and a season for things...YES. Yes there are. There are things still with my family's healing that are not possibilities right now...but I like to concentrate on not what is “Not Possible” right now...but on“What insane thing I have been itching to do can I fit in here", what worry, stressful thing, grudge, or roadblock that even I have created can I move over and put this passion right in it's place.

Life is short, it also is long and hard and needs joy and purpose even in the barracks of war, pain and loss. My Passion's have come to me, some with me from the moment I began, some as I have evolved and surrounded myself with more, more of everything, and not being afraid when the answer was 'yes' and even less ashamed when it was 'No'.

Yesterday was my 33^rd birthday ( I am told I am a young'un) ...but man have my 33 big ones been chalk full. As I lay in bed with my hot-therapisty-rockstar-skater-dude-baby-daddy, he asked me,"How do you feel about  33 is it good for you?" And with honest tears in my eyes, feeling nauseous from bad sushi and worn out from a day of therapeutically kicking parenting ass...I answered “I love it, I love it all, there is not a thing I would wish different about me and our life. I love being me,It is monstrously hard some days, but I don't wish any of it away, I love what I get to do, and am so very excited to see what is going to happen next."

And.I.meant.it.

I am passionate about my life.

That does not make it easy, give me more sleep, or make things fair.

But it does make it all so very worth it...

What are you passionate about?

What have you been waiting on?

Is it time?

What can you move over, or simply say good bye to, to make that room?

 .......Go, go be passionate.....