The only dream...

Marriage 365 @marriage365 wrote an article "The One Dream You Can't Lose" -about the dreams we have in marriage and some of the dreams we have to let go of. In this article they feature our Tyrone and Elina duet CD "Different As Can Be" and talk about the lyrics to one of our duets called "The Only Dream". Truly Honored. Marriage 365 is founded by an amazing couple Meygan and Casey Caston who have faced huge challenges in their own marriage and now they try to encourage others to stay commited to their marriage using social media, encouragement and ideas for how to keep your marriage thriving.

http://marriage365.org

Pumping Mama Travels

Writing from DC ;). Husband beside me sleeping like a baby. It's 7:45 AM here and I can't sleep because I am used to Ireland waking up (not sleeping like Tyrone) and being hungry around this time (totally missing my opportunity to sleep in away from the kids! Lame!)

Yesterday I sat at LAX with time to spare, extremely excited to sit there and dive into my Bible study book I haven't had much alone time for. I was enjoying my freedom from motherly duties. Just lounging, so sweet, and then, I realized- 

I'VE GOTTA PUMP!! WHERE THE HECK DO I PUMP?!

 I don't want to sit on a public toilet to pump. How bout a power source? That will be by the sink if there is one. I don't want to be standing at the restroom counter to pump! Saying hello to all the ladies as they wash their hands!! "Hi, would you look at me, don't mind me, I'm just pumping my boobs!" 

Thank the Lord I saw a SIGN (it was like a holy moment!) the sign said "Mother's Room". Well, this glorious sounding "Mother's Room" was not at all close to the sign. I found out it was all the way down at terminal 5 (like a mile away!) I had my pump bag, a garment bag, my big purse (with all my snacks and all the reading I was gonna get done in all my amazing free time) and not to mention I was luging my heavy boobs!!!(you think I would go a little lighter without kids!!) 

I was already sweating with my mom hormones as I started my walk to find this ""Mother's Room". Meanwhile, I'm thinking of all those women I saw in Uganda carrying baskets on their head, a baby on their back and a water bucket in their hand, so I felt like a total wuss!  (Mom comparison= mom guilt. Can you believe all the stuff we women can think about at one time?!) 

Well thank you Lord again for a nice employee with a golf cart sitting at the bottom of the escalator asking me (the total wuss) where I would like to go!!!! (due to all of the construction at LAX,  he was there to help people like me) He drove me down a long hallway and told me how to get to the "Mother's Room" . Which by the way, the highly sought after "Mother's Room" ended up being somewhat of a storage closet with a sink and a bench. But with PRIVACY that's the key word. All I need. After I was done, this same nice employee got me back just in time to board the plane!!

 God is good! 

When I got on the plane I thought "Ahhh, how nice it is to not be tending to a child every minute of the flight" and I happily started to read a novel I had put on hold since Ireland was born. By page two, I started to yawn and by page three, I was passed out. I think I woke myself up cause I started to drool.

Then I thought I've gotta go pump again! 

The luxurious travel adventures of a nursing mom. Just imagine and enjoy the thought of me pumping in the airplane bathroom :).

BELOW PICTURE-Me feeling pretty cool that I'm getting a ride down this long hallway! Thanks to the high end mommy pumping services at LAX. 

But,

Dear LAX,
please add some wallpaper, shag carpet, a plush couch, a pleasant scent and some free water bottles to your somewhat dreary jail cell like room that you have pleasantly titled "Mother's Room". But hey, I'll stop complaining, because you actually thought of a great room like this for mothers! Now go and  build one in every terminal and we mothers will come!

 (By the way you can bring your pump and your milk bags, cooling packs etc. through security, they just need to check it. I brought 5 days worth of my milk home in my carry on!)

Consoled by a 4 month old

Sweetest Ireland, little did you know how comforting and calming you were as I changed your diaper. You smiled at me and softly rubbed my arm as if you knew I was stressing out and my blood pressure was rising.

"Your big sister is driving me crazy!" I told you as you cooed at me trying to get my face to soften and smile back at you. As your big sister Aria was screaming demands from her room you just smiled and reminded me that I was normal, still a good mommy and appreciated by you. I was fulfilling your basic needs: diaper changes, milk, smiling time etc. I am still the best in your eyes.

You came into this world already having to share time with me and you have been so patient and good natured about it. You are such a gift. God must have known I was gonna have my work cut out for me with a 3 year old and he wanted to give me a ray a of sunshine, YOU!

You arrived on November 30th 2014, on a much needed day of rain. Our land was in a drought and you came on a day when everyone was celebrating the much needed rain. Beautiful rain that gives life and makes all things green. Shamrock green like the rain thriving country you are named after.

Precious luck.

A much needed blessing.

Only 4 months later, your smile is always so ready to form anytime I get a chance to interact with you or sing with you. Your giggles seem to always be just behind the surface ready to explode out with a song or a cheek squeeze.

Sweet little Ireland Mele, thank you for your love and forgiveness as I learn to mother two. I often feel like I am juggler trying to juggle the needs of you and your sister and I am failing and should exit the stage. I feel guilty enjoying too many of your smiles while your sister is begging for my play time. However you seem to take whatever you can get with grace and for that I thank you.

I never knew how I was going to make room in my heart for two, since your sister seemed to take all of it, but when you arrived, my heart just expanded and keeps growing and growing.