Motherhood: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Becoming a new mommy has been THE greatest thing to ever happen to me. I have to admit, I was quite scared in the beginning. Scared of what? I'm not really sure, to be honest. Probably that I would screw her up. Probably scared of the responsibility of caring for a new life. But I have to tell you, it really has been the best experience of my life, and not near as hard as I anticipated it to be.

This little girl has been an absolute joy. She has brought so much meaning and happiness to my life....I really do not know what I did without her, or what I would do if I didn't have her from here on out. There have been times, recently, that I have begun to wonder what on earth is my purpose in life? But tonight, as I sit here with her in my lap, yes, tooting on me =), I realize that my PURPOSE, was to bring this baby girl into the world. To be her mommy. To be the woman in her life whom she could respect, look up to, and hopefully want to be like when she grows up.

My days pretty much consist of the same things:

• Wake up to her little grunts and squeaks to feed her. (around 7am)
• Play a little bit. 
• Change her diaper.
• Play.
• Eat breakfast myself. 
• Naptime. 
• Wake up to her little grunts and squeaks to feed her. (around noon)
• Play a little bit.
• Change her diaper.
• Play.
• Eat lunch myself.
• Naptime for baby while I get a little done or just watch some daytime talk shows: The Chew, The Revolution, Dr. Oz to name a few.
• Feed her. (around 4)
• Play a little bit.
• Change her diaper.
• Play.
• Eat dinner myself.
• Play.
• Naptime for baby while I get a little done and watch some tv. (Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and whatever network has the best lineup for the night)
• Feed her (around 8,9,10, or 11 depending on how long it took her to go back to sleep and how long her nap was)
• Play a little bit.
• Change diaper and rub nighttime lotion on her.
• Put her back down for the night.
• REPEAT.

It may sound boring, and repetitive, and it IS very repetitive...and never ending. But I love it. I love spending time with my lovebug. Sure, I miss work sometimes...getting to socialize and be around people my own age. But getting to kiss and love on her and see her sweet smile, and hear her little giggle all day every day is what I'm living for. Being the one that she needs when she cries...ah. It's a very fulfilling feeling. To be NEEDED by someone. To be THE most important person, beyond a shadow of a doubt, in someones life. I have been beyond blessed, and I ask myself every day what I did to deserve such an amazing gift. I can't help but to think of the line of the song "Butterfly Kisses": "Oh with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right to deserve a hug every morning and butterfly kisses at night." 

Another question I ask myself, and ask Rick as well on a daily basis is "How can I love someone so little so much?" How is it possible for me to look at this little precious being and want to just cry...not out of sadness, but out of joy. Out of being so incredibly overwhelmed at this unconditional, unshakable, pure LOVE! There have been a few stories on the news lately, one in particular about a father killing his children then turning around and killing himself by blowing up the house. First of all, why? Idiot. And second of all, WHY???? HOW???? WHAT kind of father, what kind of parent could possibly kill their CHILD??? I can't...ugh. I can't even THINK of that. It's impossible to me. It's unreal. And for that matter, how could anyone ever HURT their children. How is it possible that there are actually people out there who BEAT their children? I look at my daughter...at my precious miracle...and the ONLY thing I want to do, the only thing I can even imagine doing, is hugging and kissing her and telling her how much I love her and how beautiful she is. She may only be a month old, but she still NEEDS to hear she is beautiful and that she is loved. Forever and ever she will be my angel and my lovebug, even when she's 32 =)

Like my best friend Julianna said tonight, she put it perfectly, "[Being a mommy] is the gift that just keeps on giving..." Amen to that!

How My Trauma Was Also My Favorite Part of Life

The past week has been a total emotional roller coaster for me. I have endured one of the scariest experiences of my entire life, while experiencing the BEST thing to EVER happen to me all at the same time: giving birth to my daughter, Lexi via unexpected c-section. I haven't had a lot of time to talk to anyone about it, or a lot of access to do so either until now. I decided to fill everyone in on how things went and how things have been this past week.

As most of you know, the last few weeks of my pregnancy were MISERABLE. The only thing I wanted was for my baby to come OUT of me. So last Wednesday, at my 40 week Dr. appointment, I asked about induction. They put me on a stress test for the baby and it took a WHILE for her to move. They also had a feeling that I was developing gestational diabetes because from the last ultrasound we had, baby girl had what looked like a "pot belly". The doctor I was seeing that day (as my Dr I usually saw wasn't there, as usual...ugh. Different story, different day) didn't want to at first. He didn't really give me a clear reason why, just that "it wouldn't be good". I wasn't dilated at all, so maybe he meant that it would just take a long time...I'm not too sure. But nevertheless, he made a phone call to the hospital and I got my wish: I would be delivering 3 hours from then! I was SO excited! So I went home, got changed, ate my last meal for the next couple days (turkey sandwich and ice cream sandwich), packed and we all went straight to the hospital.

They hooked me up to the machines and got everything started. They gave me Pitocin to start the contractions right away. And boy, did they START. Wow. We were told that it would probably be the next evening before anything SIGNIFICANT would happen, so we just kinda chilled in the hospital that night. My diet of ice and Popsicles had started. They gave morphine for the pain and to help me sleep a bit. They said that if I hadn't dilated to more than 4 cm the next morning, I could eat some breakfast. So, sure enough, the next morning, they checked me and NOTHING. I got to eat the hospitals DELICIOUS french toast....(sarcasm), but soon after that, the contractions got heavier and heavier. I was in "labor" for a good 8 hours, even though it wasn't "Active Labor" since I wasn't dilated more than 4 cm. The baby was stuck, and she was turned face up. At around 4 or 5, or later...I  don't really remember much about all this...they gave me my first epidural. Well, a couple hours later, I was STILL feeling EVERYTHING and I hadn't dilated anymore either. So, more morphine and another epi should do it. Right? Nope. The Dr came in and said that if nothing had happened by 8:15, then they would have to do a c-section.

Well of course that made me super nervous and petrified, but I hadn't made a specific birth plan for that reason. I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. My goal was to get baby girl out safely. So, I agreed to it. My mother was more of a nervous wreck though. Totally understandable. This entire experience had turned out to be nothing like what I had pictured...but then again, nothing ever is.

So sure enough, 8:15 rolled around, the pain had gotten so unbearable I was screaming and crying hysterically. C-Section it is. They rolled me in the room...and by this time I'm in so much pain, I don't remember much. I remember being half asleep when they rolled me in there, either that or just so drugged out I didn't care what they did to me as long as they got my baby out safely. I remember music playing in the operating room and them telling Rick he had to wait outside until they had prepared me. They wanted me to help them help me from the hospital bed to the operating table. HAH! Yea right! But I had no choice, I had to help them out a little. That wasn't fun. See, most of my labor pain was coming from my back. Yea, NOT fun!

The next thing I know, they are draping that sheet in front of me. I can't see anyone in front of me or to my sides, and I'm freaking OUT! All I hear are people talking and laughing, as if this happens everyday (haha...I know, it does. but to me, at that moment, it didn't!) I don't remember them calling Rick in, but apparently they did because he was holding my hand through the "Cecelia can you feel this?" part and the part that I freaked out so much because I COULD feel it, yet they were giving me med after med after med. WHY WASN'T ANYTHING WORKING??? They were getting ready to cut, and then I started screaming and crying so much out of fear that I would feel something that they had to put me completely under. I regret that so much. The fact that I wasn't "there" for the birth of my baby girl. The fact that I don't remember ANYTHING. I don't remember the doctors name. I don't remember some of the nurses names. I have NO idea who that nice lady I have a picture of who cleaned off my baby is. I don't know ANYTHING about the grandparents getting to see her through the nursery. I don't remember anything about anything. It is so sad.

But the only thing I remember the most about...it and NOTHING else at all...not even 5 mins after...(and most of you would say it's the most important anyway) is when I got to see and hold my baby girl for the very first time. I don't know if anything else could ever top that feeling of "love at first sight". They were right; my heart is full now. My life is complete.

The next 3 days in the hospital were okay. We learned a lot about how to take care of her...but they were also pretty miserable. Between the meds and the pain, the noise and disturbances...the uncomfort of my bed and not being able to sleep WITH Rick....yea, it was torture. Although, New Years Eve was magical. Even though we had to spend it in the hospital, I believe it was the best New Years Eve ever. They had the Celebration Dinner that day, which is what they give every new family, and ours just happened to be on NYE. Then, a little before midnight, we snuggled up together in my very small, very uncomfortable hospital bed as a family and watched the ball drop =) Rick and I counted very softly to our baby girl and welcomed in the new year...then kissed HER before we kissed each other. After all, SHE is our life now. She is the BEST thing that ever happened to us.

Rick did have to go back to our house in Lake Helen for the next few days after we brought Lexi home (Nana's being "home") to work a bit while I stayed and recovered with all the help from my mom and sister I could get. My best friend, Julianna and her mom came down from NC as well to visit for a day. Having all the help was nice, but I missed Rick more than anything. My feelings for him became that of when we FIRST started dating long distance. How I couldn't wait to see him face to face. That's exactly how I felt. Last night, he came to mom's house to sleep over so we could go to Lexi's first Dr. appt and then he would bring us home. That really did help things a lot...last night getting to sleep with him for the first time in WEEKS (since I was staying with my mom for a little while before I went into labor, since she lived an hour closer to the hospital than we did...yea, long story) was the best feeling ever. I felt safe and protected and loved again. But it was also kind of a weird feeling, haha...like it was the VERY first time. I hadn't been able to CUDDLE with him for a LONG time. More than just a couple weeks, since my huge belly had been in the way. So yea, last night was magical.

Then today, oh wow. Today I was just super emotional. Crying over everything. And not knowing why. I don't think it's PPD. I think it's the fact I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED, my nerves are shot, and I'm just an emotional post prego woman. The night before last, the trauma of the C-section and the fact that my huge sagging belly along with having those disgusting looking stretch marks EVERYWHERE and swollen feet, hands and face, and the fact that I missed my other half and the father of my child SO much caught up with me. I was a wreck. I don't expect these emotions to go away anytime soon, but I do hope they let up a little. I would like to go one day without crying over something STUPID. But I think since our family is together at OUR house, things will be much better. Please pray they are!

Reflections of the Last 9 Months

Yes, I have been feeling sentimental lately. First an entry about my family and now this. But I can't help it!

The time has finally arrived for my baby girl to show up. I have waited 9 long, yet FAST months for this. I have been a roller coaster of emotions and a blend of different women, and my wonderful fiancee, family, and friends have stuck by me through it all. For that I am grateful! I have had several sleepless nights, several nights where I've slept alone and he on the couch just to give me my space to "stretch out and move around" (When really I think he just got tired of being woken up lol) I have cried. I have laughed. I have gotten ANGRY and irritated at people for the dumbest reasons. I have gotten highly emotional. I have been FRUSTRATED to the very max and people (and places) have pushed me to my limits. I have been uncomfortable to the very max, the point where I just wanted to reach in and take her out myself!.....

....but I have also been happy! I've been excited and anxious! I have gone through some pain, both physical and emotional, yes, but it's all been worth it. In just a few short days (or maybe a week or so), I am going to get to look into the eyes of the precious miracle who has been the reason for all this. And I am going to cry. But not a sad, frustrated cry. I am going to cry out of pure joy! I am going to look at this little girl who is looking back at me hoping I have all the answers to everything (which I don't...and that's scary). I am going to find out what REAL, TRUE LOVE really is. And I cannot WAIT for that! I am going to be someone's EVERYTHING! The one she calls when she is hurt, when she's hungry, when she's mad or sad, and sometimes when she's happy! I will be the one (I hope) who she looks up to and wants to be like one day. Puts a lot of pressure on me (haha) but I can take it! This Christmas is going to be the best one of my entire life, past and future. 

The thing about having a baby at Christmas, is that baby is your present, right? You don't want anything else, not even a tree or stockings. (At least I didn't. I didn't really care, nor did I have the energy to fool with it all) And the best thing about that present is it never goes away. It never gets "old", it never gets thrown away after you get tired of it (although, haha, I'm sure sometimes I'll feel like it....), it never gets "unusable". It never gets sent back to the store or to the Goodwill. This baby is going to be my LIFE. She will be everything that matters to me and I will have her for the REST of my life. And not only am I excited about my gift because it will last forever, but I am also very happy that God was the sender =) My Christmas present this year was from GOD! And I helped make it! Which makes it that much more special. My mom and I were having a conversation a while back about how amazing it is that women have been given the honor of making life with God. It took another person (her daddy) to "provide the goods" but for the next 9 months after, I have been "baking" this baby, making sure she has what she needs. Making sure she is growing the way she needs to be. It's an amazing, fulfilling thing to know that I have made life =)

I can't tell you how many times I've cried because I wish some people could be here for her. My grandpa, my Pops, my Mammaw.... Oh how I wish they could be here to meet this little bundle of joy! I know they will be watching down on us, and I know they will be protecting her....but sometimes I just wish they could be HERE to hold her and rock her and love her they wonderful way they loved me!

There are a few songs out there that I have heard recently that have just...well, they have made me CRY MY EYES OUT! Songs that I have heard before and loved, but they never had that effect on me until now, to name a few:  "I Hope You Dance", Leeann Womack, "It Won't Be Like This For Long", Darius Rucker, "In My Daughters Eyes", Martina McBride, "I Won't Let Go", Rascal Flatts....and this one:

"You're Gonna Be", Reba McEntire

6 lbs and 9 oz, looking up at me
Like I have all the answers, I hope I have the ones you need
I've never really done this
Now I know what scared is


Sometimes I'll protect you from everything that's wrong
Other times I'll let you just find out on your own
But that's when you'll be growing 
And the whole time I'll be knowing

You're gonna fly with every dream you chase
You're gonna cry, but know that that's okay
Sometimes life's not fair, but if you just hang in there
You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good
We just have to believe things work out like they should
Life has no guarantees but always loved by me, you're gonna be

I'm afraid you'll have to suffer through some of my mistakes
Lord knows I'll be trying to give you what it takes
What it takes to know the difference between getting by and living
Cause anything worth doing is worth doing all the way
Just know you'll have to live with all the choices that you make
So make sure you're always giving way more than you're taking

You're gonna be someone's everything
You're gonna see just what you are to me


You're gonna fly with every dream you chase 
We just have to believe things work out like they should
Life has no guarantees but always loved by me you're gonna be
Always loved by me


 Like the song says, "You're gonna be someone's everything, you're gonna see just what you are to me!" Already, I have been overwhelmed with how much I love this baby already, but I can't wait to meet her face to face and fall more and more in love with her every day I hold her in my arms! I can't wait to finally get to feel exactly how my parents felt about me...and to finally understand why my parents did what they did, and said what they said. This is going to be an adventure, and I'm SO ready for it! 


Thank you God for sending me this miracle =) 

My Wonderful Family

Lately, I have been looking around at the homes and families around me. People I've met, people I'm involved with, my friends on Facebook, etc. And it dawns on me how very little I take the time out to be thankful for MY family. So this entry I am going to take that time and brag about how loving and wonderful my family is. I am truly blessed...I just wish I had realized just how blessed I am a long time ago.

Let me give you a little background about my family. My grandpa, Clarence Goodson, was a WONDERFUL man. He didn't have a lot growing up, and he had a pretty sorry home life. But you would never know it from the way he was as a grown man. He was HILARIOUS, always smiling, and always had something up his sleeve. Like my Grandpa Grant, he loved his family too. He was a provider; not only of materialistic things but of love, kisses, hugs, and lots of laughs. I have talked about him a lot in my blog, because I adored him so. He passed away in July 2005 after losing his battle with Parkinson's disease. He had just turned 70 three days prior to his death. He lived a long and filling life, and was also an incredibly talented artist. He carved mostly; beautiful walking sticks, and various models of ducks and birds. He also cartooned and painted. I miss him every day. He always knew how to make me smile or laugh and just to make my day a little bit better.

My sweet grandpa, Pops =)

Then there is my saint of a grandmother, Cecelia. Yes, I was named after her =) Nona is definitely my hero. She is someone I aspire to be just like. My favorite thing about my Nona is how...what's the word...carefree? she is. She is carefree, yet very organized, practical and down to earth. Her favorite quote (which has become mine as well) is "Life is not about surviving the storm, it's about learning how to dance in the rain." And that is exactly what she does. Nona has had a lot of obstacles in her life. But she is a TROOPER if there ever was one. Sometimes it's hard to remember that she is still human, because she just DOES stuff without question or complaint. Whatever her family needs, she gives, no questions asked. Whatever needs to be done, she gets it done. But that's not the reason I love her so much. I love my Nona so much because of how WONDERFUL she is. How she loves her family. How she is always positive no matter what the situation. How no matter where I am, I feel her with me. How encouraging, courageous, loving, kind hearted, adventurous, caring, beautiful, giving, and fun she is. When I have a bad day, or something in my life isn't going right, I think of her favorite quote and it just makes it better. And I always remember what she says no matter how bad a situation is, "We'll fix it." A little story to go with that:

When my mother was about 34-35 weeks pregnant with me, she went to the doctor because she felt like something was wrong with me, for whatever reason. (You know how a mother's instinct is) Nona and my sisters went with her. Sure enough, the doctor told my mother that if they didn't take me immediately, I would turn out blind, deaf, mentally handicapped and dwarfed all at the same time and I might not even make it to age 2. Naturally, my mom freaked out. But Nona was cool, calm and collected. When they left, Nona reassured her everything was going to be okay. "Let's go shopping," she said, since at that appointment, they also found out I was a girl =) (My mom hadn't wanted to know, but I made it pretty obvious during the ultrasound)  The next week, they delivered me. The doctor thought I was only 2 weeks early and that I would be fine (since I was already 7 lbs). But it turns out, I was 5 weeks early. I ended up being born without a thyroid gland, but the doctor actually saved my life. If I had stayed in the womb much longer, I definitely wouldn't have made it, and neither would my mother. When they told my mother the news, about my condition, my mom freaked out again. But again, Nona said the magic words "We'll fix it." Well, it hasn't been fixed: I'm still without a thyroid gland. But I am now 22 years old, perfectly normal, and all I have to do to survive is take one little pill every day for the rest of my life. And that's pretty good =) So you see, Nona just has this way of putting things in prospective. Things are only tragic if you make them out to be tragic. There is always a bright side.

<3 I love Nona

Nona and Pops had 3 children: My dad, Scott, Greg, and Stephanie (Taffy). My mom already had my sisters from a previous marriage, so when my mom and dad got together, they had me. Dad got remarried a few years ago to my stepmom Sharon, and she had 3 kids, twins, Yvonne and Yvette and a son, Brendan. My Uncle Greg married my Aunt Tonya and they had two boys, Chandler and Avery. Aunt Taffy married my Uncle Blaine and they also had 2 boys, Aidan and Ian. Taffy recently re-married my Uncle Steven and he has a daughter named Rachel.

Me and Daddy =)

Always a Daddy's girl

Uncle Greg, Aunt Tonya, Chandler and Avery

Aunt Taffy, Uncle Steven, Rachel, Aidan and Ian

I am definitely a Daddy's girl. My father is one of the most patient, kind men you will ever meet. He makes sure I have what I need and want, but that doesn't mean that he gives me WHATEVER I want, when I want it. He just makes sure I'm taken care of. And I love that. If I mess up, he doesn't hold it against me for the rest of my life. He makes sure I know he is disappointed, but he always makes sure I know he loves me unconditionally. I have been disappointed in him as well, but at the end of the day, it's all just "stuff". It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I have a daddy that adores me, and always will.

My mom is also an amazing person. She doesn't have a whole lot, but what I love about my mother, is she puts her children first. She is one of the most giving women I've ever met. As long as her children, blood, step, in law, grand, are taken care of, she is happy. She doesn't really care about anything else. She is a hard worker, and she WORKS for what she has. Calling her lazy is a no-no. I am blessed beyond blessed to have a mother who loves me so unconditionally.

My mom and her girls =) 

Me, Mandi, Erin, and granddaughter Brooke

I have put both my parents through some sleepless nights, and I was punished pretty much my whole life for SOMETHING haha. But God gave me two wonderful parents that made sure I had a good life. I didn't get everything I wanted. I respected my parents. If I didn't respect them, I was punished for it. If I was good, I got rewarded. If I was bad, I got reprimanded. NO meant NO. End of story. That's just how it was. And I'll add in here that these days, when I see how kids treat and talk to their parents, oh my gosh it makes me SICK. I always think "Um, why aren't they being punished? Isn't that what is supposed to be happening right now?" and then I remember "Oh yea, times are different now. Spanking is considered ABUSE.....and you are considered an awful parent if you reprimand your poor child in public. You might even be on the 5:00 news for it..." Tis a shame.

Not only did God bless me with wonderful parents, but he also gave me 2 older sisters who I love very much. My oldest sister, Mandi, and I actually NEVER fought as I was growing up. But my other sister, Erin, well, we fought every day of my life lol. For some reason, we just never got along. Luckily, that went away as we got older. Now, we have all three had our ups and downs, but again, at the end of the day, my sisters love me unconditionally and I love them the same.

Mandi got married and had her daughter, Brooke.

Erin married her husband Justin. They don't have kids yet, but maybe one day. =)

I am not "legally" married yet (a few more months) but my fiance, Rick and I have a baby on the way, Alexis Sophia.

Our Sweet Lexi =)

I have been blessed with an amazing family. We get together on the holidays (most of the time). We love each other, and we all know it. One thing I absolutely love about my family is there is a zero-tolerance for cursing. You will probably NEVER hear anyone in my family drop the "f" bomb; well, around each other anyway. I'm sure we've all said it lol. I know I have. Call me weird, but that is one quality you just don't find these days. And I like that we still have what's called "COURTESY". We are all intelligent human beings and we have all been very blessed. We are all fortunate people. We all have roofs over our heads and food to eat. Clothing on our backs and a wonderful family. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The Fading Art Of Proper Etiquette In Our Social Lives

Here I go on another one of my rants again. Rah Rah, I know you're excited =) What might you ask will I talk about? The faded art of ETIQUETTE.

I don't know if it's just in the generations from baby boomers and on, (cause that's where I've seen it the most) but proper etiquette has been fading quite rapidly. Let me stop and go ahead and define what the word etiquette is, so that I'm perfectly clear on what I'm talking about.

et-i-quette [et-i-kit]- conventional requirements as to social behavior. 
(in other words, it's a code of how to behave in public)


For example, your mother taught you how to chew with your mouth closed, right? How to sit at a table without your elbows on top? Well, I guess I should know that the answer for most people my age is NO...tisk tisk. SADNESS! I'm sorry but if you don't know THOSE basics, there is no hope for you and good luck being successful in life!

I'm going to concentrate on SOCIAL etiquette. I think Facebook and Myspace and Twitter have kind of ruined our social life if you really think about it...but that's a different topic for a different day. I'm just saying that our SOCIAL life etiquette REALLY needs some work these days.

I guess I'll start ranting with the one thing that made want to write this entry in the first place: invitation etiquette. Not to give you a boo-hoo story of my life, but ever since I was about 16, every event that I've had, be it birthday, graduation party, baby shower or what have you, I invite a LOT of people. I always do. What can I say? There are a lot of special people in my life. But through the years, I guess I have learned that either I have HORRIBLE timing, or I am not as special to those people as they are to me. Both of which are unfortunate. But that's okay because it's a good way to tell who your friends are. Don't get me wrong, I KNOW that stuff gets in the way. Former commitments, work, etc. See those things HAPPEN. And I hold no judgement against those people who can't come because of that. But the thing that makes me the most annoyed and angry are the people who don't bother to respond.....at all. And that tells me a couple things: either A. You don't WANT to come and are too afraid to tell me B. You don't know what RSVP means or C. You don't care. And each and every time I have a party, I keep track of those people and I don't bother inviting them again. You see, I don't care if you can't come or not. Well, I mean I do...but if you can't come, you can't come. I want to know IF you are coming, because I need to know how many people I'm having for a variety of reasons: how much seating do I need. How much FOOD do I need? How big should my venue be? Ya know, some places make you put a deposit down and depending on how many people you have coming, that fluctuates. So it's nice to KNOW ahead of time how many people you have coming. And if you don't bother to RSVP at all, that makes things different. By the way, RSVP means "Please Reply." It does not mean "Only reply if coming" or "Only reply if not coming". It simply means REPLY!

So, here is the proper etiquette of Invitation and RSVP according to EmilyPost.com, an etiquette website:
1. RSVP. (see, it's the VERY FIRST RULE!) From the French, it means “Répondez, s’il vous plaît,” or, “Please reply.” This little code has been around for a long time and it’s definitely telling you that your hosts want to know if you are attending. Reply promptly, within a day or two of receiving an invitation. (OR, as soon as possible, but before the deadline)


2. How Do I Respond? Basically it comes down to this. READ THE DARN INSTRUCTIONS! 
     a. If there is a phone number on the invitation and it says "RSVP to Sally at 555-6786 by June 5" well obviously that means you need to CALL Sally by (meaning before or on) June 5 to let her know if you are coming or not. And sometimes, especially in this day and age, a TEXT will do. 
     b. If there is a response card included (this is usually the case with weddings) then you fill it out, and you send it back to the host of the party
     c. EMAIL with a nice "I'm sorry I cannot make it; I have prior commitments. I hope you have a wonderful time and thank you so much for thinking of me." and if you want to send a gift "Is there an address I can send a gift to?" or "Thank you so much for inviting me! I will definitely be attending! Is there any information I need to know about?" Yada Yada, or something along those lines. 


3. Is that your final answer? 
According to etiquette, this is correct:

• Changing a ‘yes’ to a ‘no’ is only acceptable on account of: illness or injury, a death in the family or an unavoidable professional or business conflict. Call your hosts immediately.
• Canceling because you have a “better” offer is a sure fire way to get dropped from ALL the guest lists.
• Being a “no show” is unacceptable.
• Changing a ‘no’ to a ‘yes’ is OK only if it will not upset the hosts’ arrangements.

4. Do not ask if you can bring anyone else. If the invitation was sent to YOU and it was only ADDRESSED TO YOU, then the only person invited is YOU. If the invitation is addressed to YOU and your Spouse/Partner/Husband/Etc, obviously, they are invited as well. Basically, whoever the invitation is addressed to, that is who is invited. Note: the only thing RUDER than yacking away on your cell phone at the table, is bringing an uninvited guest. WORST thing you can possibly do. 

5. Always say THANK YOU. Say it when you are RSVP'ing. Say it when you are leaving the event. And call or send a thank you note 2-3 days later. Let them know you had a great time, and you can be sure you will most likely be on their next guest list. 

Now, the following rules are about how to behave when you're AT the said event:


1. Arrive on time. NEVER show up early, and if you're going to be more than 15 mins late, just let your host know. I will personally always understand because again, life happens. But it's good to just let me know! In this case, texting doesn't count because I may not see the text until way too late.


2. Turn off your cell phone. or at least put it on vibrate. 


3. Be a willing participant.
Be SOCIAL. At least TRY to strike up some conversation. And participate in any games they have. They have them for a reason: to entertain YOU. So the least you can do, even if you think they are dumb, is participate. It's for FUN! 

I'll tell you the truth: if you're the one refusing to participate in anything, you're the Debbie Downer who brings the mood of the party DOWN about 10 notches. And you don't wanna be that at a party. As much as you think it doesn't affect it, it REALLY REALLY does.

4. Practice moderation. 
I'll make this one short. If there is alcohol, don't get wasted. If there is a ton of food, don't eat it all. Simple as that.

5. Offer to help with whatever you can. 
There are lots of things to get done at a party, and 90% of the time, help is always appreciated. However, if the person you ask says no, don't insist. Just enjoy yourself, know that you DID offer and be done with it.

6. If there is assigned seating (such as a wedding) Don't switch your place cards.
Your host spent a lot of time and effort deciding where you would sit, so don't screw it up!

7. Be considerate. I would hope these would be common sense, but I think Mr. Common Sense left our society a LONG time ago....
Wipe your feet before entering. Don't put your feet on furniture. Use a coaster for drinks. Leave the bathroom neat for the next person. If you're a smoker and there are no ashtrays, go outside to smoke. If you have a cold or other spreadable illness, call with your regrets and stay home.


8. Compliment your host. 
Don't go overboard, but compliment your host for her hard work. Compliment the food, the decor, the venue. Make her feel like she did a great job and that she is appreciated. But again, don't gush. 


9. Respect your hosts trust.
ie: Don't go snooping around in her house. And if you break something, let her know immediately and offer to pay for repair.


10. Leave with the pack.
Don't overstay your welcome unless you were invited to stay longer. And if you need to leave early, just let your host know so she is not insulted with an early departure.


11. Thank your host. 




Now, let's touch on DATING, shall we?


Use your manners! That goes for men and women.  Be CONSIDERATE of your date. These rules are gender-neutral, but if you're old-fashioned like me, the italicized rules should be reserved for the men. But that's just me. 

Holding the door: Whoever gets to the door first holds it for others. (Or, if you think like me, man hold door for woman) 

Getting off an elevator: The person closest to the door exits first. (Or, if you think like me, woman go first.)

Helping to put on a coat: Anyone having trouble putting on a coat or sweater should receive some help, regardless of gender.

Paying for a meal: Whoever does the inviting does the paying.

Standing: Getting up to greet someone is always polite—and this is especially important when the person is elderly or is a business superior or client. It’s also the thing to do when you are being introduced to someone.

Walking on the outside: The custom of a man walking between his female companion and the street was the custom in the days when carriages splashed mud and ladies’ finery needed shielding. These days, it doesn’t matter who is walking on the street side of the sidewalk. (completely disagree with that, but again, I'm old fashioned)

Shaking hands: Used to be that a man was supposed to wait for a woman to offer her hand before he extended his. Today, regardless of gender, people should shake hands upon meeting, and it doesn’t matter who puts their hand out first.

Helping to carry something: A neighbor or coworker—anyone—who is overloaded with books or packages will appreciate an offer of help from whoever is nearby.

I think that about does it for the evening. Thank you for reading. And just remember that even in our modern society, ETIQUETTE still matters. If you don't have good etiquette, don't be surprised if you don't go too far in life!

Be THANKFUL For That Tree BEFORE You Put It Up!

Is it just me, or are there other people out there deeply offended when people put their Christmas trees up before Thanksgiving? I don't know if it's happened in years previous (and it probably has) but this year, I've noticed it just seems like EVERYBODY wants to put up their Christmas tree right this second. It's like an epidemic! I don't get it. Maybe everyone is just bored or something, I don't know.

People look at me as though I'm a Mrs Scrooge and I'm so against putting the tree up because I hate Christmas or something. Which is not the case at all. I love Christmas! I always have and always will! I love the decorations and the music, the smells and the traditions. I love putting up my Christmas tree too. But....this is the time of the year you spend with your FAMILY and it's not about decorations. It's not about the turkey and the stuffing or the football. It's not about presents. It's not about materialistic stuff at all. It's about being with the people you are most thankful for. THANKSgiving is about giving THANKS. And when you put a Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving, you overshadow a very important holiday. You wouldn't have turkeys put up on Halloween would you? You wouldn't have shamrocks everywhere for Valentines day? You wouldn't have 4th of July decorations out for Easter? So why would you have a Christmas tree out before Thanksgiving? Why do you think the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, is used most for buying Christmas gifts and it's the day AFTER Thanksgiving?

I know Christmas is a favorite time of year for everyone and it's everyone's FAVORITE holiday. Congratulations, it's mine too. But first I celebrate Thanksgiving. I am THANKFUL for the blessings in my life FIRST. Then the day after Thanksgiving, up goes the tree and the decor.

Someone said earlier (and she didn't say it directly to me but I know she was implying it) that people who don't put up their tree before Thanksgiving don't get to experience the joy of Christmas as long. Haha. That made me laugh. Dumbest thing  I've heard all day. No, let me correct you. Not only do I get to experience the joy of Christmas, but I also get to experience the joy of Thanksgiving. So I get DOUBLE the joy.

And maybe Christmas isn't a big deal to me this year because my gift this year is my daughter, Lexi. I am more excited about her than anything else! Even more than I was when my parents took me to Disneyworld for the very first time for Christmas when I was about 8. ;-) The tree, and the decor, and the stockings, and the ornaments, and the caroling, the lights, the music....yea, I'm excited about it. It's fun! But having a baby does kind of overshadow all that...and first things first: I am THANKFUL for the people in my life. I am THANKFUL for the roof over my head. I am THANKFUL for the food on my table. I am THANKFUL for the car I have to drive to get places. I am THANKFUL for my health. I am THANKFUL for my job. I am THANKFUL that I have such a wonderful, loving family and that they raised me to know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.  I am THANKFUL that I have a beautiful baby girl on the way: a miracle from God. And I am THANKFUL that I KNOW what the meaning of Christmas really is. It's Jesus' birthday. It's the first day of the beginning of HOPE for mankind. And it's also about being THANKFUL for your BLESSINGS!

So before you go putting up that tree before Thanksgiving, how about being THANKFUL that you have a tree to put up in the first place?

Pet Peeves!

GRRRRAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHGGGRRRRAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!

That's a scream of frustration.....

There are just so many things in this world that get on my nerves! I know that in life, you shouldn't let the little things get to you. But I'm having a really really hard time with that. I try so hard to be positive and optimistic, and I have been until about 7 months ago. Now, my hormones are going crazy and my patience is very low. A lot of it has to do with my job. Ok, 90% of it is my job. (Don't worry my last day here is just a month and a couple weeks away, and I will never come back to the industry again, unless of course I go to the place that started it all: Hampton Inn Brevard.) So I'm just going to vent here, even though I have vented a lot on Facebook Notes.

I'll start with my number one pet peeve:

1. BEING INTERRUPTED.
*sigh* I guess the whole concept of "raising your hand to speak" has been tossed out the window. In fact, I think "RESPECT" has been completely tossed out the window in general. Wouldn't you agree? I mean people these days just don't have any respect for each other in general.  But I digress; the respect subject is for a different time. But really, when I'm talking, you don't. I don't expect you to actually raise your hand, that would just be weird. We aren't in school. But most people love it when other people finish their sentences. Well, NOT me. Unless of course you're my husband. And I only have one of those, or you're someone who is very close to me who probably has an idea of what I'm talking about. It's just so rude to me! And on a deeper level, I hate it when people interrupt me by asking a question of which what I'm talking about will answer that question.
ex: "Thank you for calling Embassy Suites La---" "Is this the Lake Buena Vista one?" "Yes it is." "Ok, and who am I speaking to?" "My name is Cecelia."
Now, if that person had just waited another 5 seconds, which is the polite thing to do, to let me completely finish my greeting that I am paid to say, BOTH of those questions they had just asked me would have been answered at the same time.
i.e.: "Thank you for calling Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista. This is Cecelia, how may I help you?"
See? Now this whole asking a question before I'm done explaining thing happens alll the time at work. This is a normal check-in dialogue:
"Hello, welcome to Embassy. Are you checking in?
"Yes, my last name is ------"Yes, Mr./Mrs. ----, we have been expecting you. I see you have a --- suite for --- nights?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Okay perfect, I just need to see an ID and a credit card please."
*guest hands over items*
"Thank you, Mr./Mrs ---. And how many keys will you need? "
"2 please"
*we make keys*
"Okay, Mr./Mrs.---. Now, breakfast is held from 6:30-10, and we have a happy hour every day from 5:30pm-7:30pm. That includes your free alcohol and non beverages as well as snacks. Check out is at noon. Here is a copy of the complimentary schedule to Disney. We also have a movie that plays by the pool and you will find that schedule here on the back. Here are your room keys, which is what you will need to park. This is where your room is. Since you are located on this side of the hotel, you may park in the West/East side parking lot. Do you have any other questions?"

Now, at that point would be the time for the guest to ask any questions that I haven't answered, and ask for any paperwork I haven't given him/her.  But for some reason, guests constantly ask where to park, what time breakfast is, what time the managers reception is, etc, before I even get done making the keys. Ugh. lol it just irks me to DEATH!

Another thing that drives me crazy, on the topic of interruption, (and my mother is guilty of this the most; sorry mama.) But when I'm on the phone with someone and they start talking to someone else they're with WHILE I'm in mid sentence. O my gosh that drives me bananas. So much in fact that I end up just saying "Hey, I'll just talk to you later". Obviously, I do not have your full attention, so I will talk to you when I do.

2. RUDENESS.
I have this firm belief that every person on the planet should work in the retail, hotel, food, or some kind of public service industry at least one point in there life. Realistically, that's not always possible, especially when there are a lot of people out there who inherit positions in family businesses that have nothing to do with public service. But I have this philosophy that if everyone worked in the public service industry, to kind of get a sense of what "we" go through, then maybe people would be a little more understanding and less rude.

Now, I'm just talking about my job here, but like I said, 90% of my pet peeves come from my job. It's amazing how rude people on vacation can be. I mean vacation is supposed to be a de-stresser. But if it's stressing you out THAT much to where you're being rude to the people trying to make your vacation special, maybe you shouldn't even be on it! I think people these days live in fantasy world, and when they go on vacation, reality just kinda goes out the window. Now, in a perfect world, you would be able to get a room automatically at 10:30pm, in July, in Orlando, FL, and it be the EXACT room you want at the EXACT location you wanted. But unfortunately, and this is true for any hotel, to get EXACTLY what you want, usually requires a reservation at least a week or longer in advance, depending on what type of room you want. In REALITY, there are other people with certain types of requests JUST like you that are staying in this hotel at the SAME time you are. Can you BELIEVE IT? And in reality, that room that you wanted on the 5th floor with the beautiful room by the pool is currently occupied by someone else who made their reservation 6 months ago, so NO, Mr. Walk-in-at-10:30pm on a Friday night in July in Orlando, FL, that room is not available. And it is SO amazing how RUDE and bent out of shape people are about that. 'I'm writing to your company! My family is on vacation and you're making it miserable!" Well, no, sir it's not our fault that YOU are an idiot. Go ahead and write your little letter, but you're just going to writing to write. You will not be refunded for anything. The response corporate gives you is probably just going to tick you off even more, so you probably shouldn't even write the letter in the first place. The fact that you're threatening us with a letter, really doesn't phase us the least bit because we know that this little mishap is not our fault. And the ruder you are to us, the less likely you are to get what you want, though you may think that rudeness gets you what you want. Actually, at that point, we just want you out of our face and out of our hotel. If you were in a restaurant right now, we'd probably be spitting in your food. So you're lucky.

Off my rant on rudeness at work. Let's talk about in general. When you bump into someone, it's polite to apologize and say excuse me. When you're driving, the law is to use your turn signal, and it's also polite as well.  If there is an older person or a pregnant lady in front of you in line, it is not polite to push them out of the way. It's not polite to shout at people for no good reason, especially when you're shouting at someone for a reason that is not under their control. It is not polite to call people names. When you receive a gift, the polite thing to do is to write a thank you note. I mean c'mon people you learn this stuff in grade school!  Now, I am definately not saying I am never rude because that would be a lie and a half. But always remember that Please, Thank You, and Excuse Me are necessary phrases in life. Use them!

Ok, enough of that. Onto the next one.

3. You're in America. SPEAK ENGLISH!
Okay, I'm all about people coming over and enjoying America. More power to ya! But first of all, come LEGALLY and second of all LEARN SOME ENGLISH! I wouldn't go to France or Mexico on VACATION without knowing some basics, and I certainly wouldn't move there without knowing more than basics. Now, I know that most of the immigrants here who don't know a lick of English are mostly illegal. That just makes me mad in general, but it's a different subject for a different time as well. And another thing, if you don't know english, then don't get mad at us for not knowing your language. We're in America, we speak English. The door swings both ways, you know.

4. Way too lenient parents.
*sigh* If your kid is screaming and making a scene in public, control them please. Nobody wants to hear them. If your kid is bad in public, discipline them. It drives me crazy when parents don't control their kids in public. I'll give you an example:
A month or so ago, we had a little girl who was going up to kids in the pool area and pushing them in the pool. Just random kids she didn't know. She was about 5 or 6. She was reported by a few concerned parents. When we confronted her father about it, he got angry at us and took his daughters side! Wow! "My daughter would NEVER do such things." Right. Okay. So you really think that we found you and just accused your daughter of pushing kids in the pool for our entertainment? Really? Okay.

I think that about covers it. Yup.