This was us 3 years ago from today. We were so happy and in love back then…

JK! Still are. Even more so now….I love this man with my whole heart. He is uh-mazing and I can’t imagine living a day without him….ever! I love you babe! Happy Anniversary!!

Now if only we were leaving for Hawaii tomorrow….

Ok, so I think it’s pretty safe to say that me and My Hubby are addicted to Disneyland….yea?
So, of course when I read that you can get in FREE to Disneyland/Disney World on your birthday in 2009 I was so excited! I was even more excited tonight when I read that annual passholders still get a birthday gift (since they already get in for free). You can choose from a Birthday Gift Card, Birthday Fast Pass, or a 1 day/1 park ticket that you can use up until your next birthday! UH-MAZING! I love you Disney…

 

Check it out:
DisneyParks

No matter what kind of day I am having my son makes me laugh. There is just something about a baby’s laughter…it’s amazing.

Malachi Laughing For The First Time from theblanchard on Vimeo.

This was the first time he really laughed…it’s even more awesome now. I love it!

-bre

I wish I could sit here and say that since we moved back to California everything has been perfect and amazing, but I can’t. I cannot tell you how many days I cried and wished and prayed I could leave Oklahoma and move back home to California..Well, now I am here and everything seems to be worse! It has not been an easy journey so far. Sometimes I even wonder if we did the right thing by moving back here. Sure, I have my family and Disneyland and the beach, but we left behind a house, amazing friends and good doctors and health insurance and I feel like life has just been hard and crappy since we got here! I try to remember that our situation is just temporary, but its so hard. I have had SUCH a bad attitude and I really think God is working on that….(not fun!!!)

So, today I had to take Malachi to the doctor…He has been sick with a cold which is causing him to have trouble breathing. Of course we don’t have insurance right now, won’t for like three more months, so I take him to some LA County Clinic. Worst experience ever! I was there from a little after 11 until 3:30. I had a sucky attitude from the moment I pulled up to the place. It was on the same property as a state prison which made it feel even more ghetto and scary and I was just totally embarrassed that I had to take my baby there. So, the whole day was just a mess. Everyone was rude, not helpful at all and most of them barely spoke english. Thank God my mom came to be with me and help with Malachi while I stood in lines and filled out paper work! I have to be honest, I know I was not very nice either….I know I had an attitude. I walked around the place acting like I didn’t deserve to be there and I shouldn’t have to take my child to a place like that. I totally felt myself thinking I am better than this and these people. I was already on the verge of tears when I finally got to see the doctor and he was the rudest man ever! I kept thinking to myself, why the crap are you in pediatrics? Anyway, I felt that big lump in my throat and the tears started to come, kept slowly coming until I got out to the parking lot and I lost it. I cried pretty much all the way to my mom’s and I was still so pissed that I had to go there. I really thought that was the worst place I had ever been….

So, what am I feeling like now? Like I’m the freakin crappiest person ever! I really feel like God had me there for a reason, He really showed me something. I just took a look at what people have to go through their WHOLE lives!  I got to see first hand what lower income people have to go through….all the lines, crappy doctors and nurses and crappy dirty offices. So I’m left thinking why the heck do I think I don’t deserve that? What makes me so much better than any other parent in there? I am NO better than any other mom in there and I can’t believe that I even felt that way for one second! I really need an attitude makeover. I need to be more than grateful for what God has given to me and my family. I need to quit thinking that I am too good for certain things and let go of pride. I need to be thankful that I have had AMAZING doctors and healthcare for Malachi and that this is only for a season. Let me just tell you that I HATE learning what God wants to teach me! He doesn’t just let you read it out of a text book…dang it! But I know I will always come out being a better person because of it…So I’m praying for major patience and strength during this very trying time. You can join me

 

 

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”         James 1 (The Message)

Ok, so anyone who knows me at all knows that I HATE reading. Seriously, it bores me and I get side-tracked like every other paragraph….with the exception of the Scott Peterson books, when I was obsessed with that case. 

So, backtrack a little bit…I got this book at my Bridal Shower called “The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands”. So, I opened it and thought to myself ” Hm, I’m sure that book is REAL good….maybe I can learn something from it though..eh. I wonder what else I got..” and I tossed it to the side and moved on. So the book ended up in a box, then on a shelf, then in a box and now it has actually been in my hands! I have to say that the author (Dr. Laura Schlessinger) really made me want to read it even less….she KILLS me. I am not a fan..haven’t been able to listen to her for more than like 5 min. Let me just tell you…this book has changed my life already and I’m not even half way through! She has made me realize so much! I can’t wait to finish it…I have SO SO much to change and to work on! Better now than 50 years down the road, right? So, if you are a perfect wife and have the perfect marriage…well congrats, but this book isn’t for you. If you are like me and have lots of room for improvement, then go pick up a copy and read it with me and hopefully it can change your perspective too!

Here is a picture of it for you visual people…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-bre

I cannot believe my baby just turned ONE! They really do grow up too fast! We had so much fun at his party..

 

The handsome little Birthday Prince.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Candy Bar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the cupcakes I made..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His cute little highchair..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a Pinata, without the whole swinging blind-folded part. You were supposed to just pull the ribbons and the candy was supposed to fall out, but instead….the whole thing fell down. FAIL! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…it ended up being ok though. Daddy saved the day by holding it up. Thank God there was no bat swinging!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mini Bounce-House that the kids jumped on for a grand total of like 5 min. They preferred the trampoline…good thing we didn’t rent it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Malachi’s own cupcake…he loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My little drummer boy….He carries those drum sticks everywhere!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only thing that the party was missing….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Branson’s.

 

Thanks for reading my first blog….

-bre