A couple years ago, I ordered a kit from Ancestry and then never got around to mailing it in. A few months ago, I actually ended up ordering another one (I later called and was able to get some of the funds back for not using the first kit) and actually mailed it off, saliva and all. I don't know why I finally decided to do it, or why I didn't deem it imperative before... but I am SO glad that I saw it through this time. In the middle of May, I got my ancestry results and some of them were pretty shocking. Take a look:
ANCESTRY RESULTS: LEILANI AND JUSTIN
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Ava decided to wake up at 6:30 this morning, so someone got a nap a little earlier than usual, which means this mama is blogging a little earlier than usual. For the past 19 weeks, I have began to join a large community of women from all over. Women who share their pregnancy journeys, women who share their breastfeeding journeys, basically just all that is woman surrounded by pregnancy and babies. I have loved being able to to tune into mommy blogs, video blogs, and the empowerment that comes with it. One thing that is completely lacking in these communities that i've noticed is the hype about dads! I never really see anyone talk about how their significant other feels, how much help their husband is, or their other half's views on certain parenting aspects. This actually makes me extremely sad. If you raid my blog, one thing you will notice is, Justin is mentioned in just about everything. He is the other half of the reason why Ava and Bean are even possible, and that reason alone is enough for me to talk about his feelings. Although the dad's may not carry a child, they are just as important and worthy of talking about.
That being said, I have noticed why so many things have come to be. The articles that state that father's aren't just babysitters... the meme's that show dad's doing everything "completely wrong" with their children. Or even the mommy blogs that talk about how distant they feel from their husband when it comes to raising children. Have we ever stopped to wonder WHY they feel this way? I think a large part of that is, us. I'm guilty of this too. When we first had Ava, I had to have everything a certain way. I felt like I knew what was best for our little baby because I had carried her, I was nourishing her, and ultimately my mommy intuition kicked in. I remember one day, Justin and I had disagreed about something... he stared me blank in the face and said, "You know, we both became parents at the same time. We are both learning this together." Completely changed my life when he said that.
That was the moment I stopped treating the father of my child like he was inadequate. That was the moment I embraced him and his fatherhood intuitions. I trust Justin's decisions whole-heartedly with our daughter, and I have never looked back from those feelings since. We both encourage one another as parents and we both support each other when we've had our trying days. Because, like he said two years ago, we are both learning together. If you are a mama reading this, and you have found yourself guilty of something like this, I hope you take one thing away from this post.... make a change. The beauty of having your husband along side you is for the support, the love, and the help. Let him be that for you! We don't know it all ladies, even if we are birthing these precious miracles.
Aside from giving him parental praise and recognition, having our alone time has been more essential now than ever before. Adding another addition to our family is not only a blessing, but another reminder that the marriage Justin and I have needs TLC for always, and no matter how many babies we are blessed with, we cannot lose sight of one another. Our schedule is going to be no more once baby #2 arrives, and while we are bracing ourselves, we know our new normal will eventually make it's way into our lives. Until then, we will be taking advantage of all the helpful family babysitters we have, late night movies, and all night pillow chats! This man is my very best friend in the entire world and our friendship and love will forever remain a priority in my life. Here's a photo of Justin and I from our gender reveal. So happy to be expanding my family with this man!
♥- Leilani
That being said, I have noticed why so many things have come to be. The articles that state that father's aren't just babysitters... the meme's that show dad's doing everything "completely wrong" with their children. Or even the mommy blogs that talk about how distant they feel from their husband when it comes to raising children. Have we ever stopped to wonder WHY they feel this way? I think a large part of that is, us. I'm guilty of this too. When we first had Ava, I had to have everything a certain way. I felt like I knew what was best for our little baby because I had carried her, I was nourishing her, and ultimately my mommy intuition kicked in. I remember one day, Justin and I had disagreed about something... he stared me blank in the face and said, "You know, we both became parents at the same time. We are both learning this together." Completely changed my life when he said that.
That was the moment I stopped treating the father of my child like he was inadequate. That was the moment I embraced him and his fatherhood intuitions. I trust Justin's decisions whole-heartedly with our daughter, and I have never looked back from those feelings since. We both encourage one another as parents and we both support each other when we've had our trying days. Because, like he said two years ago, we are both learning together. If you are a mama reading this, and you have found yourself guilty of something like this, I hope you take one thing away from this post.... make a change. The beauty of having your husband along side you is for the support, the love, and the help. Let him be that for you! We don't know it all ladies, even if we are birthing these precious miracles.
Aside from giving him parental praise and recognition, having our alone time has been more essential now than ever before. Adding another addition to our family is not only a blessing, but another reminder that the marriage Justin and I have needs TLC for always, and no matter how many babies we are blessed with, we cannot lose sight of one another. Our schedule is going to be no more once baby #2 arrives, and while we are bracing ourselves, we know our new normal will eventually make it's way into our lives. Until then, we will be taking advantage of all the helpful family babysitters we have, late night movies, and all night pillow chats! This man is my very best friend in the entire world and our friendship and love will forever remain a priority in my life. Here's a photo of Justin and I from our gender reveal. So happy to be expanding my family with this man!
Photo Cred: Taken by Charmi D.
Edited by: Yours truly
Happy Thursday all!♥- Leilani
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
My husband came home from work this evening, and he was so excited about his future college courses. He met with an Army counselor today, and apparently the guy was completely enlightening. Justin was able to discuss his career goals (outside of the Army), and he got his foot in the door with the path he needs to take. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my ambitious man take control of his future. I think it'll be interesting to see what this does for our relationship. We've never been in school at the same time... while being parents...while Justin is in the Army...while attempting to conceive this summer. That's right guys, no pregnancy for this mama. I've got say, I was honestly shocked. I do have to go back in a couple weeks just to double check, but as of right now, no baby bean is in the works just yet.
Ultimately Justin wants to be some sort of teacher (completely different from his cop aspirations). All states are different when it comes to requirements for teachers, so it's imperative that we choose the state we want to live in permanently. This is a much bigger decision than I anticipated. I never thought I'd ever want to live anywhere but Washington, but I could honestly picture us living somewhere outside of the Evergreen state. There's also the matter of which state we'll be in next year. As of right now, Justin says he plans to reenlist. I'd like to be in a state that offers Justin a lot of time to focus on family and school (more than work). Who am I kidding? This is the Army we are talking about. In all seriousness though, I seriously have an eerie feeling that we will end up back in Georgia.
I guess Fort Benning (Georgia) wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to us, but I'd really love to stay away from the Southern states for the rest of my entire life. We talk about Georgia or Colorado at least once a week. The window for reenlistment will be here before we know it, so decisions definitely need to be made. The only true benefit that we'd have from moving back down there would be a "no deployment zone" for our family. I would do whatever it took to make sure Ava bug doesn't have to be without her daddy for months at a time. With how attached she is to both of her parents (at this young age) I would hate for her world to have to undergo such a major change. We definitely have a lot to sift through this next year. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my family and friends while I can. Now that I've been away, I know that the genuine people that I love and care for will always be there.
Overall I'm just really proud of my life right now, and even more proud of my husband. He isn't only providing for this family, he's inspiring this family. He's already pursuing a career in the military, and making the choice to go back to school allows him so many other opportunities. Ahh! So much happiness right now. I know we all have someone we're proud of, so give them a smooch, or maybe a compliment! Happy Wednesday all!
- Leilani
Ultimately Justin wants to be some sort of teacher (completely different from his cop aspirations). All states are different when it comes to requirements for teachers, so it's imperative that we choose the state we want to live in permanently. This is a much bigger decision than I anticipated. I never thought I'd ever want to live anywhere but Washington, but I could honestly picture us living somewhere outside of the Evergreen state. There's also the matter of which state we'll be in next year. As of right now, Justin says he plans to reenlist. I'd like to be in a state that offers Justin a lot of time to focus on family and school (more than work). Who am I kidding? This is the Army we are talking about. In all seriousness though, I seriously have an eerie feeling that we will end up back in Georgia.
I guess Fort Benning (Georgia) wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to us, but I'd really love to stay away from the Southern states for the rest of my entire life. We talk about Georgia or Colorado at least once a week. The window for reenlistment will be here before we know it, so decisions definitely need to be made. The only true benefit that we'd have from moving back down there would be a "no deployment zone" for our family. I would do whatever it took to make sure Ava bug doesn't have to be without her daddy for months at a time. With how attached she is to both of her parents (at this young age) I would hate for her world to have to undergo such a major change. We definitely have a lot to sift through this next year. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my family and friends while I can. Now that I've been away, I know that the genuine people that I love and care for will always be there.
Overall I'm just really proud of my life right now, and even more proud of my husband. He isn't only providing for this family, he's inspiring this family. He's already pursuing a career in the military, and making the choice to go back to school allows him so many other opportunities. Ahh! So much happiness right now. I know we all have someone we're proud of, so give them a smooch, or maybe a compliment! Happy Wednesday all!
- Leilani
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Mornings are my favorite part of the day.
- I wake up in the arms of my husband
- I wake up to Ava's sweet smile
- More often than not, the sun is shining through our window
So the biggest conflict I've had lately is nursing Ava in public places. Not all establishments are nursing friendly. To make things more challenging, we've had some crazy rain here lately. Running out to the car with baby, stroller, and infant seat would have left us all soaked! I'm trying to get in the swing of things with a baby on the go, so I've decided to stick to my guns and not give Ava a bottle until she is six or eight weeks. Even then I don't plan on making bottle feeding the norm in our home. I've realized how important it is for me to feel comfortable nursing her, wherever we are. I'm feeding my baby. There is nothing violating about that. In a little over a month we will be heading to New York for block leave. I have decided instead of giving Ava a bottle, I'm going to nurse her the entire trip. I have become a strong advocate for breastfeeding and nursing Ava has become a big chunk of our bonding time. Justin is on board with this as well. It definitely makes things easier knowing he supports my decisions.
Today will be a busy day. We don't like having Ava on the go all the time because she's still just under a month old. Our weekend was more laid back, as we had people over, rather than going out. So today we will be shopping, potentially finding a tattoo artist for my husband, and dining out at one of Justin's favorite restaurants.
Go out and make your Sunday fabulous people !
Monday, May 13, 2013
My Morning
Ava
On a much happier note, I've got 48 hours until I will be admitted into the Army hospital for induction. I'm still at this surreal phase where no words are really doing me any justice when trying to describe how I feel. This human being, this perfectly innocent little girl, that's been growing inside of me all this time will be making an unforgettable entrance in my life. In doing so she will be filling a void in both Justin's heart and mine. Voids we were unaware existed. I've never experienced a greater blessing in my life, and I am completely honored that the lord has allowed me to carry such a precious gift.
Recap
This past weekend, I got my car detailed, finally. Twenty dollars well spent.
I had my final set of maternity photos taken by Victoria Simmons. Once again she did a phenomenal job! I become more impressed with her, every shoot. I laid back in some refreshing water. I love the pool but I'm not excited about how dark I'm getting. My skin is so uneven ! Tan lines are NOT flattering for me. I did a final clean up of the house before Ava gets here. Thank goodness I had a friend helping me. Cleaning products like comet, really aren't good for me to be inhaling at this point. I regained my love for Italian food. In my first trimester, I avoided Italian cuisines like the plague ! So it makes me happy that I was able to eat it without the sudden urge to hurl. My husband is a hardcore Italian food lover and I'm sure his first weekend back will consist of something Italian based. I watched safe haven. It's based off of a Nicholas Sparks book. Can I just say this movie was not only entirely predictable, but very boring to watch. I'm glad I didn't pay to see it in theaters ! Not my ideal romantic love story and those are super cliche within themselves! On a really random note, I feel it's necessary to share this bit of musical goodness, considering I've played this song 217 times on my itunes. (kissed you) Goodnight by Gloriana is thee best country song I have listened to in weeks. I can't get enough of it ! I'd suggest giving your ears a delightful listen. Yes, it was a pretty divine weekend for this expectant mama.
I had my final set of maternity photos taken by Victoria Simmons. Once again she did a phenomenal job! I become more impressed with her, every shoot. I laid back in some refreshing water. I love the pool but I'm not excited about how dark I'm getting. My skin is so uneven ! Tan lines are NOT flattering for me. I did a final clean up of the house before Ava gets here. Thank goodness I had a friend helping me. Cleaning products like comet, really aren't good for me to be inhaling at this point. I regained my love for Italian food. In my first trimester, I avoided Italian cuisines like the plague ! So it makes me happy that I was able to eat it without the sudden urge to hurl. My husband is a hardcore Italian food lover and I'm sure his first weekend back will consist of something Italian based. I watched safe haven. It's based off of a Nicholas Sparks book. Can I just say this movie was not only entirely predictable, but very boring to watch. I'm glad I didn't pay to see it in theaters ! Not my ideal romantic love story and those are super cliche within themselves! On a really random note, I feel it's necessary to share this bit of musical goodness, considering I've played this song 217 times on my itunes. (kissed you) Goodnight by Gloriana is thee best country song I have listened to in weeks. I can't get enough of it ! I'd suggest giving your ears a delightful listen. Yes, it was a pretty divine weekend for this expectant mama.
Moving Forward
I'm hoping my day turns around. Actually, I know it will. I never allow myself to sulk all that much. I plan on having a mellow Monday. I'm getting ready to head out and have lunch with a fellow Army wife here in a little bit. Excited to see her ! Haven't seen her in over a month, I believe. I may do a little last minute shopping today as well. I'm anticipating not leaving the house for the first couple weeks after my sprout's arrival. I hope all my blog readers have themselves a fantastic day! Also, please excuse my completely anal, type a, organizational posts. This is what I do in my mind before I even start writing. Lately, I've been finding it easier to categorize all that I want to say rather than just free flow writing. I promise, this is not going to be a habit that will occur for much longer.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
It's 5 a.m. and instead of sleeping I am up snacking on leftover macaroni and cheese. It's true what they say about pregnancy cravings, when you are craving something, it's best to just go get it ! I laid in bed for about ten minutes thinking about it before I actually got up. I bet you're probably wondering why I'm even up this early, right ? The answer would be my husband. Needs of the Army was the reason for a 4 a.m. call. I have to say his dedication to his Army goals are such a motivation for me. He never complains, even when he faces really hard days. He doesn't make excuses for short comings and he strives to be better every single day. I really hope our daughter carries on some of those strong characteristics.
Speaking of which, I'm 36 weeks pregnant today and I'm three weeks away from the induction date my o.b. gave me. I have another growth scan for Miss Ava in just 5 days, I'm anxious to see how much bigger she's gotten. I've been thinking a lot about my pregnancy this past week. I keep coming to the thoughts of how miraculous this journey has been. Pregnancy is the most natural feeling I have ever felt. A few things I haven't listed on my blog that I've done during my pregnancy that have been really great milestone reminders are:
As promised, here are a few photos from my maternity session:
Alright, It's now 5:30 a.m. I need to get back to sleep. It's just been awhile since I've updated so I thought when falling back asleep seems impossible what better way to use my time than to blog ? Have a Fabulous Thursday blog readers !
Speaking of which, I'm 36 weeks pregnant today and I'm three weeks away from the induction date my o.b. gave me. I have another growth scan for Miss Ava in just 5 days, I'm anxious to see how much bigger she's gotten. I've been thinking a lot about my pregnancy this past week. I keep coming to the thoughts of how miraculous this journey has been. Pregnancy is the most natural feeling I have ever felt. A few things I haven't listed on my blog that I've done during my pregnancy that have been really great milestone reminders are:
- downloading the baby center pregnancy app for weekly updates
- maternity photos
- writing letters to Ava
As promised, here are a few photos from my maternity session:
Photo Credit: http://www.victoriasimmonsphotography.com/
My three main goals these next few weeks are:
- small work out regiments. I walked 1.17 miles yesterday and did a few reps in the weight room. I want to tighten and prep my body for labor the best I can.
- redeployment is coming up ! taking the necessary steps to help for a smooth home coming for Justin.
- NO STRESS. I can't even stress this enough, ha ha. I made a funny, but seriously no stress. I have some final decisions to make about my L & D plans but other than that, I'm trying SO HARD to keep my stress levels down.
Alright, It's now 5:30 a.m. I need to get back to sleep. It's just been awhile since I've updated so I thought when falling back asleep seems impossible what better way to use my time than to blog ? Have a Fabulous Thursday blog readers !
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