Firstly, I endeavor to be much
better and more regular about my blog posts. Really if for no other reason than
sometime years from now, Monster and I will have all these fun things
documented. All of life’s ups and downs gathered like a time capsule of us.
That being said… Here is a bit about us, and why I call my
son Monster.
I’m Brittany a 28 year old, single
mom and recent college grad. I have my Associates of Sciences in Human Services
Management from the University of Phoenix. It took me a very long time to
complete school being a single mom, but I’m so proud of myself to have done so.
My next step is to apply to some other universities and continue my education.
I know that my schooling is just as important for and to me as it is for and to
Monster. He sees the impact of a good work and study ethic and it will help him
have his own study and work ethic.
For now though, life is pretty
simple and has been pretty boring this summer. I had surgery June 19th,
2015. It was my 8th surgery and 8th joint replacement, I
had to have my foot reconstructed due to a lifelong battle of Juvenile
Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). (More information can be found here: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000451.htm)
It is an on going fight against my disease and the only reprieve comes daily
doses of heavy medications, monthly IV treatments, a skilled surgeon, a sharp
scalpel, and medical/scientific advancements. It’s a reality I’ve always known,
and really I can’t describe it any other way than, “It is what it is”. I’ve never
been one to ask, “Why me?”
I’ve always believed He only gives
us what we can handle, and if I couldn’t handle it, He would not have given me
this burden to bear. I told my grandmother some years ago that in the game of
life we are all dealt a hand, we can play it the way we see fit and make the
most of it, some are dealt really great hands, others get mediocre or even
terrible hands. What we can’t do is pass those cards back to the dealer
(Heavenly Father) and ask for new ones. We play the hand we have and make the
most of it. It has always been my philosophy on life. I choose everyday, no
matter how I feel, to give it my best shot and do whatever I can to be happy and
productive. Sometimes productive entails making sure Monster, myself and the
dog is taken care of, and I relax. Other days it involves volunteer work,
school work, homework, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, walking the dog,
getting some fun in, taking care of plants, and on and on. The hard part, never
knowing one day to the next how I’ll feel and what I can get done. More on this
another time.
Now, as for Monster, he is nearly 7
and headed to the first grade in a few weeks. Yep, I’m feeling old, a bit sad,
somewhat excited, a little anxious, but a whole lot of proud. He’s a pretty
good kid, really smart, helpful to others, and me, incredibly loving too. He
has this excitement and zest for life like no one I’ve ever known. He makes
friends fast, just as my Grammy did. We always say, “She never met a stranger.”
That’s very true to Monster also. Everyone becomes his friend, however lately
I’ve noticed him throwing the “best” in front of friend when he refers to some
friends. It’s very sweet and endearing really. Watching his friendships and
relationships change in time. They are becoming more about the shared interests
and shear fun of 6 and 7 year olds, as opposed to being friends because I’m a
friend of the other child’s parent(s).
The nickname Monster is something I
used a long time ago to describe some of my cousins or friends kids. It was
always, and still is, a term of endearment. I call my son Monster though to
protect his identity and preserve a bit of his anonymity. In a world where so much
about us is so easily accessible, it is my hope that in using his nickname and
limiting other identifiable information that he will remain safe and have the
opportunity later in life to develop his own presence in the world. Decide what
he wants to be known, or stay private.
While I fully intend to be as
transparent for myself as possible, there is a lot I won’t share about Monster,
his life, his friends, etc.
For example:
·
His name; if you know us personally, please do
not use his name in a comment or anywhere on social media. You’re more than
welcome to use his nickname.
·
Where he goes to school (I’m sure this is self
explanatory).
·
Anything he doesn’t want posted about him or
something going on with us/him.
·
His friend’s names. As you already know, I’m a
firm believer in protecting these innocent kiddos. Out of respect to friends
and their parents, I will use a nickname to talk about anyone who “adventures”
with us, after I’ve received permission from their parent(s).
Over time this list may grow, or
shrink depending on our lives, but for now, these are the main points.
Some things you can expect or
anticipate from our blog are some of the following:
·
Accounts of our adventures, probably some
pictures to go with.
·
FUN! Lots and lots of fun!
·
Silly tails of our lives and our traditions. I’m
a firm believer that laughter only draws us closer, we love to laugh and do so
often.
·
Recipes, I enjoy cooking & baking and try
real hard to eat as healthy as possible. Monster is severely allergic to dairy
so many of my recipes are non-dairy. If I share a recipe I’ll try my best to
provide options for what I substitute so those that aren’t dairy free can make
it as well.
·
The struggles of living with a dairy allergy and
still trying to allow him to be a kid.
·
Books I love, books I recommend for kids,
especially boys.
·
Tips, advice, or my opinion for handling a high-energy
boy.
·
Fun things that I craft or we create together.
·
Our adventures with our Scout Elf come Christmas
time.
·
Our story. Like my previous post details, our
story was a really rough one prior to where we are now. My life has not been
easy in many ways and I’ve had many obstacles I’ve overcome.
·
Who knows what else! If there is something you’d
like to see, or something you’d like to know, get in touch and ask.
That is all for now, I think I’ll
share one of my favorite recipes we’ve been enjoying lately. Thank you all for
reading and joining along this adventure filled thing we call “LIFE”. It is a
joy to have you and we look forward to you stopping back by soon! Until next time…
We
wish you much love, hope, happiness, strength and inspiration,
Brittany
& Monster
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