Things I Hope you know on your 16th Birthday

 Today's the day

Today's the day, the day you met your mother for the first time. Today's the day they placed you in my arms and it's the day I learned what true unconditional, unwavering love really was. It's a love like no other. It's a love that surpasses any other feeling in the world. I was a Mom, I was your Mom and I'd never be the same. Today as you walked out the front door for school 16 years later something seemed a little different but yet just the same. I said "Happy Birthday " to you 3 times already today. As usual, you shrugged it off as if it's "no big deal", or it's just another day as you do with everything that's about you. I watched you (like a freakish stalker) walk down the street and just couldn't believe you are 16 years old today. I felt happy and sad. I won't tell you I might have gotten your baby album again but what I will tell you is how you fill my heart with such joy, hope and love.

I hope you will always know and feel how much I love you, today and forever.

I hope you know there is nothing that can make me stop loving you.

I hope you know you will always need me even when you think you don't.

I hope you know you make me so proud.

I hope you know how much I love those big brown eyes.

I hope you know that everything I do is out of love.

I hope you know that one day all the things you make fun of me for you will want your wife to do for your children.

I hope you know all the things you tease me about such as; my quirky in your face ways if they stopped you'd long for them.

I hope you know I will always be your biggest fan.

I hope you know I truly love your father.

I hope you cherish all our family memories and they make you smile.

I hope you know I will always be your home no matter where your life takes you.

I hope you know I couldn't live without you.

I hope you know you are handsome.

I hope you know how smart you are.

I hope you know that I will  always believe in you even if no one else does.

I hope you know you can always trust me.

I hope you know I cry sometimes just because I love you so much.

I hope you know there's more to being a man than being tough and it's OK to cry.

I hope you know my hugs and kisses will never run out and my arms will always be open.

I hope you know I will help you understand girls.

I hope you know I always talk about you.

I hope you know always to smile.

I hope you know I'll never hold you back even if my heart is breaking because of it.

I hope you know I will always know where all the things are in the house.

I hope you know I will always remind you to be kind, honest, thankful and lovable.

I hope you know I will always tell you that family is more important than anything.

I hope you know I will always expect you to be yourself.

I hope you know I will never stop telling you I love you.

I hope you know I love your brother just as much as I love you.

I hope you know anything is possible, anything.

I hope you know I worry about you.

I hope you know enough to always forgive.

I hope you pay attention to the small things and don't take life for granted.

I hope you always choose the safe choice.

I hope you have an easy, non-stressful, full-filling, successful  life that's meaningful and true.

I hope you always give more than you take.

I hope you appreciate and not expect.

I hope you never lose that hunger for achievement and doing your best.

I hope you know when you  hurt I hurt.

I hope you know I never want you to leave me but I will be Okay when you do.

I hope you know I will always be here for you, I will never leave you, I will always be that go to person and I hope you always let me.

I hope you know one day as I age I might not be able to remember all the reasons why I love you but I still will love you and I hope you never forget the reasons why.

Happy Birthday my boy, my sunshine, my goodness, my untouched soul, my love, my oldest son.

Bunker Punk Tour

Bunker Punk Tour 

What is your most prized possession?

I would say  all of my pictures. I love pictures. I love taking pictures. I love looking back at pictures and remembering certain details that I have forgotten. The joy of pulling out my oldest sons photo albums, reminiscing of  almost 16 years gone by then trying to remember his face being that small and trying to recollect what his voice sounded like. The love that ensues when I glance through our huge wedding album and then the sadness that slowly comes as there are so many loved ones that have left us since then. Pictures are a treasure, the old fashion photo albums have been replaced by digital CD’s and memory drives that we can’t hold in our hands or find quickly to get lost in. I miss that.

  How do you unwind after a long day?
Besides taking the bra off??? If I can stay awake to "unwind" because most times unwinding means just sitting down and falling right asleep. When I have time after the lil man goes to bed I like to have a glass of wine, cuddle up with my blanket and catch up on our DVR with my Hubs and oldest son. We laugh and watch our sitcoms like Goldberg’s or Modern Family. If I am tired (which is many weeknights) I just go fulfill my Criminal Minds obsession, watch ION TV in bed, comfy, scroll around on my phone and catch up with my JMarts peeps.

What is one song that has followed you throughout your whole life?
I don’t think there is just one song. Music is a huge part of my life. I could not live without music. Music is healing. It relaxes me, makes me happy and lets me cry when I need it. It makes me remember certain times of my life with simple lyrics. I have songs for pretty much every person in my life. I grew up on music, from my Grandfather playing the guitar and singing to us as kids or my parents introducing and always playing music of all genres; country, rock and many classics that I still like today.

If you could give one piece of advice to new bloggers in your field, what would it be?
My advice would be... just go with it. When I write it’s always from the heart. I started my blog after an incredibly hard year after losing my Dad. It was my saving grace and helped me heal so much over the course of the next year. I love to write about things that get to me emotionally whether, it is sadness, frustration, happy, love, my opinion or just a strong view on something controversial.
If you feel it, let it flow and forget what about everyone is doing.

Now that you're famous, we need a quote from you.
You are only allotted so much time on this earth so don’t waste it pretending. Always be YOU. -JMarts