January

Enjoy the crazy.

FASD

I want to talk about something. About FAS, FAE, FASD... whatever you want to call it. I am not about to start a political debate. Or start an argument about how drinking is a disease. What I am going to discuss is what happens to a precious child when their "Mom" decides to drink while pregnant.

Simple

Something is not right...

FASD's are 100 percent preventable. 100 percent!!!

Yet still women drink when they have a baby in their womb. And not just the, "oh I had a glass of wine before I knew I was pregnant" drink. The "Yea, I am pregnant, but I am gonna go ahead and have this drink anyways."

Now, I feel as though I can hear some groans from here, but Momma L, you don't know these women's struggles, their addictions, their diseases. You don't know what they are going through what has led them to drinking and why they are where they are. This friends, is correct. I do not. But here is what I do know, and in fact what every single person who holds a bottle knows. If you drink alcohol while pregnant you hurt a baby. Every person knows that. In fact it not only says it on the bottles but they even put pictures on there for you. I am not meaning this in a condescending tone, but a blunt one. This is a simple fact. When you drink when pregnant you put your own needs about someone else's. That someone happens to be a baby. Your baby. I do completely understand that if there is a person that has an addiction it would be hard just not drink, but this folks, this is the problem with life. Everyone has this thinking that life should be easy, convenient, go their way all the time.

Life is not a bunch of cushy little clouds you get to ride on. And sometimes the Hard things, ya know, the REALLY REALLY hard stuff. That is the GOOD stuff. The stuff you NEED. The nitty, gritty, junk you have to scoop out. But what is better?? Trying to jump from one low hanging cloud to the next, hardly hanging on and knocking everyone off while you go? Or getting to the bottom of your barrel, scooping out the slime, shining it up and making something great .

People really have no idea about how long lasting the effect of this are. They look at the baby when he/she is born and if there is a deformity they know. But what if there is no physical deformation to notice? What then? This friends, this is the most dangerous place a child can be in. Why? Because the parent thinks  no harm is done. Maybe they get their life together, maybe not. Maybe the child stays with them, maybe not. But brain damage has been done. That is not something that you can "see" .  If you drink when pregnant you cause irreversible damage to a child. There is no cure for FASD's only helping kids manage things in whichever way best suits them. FASD manifests in so many different ways. Learning disabilities. Emotional disregulations, and many others...

I know a little something about this, and I am always eager for more knowledge, because I am but a baby in this area. I did not drink during pregnancy. But I have a child who suffers from this. And while no one would ever know including the child, I wonder do I ever correct things that are beyond this child's control? Do I push this child to hard, because I just want what is best for this kiddo. I honestly know that this kid is super smart and super quick- when they want to be.  So I ask of you of blog o land o people. If you have any wondrous helpful fasd  tips, comment  them my way. I am by no means an expert. In anything for that matter. I  am just one momma. Just one momma, who wants to learn. and ramble. the end.

So with that. I leave you with this advice. It is not PC. you've been warned.

Please stay off bottle future Mom's. You are worth more than that. Your BABIES are worth more that that! They didn't ask for one more shot, or one more beer. You know what you're life might suck right now, but is that any reason to make their life hard? What did they do to you that you can't take nine months out of your busy schedule to stop. I am not even saying go eat healthy. Just lay off the bottle. And sweet bio Mom, while I love the life that you have given and that I get to raise. You also created many problems. One day this kiddo will ask questions, questions that I have to answer. Questions about genetics, their learning disabilities, why they have them, if it runs in their family. Bio mom, I will not lie for you. I will guard you as long as I can and keep your image as child friendly as possible. But the day will come. I don't look forward to it. So I pray for all moms out there. Adopted, foster, bio's. We all have struggles. Some maybe drank or did drugs. Some of us are raising kids who have the effects of that abuse or other abuse. Some of us are raising kids that are not ours biologically, and might never be but we commit to loving them and caring for them just as Jesus did for us.

 This is a wild ride. Not for the faint of heart. But a ride I want to stay on. 

Home and sick

Dear stomach whatever, I despise you. You were not invited. Go away.👎

Christmas break blessing

Christmas break is a wonderous thing

This Christmas Break has been wonderful! Relaxing days. Cooking. Game playing. I really can't complain. I have five kids here at home with me and you know what I find myself thinking... one more would fun. I often marvel at the way we got to where we are today. God is wonderful. And as I sit here watching Alaska's wild frontier with my husband and teenage son- yes that still seems crazy that I have a teenager! - I feel blessed. Just happy, with having a day of cooking being with kids, blessed.