Our life right now
Currently our spiritually and culturally diverse family is nestled in for the long haul in Northern Virginia. I am 100% Jersey blooded and fortunate to be married to my kind, patient, and handsome husband. (Bonus: he has an accent too;-) I originally thought he was the lucky one in this match, but I’m the lucky one. His kindness changes me.
We have three spunky little girls who are as diverse in personality as my husband and I are in culture and spirituality. Life for us is rich and colorful on our good days and character building on our hard days
Momming
Most days I coffee, carpool, and hang out with our littles.
“Hanging out with the littles” is a cute but loaded statement. Often, I struggle to find time just to be Tara. Snagging quiet moments in between the 5 breakfasts and 40 snacks I create to fill their bottomless bellies, I’ll read something adult. Maybe I’ll scribble a few words for an article. Or face God forehead to forehead and hear His calming, energizing or challenging voice.
Occasionally, I let the toys and snacks crunch into the carpet around me, watch a show, and let the pressure inside deflate.
This is a season. A shaping season. I hug it and refuse to punish myself for my failures. These failures are a sign of a work in progress. We will get there yet, God and I. Or maybe progressing through the process is where the gold is.
Join me here and let God define us, redefine us and unearth our awesome.
Random Facts
Although its necessary at times, I’m not great at small talk. I love getting to the soul of a matter and talking the heck out of something. Participating in those light hearted ice breakers spawns panic inside.
Intensity is my default.
But, I’ll give this whimsical thinking a whirl:
- Medium hot coffee, extra milk, 1 Splenda. (Dunkin order)
- Skinny peppermint mocha.(Starbucks) I’m kind of cheap, so I only splurge over the holidays.
- I love bread. Period.
- I’m a foodie and often over eat. It took 35 years to find a comfortable balance of self control, but I think I’m in a zone now…sometimes. (more intense than whimsical?)
- I used to break into my neighbor’s house as a kid and steal Tastykakes, until they caught onto me and started locking their door. (weird? ok, enough food facts)
- Books are a favorite luxury.
- I never thought I’d be a mom.
- Baby bed head and sleepy sunrise smiles wake me up everyday. Its the sweetest consolation for the hardest job ever.
- I struggle with anger and impatience daily.
- Mom strength: clean floors and bathrooms.
- Mom weakness: playing games on the floor with the kids. I feel my brain shriveling.
- We have a shoe free home and I blame it on my husband’s culture and religious requirements. A friend called me out on this once. Truth is, it secretly coddles my OCD for a clean floor.
- I bullied a kid in grade school and really hope I get to apologize in person one day. (I wanted to leave this out because its aweful.)
- I dropped out of high school at 15.
- Eventually, I earned a GED and then became a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. But these days instead of seeing patients, I’m singing the My Little Pony theme song and sweeping up Cheerios with my mini crew.
- Coming from NJ we shorten everyone’s name, even if its only two syllables to start with. Fam and friends call me T or Tar.
- I am the oldest (on my mom’s side) and wouldn’t have it any other way. Yep, I’m bossy, but I try hard to do so only when necessary.
- SYTYCD. Any fans out there?
- Rocky II is my favorite of the Rocky series. (I think I’ll save this one as my go-to for the next ice breaker)