Love At First Sight - An Ode to us, to our Love

Seven years ago today, I married the man who captured my heart after only first locking eyes with him. 

Love at first sight. 

What does it feel like? How do you know when it's happening?

For me... the only way I can describe it is....

He instantly felt "right" to me. 

Being in his presence, talking with him, laughing with him, his eyes & body language... 

It all just felt... Right. 

As if I'd already known him in some other lifetime, and was just meeting him again in this lifetime. 

This may or may not make any sense whatsoever to you, but that is exactly how it felt. 

We met in the tattoo shop he owned at the time in Georgia, with our first meeting consisting of him mending the wrongly done belly piercing someone else did, and ended with me wanting a new belly ring from his display case but I was several dollars short, so I tried to negotiate the price down... well.. I didn't just TRY.. 

You could see the instant connection within his eyes.. the compassion behind all of the facial piercings and "tough guy" image he'd spent years building up as he smiled like a school boy saying he'd take what I had and make up the difference himself, as I clumsily counted pennies, dimes and nickles on his counter. 

I've always been a body-language observer... The way people move, respond, turn, laugh and the expression & depth within their eyes... 

Paul has such an attractive smile. It radiates in his entire face. His eyes light up.. OH.. 

AND he has dimples. Oh yes. LOL Handsome times 100 points for dimples!!!! I always wanted a man AND kids with dimples! I got them. :)

A person's body language, especially their eyes, shows us the true person underneath. The person at the heart, and not the body they walk around in. 

Watching him converse with people, I believe the conscious thought (or at  least something similar) appeared in my brain...

"I know him. I'm going to know him. He's familiar... and I think I already love him." 

He asked for my number and after spending all night (for several nights) on the phone, the strong, pure, unmistakable chemistry we instantly felt upon only first meeting naturally grew.... 

And the rest is history. :)

Before we knew it (2 years later) we were driving across country starting our new life together and leaving all we had ever known behind us as we were running off to get married, which ended up being aboard the Portland Spirit River Cruise in Portland, OR.  #magical <--that deserved a hastag 

And here I am, 7 years later writing about a time that honestly seems like it was just a year or two ago. 

I would be lying through my teeth if I told you it has been easy. 

Just because you find your other-half and seemingly missing link on too many levels to mention... does not by any means indicate that the road to a long a happy life together will be peaches & cream. (peaches & cream... mm.. That's my Southern roots showing!)

In these 7 years together, we have learned (both as individuals & as a couple) so much about ourselves, about life, about other people.

We see the world differently now, and through it all, we have grown so much internally that it's as if the people we were when we first met seem like babies (spiritually speaking) compared to who we are today. 

It's amazing to me how you can look back at just the last few years of your life and know that you've come so far since then. I just love this life. :)

Something I learned and will always carry with me, is not only realizing the extraordinary love & devotion my husband has for me and our relationship... 

But I also learned what LOVE means. What MARRIAGE means. What "FOR BETTER or WORSE" means. 

Not by definition, but by living through it, working through it and by being on the other end of it here today, completely in love, happy and closer than ever. 

The way Paul loves me, the way I have seen him fight for our love, for our family and what we have... 

The incredible integrity this man has by being careful to not just criticize me when our relationship hit a brick wall, but by also looking within himself to evaluate what he could be doing differently... 

The bravery and courage he has shown countless times over the years... 

The way he tirelessly works to better all of our lives, doing all he can to make each of us happy, being sure we all live a quality life as individuals, as a mother, as his children, as his friend, as his family... 

The way he will go through great lengths just to see us smile... 

That's my man!

Over these past 7 years I have learned the meaning of 'being a Man'. My husband is the true, walking, real definition of a man. An honorable, wonderful man.

It is without a doubt in my mind that I am more in love with him now than ever before.

Today, on our seventh (marriage) anniversary, I want to say Thank You. 

Thank you, my love, for all that you do, for all that you are,and for all that you will be in this adventure of Life that we vowed to accompany each other on. 

After my Papa passed away recently, at least once a week I talk with my dear Granny on the phone who he left behind and we just sit and sob together. She feels like a lost puppy without the man she was married to for more than 50 years. 

She looks at his empty recliner next to hers. 
She lays her hand on his side of the bed and clutches his pillow, crying herself to sleep every night. 
She reads his beautiful words he wrote her over the years, as that is all she has left of him... which is now the only way she can feel the love of her life touch her. 

How empty she feels... how fast all that time flew by... How painful it is for her.

And so now, once a week at minimum, I am reminded to stop, appreciate, love and cherish my husband, my other half. 

For one day, he will leave my side in this bodily world, and one day it will be ME who is the lost puppy, grasping on to the remnants of all that he was in this world. 

All that I am as a mommy, a wife, as Amanda up to this point in our lives, has everything to do with the beautiful partnership that we share. 

Our love is seamless ~ Our minds, hearts & souls are connected ~ We flow like a steady river current ~ 

We are ONE. 

"All because two people fell in love", as it says on the 50th Anniversary Invitations for Granny & Papa.

Here's to us and many, many, many more years together. Here's to our Little Nippers too. ;) 

You are my rock. You are my best friend. You are so amazing. 

I loves you, honey... more than I could ever express. 

You are truly the most admirable man I have ever known and will ever love.

Thank you for loving me the way you do.

Happy Anniversary my love.

Love, baby xxxooo

PreK to College ~ What Happened?!

Completely caught off guard, Abigail runs to me after Daddy brings her home from from vising her surrogate Grandmother and hands me a bright pink flier saying... 

"Mommy, please read this important special paper", folding her hands in front of her in the prim-n-proper little way that she does. 

It is an invite.... to her PreSchool Graduation Program.

Reading each line aloud, smiling yet crying more with each word... All I can think is,

How is this happening?! lol

She JUST STARTED PreK!

I was JUST sobbing uncontrollably in the hall as I watched her class get further and further away from me (after managing to hold it together until she couldn't see me anymore, of course) on her first day of school, clutching my wrist where we had drawn a smiley, peace sign and heart on ourselves so we could think of each other every time we looked at it on that momentous day.

It may have been nearly a year ago... but the days, hours, minutes.. where have they gone?? 

Somehow even in the midst of grasping on to each day as if it were the last, excitedly helping her with her once-a-week homework, watching her carefully (and eclectically) get her school clothes ready every night,  helping her choose something for 'Show & Tell' for every Thursday morning and eagerly asking her how her day went everyday when I picked her up.....

Somehow it all passed us right by, and now our baby girl who we brought home at just 4.5 pounds is graduating PreK and will be starting Kindergarten. :(

{....crying again....} 

All of these tiny milestones keep creeping up on us, and no matter what they are, they grasp my heart and instantly remind me that these precious times are just that; Precious.

I cry now for the woman in me that will one day be as I sit on the bleachers on the day of her High School Graduation crying at the years that passed us by... wishing I was only crying at her PreK Graduation Day again, rather than getting her packed for college. 

I cry now for the woman in her that she will one day be... Not because I don't want her to grow up, but because she must grow up. 

She must face this world as a Woman, Adult & Individual. 

And if we as parents {in general} are sure to remember exactly WHY we are living, working, breathing...

If we are sure to allow ourselves to FEEL and CRY in these times so that we are reminded to slow down and ENJOY our little ones during these precious years that we'll never get back ...

It is then that we can be sure to give them the quality kind of CARE, LOVE and ATTENTION that they need to one day face this world confidently, intentionally, thoughtfully and successfully.

These 5 years have gone by in a flash, and it is our promise to you, Abber-dabbers, that we'll be here for you at your every achievement/milestone, with smiles on our faces and with tears swelling in our eyes. 

Mommy & Daddy loves you baby... And we're so very proud of you. 

You're sweet, caring, creative, smart, loving, intuitive, polite and you love to learn. 

What more could we ever expect of you. <3

"Today I Lived and You Did too".... Guest Post by Rachel @ Hands Free Mama

Introducing Rachel @ Hands Free Mama

"I’m going Hands Free. I want to make memories, not to-do-lists.  I want to feel the squeeze of my daughter's arms, not the pressure of over-commitment.  I want to get lost in conversation with my spouse, not consumed by a sea of unimportant emails.  I want to be overwhelmed by sunsets that give me hope, not by extracurricular commitments that steal my joy.  I want the noise of my life to be a mixture of laughter and gratitude, not the intrusive buzz of cell phones and text messages.  I am letting go of distraction, disconnection, and perfection to live a life that simply, so very simply, consists of what really matters.  I’m going Hands Free.  And if this sounds like a life you want to start living, come along.  A Hands Free revolution starts here!  I hope you will join me!"

It is with absolute HONOR that Rachel has allowed us to broadcast her beautifully written ode to Motherhood, Womanhood & Life, and we are THRILLED to bring it to you on this special day, Mother's Day.

For me, her words are a great reminder to slow down and simply LIVE the moment in the Present. 

She reminds us that life is made up of tiny fleeting moments, and if we don't slow down, we'll miss them.

Her words in this post, as well as her entire new-found philosophy, is such an inspiration and is.... in my opinion...

So "hippie mommma" of her. :) 

Please be sure to visit her page to finish reading her post!  
You MUST read the entire post to appreciate it! 
She has recently accepted a book deal (YOU GO GIRL!) so we're being SUPER careful about this Guest Post. :)


 So, without further ado... We share with you...

Today I Lived and You Did Too

Originally Posted on May 7, 2013 by Rachel Macy Stafford @ Hands Free Mama

Today I was awakened by the sound of shuffling feet.
It was my early-bird riser in her big sister’s pajamas that drug across the floor.
I wanted to pull the covers over my head and feign sleep.
But instead I got up and made toaster waffles that she said tasted “divine.”
She kissed me with syrupy sweet lips.
Getting up wasn’t my first response. But I did it.
Today I lived.

Today she lost her shoes for the 37^th time in two weeks.
It was right before we needed to head out the door.
I wanted to scream, to scold, to throw my hands in the air.
But instead I held her. I held her. My shoeless girl.
Together we found them wet with dew in the backyard and she whispered, “Sorry, I am forgetful, Mama.”
Being calm wasn't my first response. But I did it.
Today I lived.

 Today the birds....  CLICK HERE TO READ MORE 

Please visit Hands Free Mama to read the rest of this well written post that does exactly what we try to do here at Modern Hippie Momma with every one of our posts.... Inspire Thought. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

"May is For All Women" Project Post 2

May is for All Women and I have a Post Project for you this month to celebrate just that!

***Don't worry if you're just now learning about this.... You can jump on board at any time this month!!!***

Join me in a series of posts about, not just biological Mothers, but also of those women throughout our lives that have impacted us, helping shape us into who we have become and will become, all simply by being the beautiful embodiment of Motherly Support RIGHT when we need it most.

Here are the guidelines:

• Please become a follower of our blog Modern Hippie Momma and please 'like' our Facebook Page. Be sure to leave us a comment if you're participating so we can follow you back!! :) 

• Find a quote that inspires thought and reminds you of a particular moment in time with a woman in your life that you know has impacted you in some way... The way you live, think, deal with things/people/kids/LIFE in general, etc.

• Write a post about all that you are reminded of with that woman and a particular moment. 

• Repeat this at least once a week (more if you'd like) for the entire month of May. 

• GRAB THE OFFICIAL "May is for All Women" BUTTON ~ Post it proudly on your sidebar and especially at the bottom of your posts all month to help spread the word and get other's to join in!  Be sure to type a one liner just above it to encourage other's participation! 

• Don't forget to share it with us on our Facebook Page < HERE >!  We want to read your stories!!  

• If you can, share the story with the person who inspired you to write your post. I'm sure your lovely thoughts and reflections would be a beautiful and memorable gift to her. :) 

Thought inspiring quotes..... Oh how I love them. 

They spark one simple thought and BAM! 

All of a sudden you're reminded of moments, people, smells... and sometimes find yourself asking a few questions, inspiring more thought.. and BAM! 

You realize there's nothing left to do but... Oh yes.. 

Blog about it. :)

So what are you waiting for?? 

Search for quotes, get inspired and get your BLOG on!

"May is for ALL Women" - Post 2

     by Amanda* @ Modern Hippie Momma

This morning came early.  I lay dreaming snuggled up next to our little man as the sun just began to rise and awoke to my loving husband laying across my back holding me tight, with his tears streaming down my shoulder. 

Opening my eyes and with an immediate knot in my throat, I asked him what's wrong....

He had already gone to work and had come right back home because he didn't want me to  have to learn of the news of my Papa's passing (my father's Dad) and have no one there with me. 

It was nice being able to hear it from someone I love and it was even better to have someone there to hold me as the cries from my core bellowed out in sorrow, saying Papa's name, crying out to him as if to beg him to stay just a little longer. 

Life goes by so fast. 

One day you're sneaking out of your house, told your parents you're "going to work"...

...but really you're jumping in the car with your high school sweetheart to run off and get married... 

.... and then the years fly by in the blink of an eye and suddenly you're telling nurses 

where to put the hospice bed in your house... for your high school sweetheart.

Papa was a living, breathing, walking example of LOVE, EMPATHY and LAUGHTER. 

We were all so lucky to have him in our lives, for as long as we had him. 

He outlived the doctors that told him 10 years ago he'd only have a few years to live. 

It is the strength of Granny that kept Papa going and the humorous & lightheartedness of Papa that gave Granny hope.  They were each other's other half and they fit like puzzle pieces. 

Today when I write for the May is for All Women Inspirational Writing Project, it is without question that the woman in my Granny has everything to do with the man that was my Papa.

Resting in my husband's arms, I am sure to FEEL him and appreciate him, as I know one day I too will be feeling the emptiness of losing my best friend and other half. 

Opening my back door and letting the breeze come in today made me somehow feel closer to my grieving family who are way across the country. 

Closing my eyes and feeling the sun on my face, I took a moment to remember life as a child with Granny & Papa........

The smell of peanut brittle throughout the house after waking from a nap.

A salty watermelon on a hot, Florida day.

Running in the field of daisies in my Easter dress. 

Banana pudding.

Papa's sweet voice over the phone.  His piercing blue eyes and handsome smile.

Papa's drenched shirt and hair as he passionately preached his sermon, dancing all over the place with the Spirit running in his veins.

How Granny & Papa were always so in love... flirting and picking on each other.

 I always wanted a relationship like the one they had.

The sound of Papa praying.

The sound of Granny praying.

Papa's piercing blue eyes and handsome smile.

....I could go on forever.

The quote above is a great reminder that we never really leave this world; we just leave our bodies. 

It reminds us that living in our bodies is only a part of our existence, and that we continue on by returning to this earth in our most truest form.

The bittersweet cycle of life.

Our daughter Abigail is only 5 but she appreciates the beauty around her better than most adults and was quick to appreciate the sun this morning, saying that Papa made it "sunshiney" to make her happy.  

"I'm certain he did", I told her.  :) 

♥ I love you, Papa. We miss you already. RIP. ♥ 

Please Join Us in the 

"May is for All Women"Project to 

Celebrate All Women, All Month Long!

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What the Sun Does to Her

Oddly enough, right in the middle of Spring... the Sun came out!

It does not go unnoticed up here in Washington, especially with Abigail and, I'm sure, the rest of the Pacific NW children.

She rises quickly on a weekend morning, the sun only just barely peaking through the crack in her window.  The clouds are still huge and heavy in some places, and the wind remains, but even the back and forth between the Sun and the grey is enough to make her Aura instantly vibrant and energized.

All morning she has consistently asked me in many polite, Abigail-like ways if I would go watch her out front while she played...

WHY is the front yard so much better than the back yard?? LOL I'll never know. The backyard is bigger!

"Mommy...  would you so kindly, if you mind, you could watch me as your beautiful self.. um... in the front yard while I run and jump and play?"

<bats eyes, smiles and tilts head>

She's... irresistible, really.

She is amazing, smart, bright, kind, polite, stubborn, FREE, beautiful, and strong... She is SUCH my daughter.

It is the middle of the day now and she dances and twirls in the front yard sporting her multi-colored striped tights, her pink jumpsuit (as she calls it), a long sleeved shirt underneath, her shiny black dress shoes with her favorite lip gloss on.

She picks some of our Lavender and holds it out in her hand...

"Close your eyes and smell that, Mom."... as she lovingly smiles. 

She's just so beautiful to me, inside and out.

We ran giggling as I chased her around the yard for at least 5 minutes. She makes me feel like a kid again.

Children are the most amazing, magical beings we are so blessed to have and to raise, love and cherish.

I love all of our children, even if they drive me nuts half the time.

Life would not be the same without them.

Happy Sunday  :) 

Life As I LOVE It

You know those mornings when the alarm sounds and your eyelids feel like elephants are sitting on them, and when you try to open them, it feels like it is more like 3:00am instead of 6:30am? 

Mondays (usually).... 

It was something I thought I was getting rid of when I stopped punching an actual clock at a corporation 40 hours a week.  But having to get up before 8:00am  after getting up a few times with an infant to get Abigail up, ready, fed and off to school.... oh, and ON TIME... 

That just turned out to be my morning workout sometimes! Especially on Monday's. 

But it's good to know I'm not alone! Taking Abigail to school on Monday's consistently has the same feel to it.  We take our kids into the school, trying to look as graceful as possible while walking them into the hallway as we all could have probably benefited from arriving just a couple of minutes earlier. 

We give kisses, clean their faces a little one last time, tell them to have a good day and send them off to sit in their line and wait for their teacher.  

Abigail likes it when I wait for her teacher to come so that I am there to waive to her as she walks by Carlin and I in the hallway on the way to her classroom.  A few other Moms do the same, which is nice because we inevitably started talking to one another and now it's something that I kind of look forward to! 

A teacher will join in the conversation most of the time and it is kind of nice, especially for us stay-at-home-moms, because every woman can find something to relate to in one another.

But ANYWAYS..... Then it hit me. 

My dearest friend, Ann, always says to me when she comes by... 

<shakes her head and smiles> 

"THIS is your life" 

... as I watch reruns of FRIENDS and munch on the SMORES (Or REESES; depends what day she comes over) I made from my super secret stash of munchies that I hide from the kids.   (which I'm SURE we're AALL guilty of at one point or another!)   ;) 

Not to mention when my first post on Facebook in a couple days was about Carlin's massive poopy that required me to just hang his little butt under the faucet to effectively clean it! 

When she saw me she said, 

"You're posting about poop. THIS is your life."

That's when I thought, standing there in Abi's school in my ankle tight yoga pants, bright blue Converse (shoes that make your feet look HUGE), half combed hair and wearing my hoodie...... 

"This IS my life. THIS IS MY LIFE!!!" 

Working full time worked for me for a while, but my heart (and my hubby's) felt the need for a change, so we went for it! 

And here I am, talking and sharing stories of morning or weekend events with other Mommies, and coming home to watch FRIENDS (and ELLEN!! I admit, I just LOVE her!), nurse our baby, attempt to manage a clean-ish house, do projects and, most of all, BLOG! :) 

This has given me a chance to grow & awaken to my abilities, expand my creative side and enjoy myself, our little family. 


I truly value how I spend my time more than I ever have. 


Paul, my husband, said it best....


I love that you're so content, baby.  

Yeah, "Content" .... That's it. :) 


Content, and SO humbly happy and thankful.