A Mama's Encouragement-My Son is a Survivor of Pediatric Stroke

Photo Credit: Ashley Ridder and Caitlin Olson

It is with great joy that I welcome the first guest contributor to my Acreage of Grace today. Alysha is a lot of things, but to me, she will always be my little sister. God has given her insight into the world of pediatric strokes through her son Carter and she is great at providing encouragement and resources for other mama’s who may be going through something similar.

A Mama’s Encouragement

My Son is a Survivor of Pediatric Stroke

By Alysha

I’m a mother of two boys. I’m a happily married wife. I’m a Christian. I’m a sister. I’m a daughter. I’m an auntie. I’m a friend. I’m a registered nurse. And I’m the mother of an in utero stroke survivor. Those are all titles that I am blessed to hold, that I would say define who I am. May is Pediatric Stroke Awareness Month, so I tend to fixate on the pediatric stroke portion of my life, which is a huge part of who I am.

Realistically, I go in phases where I am at peace with the way things are, and then I go through other phases where I have a pity party for my sweet boy who has challenges that many other kids don’t have. I need to stop that. He can run, he can jump, he can climb, he can make me laugh, he can harass his puppy Mabel, he can play with his baby brother, he can spell his name, he can (sort of) write his name, he can give the best hugs/kisses…he makes me so proud!

Let me back up and introduce you to Carter. Carter is my 5 year-old son who suffered an in utero stroke, and now has the following diagnoses associated with his condition: right sided hemiplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy, developmental delays, periventricular leukomalacia, hyperopia, white matter volume loss in the brain, and moderate intellectual disabilities. Do those things define who he is? They contribute to who he is for sure, but they do not define who he is! If you had a chance to meet or get to know Carter, you would not even see most of those things. What you would see is a handsome child of God who has massive amounts of energy, over the top determination and perseverance, the most loving heart, the greatest sense of humor, a love for Jesus and prayer, and a twinkle in his eye when he looks at (and pesters) his baby brother, Silas (13 months).

At a recent visit to Carter’s pediatric comprehensive development specialist, it was recommended by two specialists that Carter become involved in sports or community activities. They said that this would eventually help him to develop more social skills, as well as physical “therapy” and would possibly eliminate the need for so much actual clinical therapy. Carter is so excited that his first t-ball game is this week, and has really been enjoying practices. He is learning (with the help from his amazing physical therapist) to play one handed ball. This is similar to the famous Jim Abbot, who was a MLB player who was born without a right hand. (http://www.jimabbott.net/biography.html?submenuheader=0). Carter keeps his glove on lefty (his strong hand), and quickly takes his glove off when he gets a ball, then throwing the ball with his left hand. It is an unexplainable feeling as his mother to see how well he is doing with this, and how proud it makes me! Carter will also start AYSO soccer in the fall, and he’s very proud to tell people who his coach is….his mommy!

Carter-bug 2013

As a special needs parent, I have found that finding a support system is essential for everyday survival. I have an amazingly supportive husband now who would give anything to make things easier for Carter, and our family. He makes sacrifices for us, and I am so blessed to go through the journey of raising Carter with him by my side. Our parents, grandparents and siblings have a special/accepting love for Carter which is such a comfort to me, as his mother. My biggest support, though, comes through prayer! What a beautiful gift that I can find comfort and decreased anxiety from talking to God and trying to listen to his response!

Finally my other “family” is my CHASA (Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Association) family. Although we have tremendous support from our families, it is still impossible for them to deeply understand some of the struggles we have, or answer some of the “what if’s” that we encounter on a daily basis. I have talked with several other pediatric stroke mamas who are marching through life with similar struggles, joys, and triumphs as we are; and they can surely relate. I also feel so blessed to share my knowledge and emotion with mamas of newly diagnosed babies. These mamas of CHASA are inspiring to me, and provide me with such encouragement in times of doubt. They understand the crushed feeling I encounter as we walk up to a playground, knowing that Carter will struggle with some of the equipment. They understand the emotions that I feel when Carter wants to ride his bike like the rest of his friends, but needs an adaptive bike. They understand that when you get a power wheels John Deere gator for your child’s birthday, you must have it custom made to move the gas pedal to the left side instead of the right. They understand that at times I purposefully avoid certain situations where I know a 45 minute tantrum is about to happen due to frustration.

Carter May 2016

I first stumbled upon CHASA in 2012. Carter was born March 31, 2011 via emergency c-section at 35 weeks. After his birth, to make a long story short, he wasn’t meeting many developmental milestones, and hardly used his right hand, instead kept it curled in a little ball down by his side. After much persistence, and telling medical professionals my gut feeling, we started therapies, and then had an MRI done. Carter was diagnosed with his in utero stroke when he was 11 months old. Carter saw many different specialists in a couple month span, and we got some answers. I was bound and determined that I would do ANYTHING to make life more “normal” and easier for him. CHASA has resources on their webpage http://chasa.org/ for how to apply for financial assistance, where to get adaptive equipment, statistics on pediatric strokes, the next steps, etc. I found so much useful information on their site and some of the stories on the website helped me get through some dark days! In utero strokes happen in 1:2800 live births. Most of those are ischemic, meaning due to lack of oxygen. In Carter’s case, he was born with a true knot in his umbilical cord, and it is suspected that this contributed to his stroke, as well as my preeclampsia issues during pregnancy.

I want to make others aware that pediatric stroke is a real thing, and it does happen. May is Pediatric Stroke awareness month and purple is the designated pediatric stroke color, so please feel free to join me in wearing purple for the remainder of May, and anytime you feel like supporting Carter-bug. We have been honored to receive Pediatric Stroke Month proclamations every year since May, 2012 from the governor of the State of Nebraska.

Carter was presented the 2013 Proclamation at the Nebraska State Capitol by Governor Dave Heineman

Carter has taught me several things in his 1,882 days of his life so far:

1) Impossible is not a real thing…you can overcome anything if you believe, and have the support to accomplish it.

2) It is ok to be “different”!! Carter has so many friends, especially older kids who take him in and love to play with him. Everyone knows Carter, too!

3) Having role models is so influential to kids, and helps them dream big from a young age. Carter’s biggest role models are his daddy, who is a Head Football Coach of a State Championship 2015 high school team; and a star linebacker/fullback on the team. He even dressed up as this specific player (#38) for Halloween (custom made etsy jersey and all!). And a great kid he is for Carter to look up to!

Tyler (coach), Carter (football play), Alysha (cheerleader) and Silas (football) Halloween 2015

4) Carter taught me how to be a mommy, and I try every day to be the best mommy possible to him. I never imagined loving a little person so much. Watching him develop is the one thing in my life that makes me the most proud!

5) God has a perfect plan for each individual, despite how devastating some days feel. (For example, the day of Carter’s diagnosis). For one.single.second…I cannot imagine life without Carter. His neurologist told me that if his stroke would have occurred in the first or second trimester, we would have lost him. God is good, all the time!

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If you, or someone you know, would like more information regarding Pediatric Stroke or have any questions or encouragements for Alysha, please feel free to email me at acreageofgrace@gmail.com.

               

Easy Cheesy Rice Recipe

Steak and “Cheesy Rice” is kind of a family tradition in our house. I have been enjoying this recipe since I can remember. When my husband and I first met 15 years ago, he also fell in love with this side dish, and now, our kids love it too! With it being only 5 ingredients and taking probably 3 minutes to put together, it is a really easy and delicious option if you are looking for a new side dish.

Ingredients:

-1 cup of rice

-1 can of Beef Consomme

-1 can Golden Mushroom Soup

-½ a stick of butter

-¼-½ cup of mild cheddar cheese (we use 2% reduced fat)

***Our original family recipe actually calls for a whole stick of butter, but we started making it with only a ½ stick to cut back on calories and we honestly can not tell much of a difference.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Put 1 cup rice, 1 can of Beef Consomme, 1 can Golden Mushroom Soup and ½ stick butter in casserole dish
3. Stir together
4. Cover and put in oven on 350 degrees for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes
5. After it has been in the oven for an hour, stir and make sure the rice feels done. Then add your cheese to the top.
6. Leave uncovered and put back in the oven until cheese is melted

If you divide the side dish up into 8 servings, each serving is 170 calories according to My Fitness Pal.

I know this is not a fancy looking dish, but I promise it is so good!

Finding Joy and Accomplishment in the Little Things

Thank you so much for the beautiful card I received yesterday

from my friend Laura to congratulate me on my blog launch!

I come from the world of Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing and sales. In that industry, recognition is huge in building people up and encouraging employees to reach their full potential. In my most current position I was rewarded numerous times financially through bonuses. I was also rewarded by earning promotions, which again equated to more money and a better title. I was publicly acknowledged weekly for the work that I was doing on a state and regional level. This kind of recognition kept me going. I fed off of making more money and having top sales. I was constantly working to be promoted in order to have more responsibilities, which I believed would lead to more recognition and to be honest more money.

I left that world 9 months ago to become a stay at home mom. I’m not about to speak for all stay at home mom’s here, but in my experience, this job title offers substantially less public recognition for excellence.

I have an amazing husband, who makes sure to let me know how much he and the kids love and appreciate all that I do. But, I am finding that it is also important for me to dig deep into myself and take pride in my new “career”.

We are the popsicle holders, the bottom wipers and the milk filler-uppers. My sleep schedule is totally dependent on two other little humans. And in affect, my coffee consumption is dependent on my sleep, or lack thereof. My experience as a mother has been far from glamorous. Luckily, I’m cool with my life not being glamorous.

Though the recognition is less, the rewards are far greater than promotions or money. I find my rewards in the little things like Brecken learning a new letter or noticing Annabelle’s soft curls blowing in the wind. I find my joy in growing gardens and blooming flowers and watching the farmers planting in the fields. Time is also a huge reward. Getting to spend so much more time with not only my kids but my husband as well. Jeremy has a schedule where he works 3 days and is off 2, then works 2 and is off 3. So we are blessed to spend more days together than many people have.

Creating this blog has already brought so much joy to my life in the form of pride in myself. Over the last 9 months I believe that my self worth diminished slightly due to not having specific career goals and being able to reach or exceed them. This blog was a goal that I had for over 5 years and just launching it was a huge accomplishment in my eyes.

I want to give a shout out to a couple of people who have provided me huge encouragement while starting this blog- Jeremy, my mom and one of my best friends Laura. Without their support I truly don’t think I ever would have done this. The support I have received from all of my family and friends has been heartwarming. Your words, cards, shared posts and personalized coffee mugs (thanks Jeremy ;) ) have made me feel extremely proud.

What rewards and/or recognition do you receive that keeps you going in your professional and personal life? What have you done recently to make you proud of yourself? Feel free to share in the comments or paste links to blog posts in order for me to get ideas and encouragement in my walk as a stay at home mom.

350 Calorie Taco Soup

Monday was a pretty cold Spring day in Nebraska, so I decided to make Taco Soup for supper. Taco Soup is one of my favorites because it is extremely easy to make, I almost always have everything I need in my cupboards, and it is delicious! I know there are a lot of different variations of this recipe out there but below is how my family makes it.

Ingredients (Pictured above):

-1 lb 80/20 hamburger

-Tomato Juice 46 ounces

-1 package Taco Seasoning

-1 package dry ranch mix

-1 can of corn

-1 jar of salsa (I use homemade large mason jar, but original recipe calls for 12 ounces)

-1 tbsp of sugar

-1 pound of Velveeta cheese

-1 medium onion

1. I start by taking a large pot and putting it on low on the stove
2. Add 1 jar of salsa and half to ¾ of the can of tomato juice
3. Add dry ranch seasoning
4. Add 1 tbsp sugar
5. Add can of corn (do not drain)
6. Add Velveeta (I cut into little cubes so it melts easier)
7. Stir everything up
8. Chop one medium onion
9. Brown hamburger and onion
10. Season hamburger and onion how you prefer-we use salt, pepper, garlic salt and Lawry’s
11. Drain meat mixture
12. Add Taco Seasoning to meat mixture along with ¼ cup water
13. Let meat simmer on low in seasoning for about 2 minutes
14. Add meat mixture to large pot
15. Stir and let soup sit on low for 10-20 minutes stirring occasionally

**My husband and I are trying to watch our calorie intake. I put this recipe into My Fitness Pal and it says that if you take this recipe and divide it into 8 servings (approximately 2-3 ladles full per serving) the recipe above is around 340 calories.

Some people also like to add Frito chips, extra cheese and/or sour cream to top off the soup prior to serving (obviously more calories, but I’m not judging :) ). The original recipe that we received from my Great Aunt Vickie also included one can of pinto or chili beans-but I am not a huge fan of beans so we don’t add them. I suppose you could also make this without meat if you were looking for a meatless option. If you wanted to add spice you could add jalapeno peppers. That’s the great thing about this recipe, you can make it your own by adding and taking away whatever you chose.

I know it isn’t really soup season, but my family loves soup! If you have an awesome soup recipe please share below in the comments.

Saying Goodbye to Brecken's Pacifier

My son Brecken is 3 years and 3 months old and last month we successfully eliminated his pacifier, or “ba” as he lovingly referred to it. This was by far one of the most difficult transitions we have had to make thus far in his life, and something I have truly been dreading for years.

I was a pacifier baby/toddler. Like full on addiction status. My parents say they weaned me from my pacifier by age 3...but I had some really sneaky hiding spots and probably managed to keep one around long after they realized it. Because of my personal love and memory of my own pacifier, I was not surprised at all that Brecken also had his ba in his mouth a majority of the time.

After Brecken turned 2 we started trying to only give him his ba at naptime and bedtime. My husband Jeremy had no problem with this at all, and when Brecken was at his babysitter she also abided by the rules. But I had a difficult time with it. Due to Jeremy’s working schedule I took care of the kids by myself every other weekend and in the evenings two weeks out of the month. Basically any time Brecken asked me for it, I gave it to him. Was this helpful, NO. Did this make Jeremy to look like a bad guy, YES. In other words, don’t be like me :) If you make rules, it is only beneficial to your child to stick with them.

A couple of weeks before we moved out of our old house, Brecken was 2 ½ years old. We had managed to only give him his pacifier at bedtime and if we were in the car. But due to timing issues of moving into our new (116-year-old) home, we moved in with my mom for 10 days. My mom is by far the worst enabler on the planet, sorry mom :) “Oh just let him have it,” she said. “He is going through a rough transition.” So I listened to her, and let him have it again, whenever he wanted it. (Love you mom :) )

And that brought us to Brecken being 3 years and 2 months old and still having his ba a majority of the time. I am not putting down any children or parents who have their pacifiers after this age. I believe that it is a parent’s choice when to decide to take away a pacifier, or let the child naturally wean. Our dentist had suggested to us at our 3 year checkup that we discontinue the use of Brecken’s pacifier sooner rather than later. It was just one of those things hanging over our head that we knew we had to do, but didn’t want at all to have to do it.

I must say though, many people, including people we didn’t even know, seemed very concerned that a child his age was still using a pacifier. Obviously we understood that our families were just concerned about Brecken’s wellbeing, so that wasn’t so bad when they would comment. But we had complete strangers who would comment on it when we were in public. I’m not trying to tell anyone how to live their lives, but I personally did not think it was appropriate for people to comment on Brecken’s pacifier use.

Jeremy and I had discussed weaning him a little bit at a time and only letting him have his ba at naptime and bedtime again. But we thought maybe that would confuse Brecken. We also thought about taking it away when he went to school, but we didn’t want him to associate bad feelings with school. So one day we woke up and I took his ba and told him that the dentist had called me and told me that we needed to send all of the ba’s to him because he was worried about Brecken’s teeth.

Brecken cried….and screamed….and downright begged for his ba. It broke my heart and was so incredibly hard for me to watch. We tried to distract him with something else. Which worked for awhile. And then he cried again. Then we gave him gum and distracted him. Then more crying. The first day we took it away I would say he probably had 3 meltdowns and asked for his ba 6-7 times. We stuck to the same story every time he asked. We said dad had taken them to the post office and we no longer had any bas, they were sent to the dentist. I should  add that we also took this opportunity to wean Annabelle as well. Partly because we didn’t want her to become more addicted to her pacifier, and partly (mostly) because we didn’t want Brecken to see her pacifier and want it. We still let her have her pacifier at naptime and bedtime, but don’t let Brecken see it, and hope to have her totally weaned within the next 3 months.

The first night was difficult. Brecken still sleeps with us, so I put him to bed and laid next to him. He asked for his ba once again. I told him I didn’t have one, once again. He told me that next time he went to the dentist he was getting them back. I cried a little on the inside. He fell asleep with no tears or screaming. In the night he woke up and was looking all over for his pacifier and asking me for it. I told him he didn’t have one. He must have dreamt he did because he kept saying “yes I just had it.” I handed him his milk and he fell back asleep. He was up 3 times the first night asking for his ba.

And then it was honestly like a complete miracle. The next day he only asked for it twice all day, and he didn’t cry or scream or get mad. It was almost like he just understood he wasn’t getting it back and he had come to terms with it. He woke up twice in the night the second night, but no tears, just asking for it.

We are so proud of him, and relieved that this is over. We went to the store and bought him a toy for being a “big boy”. We never mentioned the ba, we just kept telling him we were so proud of him for being such a big boy.

We are so happy that we made the decision to fully discontinue the use of Brecken’s pacifier. He is so much more outgoing now and talks a lot more. When he had his ba it seemed like he just wanted to lay around and suck on it and not play as much and definitely not talk as much.

To all of the parents out there approaching this dreaded transition- stay strong, you got this! If you have any suggestions for easier pacifier weaning, or a blog related to this topic, please leave information in the comments section!

Little Miss Annabelle Rose

Photo Credit: Betsy Miller Photography

Annabelle Rose is our precious little 1 year 3 month old baby girl. She was born exactly 2 years and 4 days after her brother Brecken.

From the moment I found out that I was pregnant for the second time I prayed and prayed- first that the baby would be healthy, and second, that she would be a girl. I was so happy to already have my little boy Brecken, and wanted to be able to experience being a mama to a little girl.

Annabelle's personality is different than Brecken's. She is kind of ornery in a very sweet way, which helps her get away with it :) Brecken is a little more reserved and calm, whereas Annabelle seems more outgoing at this point in their lives. She loves to pull Brecken’s hair and change the channel when he is watching cartoons. She knows how to throw a really good fit, and can turn it on and off in the blink of an eye.

Annabelle enjoys riding our Wildcat side-by-side, which is so funny to me. When she gets in she starts waving at absolutely no one. She obviously thinks she is a princess or a beauty queen.  She loves dancing and ice cream. She is definitely a Daddy's Girl and gets so excited when Jeremy gets home from work. She started walking this Easter and now basically runs all over the place. She doesn't say a lot of actual words other than Mommy, Daddy and Bubby. But she seems to have made up her own little language and she walks around jibber jabbering all day.

She loves her pink baby blankie (pictured above) which was actually my baby blanket as well. I slept with it every night from the day I was born until the day she was born and then I gave it to her.

Annabelle’s nicknames include Sissybelle, Sensitive Sally, Attitudy Judy, Princess Peach and Stinky Pete :) But mostly we call her Sissybelle.

Are there any other mama’s out there who have baby girls around Annabelle’s age? I would love to learn more about your little girls and things that they enjoy doing for fun and education. Please post in the comments or copy over a link to your blog.

Introducing Brecken Liam

Photo Credit: Betsy Miller Photography

Brecken Liam is my first-born child and the absolute love of my life. He is 3 years and 3 months old. I had him when I was 26 years old after Jeremy and I had been married for 3 ½ years. Jeremy and I had always said that we were never going to have children, but after a couple of years of marriage God planted the desire for children in our hearts. And I’m so thankful He did because I truly don’t know where my life would be without his sweet little voice and wavy blonde hair.

Jeremy named Brecken many years before he was born. We spent our honeymoon in Breckenridge, Colorado one year after our wedding. We were driving around taking in the sights and Jeremy said “If we ever have a baby boy, we should name him Brecken.” I agreed even though, like I said, kids weren’t really in our plans at that point. So the instant we found out we were having a boy, we knew his name was Brecken. Liam is a shortened version of William. This name was chosen after my grandpa William (dad’s dad) and Great Grandpa William aka Pompo (mom’s grandpa). Brecken’s nicknames include Bubby, Bub, Bear and B.

Brecken enjoys riding our Wildcat side-by-side, riding his Yamaha “motorbike” bicycle, playing in the mud, playing with his cousins and watching YouTube Kids.  

Are there any other boymoms out there who have tips on raising little boys? I could use help on meal ideas, snack ideas, book recommendations, educational game ideas and any other tips you may have. Leave tips in comments or link me to your blog posts!

Toddlers and Tornado Whistles

We have had some severe weather this week in Nebraska, which is no surprise for this time of year. I’ve always loved a good thunderstorm and have been through my fair share of tornado whistles. But, this is the first year that I feel like Brecken really understands, and in return is hesitant when storms start brewing.

Yesterday I knew that we were in a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, but it wasn’t raining, thundering, or lightening yet and the wind was pretty normal. I looked out the window and saw a volunteer fire vehicle go by, so I knew the storm watchers were out. I don’t know how it is in other parts of the world, but in our small town, the volunteer firefighters and EMT’s double as the storm watchers. Within one minute of seeing them drive by, the tornado sirens started going off.

Stay calm- I know as a mother that is what I am supposed to do in order to not scare the children. But, staying calm is not one of my strong suits. So I jumped up and grabbed Annabelle and said “Ok Bear let’s get to the basement.” Brecken’s face went white and I knew I had freaked him out. Kids are smart and can sense fear….which is again, why I should have stayed calm. I grabbed a flashlight and we went downstairs into our 116-year-old unfinished basement.

I have to add that this is my LEAST favorite part of our house. In the 8 months that we have lived here I have maybe been in the basement 3 times for a total of less than a minute. I tried to talk myself into staying upstairs and going to an interior room with no windows. “Hopefully it won’t actually be a tornado,” I thought. Then I realized that is probably what everyone thinks, so I faced my fears and went downstairs. Jeremy was stuck at work late because of an unexpected meeting, so I tried calling him just to let him know that the tornado whistles were going off….but again he was in a meeting and unavailable.

So we got in the basement and I remembered I had read somewhere to keep your kids calm by playing games or keeping them busy. So we decided to Facetime my mom “Mimi” who was babysitting my nephews Carter and Silas. Other than my flashlight and my phone (which was at 2% battery) I realized I was 0% prepared. Luckily the sirens stopped going off and we were all cleared to return to the main floor. Brecken talked about the “Nado Storms” for the rest of the evening and kept asking me what tornados sound like.

So I decided today that I needed to get a storm kit ready and in the basement in order to feel more safe and comfortable in the event of severe weather.

According to the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) Web site www.ready.gov, these are supplies you should include in your basic disaster supply kit:

-Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

-Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

-Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both

-Flashlight and extra batteries

-First aid kit

-Whistle to signal for help

-Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place

-Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

-Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

-Manual can opener for food

-Local maps

-Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Aside from your Basic Disaster Supplies, these are additional supplies ready.gov suggested:

-Prescription medications and glasses

-Infant formula and diapers

-Pet food and extra water for your pet

-Cash or traveler's checks and change

-Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit  developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.

-Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or free information from www.ready.gov

-Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.

-Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. -Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.

-Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.

-Fire extinguisher

-Matches in a waterproof container

-Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items

-Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils

-Paper and pencil

-Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Feel free to visit www.ready.gov to download a printable pdf file of the Emergency Supply List. I am also interested in knowing if there are any parents (or really anyone at all) out there who have toddlers or children who have included other special items in their storm shelter room in order to keep the children calm and busy.

Prayers for a safe storm season for us all!

Hello

Hello! My name is Abigail! Welcome to my Acreage of Grace! I intend to use this space to share my experiences as a mama to my two children- Brecken (3 years-3 months) and Annabelle (1 year-3 months).

Since deciding to take a break from my full-time job in Marketing in September 2015, I have been at home with our children....all day....every day...:)

My husband Jeremy is sure to be mentioned on a frequent basis. We met when I was 13. He was my high school sweetheart and is my best friend still today. We have been married for 6 years and I'm one lucky gal.

Why did I decide to call my blog Acreage of Grace? Jeremy and I have lived in 5 houses in the past 6 years. I say this with a tinge of embarrassment because people that don't know me probably think I'm crazy. Heck, people who do know me think that I'm crazy :) But, in all seriousness, after our daughter Annabelle was born, Jeremy and I started having some tough discussions regarding budget and our "perfect" living/working situation.

At the time I was working very hard as a Marketing Director for an Assisted Living company. I was toggling between 3 different towns and never 100% positive where I would be one day to the next. That was very difficult with having a newborn baby and a 2 1/2 year old. At that time we were living in what we thought was our "dream" home. We had worked very hard and we were proud to purchase a new construction that we planned on living in for a long time. But these discussions led us to realize that my heart was leading me to be a stay at home mama. I had prayed a lot about it and truly felt like my ministry needed to be with our small children. We knew that in order to make that happen, we would have to sell our home and scale way back to live off of one income.

After we accepted an offer to sell our current home, we had no idea where we were going to go. We knew we wanted to end up in my hometown (pop. 1000) and we wanted our kids to attend the same school we went to. Due to the small size of this town, real estate wasn't exactly easy to come by. One day, while searching online for what felt like the millionth time, I found this acre of land with a 116-year-old house, a barn and a large shop/garage. The house appeared to need more work than we were willing to put into it, but after looking at it in person, we decided it was worth a shot to make it our own.

The acreage was substantially cheaper than our new construction, with the difference allowing me to leave my job and stay at home with the kids. So in a roundabout way, I kind of feel like I have our home to thank for providing me this life I am so blessed to live. And that is how Acreage of Grace was born. Of course I would also have to thank my husband for working so hard to allow me to stay at home with my babies, but that will be a whole other post.

Along with stories about my children and journey as a mother, I also plan to share recipes and craft ideas. I am a Journalist by trade, with my degree in Journalism- Public Relations/Advertising, so I may share stories or tips regarding my time interning and working in that field. I have some pretty amazing and diverse people in my life, so I plan to do Guest Contributor posts, where I will have my friends/family share stories about their expertise or hobbies.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope that you will continue to visit my Acreage of Grace!