Do I believe the Hype? + Happy Birthday To Me!

So according to studies, I'm getting old. Not studies on me, but rather on our feminine reproductive organs... by the time you are 38, you're uterus is basically a dud... all your good eggs are dead, and all that is left, is well duds... Oh and let's not mention the craziness of hair loss, weight gain, wrinkles and everything else they can throw in to scare the poop right out of you (oh and poop... ya, you'll probably never poop again!) This information used to scare me. It used to freak me out... and I'm kinda freaking out, that I am not freaking out.

Guess what... 38 is well-  just that, 38. It's a number, it's how long I've survived this crazy world of fear mongering and freak outs, love and laughter, chocolate and hugs, nieces and nephews, brothers (I got a few when I married my hubby) and sisters (my own partner in crime Sarah, plus I also collected a few more when my brothers all got married), my friends- my girlfriends, I'm not even sure this adequately describes these women who support, hold, up, pray for, and constantly bless me. It's been a sweet ride, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I wouldn't trade this body, these lines, my silver hair, or my experiences for anything... Living this life, not necessarily the one I had planned (read more), but the one that was planned for me- has given me the ability to trust, rest and rely on God to know... I don't need to know... He knows.

My mom always tells me when I'm feeling frustrated and I'm going on, and on...
 "but God, why, why me, why us... I'd really like to know!!"
She always tells me;
 "hun, you are on a need to know basis -and you just don't need to know."

So today for my birthday my wish is this... God whatever you have for me, whatever you have for us, give me the confidence to boldly go, boldly take that step, boldly believe and boldly trust in you... all the days of my life. With each passing day, and each passing year, this gets easier, less complicated, more simple, and very rewarding... Because God is good... always. 

So Happy Birthday to me! and to all of you celebrating today with me... Today is a GOOD day to have a GOOD DAY! Share the love, and your life lessons...
M.




PS. apparently someday soon, in our 40's ladies... our upper bodies actually become larger than our lower bodies?? SERIOUSLY?


and what is this little nugget of gold?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-27466/Is-woman-best-38.html

LostBumblebee©2016 MDBN
8x10 Printable by LostBumblebee. Personal Use ONLY.

Wild + Free and Kinda Prickly

If you've ever wanted to know a little bit about me... this little print tells you a lot. I love to think of myself as wild and free and easy going- now I'm a lot more easy going than used to be... but I can still be slightly prickly... as I am sure we all can be... if this is you too - than this one is for you!

Share the love prickly people!
M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
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Wild and free and slightly prickly!

©LostBumblebee 2016 MDBN : Wild and free and kinda prickly : Facebook Cover image :)

Let Your Light Shine.

Don't let anyone, or anything dull your sparkle today, 

you are incredible, 

let your light shine.

Share the love,

M.

(2 versions to choose from, one with Matt 5:16 scripture and one without)

LostBumblebee ©2015 MDBN : 4x6

LostBumblebee ©2015 MDBN : 5x7

LostBumblebee ©2015 MDBN : 8x10

LostBumblebee ©2015 MDBN : 8x10

Soul Ship

It all started innocently packing my bag with all sorts of goodies and prints, for an upcoming conference away. I wanted to know how much it weighed, so I stepped on the scale. DO NOT DO THIS. It might make you cry. The premise was to step on the scale, read what it said, step back on holding giant suitcase. Try doing this with tears in your eyes and utterly frustrated at yourself, is an entire ordeal in itself! 

Since the hubby and I did our IVF treatments my weight has continued to go up slowly- I mentioned it to my doctor about hormones, he said nah, everything looks normal- and the hormones should be out of your body shortly. That was 3 years ago. 

So I had to give myself a little pep talk. Come on lady... now is not the time to freak out, you've got too much ahead of you to worry about this at this moment, you need to breathe, shake it off and get your thoughts back on track. Who knows just how easy it is to spiral down, down, down, when you step on the scale? Telling yourself you knew better, you did this to yourself, etc. etc. etc. blah!

So in the midst of my very own pep talk to myself, I had to remind myself, my body is the vehicle that carries this beautiful soul of mine. It carries my thoughts, my emotions, my creativity, my giving heart. I had to get out of my own head. If you ever get yourself in a little scale pickle, don't stay there too long. Remind yourself, that this body, this is just the ship, that carries some seriously precious cargo. That cargo, that is you, that is your beauty, that is your light, that is your life. 

Here is a little reminder, if you need to print it off and put it on your mirror, in your car, at your desk, on your fridge, wherever you need to put it, to see it, do it. This body is fleeting, but your spirit and soul will live on forever. They are what truly matters. 

Share the love-  today with yourself and others!

M.

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Comparison

So, you know when you skulk around Instagram, your favourite blogs, and Facebook instead keeping your head in your own work... well... Have I got a little story for you;

Yesterday I took a day off from "working" and I did domestic stuff. In the spirit of honesty,  I finally unpacked from our China trip (some stuff but not everything),  I did some laundry, I cooked a meal, I cleaned out a closet and I stalked all of my favourite people online.

I went to bed last night feeling overwhelmed -not because I was so excited to see what other's were doing and feeling encouraged. No, I was overwhelmed because I felt like I wasn't doing enough. I don't have enough Christmas prints ready to go, I haven't even thought about doing a new Advent Calendar yet, I don't even have my own christmas cards printed. I need to be printing things and having them available on Esty. I need to have an open house and sell some of my Printables all ready to frame for our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015 trip. I need, I need, I need- ack!

What have I been doing all year? How am I not being as creative, as productive, as awesome as everyone else.

WAIT!  STOP!  HOLD THE PHONE GIRL! 

Melissa! (or insert name here___________________) Stop comparing yourself to others and get your head in your own work and just be creative.

Stop worrying about what other's are doing, stop looking into their proverbial 'bowl' to see if they have more than you do. I once read somewhere:  the only time you should look in someone else's bowl, is not to see if they have more than you, but instead to see if they have enough. Are they ok? 

This sweet image is from:
www.chibird.com

So I'm being honest... because frankly, I dislike this feeling, I dislike looking at others and feeling that I am not enough, and I think I'm probably not the only one...

I saw this awesome little design from ChiBird and I wanted to share it, because we're all different, we are all kinda awesome. And when it comes to creative work, creativity and productivity... the only person to compare yourself too is you. Am I doing all that I can do? Am I the person I want to be?




There are only 24 hours in the day, (Melissa, or insert your name here______________) you can't do everything, but do what you do well... and sleep tight at night knowing you are awesome.

Thanks to Theodore Roosevelt for saying:  Comparison is the thief of Joy. How true. Yesterday I had my very own experience with this. So I've created a print that I will be printing off and sticking to my forehead,  because it is all too true. Comparison IS the thief of Joy.  Booyah!

Share the love,
M.

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Eat, Drink & Be Thankful!

It's that time of year, October in Canada, where the trees are all turning yellow and red and we get to celebrate thanksgiving. We celebrate it,  a month (plus some) earlier than our friends in the US, and I secretly love it! Canadians get to celebrate in October and then, because the world is so small- thanks to the internet,  we get to continue celebrating until the end of November!

I love that in my life there are almost two months carved out for being grateful, reflective, and thankful.  And that we get to celebrate this act of gratitude.

Yesterday was a terrible day in Canada. One of our own, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo (age 24) was shot while on honorary guard at the National War Memorial. It's a sad day in Canada, we are all rocked to the core with this horrible news... in this time of horror, it is hard to look into our hearts and choose gratitude instead of fear, retaliation, and hatred.  But we must, we must. Hatred breeds hatred... Love breeds gratitude and gratitude breeds love. I am so grateful to those men and women who put their lives on the line daily for our country and for other countries (maybe our Peace Keepers have even put their lives on the line for your country). I am grateful for the men and women who are first responders in emergency situations -who put their lives on the line for us every day. I am grateful for the people who stand for us and with us in times like these.  I pray peace over our Nation and over your Nation... 

In all things, give thanks... even in times like these...
Share the love,
M.

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Maybe. Just Maybe.

Maybe, just maybe this is the key to having a happy, successful, productive life-  oh ya, throw in a little hard work, a lot of elbow grease, the desire to see others succeed and the ability to just keep on going.

Share the love,
M.

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Frankly Darling...

I don't give a hoot.
Whoo me?
Nope I never feel like this.
Ever. I always care.

Ok, I'm lying- sometimes I just don't give a hoot. I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately... I often worry about things that aren't any of my business, my concern, or anything I need to even be thinking of.  Do you find yourself tangled up in this web of 'false responsibility' because it makes you feel valuable or worthy?

I've taken to reminding myself often "not my circus, not my monkeys" sometimes I have to say "not my circus, yes my monkeys" and still have to let it play out as it will.

I can't control everything, cause If I could, let me tell you... lol no, seriously- sometimes we just have to stop, let it go, and not give a hoot how it turns out for our own sanity! Sometimes we women tend to try to fix everything, for our spouses, our children, our friend's children, our parents - and the list goes on! But you know what... you don't have to fix the neighbourhood... you just have to live in it :)

I mean of course apathy sucks! That we take no part in- for causes that we need to stand for, we stand! For changes that we can make, we make! To fight the good fight, we fight! - I'm not talking about this sort of thing, I'm talking about the little stuff that we burden ourselves with, the stuff that tires us out so that when we do need to fight, apathy is just an easier choice.

What are you concerned about today that you need to let go of? What responsibilities are you carrying that really aren't yours to carry, but because you are such a good person, you took it over?
What do you need to say "Frankly darling, I don't give a hoot" about today?

Let it go... breathe... the world didn't fall apart- nope it's not easy, it sucks to not be in control all the time, but on the other hand, the freedom that it brings is marvellous!

Let it go + Share the love,
M.

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Please Don't Rain on My Parade.

Please don't rain on my parade with your dumb cockamamy ideas of reality!

Sometimes you've just got to tell it like it is. 

Let your imagination soar!  Follow your heart! Make your dreams a reality! Believe in yourself!

And ignore all other's cockamamy ideas of reality. 

This one's for you :)

Share the love,

M.

Oh and I've got a simple little reminder - Please Don't Rain On My Parade ~for the kid's room,  or the kid in you, or if you want to post it at the office and be slightly more politically correct :) Take your pick- M.

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A Person's A Person... no matter how small.

I may have watched "Horton Hears A Who" yesterday while weathering out Tropical Storm Fung-Wong. And this line hit me "A Person's A Person, No Matter How Small"  :)
I wanted to share... Now it's your turn to
Share the love,
M.

By the way, this would be great in a classroom, a child's room, play room,  or anywhere for that matter :)

If you haven't read about our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015  >> Please take a read and if you love free printables please consider giving a donation to help us on our journey! 

 

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Sing Me Love.

In the morning sing me love, and in the afternoon it's love, and if we sing together Love will sing along- two voices carry farther than one.

I love, love, love this song- hence this hand lettered printable :)
Share the love,
M.

If you haven't read about our Living Life on Purpose Africa 2015  >> Please take a read and if you love free printables please consider giving a donation to help us on our journey! 

 

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8x10

Be Kind.

Sometimes I need a gentle reminder to be kind- (I know -hard to believe, but alas totally true!) You know everyone you meet is going through something that we know nothing about- and sometimes all they need is a little kindness and grace in that moment...

This would be super cute in a classroom, a child's room or on your office bulletin board as a reminder to yourself and others to just Be KIND.

Share the love,
M.

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Yup, We're Back :)