Friday, December 2, 2011

A Dollop of Profiles

We have another profile this week... yay! I love doing these, as it lets me get to know my readers a bit better, and I know that some of my readers have found new blogs to follow thanks to this little shindig. Happy Friday yall... and now, here's Jess!

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Your name: Jessie

Your blog’s name:


Keep It Together


Is there a special meaning behind the name of your blog:
Actually, yes! I followed several bands around the South East when I was in college. One of my favorite bands from that time is Guster, a group of guys from the Boston area. Although their album and song “Keep It Together” is not my favorite by them, it was the phrase that kept sticking out in my head as I searched for a blog name.

When and why did you start blogging:

My former neighbor, Kim, got me into it! It was February, 2006. Kim and I used to walk the neighborhood pushing our strollers and just chatting. She told me she had started a blog online to keep her friends and family up to date with her life. Since I didn't have time to scrapbook any more, I thought a blog would be a great way to document our lives instead.

Your family:

Our family consists of my husband, Brian, who is a self-proclaimed geek and computer programmer. We've been married 7 and a half years. We met at the restaurant I used to work at right after I graduated from college.

Our daughter Jaina is 9 and a half. She came into our lives before either of us were ready to be parents, but ended up being the best thing that ever happened to our relationship :) She is creative and artsy, has an amazing imagination, a kind heart, and sometimes a pre-teen attitude!

Jayce, our son that is now 6 and a half years old, is our daily challenge. He was diagnosed with Classic Autism- High Functioning (HFA) when he was a few weeks shy of his third birthday. After being in therapy programs for over 4 years, he has come so far! Most people that meet him cannot tell that he is on the Autism Spectrum at all. That is a huge compliment to our son and his therapists. Watching Jayce pull away from his own little world and join ours has been an amazing adventure to experience. He has suddenly become interested in sports and cannot wait to try basketball this Winter and try baseball for the first time in the Spring.

When Jayce was 5 and able to understand the concept of having a new baby, Brian and I decided to try for one last child to complete our family. We unexpectedly encountered our first batch of infertility. I had never experienced such heartache as I did every month when we found out we had not conceived. I had pretty much given up the thought that we would ever have another child and was resigning myself to just be a mother of two when I realized my cycle was late on Mother's Day weekend. Hands down, the best Mother's Day present I could ask for :) We are due with our unknown gender baby on January 15th, in 8 weeks.

We also have two four-legged members of our family. Shaggy, a jack russel/ rat terrier/ beagle mix wandered into our yard and into our hearts 18 months ago. He had to have surgery on his femur to correct some sort of injury from abuse as soon as we found him. We also saw on the x-ray that he had been shot with a shotgun by someone as a puppy. Some people say we should have named him “Lucky”, but we feel like WE are the lucky ones to have him. He is such a great dog.

Jackson is our newest addition from the Humane Society. He is a pure-bred Lakeland terrier and reminds us of our Wired Hair Fox terrier that passed away in September. We are hoping Jackson settles down into his new home and responds well to training classes! As cute as is he is, he is Trouble as well!

As for me, I'm just a stay-at-home mom with a billion things to do and interests to explore. I just started my own photography business, Smilin' Down Photography, last year. I also volunteer with a local group called Family Connections, which connects families of Special Need children together. I also watch a toddler who just turned one a few days a week. She is preparing me well for having a new baby! I have a degree in Psychology from a local Women's College and claim that I “use” it every day, despite not getting paid a dime for it!

Our family lives in a town in South Carolina, in the heart of the Bible Belt. I have never lived anywhere other than the South. My husband was raised Greek Orthodox and I was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon). Although neither of us prescribe to the teachings of a particular faith or denomination, we continue to keep an open mind about different religions and are teaching our children to do the same.

What are you favorite hobbies:

Well, I used to scrapbook, with actual paper products, but now I just let them sit dusty in our bonus room. I just don't make time for it anymore. I am a HUGE lover of books and enjoy the Book Club I'm a part of very much. I also have rekindled my interest in playing the piano now that my kids are taking lessons.


The guests at your fantasy dinner party would be...

Tori Amos first came to mind, probably because I was obsessed with her in High School! Honestly, I would love a whole table full of various musicians that I have come to love over the years. I think Jason Mraz would be an interesting dinner guest as well. In terms of celebrity crushes, there is no one else I'd love to meet more than Adam Levine from Maroon 5. I think he's hot :P

If you could be or do anything else - what would you be/do?

This is an interesting question! If I was not a stay-at-home mom right this minute, I'd love to be a lactation consultant and to help new moms learn to breastfeed. However, I didn't know this about myself until I became a mom! So, if had never been a mom, I have no idea what I would have done. Probably gone to Grad school to get my master's in Developmental Psychology. Who knows what I'd be doing with it today?

If you could live in any other time period, when might that be?

I love the mid-to-late 1800's. Think Laura Ingalls style on the prairie. I really think I'd be suited for farm life on the prairie.

Do you prefer books or movies?
Hmm... this is hard. Probably books. But I do love a good movie! And I love to watch movies that were books first, but you know how that doesn't always turn out well. I'm always loyal to the book first.

A recent book and/or movie you’ve seen/read that you LOVE or a recent book/movie that’s come out that you’d like to see/read:
I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, but if you haven't read the Hunger Game series, you need to! The movie comes out in March and I am sure will be amazing (although not do it justice!). Its an amazing story of courage, family devotion, and endurance.


What’s your biggest pet peeve?

“Redneck talk” like “I'm fixin' to mash that button over yonder hill.” Yes, I know I'm from the South and I tend to say, “Y'all” on occasion, but my parents and teachers also taught me proper English and grammar!

A phrase to sum you up:

“A mother's work is never done.”

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Thanks Jess for participating! If YOU'D like to be featured in A Dollop of Profiles, just shoot me an emai! I'd LOVE to feature more readers!
 

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