Farewell To This Chapter

The moment I became a Mother, the life I once knew immersed with my wants and needs, transformed into midnight feedings and up all night worries, hoping to fulfill all of this precious new life’s needs. As she grew, I did too, more in love with her everyday. I had suddenly found my purpose in life, was this very child, and finally, I gladly closed the last chapter of uncertainty away. God had given me this sweet gift and with that responsibility, I was consumed with a sense of peace. My time was now hers and a few years later there was no longer one child in our family, but two. My life felt complete with these two little angels. God knew my hearts wish and like a dream it had come true. Our days overflowed with cuddles, diaper changes, tea parties, bath and bedtime routines, snacks and feedings, playing dollies and dancing, and although at times by the end of the day I was spent, every morning with a glimpse of their sweet faces, I was ready for more. Undoubtedly, there were days I questioned everything as most Mother’s do. The unequivocal responsibility of doing what is best for our children can be daunting. We consume ourselves with the, should haves, could haves, and would haves throughout the days, weeks, months, and years. Still though, being home with these little people, was what I longed to do. My oldest daughter turned four and it was time to give preschool a whirl, I felt a tug in my heart as just a touch of our time together began to slip away. Mostly though, my days were with my sweet girls and with that, my heart was full. Kindergarten came and went, first and second grade too, with my first born there were a few tears, fears and kissing hand smooches, but we pushed through and looked forward to spending time together on weekends and every afternoon. But there is a shift in season upon us in more ways than one, as we inch closer to fall. We are nearing the end of an era and the onset of another. My youngest child will follow in her big sister’s shoes this fall as she begins Kindergarten. What this means for me, is that for the first time in nine years, I will not have a tiny human home to keep me company. *Cue the waterworks... It has been nine years since I left my career, my home, and my family to embark on this new journey as a stay at home Mom, while proudly serving as co-pilot to my flyboy as he serves in the USAF. Staying home with our children was something we felt would be best with our unique lifestyle. It has been such a blessing to me and something I am proud of knowing that if asked again, I would choose this life every time. That robust word ‘time,’ it’s used so often and yet when we run out of it, somehow it feels like we didn’t know it was coming. This ‘time’ I have had with my children is a compilation of so many of my favorite memories gathered over the years. Which brings me to question, how will I fill my ‘time,’ throughout the day? I am no longer the person I was before they graced this world with their presence, so in a way I am starting new. I am uncertain of what will be written on the pages of my next chapter, but I pray for the unveiling of gifts He has graciously given to me so that I can bring more glory to Him and to others as I learn to reinvent myself. I am hesitant to close this treasured chapter that built me, but I will do so expectantly and confidently knowing full and well that we are in good hands. So as I wipe the tears from my eyes while I type this, I hold close to the beautiful memories made at home with my babies. Farewell to this chapter, you have been my favorite, but it’s time I turn the page. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Do you see what He sees?

“Visualize yourself on stage, go through the whole routine without making a mistake and when it’s time to perform, it will be just as you pictured.” (Advice from my wise Father when I was a child.)

A few months ago...

My pastor’s wife reached out to me and asked if I would be on her Women’s Ministry team as the Prayer Coordinator. Now initially, this had me feeling all kinds of happy, because I have desired to be more involved at our awesome church, but also I just love this amazing woman and to think she wanted me on her team had me over the moon excited!

That was until the mention of a video introduction of myself. Me in front of a camera; there wasn’t anything more terrifying to me! Everything I had looked forward to came to a crashing halt. My mind was spinning and I was reprimanding myself on how terrible it would be if I agreed to this.

Why I am so fearful of public speaking? Let me start by informing you that I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications. I.e. I stood up for four treacherous years in front of my peers, speaking about everything from abortion to selling a flashlight! Seriously, pure torture for someone like myself.

That advice my Dad had given me as a child vanished in this environment and I only envisioned myself failing when standing at the front of a room. Every single time I spoke, my knees shook, my voice quivered and I never recalled a single word that I had spoken to the classroom of students. Graduation day couldn’t come soon enough!

Today, I am a Mom and up until now, I felt a sweet sigh of relief that I would never have to endure this type of nervousness ever again.

So I did what I always do when I want to run away, I call my Mom and convince her that I can just say no to this possible public humiliation because it’s not something I HAVE to do! She is always on my side and agreed that if I was too uncomfortable not to put myself through the stress. Ahhh... there’s that sweet sigh of relief again.

But when I hung up the phone, I heard a whisper, that small inner voice speaking to me. At first I tried desperately to busy myself and hush the voice within, but eventually I heard loud and clear, ‘you have do this.”

I surrendered and agreed to shoot the video. I prayed vigorously leading up to that day. I knew that if I saw myself the way I had in the past, I would crawl further into my safe haven where I would never have to do anything out of my comfort zone again.

On the day of this simple filming endeavor, I had both of my children with me, which made me slightly more nervous than I already had been! What would they think of me after seeing me like this?

The three-minute interview came and went. Tami hugged me in the parking lot knowing how worried I was about all of this. She reassured me that I did well and that I was the only person who recorded this all on the first take. It felt good hearing her sweet words, but it didn’t stop the doubt and worry I had over what had just been recorded. I was sure I looked incredibly uncomfortable and I dreaded seeing myself on the big screen the following week.

The night it would be shown to the women at our church had arrived. Part of me wanted to play hooky and just stay home, never having to witness myself on the screen. I knew that wouldn’t be right so of course I went.

I sat in the parking lot before walking into the church and simply asked God, “Please Lord, let me see myself through your eyes, Amen.”

I took a seat in the back of the apex, near a couple of women I had never met. I looked up at the large projector screen and started to feel my nerves creep in. When the video began, I watched the other beautiful team member’s introductions and anxiously waited for mine to begin. I started questioning what everyone in the room would think of me? I was sure they would all see my insecurities displayed on the screen.

There I was, slouched down in my chair hoping that no one would recognize me when my 3 minutes began. As my interview started though, I sat up a little straighter. I even had tears in my eyes, but I didn’t care. The person I was watching I hardly recognized. I hadn’t stuttered like I thought I had and I was a little nervous sounding, but surprisingly, confident. This small account of bravery allowed me to let go of some of the past hate I had put upon myself realizing in that moment that THIS is how God sees me!

Friends what if this year, we make 2017 the year we see ourselves through God’s eyes? Can you imagine the sweet possibilities? It is how we see ourselves that will either encourage us to reach our full potential or deter us to the point that we throw in the towel on the passion that drives us.

Lets dismiss our past embarrassments, missteps or otherwise, and focus on the present time in our lives. We were made for so very much in this life. His plan is a perfect one, so we don’t have to be.

“Those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5

Have a beautiful day!

Tiffany

To those who have been bullied...it's not your fault.

I walked swiftly down the familiar narrow blue hallway of my high school and clutched my college algebra book as if it were a long lost teddy bear from my childhood. Making eye contact with anyone sent a shiver down my spine, terrified it would be one of them again, I fixed my eyes on the floor...

Thankfully, I knew my way around the school by now. I was a Senior filled with the excitement of prom just around the corner.  Despite my soft spoken nature, I loved performing with some of my best friends on the dance team, at the high school football and basketball home games.

This year I was thrilled to be going to prom with a guy I had, had a crush on for awhile. Lets call him Brad. To be honest Brad was a popular football player and he did not go unnoticed with the ladies. That being said, it was much to my surprise when he called and asked me to go to prom him! Discloser: There was a time when a phone call was considered a proper invite to the prom, sorry to disappoint, there were no extravagant promposals during this era, It didn't matter to me how he asked, I was just ecstatic to be his date.

The day before after class let out, I strolled down the same blue hallway, only it was different then. I felt safe, comfortable, content in this place that I had truly embraced over the last few years.  I smiled and said hello to friends as we passed by each other on our way to our next classes. My joy vanished abruptly when, Jen and Sara, stood a few feet down the hall with their eyes glaring at me. Their body language expressed to me that this was not a friendly greeting. They stood planted waiting for me to reach them, a snarky look danced across both of their faces.  I knew who they were, but we weren't friends. I wasn't sure what this confrontation was about, I had always gotten along with everyone.

I continued moving toward them, until I stood just a couple feet away. Then it happened, "Hi whore! I bet you think you are cool or something.  Going to prom with Joe? Well you aren't.  You are nothing but a slut. Haha, Slut!" One of them pushed my shoulder, my books hit the floor and my legs gave way as I fell hard into the locker. Humiliated, defeated, and alone, I slowly looked up from cold floor of the blue hallway to watch them walk away.  The sound of them cackling at the spectacular that had just taken place, haunted my thoughts for weeks.

Looking back on that time in my life, I think what hurt the most was the name calling.  I was a virgin and prided myself that although I dated in high school, I hadn't given that part of me away. So when they called me those disgusting names, it bruised my heart. I say bruised, because the hurt healed in time. And although it wasn't the last time I was confronted by the two of them, it was ok because I became stronger in spite of it.

I am writing about this today in honor of Bully Prevention Month.  If anyone out there reading this has been bullied or their children or loved ones are encountering this experience I want to say I am sorry for what you are going through.  It is painful and it is ok to admit that.  This bruise will heal and when it does, know that you are stronger than the person hurting you. The person who is bullying you is bringing you down in hopes that it will lift them up, even if we know that it doesn't work that way.

Surround yourself with a great support system, don't keep bullying to yourself.  Talk with loved ones about the pain that you feel.  There is strength that comes from overcoming this type of grief.  I am grateful that I had love surrounding me in the home that I grew up in. Because of my support system I knew that although what they said hurt, there was no truth behind it. It is our job as parents to teach our kids, that not everyone in this world will be kind to you, but don't let their untruths define you and most importantly, it is NOT your fault.

My daughter Sophie, is in second grade and I wanted to hear her thoughts on bullying.  This is what she had to say:

1. What is bullying? When someone is not being very nice to you.
2. Why do you think they aren't being nice? Because something is probably not right in their life.
3. Have you ever been bullied? Yes
4. How did it make you feel? Sad, it made me feel like I was doing something wrong. But that is not true, right Mama?
5. How do you think we can help them? Still be kind to them and ask them why would they do that. If you work with them and be kind to them that's how they will stop.
6. What does a bully need the most? Someone to play with.

Isn't it incredible what we can learn from our children?  No matter your age, race, sex, etc., we were all created by the same hands of our Heavenly Father.  Love one another, show grace and kindness to each other, and always know that you have purpose and worth in this world.

The days are long, but the years are short...

I know how tough it is to put all of your blood, sweat and tears into raising this tiny human and you don't get much in return.  The stockpiles of laundry you try to keep up with, the sleepless nights, multitude of feedings, the plethora of diaper changes, not to mention bath time, wellness visits and you can't leave out the nights spent worrying about this sweet child and praying you are doing the best you can for your precious angel.  You think to yourself if only I could get a full nights sleep, if only I could take a hot shower uninterrupted and you long for your brain cells to return so that you can finally complete one thought before you are on to the next feeding...

There is a rainbow at the end of all of this.  Your efforts and extra snuggles are being stored away in their tiny hearts like a treasure chest, so that one day when they are old enough to recognize all that you have done for them, you will see they did appreciate all that you gave to them.  They truly felt it all along and the weight on your shoulders will ever so gently begin to lift and not feel so unbearable anymore. Their independence will begin to blossom right before your very eyes.  

My proof to you...

It was 1:00 in the afternoon, just before nap time when I was in my room grabbing my book to head down for my ritual of hot green tea and quiet time while the girls rested. When I turned around at my nightstand Sophie stood there hands behind her back grinning from ear to ear. At first I sighed impatient, because well the day had felt like a week and I just needed a little time for myself.

"Mama, pick a hand!"

"Hmm...your left hand." I said with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. 

There was shuffling behind her back, as she cleverly switched her surprise to the right hand, showing me her empty left hand.

"Nope, pick again!" She said, her eyes so bright and filled with joy.

Me: "Ok, ok right hand." 

It was this.  This moment that time stood still for just a second as she proudly handed over to me a first place award made of construction paper that read: She takes care of me.

My heart, oh my heart and tears were overflowing. Validation, sweet validation that our children, they do notice, that yes of course we take care of you. We always have and always will.

Sweet Mama, keep going.  Keep doing all that you are doing, because one day you will see that all of the time spent devoted to Motherhood, were not lost on them.  

A tribute to Mom's here there and everywhere...

To the stay at home Mom's and the Mom's that go to work, to those who choose organic and those  who couldn't care less, to those who send their kiddos to public schools and other's who home school, to those who are pro-vaccinations and to those who are anti-vaccinations, to Mother's who choose to nurse and to those who bottle feed, let me just say...You are beautiful.  You are enough. You are strong. You are at times under appreciated, yet you never quit.  You are your child's hero and their warm embrace.  You are tired, oh so tired, but you keep moving.

You are the maker behind the most delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You are their comfort when their feelings are hurt. You are their goodnight kisses at the end of each day. You are their hand holder as you teach them to look both ways. You are the provider of one more drink of water, one more book and one more hug good night. You have purpose.  You were chosen specifically for your child. You fit your child's needs in a way that only you can.  Your arms are your child's safe haven. You, yes you, are all of these things!

Motherhood is complicated and we make up a very diverse group of amazing women.  We come from different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, etc.  What's truly remarkable to me, is that although we may not always agree on our parenting styles, decipline methods, values or otherwise, the above statements are universal.  Even though our personal choices may vary in opposite ends of the spectrum, we are all doing what we believe to be the very best for our children. Our children we have loved, since the moment we heard the rhythmic sound of their sweet heartbeating.

On our worst days, when our patience runs low and our energy is on empty, lets remember God put us in this wonderful position for a reason.  We have a fascinating and at times daunting responsibility of shaping these beautiful, tiny humans. But you know what gives me comfort, we are in this together. Encourage one another, lend a hand when we see one of our fellow Mama's struggling, because we have all been there and we are sure to be there again.

No matter our differences, this weekend, on Mother's Day, we are all celebrated. On Sunday morning I will think of you and your sweet littles, as I also soak in the sweet moments with my precious angels who gave us the most important title we will ever have.

I would also like to acknowledge women who have not yet experienced Motherhood and are desperate to have a baby, I'm praying for you and truly believe God's timing is perfect, which gives me great hope for you and your family.

Sweetest blessings and Happy Mother's Day!

Tiffany

Stamp Haven

My name is Tiffany and I am a Mama of two sweet little girls and a pilots wife, living a life full of surprise. I choose sweet over savory in life and in the kitchen and I believe in using our God given talents to help others.

My mission for https://www.etsy.com/shop/StampHaven1 has always been about inspiring others to be kind, be brave and have courage.

I have been working on building this business for a year now and although it's a small part of my everyday life, I truly take heart in making jewelry and gifts that matter.

Thank you stopping by and I look forward to creating you a piece that you will treasure for years to come.

Tiffany Campione

www.etsy.com/shop/stamphaven1

Visit me on Instagram @stamphaven1

Our Family Recipe...

You guys, my hubby is home! In honor of having our little tribe back together, I thought Our Family Recipe, would be a great way to express how fulfilled our hearts are now that we have our big strong man back.

Our family recipe...

Flour - This ingredient is not the most exciting ingredient alone, it's lacking in flavor and color, and it is responsible for the largest portion of the family recipe.  It's our daily lives, a sometimes mundane, but essential part of this recipe.  As you grow up you begin to discover life can not be stimulating at all times. And when a piece of the family is missing, we yearn so badly for the days of repetition and predictability in our lives.

Salt - Thankfully, this recipe only calls for a pinch of this ingredient, but let's face it, life has it's salty moments.  Everyone argues from time to time and you know what, it's ok. I don't know about you, but life would be a snooze fest without freedom to have our opinion and passion about certain topics, even if they are different than our family members.  We find strength and courage when we are challenged and I believe this is how we develop into the best version of ourselves. That said, there are also the less complicated, yet salty exchanges...babe can you please keep your socks OFF the floor? MmmK moving on...

Eggs - This ingredient is the glue and what holds us all together.  Our values make up this ingredient, the teachable moments that we learn from our children and that they are learning from us.  Character building is at the center of this key ingredient. Here are a few we believe to be important: God is first, family is second, our manners do matter, choose kindness always, we've been given so much, be grateful and give back, you are never alone, and make time for prayers everyday.

Butter - This ingredient holds our most tender feelings.  It's our tears and fears, our inner vulnerable selves, that we trust only one other with. It's deep and rich and so very much needed.

Baking Soda/Powder - When life fall flat this ingredient is essential to lift each other up, assuring that we rise above our circumstances and never give up. Tomorrow is a blank canvas, create something beautiful, but only after coffee.:)

Sugar - Right here is the sweetness in life and the tastiest of all of the components. The sugar in our family recipe is the comfort, the sound of laughter, beautiful smiling faces, it's all the firsts, the tight hugs around our neck, it's waking up together on Christmas morning, spending weekends making memories, it's date nights for me and the Mr. and its the validation for us, that even on the toughest days, there will always be a moment of sweetness, so embrace it.

There you have it.  It's really very simple.  Individually, the ingredients wouldn't be much to indulge in, but when mixed all together, it truly is delicious.

xoxo,

Tiffany

Oh where, oh where have my brain cells all gone?

Oh where, oh where have my brain cells all gone? Oh where, oh where can they be?  With my husband deployed and my kids late for school, oh where oh where can they be?

My husband is deployed, but I really can't complain because it's much shorter than it has been in the past and yet it still feels like it's taking for...ev...er !

You know, when he told me about this upcoming deployment, I got super organized.  I even wrote a goal sheet. Yes, annoying I know.  But I had all of these wonderful intentions of getting everything I had put to the way side, finally done.

And so for the first, say 3-4 days, I was like a Tasmanian devil up in here.  I started on sock drawers tossing the lonely singleton's, making my way to closets, stuffing our over abundance of all the things, into a ginormous donation bag for Salvation Army, I stock up on groceries and pinned crafty activities for the kids and I to do, and you know what I felt accomplished for a minute.

But since then... the two books that were on my goal sheet to be complete have yet to be opened, the website I was supposed to design, welp still nothing, oh and the waking up for 'me time' every morning before the kids, yeah let's not talk about that.

I mean seriously, I am zonked!  *I blame day light savings.

Now, as we are a few weeks into this whole separation thing, I have decided to give myself a little grace.  The self-bashing that has been in my head the last couple weeks, I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy!

So from here on out, this is what I am going to do, it's not rocket science or anything, but I will accomplish one thing everyday.  Now, I am including taking the kids to school on time! High fives for that right there!  I will also include a hot dinner on the table for me and my littles a small, yet satisfying success.

Maybe you too have felt that you are failing because all of your to do's that are still undone.  Listen, I am giving you a pass today.  Take deep breaths, find your zen, have a glass of wine and throw in some chocolate and smile because you are doing the best you can and I am too.

"Don't worry, about a thing, because every little thing, is going to be alright." Oh, Bob Marley I adore you and will gladly take your advice.

Cheers to Friday friends!

Tiffany
xoxo

A letter of hope

Dear Mother in law,

I'm writing this letter to you, to give you an update on our family. We think of you often and pray for you daily and hope one day that we will see you again...

To start off, I wanted to fill you in on our lives with our two precious girls who are both incredibly sweet and have an abundance of curiosity.

Sophie is in first grade and has gotten straight A's this year.  She has God in her heart and reminds us how blessed we truly are.  She performed in the Nutcracker twice now and lives up to her middle name, she is definitely full of grace. She asks about her Granny often and when she will see you again, questions we can not answer, but instead we pray that we will have you in our life again.

And Gia, she has more spirit in her little body and has a way of commanding a rooms attention with just her smile.  She is in preschool now at our church and is enjoying socializing and learning in a group setting.  She started ballet this year and is tiptoeing her heart out trying to keep up with her big sister. She asks about who you are and why she hasn't seen you, but for now we show her pictures and again we pray.

Your son.  Your unbelievably intelligent, hard-working, family loving son.  He is everything to me and the girls.  What an amazing man you raised.  Jake is serving our country and flying the stealth bomber, a dream come true for him.  How proud you would be of all he has accomplished.  As a Father he is present and the girls are smitten with him.  Before bedtime he sings songs from his childhood that you once sang to him and tells the three of us childhood stories of the loving Mother that you were to him when he was young.  Helping him with his science eco-system project, caring for him when he was sick and how on Sundays he and his sister would put together a newspaper to bring in to you in the morning.

Lastly there is me, your daughter in law.  I am keeping busy with running the household and blessed to be a stay at home Mom.  I know you know the beauty and the struggles of taking care of everyone and hope one day we can talk over tea about how Jake was as a child when he was only a boy.  Until then, I will continue to pray that the two of you let down your guards and surrender the past.

I felt a pull in my heart to write this.  I don't know if you will read it or not.  I hope that you will.  You are loved by your grandchildren even if they have only a handful of memories of you.  You are loved by your son even if you haven't heard the sound of each others voices in years.  And I have love in my heart for you as well, as the Mother of my husband.

My hope is that before 2016 comes to an end, there will be answered prayers and healed hearts.  And maybe if the stars align, you will sing, Nani Nani, the lullaby you sang to Jake, while holding your grand girls.

Sincerely,

Tiffany

Do something that matters

                                                   

A couple of weeks ago, while browsing books on Amazon, I came across, 'Start Something That Matters' by Blake Mycoskie.

My passion is discovering ways to find our purpose and finding God's plan for our lives, which is why immediately I had to order this book!

It has been so insightful and has encouraged me, as I continue to work towards identifying opportunity in using my business, to incorporate something that matters.

Timing is everything. A friend of mine recently contacted friends and family to ask if we would like to participate in her Kindness Crew. What this entailed was simple, initiate any act of kindness and write a brief story to be shared over Valentine's Day weekend in hopes to spread kindness.

Without a doubt, I knew I had take part in this wonderful project. I was inspired by the TOMS story and resolved that I would give one for one for every be brave, be kind bracelet I sold over the next two weeks, I would give a bracelet to a woman at the Survival House.

Visit my shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StampHaven1


Here is the story...

"My name is Tiffany and I strive to make a difference. My business Stamp Haven commenced about one year ago. My intentions for this business have always been about telling your story through jewelry and gifts that matter.

Recently, I have had more opportunity to spread positivity through the pieces that I create. Phrases including, Be Brave, Be You, Be Kind are simple, yet powerful words.

I chose to share kindness to Survival House, a safe house for women and children in our community who have suffered from abuse. I knew right away when I read about this organization that this was the place that I wanted to give, one for one bracelets to.

These seven wonderful women need many things. Clothing, toiletries and resources are a necessity for them and their children, and in the future I plan to help provide some of these items. Today, it wasn't about giving them what they need necessarily, but more so, a chance to give them a glimmer of hope.

I pray they know that are loved and worthy of a better life. Encouraging them to believe in themselves is the first step.

If there is an organization you think would benefit from one for one giving please contact me Tiffany Campione at tcampione27@gmail.com or at mysavingrace818.blogspot.com

xoxo,


Tiffany Campione

Stamp Haven: https://www.etsy.com/shop/StampHaven1

https://www.facebook.com/Stamp-Haven-358372354334108

How do we know...

I believe there is something greater than ourselves orchestrating the strings of our lives, but how do we know if we are doing our part to accomplish what God wants for our lives?

During my early to mid-20's, I was oblivious to this concept. I lived day to day for what would benefit me, myself and I.  I was a professional dancer and this passion of mine, took hold of my heart and was the center of my world.  I strategically planned everything else in my life around my dancing endeavors.  As a result, I missed important family events, my faith faltered, and along the way relationships slipped through the cracks.

I have grown since then.  I am stronger in faith, I have become a mother of two beautiful girls and I did the unthinkable and moved away from home with my adventurous fly boy.

Although raising our children has given me the most love I have ever known, I still have an aching inside of me, calling me to dig a little deeper.

While my husband Jake was deployed a few years ago at Christmas time, I climbed aboard a train with my 2 month old and my 3 year old. The three of us ventured 18 hours on that steam engine towards home, where we would be surrounded by loved ones during the months he was away.

At the time, we were living in Minot, ND, sometimes referred to as, The Magic City.  Minot had experienced a horrific flood the summer prior, damaging over 4,000 homes.  The flood thankfully did not damage our home, but for one reason or another the affected community weighed heavy on my heart.

One night while at my parents house, my Mom suggested, "Go take a break honey."  She had Gia cradled in her arms and Sophie was already sound asleep.  I took her up on her offer and did what sounded best at the time... I took a shower. Maybe some of you busy Mama's can relate!  That night while I was in the shower I started brainstorming ideas of how I could help.  In that glorious 10 minutes of quiet time, I decided I would put together a 5k on the anniversary of the flood.  I would only have 5 months to whip this up, but somehow the worrier in me didn't worry at all.

Let me be clear, I am not a runner and I have humbly participated in a whopping total of one 5k in my entire life!  I knew nothing about planning this endeavor, but I couldn't shake the idea.  I also decided in those few pertinent minutes, that I would name the charity event, Hope Floats Rebuild The Magic.

It has been awhile since that inner voice was so crystal clear to me, which makes my goal as 2016 begins this week obvious. I am working on one simple task more than ever...listening.

We were all made for a specific purpose.  We may cross paths with someone that only we can provide the comfort and hope that they are desperate for.  Sometimes it may be hard to explain or may otherwise be impossible, but His plan always comes to fruition.  All we need to do is listen.  We are a wonderful work in Him.  Be kind to each other, encourage one another and be the ears to listen to be called to greatness.

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." James 1:19

Do we need love or choose love, that is the question...

In my life I have been single I don't know something ridiculous like a shallow handful of months since the ripe age of sixteen. It sounds completely horrible.  I am a serial monogamous. There I said it.  Isn't it all about taking that first step towards recovery? Anyway, I never participated in casual dating, random hook-ups, etc.  When I met someone I knew in an instance if it was going to be a long term relationship, and if not, adios.

I had always felt I needed a person in my life to fulfill some dreadful missing piece. I discovered the hard way that it's really more so, about choosing to have love in your life once you are secure on your own.

There were times in my life where I filled a void for the person I was dating by boosting their confidence and being their biggest cheerleader.  I have also needed in relationships, where I was feeling insecure and around the corner was Mr. Charmer, boom crisis averted! Or, so I thought.

This type of relationship is seriously dangerous.  It may help repair your troubled heart temporarily, but this quote below about needs in relationship says it all, have a look.

Isn't this fascinating?  It makes so much sense.


The 'meet cute' eons ago...

It was fall in good ole' 1998, just off the campus at EIU. My roommates and I were hosting an epic Halloween party(I never use that word by the way).  Jake showed up that night and would go on to tell you that he snatched a smooch from me, but I'm still not buying it.  I have faint memories of a hand full of conversations with him that semester, but in a flash I never saw him again. Unbeknownst to me Jake had left school to enlist in the USAF.  Now we hardly spoke that semester, but without a doubt, I know now that God was preparing something magnificent for us.

Nine years later...

I was twenty seven and was encountering a difficult period in my life.  I had gotten married prematurely, I had insecurities I needed to be fulfilled as did my significant other at the time and not long after saying, 'I Do' we were saying, 'Good bye.'  Though it was a rough chapter in my life, I had grown so close to God in spite of it. I decided during this time, to give the reigns of my life over to God entrusting Him with my life, so I knew I was in good hands.

It was a beautiful spring day when I received a friend request on MySpace.  MySpace, yes I know I'm decrepit. At first I didn't recognize who this tall, dark, and delicious, guy was.  I sent a message to him saying hello and asked him how we knew each other.  Jake wrote back explaining our acquaintances from EIU and it started to trigger my few memories of him. Jake also mentioned he was in a pilot training class in Texas, but would be back in Chicago the next week.  He asked me out on our first date to a Chicago Bulls playoff game.

I don't remember who won the game that day, or the names of any of the players for that matter, but I will never forget the way Jake smiled at me and the feeling of joy I had from the moment we said hello.

We had grown up since that first meeting when we were just teenagers.  It wasn't our time then.  Our needs had been met and we were choosing each other.  This choice came with it's challenges; a long distance relationship, unexpected deployments and plethora of zip codes, but over and over again I choose us every time.

Interesting food for thought:

Need: requirement, necessary duty, or obligation

Choose: something that is preferred or preferable to others; the best part of something

When I see the definitions of these two words, this is the analogy that comes to mind:

I need to eat Brussel sprouts, broccoli and carrots, but I choose to eat a red velvet cupcake with extra cream cheese frosting.:)

For anyone reading this that is single, there is a person for you out there.  Dig deep using your mind, body and soul through spiritual growth, artistic expression, working out or all of the above which is really what makes my soul dance and the rest will fall into place. Your needs are for you and God to work out, but choose a person to be the icing on your cake.

A little ditty about me...

When did you start blogging, and why?

My blog commenced shortly after my oldest daughter Sophie was born. We adventured out of state when she was four months old and I wrote primarily for our family to watch Sophie grow and to be able to hear about our day. I also have always loved journaling. I love to read blogs and journal entries from my past and be carried back to a time and place in my life.

What are some of your favorite sites on the ‘net?

One of my absolute favorite sites is undoubtedly Pinterest. This little slice of heaven is my go to for everything crafty. Whether I need a quick fix for the house, entertainment for the kiddos or I am at a loss in the kitchen and in dire straights for a new recipe, I know I will be in good hands. And the icing on the cake…I can browse this lovely site all while sitting comfy in my PJ’s with a delicious glass of wine. Ahhhh bliss.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Coffee. That hot cup of Joe is how everyday begins over here. I would hate to see it any other way. I imagine if there was a morning we had no coffee, the kids would be pulling me out of bed and no one would be getting anywhere and absolutely nothing would be accomplished.  That said, we are off in the morning, picture Home Alone after they have slept in, yep it isn’t pretty. Two days a week my youngest little mooshie face, as we call her, Gia, goes to preschool for a couple hours and during that time, I complete orders for Stamp Haven, I write, get groceries, followed by more coffee and on to pick up my punkin (OK I’m realizing we have a lot of nicknames for our babies). On most nights, after everyone is home sweet home in the evening, we sit down for dinner together. We go around the table talking about our day and for the first time all day the four of us our sitting in one spot!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/StampHaven1

What advice would you give someone who wants to blog or share his/her story?

My answer in short is yes, write; write your heart out friends, I can’t wait to learn more about your story, but I also know it’s tough to open up and leave the pages of your heart exposed for the world to see. I struggle with this decision with the memoir I’m writing, Gift of Grace. But, I pray often and something I try and pay attention to.  If your gut is speaking to you, and you keep coming back to it, than go for it!

To me writing about the past is therapy. I have dug deep and discovered it has helped me close the door on things I was still beating myself up about. As far as opening a blog, I think at times social media can be a distraction from what is really important, but the very best perk for me is learning about others. Shared experiences and relatable moments, they help to bridge the gap between those who may feel lost, hurt, broken and others who were once in their shoes ready to encourage them as they cross over for a new beginning.

In my early to mid-20’s I thought I had my life figured out. I was a professional dancer after college and I wasn’t budging for anyone and as a result, relationships were damaged. What I am proudest of is that despite the heartache my late 20’s brought as a result, it had to happen. That’s the crazy thing about life. There are just some things that have to happen in order for God to get you where you need to be. For me I had lose everything in order to really appreciate what He had in store in my future.

Sophie is my saving grace. She is His miracle. Because of her I knew I would do everything in my power to keep our family together. Even if that meant going out of my comfort zone and moving to places I had never been so that she could be with her Mom and Dad. I have never looked back at that decision.  “Look how far we have come,’ is what usually crosses my mind. It also hasn’t been easy, but it’s the story God has chosen for me. I have grown as a mother, spouse and woman of faith because of this journey and that makes it worth it for me.

How can people follow you?

You can follow me at mysavingrace818.blogspot.com or on facebook.com/tiffany.campione

Thank you for spending a few minutes of your time to get to know me, I really appreciate it and I am excited to learn more about you as well!

xoxo,
Tiffany

A summary of my memoir 'Gift of Grace'

“What if I show up on your wedding day, will you still marry him?” 

Tony’s question haunted within as I stood with my beautiful white blusher veil delicately covering my freshly dolled up face.  I was twenty-six and marrying Ryan, the man I loved, but as I stood on the cement church steps, my body started to shake. Could I have been second-guessing the decision I had made when I said “Yes,” to Ryan while simultaneously saying farewell to Tony?

When we went our separate ways, I numbed the pain by collapsing hard into the arms of Ryan, the perfect charmer. Tony made attempts to change my mind, but I pressed on in my professional dance career. Determined not to live in his shadow as an NFL quarterback’s wife, I kept the hurt for him buried silent in my heart.

Meanwhile, complacency in the present had me desperately creeping back to my past with late night phone calls and an unexpected visit.  But when I arrived at my destination, I was too late to salvage what I had come for and consequently my marriage was ruined.

I wanted to run away. I dug deep into faith and began pleading for God to take over the tangled reigns of my life. God began a new work in me and by God's graces I was given the most precious life changing gift; a second chance.  

I trusted God with my future of the unknown and could feel His presence giving me confidence to embrace this new beginning and learn to grow in Him along the way.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

For those who are new to becoming a military spouse, I write these words to you in hopes you will find comfort.

It was inevitable that if I wanted a life with Jake, I would eventually have to leave all I knew behind.  On January 1st, 2009, with the inception of a new year, I too was starting fresh. Moving away from family and friends was something I swore I would never do.  So it took me by surprise, when I decided to not only take a graceful leap of faith that this new path paved out for me be the right one, but more accurately I went full throttle landing into a life of the unknown.

Now, those of you who know me know that I am a planner.  This uncharted world of constant change was giving me anxiety, but because of my missteps in the past, I resolved then to give the reigns over to God.

A life as a military spouse was foreign to me.  To be honest in all my years, I never envisioned this type of lifestyle for myself, but God has a clever way of knowing exactly what we need when we are feeling lost.

I continued fervently praying that God's hands were wrapped around our 4 month old, Jake and I.  This gave me confidence as we packed up our things that although I was scared, this was what He had intended for me.

This leads me to present day, almost 7 years later...

At the moment, Jake and I are raising our two amazing and beautiful little girls, in a small town in the center of the USA.  We have moved several times and never has it been somewhere I have ever been before.  In our future there may be more boxes to pack and a new place to call home, this is again unknown, but what I am sure of, is what I have learned along the way...

~Companionship.

As a couple we have grown to become best friends, family, significant other, shoulder to cry on and everything in between, because even when we can't agree on anything at times, there is no one to turn to but each other.

~Humility.

There is an immense amount of strength you gain when you have no choice but to do things you otherwise would have shook your head and said, "Absolutely not!" to before you embarked on this journey." i.e. Mowing the lawn with a 7 month old bun in the oven and a two year old napping inside the house.

~Friendship.

Let's talk Military spouses. These individuals are amongst some of the most amazing people I have ever met.  Providing meals for families in need, organizing charities, supporting one another when significant others are away, and best of all they can relate to all of the emotions you feel at times, because hey, you are on this crazy ride together!  

~Strength.  

I know hands down, that if we can survive living in Minot, ND, than we can live anywhere!

~Pride.  

Throughout the years we have lived temporarily on bases around the country. My favorite memory was a powerful one in that everyday at 5:00pm to show respect, all vehicles come to a halt at the sound of our National Anthem playing. Even more uplifting is watching children playing at the park, stop what they are doing to stand and raise their little hand to their heart, it truly is a magnificent sight.

~Independence.

Trust me when I say it isn't easy.  There are seasons of separation and unexplained absences that leave us lonely at times, but there is important work to be done and homecomings truly are the best.

~Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.  

Missing my family and friends hurts just as bad now, as it did that first day we waved goodbye.  We try to always have a plan for the next visit, to give us something to look forward to.

~Courage.

Mostly, I learned that if I would not had taken a chance all those years ago, I would have never experienced all this life has to offer and for that I am grateful.

On Veteran's Day and always, I am proud to call the man in uniform standing by my side, my husband. For my Grandfather who served in WWII, for Jake's Father and Uncle who both served in Vietnam, thank you for representing what God and country exemplify.

Future spouses, hang on and enjoy the ride, you are in good hands. 

(Jake's homecoming 2012, Sophie was just a little excited to

see him:)