Why here, why now?

Some readers may ask that.  I had another blog, A Second Heart where I have already started this story.  So, why not go back there and continue the story?  Well, I thought about it.  But, so much has changed since I blogged over there and although we are still going through some of the things we were going through then, I feel like starting a clean blog, with a new purpose, better serves where I want to go with this blog.  So, please, feel free to go and read that blog and I will sometimes refer to it, but with this blog, I am aiming to do a few things:

1. Blog about staying healthy as a full-time working (plus), stressed out mom of a child who has a chronic health condition.  I feel like staying healthy is particularly important because I am a caregiver who is highly depended upon by someone else.  But, it will hopefully appeal even to those who do not have a child with a chronic health condition.
2. Blog about caregiving.  Especially for a child that doesn't necessarily show their condition on the outside, but still has serious health issues.  Caregiving is a huge responsibility and it isn't easy to deal with no matter what the reason you are doing it.  I've also been through some caregiving for ill parents, so this aspect may be broad.
3. Blog about stress and overcoming it.  I have quite a bit of stress in my life.  Some of it is my own making, some is the "normal" stress all moms deal with (homework resistance, bedtime resistance, keeping the house clean with little ones, etc.) and some of it is different from others (anxiety about upcoming procedures, medicine delivery problems, etc.).  But, in the end, it is all stress and it needs to be dealt with in some way.  
4. Finally, parenting.  I have a daughter like any other mom.  I am dealing with figuring out how to best parent her.  I am trying to figure out how to get her to do chores.  I am trying to figure out how to get her to sleep all night in her own bed.  So, part of the blog will be about that.

I am often told that I am "strong" and a "good mom".  I often feel like a fraud when I hear those things.  But, sometimes I embrace them.  I know that I deal with things decently.  Not perfectly, but decently.  I know I could do a lot worse (but sometimes, I could do a lot better too).  So, I hope I can share some wisdom on this blog, but mostly I will be sharing thoughts and ideas and resources and such.  I think I can find plenty of those.

I hope that you will join me and follow along.  Look for the things you are interested in, whether it is getting and staying healthy as a mom/caretaker, caregiving strategies and resources, dealing with and overcoming stress and/or how to parent better.  Thanks for the visit!