#AskAwayFriday With April From 100lb Countdown

#AskAwayFriday recently went through a few changes 
and it is now back with new hosts and

I am ready to be a part of all the fun with a new swap.

This week I had the opportunity to 

swap questions with April from 

100lb Countdown and 

she is also one of the contributors at

Marriage, Motherhood, and Missions 

I am always excited to meet new bloggers, 

and connect through the blogging community.

The more I got to know April the more I 

realized we had a lot in common. 

I just love how God works that way. He brings people together.

April asked me some really good questions. 

She had me thinking. Check out my answers.

1. You grew up with a deaf mother, what was that like? Growing up, I had a fascination with the deaf and started learning ASL, teaching myself all that I could. Of course, I had no one to practice it with or for, but I learned the alphabet and have had the opportunity to sign letters (all I remember) on occasion.

That is so cool that you learned some ASL. I'm always so impressed with people who have learned ASL. Having a Deaf mother automatically gives me access to the Deaf community. I am known as a CODA which is a Child Of A Deaf Adult. That is another whole community within itself. We have our own understandings that you can only relate to if you grew up with a Deaf parent.  It also means that I will approach any random Deaf person that I see and introduce myself. My hubby still thinks I'm crazy, but it's just what you do when you have a parent who's Deaf. Lol! 

The one thing that I learned having a Deaf mother, that I am so thankful for is acceptance of all types of people. Growing up my mother had friends of all races, nationalities, and abilities because if you're Deaf that was your common connection. Since that is what I was exposed to I always had friends of different backgrounds. 

I love having a Deaf mother and I am always very proud of who she is. She never let her deafness hold her back. She doesn't consider being Deaf a disability. She can do the same things as everyone else, she just can't hear. That is why I will always look up to her, and admire the woman that she is. 

*For the record:yes I got yelled at when I was a kid my mom may be Deaf,but she can yell just as loud if not louder than any hearing mother. 

2. We share a very similar story line in creating our families. What advice would you give to others that had the child first but still wanted the family?

Life may not always go the way we planned it, but that doesn't mean there is no hope. 
I can't speak for everyone but I know for myself I never imagined my life would have went like this, but I am SO grateful for the journey that God had brought me through. I've mentioned this before but I have realized it's so true. Sometimes our biggest hurts and struggles become our biggest blessings, and it can only build us up and makes up stronger, and wiser. 

My advice to others would be to seek the Lord and really figure out what His plans are for your life. We can have our own plans but they will never be as good as God's plans. He created you and He knows what's best for you. Once you are living a life that is seeking to glorify God, He will bless you with the desires of your heart. That includes a family and maybe other things that you never even imagined. 

3. You, like I, have a sewing machine that we don't use. What do you want to be your first project when you open it up?

I have a few refashion projects in mind. For example I want to make all my old bootcut jeans into skinny jeans. Then there are a few fashion diy websites and youtube channels that I frequent that have projects that I'm ready to jump into. Like maxi skirts, and summer dresses for me and my daughter. I would have to start off with something simple until I got the hang of how to really burn on my sewing machine. 

4. I am, by far, no fashionista, but what is your favorite style of the last year? What's your least favorite? 

In my book a fashionista is anyone who loves fashion. I can say I love fashion but I can't give anyone any serious fashion advice about the latest trends, especially since when it comes to my style I just wear what I think looks good. I don't have to follow trends or popular brands. I do most of my shopping at the thrift store.  

Well to be honest I don't have a great memory so I can't even remember what some of the styles were last year. I really like distressed jeans and colored jeans. Was that from last year? I don't know. This year I like all the florals. I love color so wearing a floral print allows me to get in that color. I also like to mix the florals with stripes. It's a unique combination. 

5. You wrote a post on Managing Conflict in Marriage around the same time that I did. What do you think of my advice?

I think the advice you gave was truthful and helpful. The examples you gave are real life situations that so many couples go through and it's important to be aware of this process in order to avoid the conflict. When you gave the advice to say, "okay" that is just a way to put your spouse's feelings first, because you're not immediately reacting off of your own negative feelings. 

Marriage takes work in all areas and we have to be purposeful in managing conflict, especially since the enemy will do whatever he can to cause issues in our marriage. 

6. I also did not grow up as a committed Christian (I was a "Christian" with no understanding of what it meant). I want my children to know, love and understand the teachings of the Lord. I struggle with remembering to pray and read the bible with all that needs to get done every day. How do you incorporate it into your children's daily lives?

I understand exactly what you mean. I continue to struggle with making time to pray and reading my bible. It's definitely not easy being a busy mom, but God knows our hearts. As long as you continue to strive at making your quiet time with Him your priority it will happen. God has definitely shown me that when I make the effort to put him first in my day, He will allow things to go smoother, and I will have more peace. 
I even feel like I have more time in my day because God just works things out. 

When it comes to my kids I make sure to pray over my kids each day before they go to school, and I know God is with them. I used to play Christian music in the morning while the kids ate their breakfast so they can have that encouragement and God's word in their hearts before they went to school. I had a whole playlist of my kid's favorite songs that I would repeat each day, my kids loved it.  We got out of doing that, but I really want to go back to that because it just set the day off right. 

Then before bed we will have time where they read their devotionals and bibles. My son is older so he reads on his own. I have been trying to let him be a little more independent in this, because I think it's important for him to develop his own relationship with God. 

I think the best thing I learned is to lead by example if your children see you putting God first, making your quiet time with God a priority, and praying on a regular bases, they will want to do it too. 

7. I read that you didn't finish college, do you want to? Why or why not?

I do want to finish college. I made a commitment to myself that I would graduate with a degree. God has changed my direction though, and I now feel Him calling me to go to a specific Christian college for psychology and counseling. 

I knew this was from God and not my own thoughts because I never would have came up with this on my own. 

I have no idea where this is leading me but I will eventually start attending the college and finish with a bachelors degree.

8. In my family, I did not see a lot of successful marriages, if people got married at all. I struggle to find a resource to maintain my marriage, someone I can ask the "real" questions to. What resource do you use to keep your relationship strong?

That is the whole reason why I started my blog. I wanted a way to connect with other wives and not only offer advice from what I had learned but gain advice for my own marriage.  It important to surround yourself with not only resources but people who uplift marriages. 

A few of the websites and blogs that I like to read that do just that are:

Love,Work, Repeat

Black and Married with Kids

Happy Wives Club

Unveiled Wife

Now I will definitely be checking out your blogs and adding them to my favorites list. 

9. Although I post a lot to Instagram (more to keep myself accountable), I realize that I am looking to find better ways to take pictures. In your obsession with Instagram, what's the best resource you found to help you take great pictures?

I am still learning when it comes to photography and the art of taking good pictures. 
The one thing I have learned is lighting is important, and the best lighting is natural light. I try to take my photos outdoors, especially my fashion shots. 

Then I learned to edit my photos. I mostly use iPhoto or PicMonkey for all my editing. I recently downloaded some new photo editing apps that I need to check out. 

10. I would love to spend more time with you. If I came to town, what would we do?

I love this question! Hmmm...let me think. I don't go out much so I don't have any immediate ideas. I would want to chat and pick your brain so maybe somewhere where we can sit and talk, like Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but I like tea so I would have a nice cup of cranberry or raspberry tea and we could chat it up.  

Then maybe we can hit up the mall and do some shopping. We can even hit up a few thrift stores and score some real good finds. Oh yeah! That sounds like fun to me. Let me know when you're ready. Honestly anything kid free will be fun times for us. 

I feel like I wrote a novel with these answers but I had fun. April really asked some interesting questions, and I am so glad I got a chance to know her. Since we have so much in common personally and with our blogs we may have to do some collaborating in the future. 

Be Blessed!