Barefoot & Breathless

Motherhood vs. Career

Moments I never want to miss!

 

I've had to take a break for awhile, but I'm feelin' the itch to come back to this. I've been so overwhelmed lately as I try to get back into the working world. I'm doing it because I'm antsy being at home everyday, and because we really need the money right now. It is proving to be more difficult (mentally) than I thought, though!

My daughter is a Mama's girl, no question about that! She's not too keen on my leaving her behind whenever I have to go somewhere. It pulls at my heart like you wouldn't believe, and makes me question everything I'm doing. On one hand I am loving my time "out". I'm meeting creative people again. I'm thinking creatively again. I'm adding to my resume. I'm networking and enjoying the socialization. I've been so isolated the last three years. I loved having that time with my daughter, but I'm hungry for adult conversation and creative collaboration!

On the other hand, I know my daughter needing me like this is only temporary... and I hate to rush this time in my life. There are days when I really do feel good being at home, watching the kids, caring for them, making homemade dinners, and gardening....but it gets lonely. It gets old sometimes. I try to appreciate the moments, but they blend together after awhile. If I get a chance to do a job on location for a bit...I seem to be able to appreciate my time with the kids more when I return.

It's all about balance I suppose. I know I need to nurture my own soul while I'm nurturing theirs...otherwise there isn't enough of me to go around. If I don't, resentment sets in and I don't want to ever feel that. It is so difficult to remember to take care of yourself, though, to not overlook your own needs when everyone else's are so pressing.

As I move forward, I'm working hard on not feeling guilty that I'm doing something for ME, even if it is momentarily taking me away from my family. They will benefit from it, too, one day. Not just financially, but emotionally. I won't be so frustrated or stressed out. They won't have to experience me being like that. My kids will have opportunities to bond with other adults (especially my daughter who needs that like you wouldn't believe!), and my husband will have the chance to interact with the kids without having me around as a buffer!

All I know is it takes a lot of courage and self-confidence to put yourself out there after such a long break from the working world. I feel blessed that it is going as well as it has. I feel blessed that I have people in my life who believe in me and support what I'm trying to do, even if it is just a series of small baby steps right now. It all leads into the "big plan" eventually.

Right now I'm looking at two weeks of educational teaching at Discovery World and four possible photography jobs. Each day presents new opportunities, if I keep my eyes open. I'm lucky that I'm finding freelance work right now, so I can continue to make my own schedule around my family life. I'm excited to see where this all goes!

For now, though, I'll just keep moving forward...one day at a time... believing in myself and my abilities, and appreciating the moments I have with my family more in between. 

Guest Writer for the Renegade Farmer

Originally posted on Thursday, February 18, 2010

The ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm writing for The Renegade Farmer!

Okay, here it is finally....

I'm going to be a contributing writer on The Renegade Farmer!

http://therenegadefarmer.com/

This opportunity has been in the works for the last month or so, but I didn't know until last Friday whether or not I would be chosen to be one of the writers. I am so excited!

First of all, I'm sure many of you are going to ask: What is The Renegade Farmer? Well in the words of Zan Asha, the beautiful woman who created this network...

"We are a collective of farm-loving writers on a mission to discuss farming, self-sufficiency, green living, and much more. Join us as we tackle baking, livestock, agribusiness, and more with wit, humor, and candor. Plus, don't miss The Renegade Farmer Radio Show. It's all Farmtastic! Dedicated to old fashioned farm life, farming, self sustainability, old fashioned art and similar handmade lives.. Expect discussions on agriculture, handcrafts and sewing, livestock, urban farming, beekeeping, cooking and much more.. Stay tuned for guests and experts on various subjects. "

If you aren't familiar with The Renegade Farmer, then you should definitely check out the link above. It was just recently launched this year, so it is still getting started, but there is a wealth of information coming in everyday, not to mention Zan always has a wonderful interview coming up on the RADIO SHOW!

Which, by the way, I will be on this SUNDAY! It starts at 5pm central/6pm eastern time. This Sunday's show will be an interview of ALL the wonderful writers who will be contributing to the blog. We'll be introducing ourselves and answering any questions that may come through in the chat room. Aside from us, though, Zan regularly interviews many authors, editors, and farmers who give excellent advice and insight into this way of life.

As for what I will be writing about? Well, I guess you'll just have to check out Saturday's posting! Now I'm going to be honest. I have all intentions of getting in my introductory post this coming Saturday, so anyone tuning into the show will know who I am and what I'm all about. However, life is not agreeing with my "wants" at this moment....so we'll see how it goes. It will definitely be soon, though.

So, you may be wondering now how this all came about. It is quite amazing in my opinion! I first learned who Zan Asha was through one of my most favorite magazines of all time: Mary Janes Farm! Before I go on, I must share with you this video that is about Mary Jane Butters as a way to show you how and why I am in love with this magazine and every idea it represents:

For reasons that are hard to explain...I wish this were my life. I would love to be living like this, but I have to live in reality, too. I currently reside in a small town, with a small backyard, and several neighbors surrounding me. Yet, I constantly feel like I need to move closer to the "farm" kind of life even if I don't have the land at the moment. The feelings I get when I dig my hands in the dirt and the pride I feel when I feed my family from our own garden are like none I've ever experienced before. There is a tremendous sense of calm and contentment that go along with self-sufficiency.

There is also the romantic in me that is drawn to the ways of the "old life", of learning how women used to cook, sew, and create in a time when technology wasn't the main focus of our lives. I have a feeling that families stayed together then because they worked together, as well as played together. And now, I cannot escape the desire to bring back some of this knowledge and wisdom into my own modern life and the lives of my children and husband. Only I don't have a grandmother, or a mother to teach me how it used to be. I have to find it out for myself, and I am certain that I'm not the only one in this position.

So, Mary Janes Farm Magazine had done an interview on Zan that highlighted her artwork, and the fact that she is a beekeeper...in NEW YORK CITY. Obviously I was interested in her efforts of living a natural, farm style life in the city, so I checked out the links to her sites, and made contact. I've been talking to her occasionally through facebook and the OWOH ride, and have also been following the launch of The Renegade Farmer. Then, I got brave enough to ask about writing for it. I wasn't sure if I would even be considered since I have only been an online presence for a short time, but now...here I am, preparing my first post!

I really am excited. Since I jumped on the blogging band-wagon, I have been astounded by how many people I have found that share my same interests, and appear to be on the same journey as I am. I am so thrilled that I will be a part of something such as this; that I can share my discoveries, as well as my mistakes, and all that I am learning with others who are attempting this same way of living. We need more places to go in our lives for ideas, inspiration, and the knowledge that we aren't the only ones out there struggling to make something meaningful out of our lives...and that we CAN make our dreams come alive, even if it consists of a series of small baby steps to get there.

So, I hope you all will take a moment to check out The Renegade Farmer, join the site, see what I post each Saturday, and take the time to listen to the show! Even if you can't make it to the live show on Sunday, there will always be a link to the interviews on the site. Hope to see you there,

Darcey

Posted by Darcey Rojas at 2:25 PM

2 comments:

www.nelliebugs.com said...

I love her hair -- are those dreds?

Sadie@
nelliebugs-swaps.blogspot.com

February 19, 2010 3:39 PM

Zan Asha said...

Hello Darcey, Rock On! You are definitely a Renegade Farmer :)

Hey Nelliebugs, last I checked they are indeed dreads ;)

February 21, 2010 10:15 PM

Developing my new virtual home!

 
Image found here.

Just like moving in real life...you need to not only have a destination in mind, but have a house built to move into! I've spent the last week or so figuring out those details. I've got a location here on TypePad, and I've got the basic structure nailed down. However, I still need to choose which posts from my existing blogs are going to come along for the move, and get going on some new ones, too! I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. This is the basic rundown:

I've combined my old Barefoot & Breathless blog from blogger, as well as 365 Day of Discovery...and have even added a few others. Yes it probably sounds crazy and overly ambitious, but I think you'll see that it works wonderfully. I am in love with TypePad, to say the least. I've been able to set up my new home as if it were a website, rather than just a blog, with links from page to page. Now I'll be able to focus more!

What you are reading now will be my home base: Barefoot & Breathless - A Renaissance Soul in Flight.

Under Daily Adventures you can expect to see notes regarding progress on this blog, any tips or tricks I've discovered, videos of my daughter telling crazy stories from her imagination, what's on my mind as I finally go through the boxes in my basement that I took from my mother's house after she died, a pic-nic on any given sunny day, a hike through Kettle Moraine, a visit with us as the holidays come and go, and general glimpses into the daily adventures from a family life of four (maybe five) creative, hardworking, and loving individuals with two dogs and a mouse. From here you will also be able to access:

Barefoot & Breathless - A Naturopathic Journey is where I focus on holistic health and wellness.

I'll be sharing my 28 day journey to discovering my food intolerances, as well as natural remedies and recipes that I believe will provide some answers regarding how to deal with/overcome fibromyalgia, depression, and weight loss. This portion of the blog is an effort on my part to really focus on overcoming my health issues. I am taking this next year of my life to consciously work at this EVERYDAY. I can't wait any longer. I can't expect medicine and endless doctors appointments to fix me anymore. I've done that for the last three years and it isn't working. I know I can go back to being a vibrant, healthy, and energetic individual. If I can find my own answers to my problems, I want more than anything, to share them with you in the hopes that you or your loved ones that suffer from chronic illnesses can find your way to a life free of pain and stress.

Barefoot & Breathless - Urban Homestead is where I share my family's journey towards a more sustainable life.

You'll be able to find a lot of info here about becoming more self-sufficient, going green, organic gardening, preserving your harvest, environmentally safe cleaning products that you can make yourself, and much, much more! I'll show you how we transformed our suburban backyard into a place that can feed a family of four. And you'll most likely hear more about my attempts to get my town to accept chickens and bees in our backyard! I'll also be looking into how you can start your own community farmer's market, a farmer's co-op, and a farmgirl sisterhood! I'm not quite sure how it will all pan out...but I'm ready to get my community going, to raise their awareness, and for as long as I live here, encourage them to come together as a collective. I don't think we should be living solitary lives, devoid of friends and neighbors that could add to our experiences. We need to know our neighbors and find kindred spirits with whom we can work together with if we are ever going to make a difference on this planet.

Barefoot & Breathless in the Studio is where I will share moments of living, working, and exploring the creative life.

Here you will be able to see what I've been up to in letterpress, photography, interior design, and graphic design (just to name a few of my current interests). I'll talk about art for art's sake, and how to make a profit off of your creativity. I'll also be showcasing crafts/art projects that will get your kids involved! It's never too soon to encourage and develop their creativity. Once I get a little more established, I'll also be opening up an Etsy store! Soon you'll be able to purchase some of my letterpress work and photos (for starters). I am also considering some graphics kits/vector art for purchase, as well as craft/project kits. You'll just have to stop by regularly to see what shows up!

Barefoot & Breathless in Mexico is where I will share my story of learning to live and love south of the border.

And here....there is so much I intend to do here. You'll come along with me as I meet my in-laws in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico for the first time, learn what goes into making the decision to uproot your life and build a second home south of the border, as well as learn about Hispanic culture along the way. I will tell you now, the first thing I need to do is learn more Spanish! I am going to feature a daily vocabulary word in Spanish for starters, expand into more complex lessons regarding sentence structure...and even add a few videos of my lessons with my husband! I'll especially focus on what you need to know to travel to Mexico and communicate on a basic, functional level, without a handy guide or translator nearby!  It should prove very interesting. You'll probably get to see us argue over pronunciation as he says a word, I repeat it, then he says it again, and I say "That's what I said!", over and over. Nah...it'll be a little more intersting than that!

Throughout all of this I will be adding photos galore! There is so much in this life to see, do, and document. I only hope I can do it justice.


So, here we go! Wish me luck, let me know what could be improved upon, or what just doesn't make any sense. I look forward to meeting everyone and I hope we have many friendships ahead of us!

Darcey