The View From Here: What We Think We Know

Welcome to the last View From Here guest post!

Today I bring you Shell of Things I Can't Say, which was one of the very first other blogs I discovered when I finally noticed that blogging was such a big thing. Since then, Shell has been a bit of a bloggy mentor to me, just by doing what she does, by her example.

In fact, she's such a cool blogger that, with help from a few other bloggers, Shell recently launched The Soccer Moms, dedicated to parents of active kids. Really great idea for a blog!

I think Shell's post for us is a perfect note to end The View From Here on.

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What We Think We Know

It’s so easy to make assumptions based on what we see of someone. The way they look, dress, the car they drive, the house they live in, their kids, what we see them doing.

We think we know.

The View From Here: Blended Family Bliss

For the second to the last week of "The View From Here", I bring you a man.

Lance Burson is a writer living outside Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and 3 daughters.

He's a published author of 2 books, The Ballad Of Helene Troy and Soul To Body,

available on amazon.com for kindle and lulu.com in paperback.

He co-runs the politics and pop culture site, Lefty Pop - Suckers For Politics And Pop Culture

and blogs at My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog.

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Blended Family Bliss

I'm terrible at taking compliments, but my favorite one is when people find out my wife and 3 daughters and I constitute a blended family and say "oh, wow, I could've sworn you guys had been together from the start."

The View From Here: An American's Reflections on England

The View this week is coming from Jill Robbins of Ripped Jeans and Bifocals.

(Great name for a blog!)

She is RIGHT NOW in the process of moving from England back to Texas.

I wonder if the two places have anything in common....?

I don't know, but Jill is sharing here with us today what she

will and won't miss about living in the UK.

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Reflections Upon Leaving England

I’ve lived in England for almost four years. Today, I’m writing at my dining room table instead of my usual corner of the family room (my normal practice is to write while keeping one eye on what everyone else is doing, which is my standard disclaimer for anything I write that might suck). I’m displaced because today is moving day. I’m surrounded by chaos and packing crates, watching two moving dudes named LeRoy and Steve touch everything I own.

The View From Here: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Kayso, this week's View will be perfect after the heaviness I posted yesterday.

Because I snagged the one and only Darcy Perdu of So Then Stories!

The name is fake, but her funny writing is so NOT.

She has been selected as a BlogHer Voice of the Year the past two years, as well as

1st place in the National Society of Newspaper Columnists in the blog category.

Here ya go!

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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – In Fact, Don’t Sweat

  

So then…Jennifer Hall of Dancing in the Rain invites me to guest post for her series The View From Here where writers share their “unique perspective on life”.

My immediate thought is, “Holy Cow! Does Jennifer’s website have enough ROOM to print my voluminous LIFE philosophy? I could go on for 47 HOURS on this topic!”

The View From Here: On Being a Jewish Mother

This week's View is very timely considering some of the awful events dominating the news this month.

It's along similar lines as Keesha Beckford's post, "Dear White Mom", published on

Bonbon Break, and further illustrates how much we parents -- no matter what we look like

or what religion we are or where in the world we live -- just want the best for our children.

The piece below was written by Gailyc of The Madness of Joy.

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On Being a Jewish Mother

I worry about the sensitive soul we are raising, the little boy who is scared of bugs and wants them gone, but who cries if I kill them. My heart is in my stomach most mornings as I scan the headlines. I am horrified by the recent election results in several European countries illustrating just how much of a political uptick in anti-Semitism there seems to be.  The violence in the Middle East, the anti-Semitism that feels more visible daily, rattles me.

The View From Here: A Life Full of Awesome

I may have strong-armed this week's View contributor: Chrissy of Quirky Chrissy.

I say that because I went to the fabulous blogging group we're both a part of on Facebook

and whined asked for bloggers to sign up. She expressed interest, and then I

continued to nudge....and nudge....until she committed!

And, um, she wrote the perfect piece for this week.

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A Life Full of Awesome

You know how, as an adult, you covet the weekends even more than you did when you were a kid? And even more so, you covet the weekends that house your birthday? An unlucky leap year desperately close to your next weekend birthday aside, every 6th and 7th year, you get the joy of celebrating your birthday on a weekend night. No work the next day. No school the next day. Just you and your birthday. And possibly a hangover.

The View From Here: I Want to be a Monster

This week my BFF who runs a weekly recipe blog came to me saying:

"I have a submission for your guest series if you feel so inclined."

And I said YES, thankyouverymuch because I failed to have

anyone signed up for this first Thursday of August!

It's like she knew.

For future reference, you guys can totally hit me up like that.

Her name is also Jennifer and her blog is Mom Rocks Mealtime.

Her post for me, though, has nothing to do with food.

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I Want to be a Monster

The city in which I live, the town in which I was born, the place I have chosen to raise my children has turned into the Thunder Dome.

It all started a year, maybe two, ago when I noticed people no longer returned my smile and wave when I give them the right away to cross the one lane bridge by my house. Soon, that bridge was covered in graffiti.

The View From Here: Battle Scars

This week I bring you Suheiry's View.

It's pronounced "sue-Hay-dee". It's Spanish.

She is a Freelance Writer and Lifestyle Blogger with degrees in English and Fashion Design.

Suheiry like's pretty things, but she talks here about something not so pretty: scars.

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Battle Scars

I have a 20-year old scar on my left knee that looks like a blurred map of the world. When I was 10 years old, I fell while jumping rope. I remember getting up, blood dripping down my knees, and walking back home. I remember my mother's anger, which I now realize masked the initial panic of seeing your child covered in blood. I remember her cleaning up my wounds and then telling me I couldn't go back outside. I remember crying and begging to go back outside. It was still early, and I felt fine.

The View From Here: On the Brinks

Today I have a View from Kelly of Kelly Roberts Writing.

I began reading her words when I set out to get this post ready, and I was instantly sucked in. I had skimmed it briefly when she first sent it, but my skimming didn't get the point across.

Her writing is wonderful! Just see what I mean....

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On the Brinks

Many important things fill our Brinks fireproof lock box. 

There are certificates of birth and marriage, and thankfully not death. 

There are wills, my husband’s and mine, the kind drafted by lawyers— we keep the kind strengthened by perseverance through years together with us at all times. 

Savings bonds, social security cards and snippets of a child’s caramel-colored hair also rest in the box. 

The View From Here: No More Self-Sabotage

This week's View is from Mari Farthing of Mari, Quite Contrary.

Mari wrote about a very personal issue for her.

I hope you will read and give her supportive comments.

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No More Self-Sabotage

A few years back, my doctor told me I had something called metabolic syndrome—meaning that I was a victim of my insulin, which was completely out of whack and I would need diet, exercise and medication to put my life back into order. More specifically, I would have to lose a significant amount of weight to get my insulin in control.

The View From Here: Not Ready for My Dream

You guys? I am so late getting this ready.

See, I've had this cough, probably caused by post-nasal drip, for like, three weeks.

Which has nothing to do with this post, except that it's the reason

I'm only getting it ready at 11:15 PM Wednesday night.

My friend insisted on taking me to the walk-in clinic and it took a really long time.

I'm telling you this because I am not really able to come up with some interesting anything

as an intro for this post. Thankfully, my guest, Asheritah, wrote her own bio,

which I will give you at the end.

What I can tell you is that this is a very deep and meaningful one.

(Most of them are, really.)

Read on!

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Don’t Wish for Your Dreams to Come True… Yet

The View From Here: We Are Free

For this patriotic holiday week's View, I specifically asked a blogger who

is also a military spouse to be my guest. I'm clever like that.

This is "A Girl" of A Boy, A Girl and the Marine Corps....

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We Are Free

The Fourth of July has always been more my husband's holiday. Me? I’ve never been a huge fan of fireworks, and having caught my coat on fire once as a child, it’s easy to see why. He has always loved to blow stuff up and the 4th is no exception. But the day is more than your average holiday, and way more than the one time a year that many areas legalize fireworks.

The View From Here: I am String Cheese

 This week is, honestly, one of those weeks when I am very happy I have a guest blogger

to fall back on for some quality content! If you have liked the Dancing in the Rain Facebook page,

you may have seen my posts all about my husband's double surgery on Tuesday.

Between that, my kids and so many logistical things to take care of,

I have not had any time or energy to write.

 So, today's View is from The Sarcasm Goddess of For the Love of Writing.

Her online persona is usually one of humor. She can be very funny indeed.

But today you will see her serious side. Her vulnerable yet brave side.

She asked me if I thought it was too depressing. It's so not depressing.

I am honored that she feels safe enough to share this side of herself here.

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I am String Cheese

I am string cheese. With each pull, a layer of me is peeled away. I have left strings in the bed and in the shower. I have left strings in the closet, my hands trembling as they skim the hangers. Which clothes will conceal the strings of me that remain, the ones that, in time, will be pulled away until there is nothing left of me?

The View From Here: Cancer Mom

This week's View is coming to you from Samantha of From Foreclosure to Frugal,

but she is not sharing anything about financial issues.

No, she has chosen to share a very personal story of hers.

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Cancer Mom

I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 24 years old. I had three babies at home and we were trying :unsuccessfully: for number 4 when I decided to go in for a physical to make sure nothing was physically preventing us from becoming pregnant.

The View From Here: He is Not Me

The week's View comes from Kristin Shaw of Two Cannoli.
She is a freelance writer, wife, and "mama to a mini-Texan".

She is also a highly respected blogger who has been chosen as a Babble Top 100, and she was recognized as Type-A: We Still Blog awards finalist. She was a 2013 cast member and 2014 co-producer of the Listen To Your Mother show in Austin. She was recently named a BlogHer Voice of the Year reader for 2014, and she writes for the Huffington Post.

Phew! I am very pleased to have Kristin here today, with something I for sure can relate to.

The View From Here: My Window

The View this week is from someone whom I have, admittedly, been getting to know kind of slowly.

The more I get to know her, the greater I think she is. Christine Carter of The Mom Cafe
is sweet, yes, but also someone you can easily respect.

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My Window…

I like to think my view of this world has been through a window.  

My window.

The View From Here: Listening to That Inner Voice

I don't want to say much as intro for this week's View, except that I asked this person to write for me because I very much wanted to hear from a man.

This is Scotty Schrier, and he is awesome. That is all you need to know.

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I Listen to the Voices in My Head...and I'm a Better Person for It!

The View From Here: Liminal Space

For this week's View I bring you someone whom I easily liked very shortly after discovering her blog. She has this habit of saying "here's the thing..." which is something I often say as well.

In fact, "Here's the Thing" used to be the name of her blog.

Oh, "she" is Kenya.

You'll get the rest of the skinny on her down below.

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Liminal Space

I’m in a liminal space right now, the threshold of what my life is and what I want it to be.

The View From Here: Nothing New About Bullying

For the View this week I have Michelle of Scattered Wrecks

who has chosen to write about a hot-button topic.

She isn't "towing the party line", as they say. Michelle has a bit of a different perspective

on the issue of bullying than a lot of others are expressing right now.

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Nothing New About Bullying

Over the past few years something has become very apparent to me: people are taking this bullying thing way too far. I know that people are going to come at me from all sides for that statement but it’s true. I think the media is taking it too far.

I was a bullied child.

The View From Here: On Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this weekend so I asked if someone would like to voice their perspective/opinion on this "Hallmark holiday".

Melissa of Home on Deranged stepped up. She is a writer, married mom of 2 little girls living in the DFW area of Texas. I love her clever blog title!

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Mother’s Day – An Ode to Opportunity

The first Mother’s Day I was pregnant was also the first Mother’s Day without my mother. I remember my sister and I commiserating, “I wish all these people would shut the hell up.”