Why Thugs... Or more better Why the Glitter Thugs???

"Excuse me, yes, I don't mean to disturb you but well, ummm." "Oh heck, get on with it woman. I wanna be your friend." Stupid Cheese grin, "I think we can do amazing things together."

Barnes and Noble, a little over 7 months, I haven't known them for a million years but if you were to walk up on any conversation you would think we had been separated  at birth. It started with two of us, Jenn and Me. She wanted to tell me about Heritage Makers, 2 hours later we had talked about life, love, babies, and I'm pretty sure ruling the world was in code some where.

To beginning with I don't have a great track record for girl friends, to quote my Jenn, "I'm a whole lot of person to take." But in step both Jenn and I realized this was something wonderful, after investing in the belief of a 12 year olds play and its roaring success, the bond was solidified.

The few months between now and then have gone by in a heart beat, we have gained more friends in this crazy group of gals. All with the most beautiful gifts, whether it be Kali, the Enabler, do not call Kali if you are trying to get out of trouble it will multiply but she also has the most beautiful talent to create art out of anything. Kandice, our Killer whom I still to this day don't know how she got that name, hehehe but has the best spirit however misguided, but I'm certainly working on her and The Artist, Tessie, such beauty she creates in each of us.

We hold tight to one rule, we matter to each other and we got each others back. Whether it be in making Thank you gifts the night before a big award to deciding we just need to have lunch all together. People recently have asked how long have you all known each other we laugh and smile, cause to us its a life time. There's nothing I don't feel I can tell these ladies, you may ask why the Glitter Thugs and trust me we get that alot. But it stopped you didn't it, you went wow what did she say. Glitter because everything has to sparkle in this world and because we are the mini gang of your dreams.

Days are now filled with uplifting friendship, consideration of whom is mothering all 5 kids(Logan, Aaron, Morgan, Mia Grace and Wyatt) today and when will be the next time we get to bring everyone together. It's about the nights of ganging up on the husband so they have to dress up and nights of wearing Mustaches to celebrate a commitment to Wierdness. As is often heard through the actions of anyone of us, "Thank you for accepting my weirdness, and taking as your own." Sometimes its nice to know that there are some in the world just like you, or at least you always hope there are.

When we gave ourselves the name and a logo even we thought nothing of where we were going or what we were doing and that is the adventure. We still aren't quite sure what is going on but well, it is... I mean really it is something, people ask us, "How did you become a Glitter Thug?" We have assisted each other in building 3 brand new companies and we are not suggesting world domination I'm pretty sure we will be.  So if you see an extra splash of glitter anywhere double check to make sure you haven't seen The Glitter Thugs, and if  you do see one of us say hi. We will be the first to help you if you just ask, cause that's what friends are for. Or as I have discovered that what Glitter Thugs are for.

And there is a PS... if you are online between say 7pm and 1am, please don't be concerned if we don't respond quickly we are probably already having a Glitter Thugs meeting. :)

And a PSS ... there are three or four people whom aren't mentioned here, but they are so very important to me and they are gonna have their time too. Just thought they should know!!!!!!!!!!!!

What to do with Fiona, and the merry cast of characters

To clarify, I can and will forever be known as Fiona and I'm okay with that, as you should be. Endearing as it seems being dubbed Fiona in a wedding party can be awkward at best. When recently I was asked to be the third bridesmaid in a cast of merry characters for my baby sisters wedding, it got me to thinking, what do you look for when creating a bridal party and does it really matter the height or size of your bridesmaid.  Now I will say I have read many articles that state rules and regulations about whom you should or shouldn't invite to be in your bridal party and no joke I have read articles where you should analyze the sizes of your bridesmaid to insure that they don't overshadow each other or some silliness. That all being said I'm not really a rules kinda gal and so... I believe:

Bridal parties, in their nature will stress you out(its humans, of course there will be stress) but here are some rules of thumb that I find work best. Before you decide whom will or will not be in your bridal party, sit down with your spouse and make your play books. Fionas  and Shreks aside, its good that all the characters in this three ring circus get along. So if you have a bickering sister or a on an occasion angry cousin, maybe this is not the time to invite them front and center. 

The size of your cast should be dictated not only by your love for them but also by the stage of which this performance will be played. 10 bridesmaids and a flower girl is not going to work with in the space held for 6 midgets. But heed this, make them important, don't pick the popular choice among family and friends, if you don't have siblings consider the girl friend of years over the Sally come lately. I will say this I have seen many a friendship go awry because one friend got picked over another, it's like being invited over to someones house for dinner and being asked are my mash potatoes better then your mama's, somethings are impossible to win and be aware of it; Own your decision. 

The best man should be one who can use the internet, the Maid of Honor should always have no sense of direction because these will all make the memories that will make up your wedding day. The bride getting bent because for sure the speech came from the online speech website. And the wedding planner staring at the door tapping her feet because the Maid of Honor is lost with the bride. Trust me those will be the things you remember. 

If I had a personal opinion, which I always do, I think 3 is a lovely number: A sister, close friend, and maybe a cousin for good measure. Consider making the handsome ring bearer, the cutest kiddo you know make sure they like to wear a tie or be prepared for the meltdown when they are unhappy with their clothing option. Flower girls are by far my favorite, if I could steal every little flower girl I would. And they can cry, its natural they are girls. 

So in the end lessons learned, let Fiona be Fiona, her 4 inches heels and all. Be confident in your decisions for the top slot and know that at the end of the day, you and the man of your dreams will ride into the sunset together. 

Ever looked like someone, I didn't until I found her...

Her... She... The one... I was young the first time they told me, my name Kristin yep it means, "Choosen One." I had been "Adopted" and in all the rage of a six year olds mouth, I thought I had been cussed at. Little Sara hadn't known that the words she had heard our Mama's whispering hadn't been bad.  She didn't know it had been a gift, it was a blessing. And to this day I wouldn't have regretted a moment of it, however, when I grew up and had kiddos of my own, the "Her" of it all started to hit home. I was a mother of a beautiful perfect little boy, whom ever so sadly looks just like me. And I began to think, Whom do I look like????

The stories leading up to the day we met would be intriguing but in Blog world it would take far to long and I would stray far off the original path of my story.

Early on in the process of looking for my Bio Mom I was asked this question, "Kristin, why are you doing this?" Very simple question right, yep, NOPE. But with all my mustered courage I said, "Because I don't look like anyone, I don't have my father eyes, my mom's smile. I don't look like anyone." Before the end of this conversation, the woman whom inquired over the question said, "Would you like to see whom you look like?" And from a folder she had laid upon her lap she pulled a nameless photocopied paper, she turned it toward me and for the first time in my life I was looking a me. She was older then I, when the picture would have been taken but the striking woman was me. I gasped and Vonie, my interrogator said, "Would you like a copy?" "Oh, yes, please" I coveted that picture everyday, she had been 18 in the picture but there was no mistaken us, TWINS.

Weeks later I held this picture placed in a plastic protector page in a binder on my lap as my then future husband drove to a destination in the distance. To get to this moment, I must back up. I got "THE" call, and Vonie, my inquisitor spoke softly as she said, "Good morning." I knew that what ever were the next words out of her mouth, they were going to be the words, my bio either wanted to talk to me or not but I knew in my heart of hearts this was the moment. Everything around me slowed as she said, "There is a woman in the hall who would very much like to talk to you."

Well, now what do you say........ I said, "ummmmm..." I was sitting at my desk at work not the place for a heartwarming reunion. Vonie was instructed to have the "Woman" call me at home at 5:35pm. I would be home and that was the end of it. The day went by like no other, before I knew it 5pm was flashing as a beacon to say it's time to go. I drove to get the little man at speeds I was luck enough not to get caught doing, we arrived home at 5:15 I sat and STARED that clock down, I wanted it to move. As the moments ticked on, a bounding man came up the stairs of our third floor apartment, "Have I missed it??" He asked as I sat staring again at the clock he slide into the couch to wait with me.

At exactly 5:31pm my phone rang, "Hello? Is Kristin there?" "Yes this is her." Well, that was about the amount of time it took if you were with in half a mile of us you heard what our family lovingly calls Rapid Machine Gun fire. "You graduated from where?" "I have sisters, plural?" "I'M A GRANDMA." and in an instant we both said, "STOP." I looked at my beloved and as we both said, "We HAVE to meet." He slide off our couch got our son and we were in the car in moments. I don't remember the drive I seem to think niceties were passed and trying to explain to an inquisitive 6 year old where were we were going.


I remember as the girls exited the house that day, and then my step father. I saw from the corner of my eye this mirror image of myself, my twin the one from the picture. She had aged but with her spunky short hair and mine of the same length and style it was the older version of myself. We sat that night and talked, we talked about people we knew in common, family I would never know, we just talked. Her family sat and watched us wondering about the alien who had arrived on the front step.

We have had our moments but together we make a pretty awesome team, and not to say along this journey you won't hear more about our merry band of characters, because oh trust me you will but...
The 8 years since then have been ones of births, deaths, divorces, and marriages. I still occasionally manage to make my way back to those pictures from all those years ago and I finally realized I found the rest of who I was, in finding her.