Hello and welcome!
Let me introduce myself and share a bit of my story. I’m Alissa Perez, a wife and stay at home mother of 3 small children, ages 22months, 3 & 4. By profession, I am a physician assistant, but chose to stay home with my children in August 2012 before my 3rd child was born in October of 2012.
Who am I?
Well, I absolutely LOVE Starbucks decaf vanilla or caramel brûlée latte, and listening to real instrumental jazz music makes my inner soul smile. I have enjoyed the peacefulness of yoga, but taking a regular yoga class or “working out in a gym” is not currently a top priority for me. I love to walk. Not run. Other than chasing after my three toddlers and picking up toys all day, walking my 3 little cherubs in a triple stroller is about all the exercise I can fit in currently. I love words….words written or spoken, thus my love for writing and reading as many books as I have time for. My favorites are Christian books about life, parenting, marriage, or anything that inspires me to become better, autobiographies and I do enjoy a Christian novel once in awhile. I have kept a journal since I was a small girl. My first journal was pink and blue with a rainbow and a lock on it. I recently stumbled upon it and smiled as I read the simple words and wishes of a child. I still love to journal and write down my thoughts, dreams, desires and how God is leading me. I love to write out my prayers and see how God has answered them over the years. I’m fascinated with the Amish life and women living in the Pioneer Days, although my husband tells me I couldn’t possibly live either one of those lifestyles, and although he’s probably right, they are still wonderful to read and learn about. I adore the “Love Comes Softly” movie series by Michael Landon Jr. (Book series by Jeanette Oak). If you haven’t watched them, they are a real treasure. Great moral story with sweet characters and a “feel good” ending. If you’ve watched them, you will understand what I mean when I say I found and married my “Clark”.
My Best Friend
I am married to my best friend, Rafael. While living in different states, we were set up via email through a mutual friend in April 2007. I flew to see my friend and “meet” Rafael in July 2007 and after one weekend together, I knew I had just met the man I was going to marry. After flying back and forth every 2 weeks, we were engaged in November 2007 and married in February 2008. We’ve been married for 6 years and I can honestly say we are growing closer than we have ever been before. That is not to say we haven’t had some significantly trying times over the last 6 years, particularly with transitioning from no kids to three in 15 months (an amazing God story!). We are deeply committed to our marriage and to growing together on our life journey. We also respect and encourage one another as God is growing us individually and stretching us in our current dreams and endeavors.
Our Adoption Story
As I said before, we have three beautiful children, all of them a treasured gift from God. In the fall of 2009, while simultaneously trying to start our own biological family, God led us to start our adoption process through Inheritance Adoptions, a private Christian adoption agency in our town. For a year and a half, through devastating news about my own ability to have children, failed infertility treatments and 2 failed adoptions with the same baby, God opened the flood gates of heaven and poured into our lives 2 amazingly beautiful children. On June 24, 2011 we welcomed our beautiful, sweet daughter into this world and into our home through an open adoption. On September 8, 2011 we also welcomed into our home, an adorable 14 month old little boy through foster care, whom we adopted in March 2012. We went from zero to two in 2 1/2 months! As if transitioning into parenthood of a toddler and baby simultaneously wasn’t enough, SURPRISE, I found out I was pregnant in February 2012. And our 3rd (and final I might add!) happy baby boy was born October 1, 2012. Three children in 15 months. Whew! Its a beautiful God story! One people are inspired to hear and read about.
Living Real
But let me assure you that I am a REAL mom, a REAL wife, a REAL woman just like you. In the midst of this beautiful story, I’ve struggled with the loss of a loved one, loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, guilt, fear of failure, infertility and feeling completely overwhelmed and unqualified. I’ve had communication problems with my husband, I’ve screamed at my children, I’ve completely neglected the dishes and laundry and I’ve cried several times at dinner. But I’ve also experienced the unspeakable joys of motherhood. I’ve enjoyed hearing the laughter of my children, felt the warmth of rocking my babies to sleep and snuggled many hours reading books. I live to see them smile and love it when I see them being sweet and kind to each other. Hearing them scream with delight when we chase them through the house, brings me great pleasure! The deep joy each of these beautiful God given children has brought me and my husband is unparalleled. Motherhood has been an amazing journey to say the least and I look so forward to all God has in store for me.
Loving God
I long to become the woman God meant for me to be. The past 2 1/2 years have flown by. I’m realizing, as everyone has said, that time goes faster everyday. I can not change the past. But I’m realizing I DO have an opportunity to live intentionally today, tomorrow and every day after that! I am challenging myself to live intentionally, to live with purpose and passion, to have a plan and stick to it, to be disciplined, to choose how I use my time and how I will invest in the lives of my family, to follow through and finish what I start and to pursue the abundant life the Lord has promised to all who follow after Him.
For You
This blog is my journey, my accountability, my walk with God, my plan and design for living better, living on purpose, living abundantly, living differently.
I am so glad you have chosen to join me on this wonderful journey. As moms, wives, sisters, friends, daughters and women, we are on the same team!! We were made for relationships, for encouragement, for building one another up. As you read my posts, please comment, share your own stories and journey with me and with the others who will come alongside us. Let us not give up, but encourage each other to pursue an intentional life and to live differently.
