Quirky Bean 'Meet the Blogger' Spotlight! Kathy of 'Kangaroo Mama'

This week at the Quirky Bean, we meet Kathy of 'Kangaroo Mama'. Lovely to have you here Kathy!

Describe yourself in 5 words: Only 5 words huh?!  But I'm wordy and long-winded!  I guess the 1st word would be wordy! Wordy, Bubbly, Loving, Cuddly, Adventurous

Why did you begin blogging? I actually always wanted to start a blog so I could share about products, services and places that I love since I already do it with all my friends.  But I guess I never had enough motivation to actually sit down and figure out a blog name and start blogging.  It wasn't until I was going back to work after 3 1/2 short months of maternity leave that kicked things into high gear.  I was feeling so sad that I was leaving my daughter behind and not being able to see her except for those short waking hours when I get home.  So in order to fill the void while I was at work and help decrease my stress levels, I decided to start this blog so that I could share about my family but it also provided me a way to think about my family, look at pictures that I was posting...all while I was pumping milk!  Some find this strange but it was and still is very therapeutic for me.  Yes, I am still breastfeeding at 17 months!  

I knew there were a lot of people out there that just needed someone to help them feel like they were not experiencing things alone and that's why I try to talk openly about my challenges and victories so that they know they are not alone on this journey, there are others that can relate in some capacity or another!  Although they may not be exactly the same as what you are going through, it's comforting knowing that you're not alone and what you feel is completely normal!  I think in the end, it was good for me to not have started my blog earlier because I wouldn't have had the same inspiration for the name of my blog and I probably wouldn't have had the same motivation to even start one if it weren't for me going back to work! 

What is your all-time absolute favourite food? I realize I absolutely love Thai food because anything with coconut milk in it is my favorite!

If had $1000 to spend on anything in the world, what would you spend it on? Hmm, $1K to spend on anything?!  I would love for a professional organizer to come into my home and help me find ways to be more efficient and organized, especially with my paper collection that's taking over the home!  I have so many nooks and crannies that can't be used because I can't figure out how to make it work but I know there has to be a way so I'd love for the organizer to come in and implement all those changes so it can work for our life and maximize the space in our little condo!  It seems no matter how much I donate or throw out, I still have so much stuff all over the house!  That $1K would be money well spent if it could produce lasting results...of course, that's if I had the $1K!


What was the last book you read? I'm a slow reader and haven't enjoyed reading very much since it became required in school.  BUT, with that said, the last book I read was The Shelter of God's Promises by Sheila Walsh, which I actually enjoyed.
 
If you could trade places with any other person for a week, famous or not famous, living or dead, real or fictional. with whom would it be? Does trading places with them mean I get all their talents for a week too?!  If so, I think I might choose an amazing organizer or someone with really handy skills to fix and implement all my design, decorating, plumbing, painting and other needs around the house.  Hmmm, maybe someone from Extreme Home Makeover since they're used to tight timelines (I only have a week) and a lot of things I want done! =P However, not sure if I want this person to be male or female since that would be awkward going into men's restrooms, peeing standing up, walking and dressing like a man for a week...plus my hubby would really miss me!  Maybe a handy-woman organizer?!  But I would hate for her to be good-lookin' 'cause then my hubby might not miss me so much if I came home as a good-lookin' handy-woman organizer! No just kidding, my hubby is amazing and he would totally miss me!

If your life could have a theme song, what would it be and why? If You Want Me To by Ginny Owens. This song was shared with my by a friend several years back but it wasn't until I went through a really tough year with a miscarriage, dual job losses with both my husband and I, and having Bell's Palsy (You can read about the Bell's Palsy here: http://kangaroomama.com/do-i-love-my-reflection/), that this song really struck a chord in my heart. Especially with the miscarriage, which was the day after my husband's birthday, I could not understand why everything was happening and if I had done something wrong.  But this song reminded me that God loves me no matter the trials in my life and that I can still grow closer to him despite or because of these trials.  This song also reminds me that I am not the same person today as I will be tomorrow because these trials haven't broken me but are changing and molding me into a new woman.  Hopefully, one that's not only wiser and more mature but also one that can learn to enjoy life to the fullest even in the face of challenges!  So since that point, this song has been one that I enjoy singing to and the lyrics mimic my feelings towards the trials that I face and also how I will handle them!
You can see a video of the song here and of course, I had to choose a music video sung by an Asian chick since I'm Asian! =P