Teamwork, it makes the…
I have nothing to prove while feeling like I have everything to prove. The plight of a woman on a mission to motivate, inspire, encourage and be a bridge for the communities I love so deeply.
It is 7:14am on 2/15/2025.
I haven't slept.
My adrenaline has been at an all time high since 10:44 pm on 2/14/2025. The actual time of the event has its own digital footprint on my phone now showing this exact time as the moment my blog went live.
I was actually buzzing with pure elation over publishing my first blog.
Shermbot imitated the noises I was making during the most surreal moment of my life later and we ended up breathless from laughing so hard.
Core memory.
<^+^> This is The Messy Hippie hours after starting this initial draft of this blog, this portion was added in this evening around 10:32pm, so the timeline may seem a bit off. I apologize for the inconsistency. Will be back on track soon. Lol.
*Also!
Thank you to any and all that took the time to read; as well as those that have started to help me build my audience and career by following me on my new social media accounts that I'm not sure how to fully navigate yet, but I'm hopeful to become a pro at in no time.
Your support means more to me than you will ever understand. Good out into the world equals; good coming back around like a boomerang to you. I am realizing even more how many incredible women and humans in general have had an impact on my life that may have felt small in the moment but now, processing years later, were actually quite significant, uplifting, inspiring and the reason I'm here right now able to sit in my bathtub listening to my favorite artists writing about my life.
Thank you. Truly.
SQUIRREL; The point of me pointing out the time is because I'm sitting in my living room on my kids foam couch with ASMR playing on my tv, while my husband is getting much needed rest.
It snowed here.
So, as I'm sitting here, unable to sleep, full from a ham and turkey sandwich with mustard and potato chips, I'm writing.
As I'm writing I'm hearing the incredible Gina Whispers through my speakers.
I'm also hearing the plow scrape the snow and ice from the road just outside my house.
Poor Shermbot. He's going to be shoveling tomorrow for our 90+ year old neighbor.
See. Much needed sleep.
She has started to give him $20 anytime he has to shovel or salt her portion of the driveway.
Our houses are connected and we essentially share a 2-car driveway. Of course, he's going to also include her portion while doing ours. Just in general, that's a work smarter not harder situation in addition to being a good neighbor and human being.
So, the $20 is never necessary but always appreciated. Especially right now with things going on sale for winter!
Bags of salt are on sale and he scored a new heavy duty snow shovel for only $7 with the money she gave him! We adore her.
That is one small way we give back to our community. To our people. To our village.
It requires no money (other than what would already be spent for our own winter supplies which are a part of the cost of living in the climate we do.)
Minimal extra physical effort on our part and it benefits us in all the ways.
1. Our entire driveway is clear of snow and ice which could potentially make us or our children fall.
2. It allows an elderly woman a safe way to still have her own autonomy. We often see her with her walker, shuffling across the driveway to her mailbox to check the mail then shuffle back to her cozy and warm home. That walk benefits her in a whole array of ways so if we can provide her with safety to do it, there are zero negatives in my opinion.
3. She sweetly insists on paying us to do the minimal extra work as well as get the supplies required to ensure the safety of all honestly.
All I see are W's. Wins all around babe-EE! (I feel like my dad may have gotten a chuckle from that one. Oh, by the way, PREESH DAD. ☝🏻) ^Put a pin in this.
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"You're so weird."
I know.
"You need that energy drink like you need a hole in the head. Try a Xanax instead!"
Trust me. This energy drink is going to do nothing for my body. It's for my brain. It helps calm the constant racing thoughts.
"You're so weird."
I know.
"Are you from NY? You talk so fast! Slow down!"
No, I'm from here (town in NC), I was working in, as a waitress actually. Born and raised. ^^Shrugs^^
I don't know what to tell you. The way I'm speaking to you feels unnatural as it is. I cannot simply slow down. I do genuinely apologize if it's too fast for you, would you like me to switch with another server?
Daydreaming Messy Hippie, to man who decided the speed in which I speak is not acceptable; No? Ok then hush and keep up. I have a million and one thoughts going on in this tiny head including your very extensive order, which will be brought out to you correctly even though I didn't write it down. Do you want efficiency and a hot meal or a chit chat? I'm here to work, I'm getting paid $2.16 an hour, I need to get you in and out with efficiency in order to make any money at my job. So please, I beg of you. Make it easier on all of us and either treat this interaction as a business transaction or request a different server, if you can find one, who is willing to slow down their already slowed down speaking pace for you.
Before anyone screams at me about inclusivity. This is being inclusive. Why do I need to slow down how I speak for someone else to understand if there is someone who is more suited in maybe their own personal way of speaking.
Why am I constantly the one being pushed down into a box and being told to essentially hurry up and wait. (Military reference... Military spouse of 14.5 years. Old habits and all.)
And again, to circle back;
"You're so weird."
I know.
^^Shrugs^^
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I rose from the ashes of my old life not as a Phoenix but as a mighty Lioness.
Ready to protect her pride.
By her side is a mighty black Panther.
Ready with her claws to defend.
On the other side of her is the mighty White Wolf.
She is ready with open arms for all those that are ready to put down their weapons in the name of community, family and love.
Just in front, only steps ahead with his head on a swivel, stands the mighty Gorilla.
His body is large and powerful. He stands ready to defend his troop at a moment’s notice. Never one to let his guard down when outside of the safety of the family nest.
Together we make up the weirdest, loudest, most neurodivergent family.
We are all different breeds and even species.
But together we all create the purrfect (I had to. He-he) team.
Team.
Partners.
Family.
That is what describes us.
A motto in our home is the very cliche' "Teamwork makes the dreamwork."
We even recite it in the cheesiest way.
It often starts with me saying "teamwork makes THE...." while I wait for whomever just completed the task at hand with, to answer "DREAM WORK!"
I am a patient woman.
So, I will wait until I hear that DREAM WORK.
Even if I'm waiting for the mighty Gorilla to be the one to reciprocate. (He always reciprocates)
I will wait.
I never wait long though.
It's almost always expected for those words to come out of my mouth within moments of a completed task and my family knows it.
What good sports they are;
Teamwork makes THE? Say it with me y'all. Say it out loud in all it's cheesy but inspiring glory.
DREAM-WORK! WOOT WOOT!
If you actually just said it out loud, you just became a part of the family. Let me know what your mighty animal would be by tagging @themessyhippie on your socials! Let's build the best community together;
Another squirrel moment.
ADHD can be my superpower if I let it. Just gotta fight through the noise.
Back to the topic at hand; My family’s mantra of Teamwork makes the...
Although I do suspect they all secretly love it and can't wait to hear it. He-he.
The same goes for Hippie Princess.
Shermbot and I started our own sort of mantra and affirmation if you will for her.
It's simple.
To the point.
And truthful.
"We support you."
Starting out saying it to her left us up against much resistance on her part. We heard a lot of "ugh. Ok mooom. I know." "I know guys! You tell me that all the time!" in a snarky sarcastic tone to indicate she is so over us in that moment. But we don't stop. In fact, we often start to full on chant.
Don't worry, the child is spared and the chant only lasts for a few seconds before we erupt into laughter as she is rolling her eyes at how ridiculous her parents are.
After some time, patience and general respect and understanding of our daughter, her needs as well as her limits. Hippie Princess admitted to us what we suspected all along; She secretly loves when we say we support her.
I think we may have even gotten a request for another note in her lunch to remind her we support her.
We love a Princess who can say what she needs so confidently. My heart.
When you hear the saying;
"It's the little things."
Take a moment to really think about WHAT the little things are or even what they can be.
For our little messy family, when it comes to Hippie Princess specifically, the little things look like these:
It's writing on a napkin in black sharpie that we support her to shove in the Ziplock bag that is also housing her pizza Lunchables, grape Kool-Aid Jammer and an Aldi Moo Tube along with an ice pack to keep it all cold... or at least room temp y'all. It's a struggle out here ok! Haha.
*Note- She does now have a very adorable, very Hippie Princess lunch box for our home that she picked out herself with Shermbot while her sister, Tiny Hippie, also has a her own, very... unique and very her lunchbox that is almost as large as her, also picked out with her funny step dad Shermbot. (Her words, not mine. It's like she loves him or something. Weird. He-he)
It's taking the time out of a busy evening after dinner has been eaten, showers have been had, backpacks ready to go, to play a game of Guess Who or Mouse Trap.
To watch a video of her new favorite character she has discovered on her own because she is cultivating her own personal interests even though it makes very little sense to me and then finding a “how to” draw said character online and creating my own personal Valentine's card for her with a drawing of that character.
I'd give myself a solid A- for the time constraint I had as well as the lack of properly sharpened colored pencils and having to watch the video on my tiny phone screen instead of on my large laptop screen like usual when I'm attempting to keep up with the artists in my family and work on my drawing skills.
To play a game of Dress to Impress... or let’s be honest, multiple games of Dress to Impress on a Saturday morning while sipping your morning coffee with the night owls in the family still resting peacefully, completely undisturbed by the unique bonding experience you've cultivated with your step-daughter.
Those are just some of the little things we do to let Hippie Princess know she is loved, she is safe, she is cared for and she can unmask in our home. She can be her authentic little weird brained self here because we support her.
So, to tie this together with teamwork because it makes the...
DREAM-WORK!
When we pour into our daughter.
When we water the seedling then the sprout, we have patience, we trust the process and we truly cultivate our relationship with our children, we are able to start to see the fruits of our labor. They are healthy and beautiful and although not ready to be picked and sent off to explore new lands, cultures, religions, love, passion, hobbies and careers...
(Ok that went a little off the rails with the metaphor but it works in my brain so it shall stay. I'm sorry if that one loses you or starts a hyper focus moment, it's ok to just move along or take a break and circle back. Ha-ha. I still appreciate you for sticking around!)
We get the recognition that we are on the right path. What we are saying is penetrating her mind in a season of rapid change within her own being.
She hears us.
She feels the love and appreciation and pours back into us. Into our family. Into our team.
The saying may be cheesy but it's true. Teamwork truly makes the dream-work and when it's all hands on deck, working together, everyone using their own strengths and tools, trying to reach the same goal but in their own unique way, the mental and physical load of life is distributed evenly between everyone in the family so if one needs to rest, take a mental health break or physically cannot complete the tasks at hand, the rest of the family, the rest of the team, is not only willing to but also has the capacity to take on the other role temporarily.
Not every day will be 50/50. Honestly, I'd bet you'd be hard pressed to think of a day where the mental and physical load of daily life is TRULY 50/50.
It's just not feasible nor efficient.
We all have our own strengths, our own weaknesses, our own shortcomings.
Part of finding a partner is to have someone to lean on when you can only give 1%, if that. And that 1% is a struggle but they are trying. They are fighting. To know your partner, your team member. The person you chose to enter into the running of your entire life with is there by your side, having your back, holding your hair, is able and willing to pick up whatever percentage it is to just let us survive the day. Whether that is giving 2% or giving 99%. Knowing they have your back 100% of the time is what it means to have found your true-life partner.
I found mine in Shermbot and I'm thankful for that every single day of my life.
Ending this portion of the blog at 8:52am^
^Until he comes out at 9am panicked asking if you are ok with both his thumbs up in the air, breaking the concentration you had reading over everything you just read.
It's Real.
It's Raw.
It's messy Y'all.
Speaking of messy...
Shermbot said to me one day... not a clue what day it was... Shermie? He-He
"Oh! I forgot to take out the recycling today!"
But I'm over here like; "Oh. I had no clue it was supposed to go out today! It's fine, it can wait another week."
Reader Shermie, is it once a week or every other week?
Logistical.
Your court.
Backing out now.
^Zack kiss. ^
Trash is solely his job in our household.
Judge if you want, it works for us.
It's how we make the dream-work out of the teamwork.
Bow. The pretty hair tie. All tied together nicely.
Bow. In front of an audience for a job well done.
Until next time my beautiful friends; remember you are valid, worthy and important.
-The Messy Hippie. (the rainbow and peace)