Rest

The holidays are such a hectic time, full of fancy and flutter.  It's exciting as our hearts race with anticipation of seeing the faces of family and friends when they open our carefully thought out gifts and when they bite into that lovingly baked cookie or devour the meal we spent hours planning and preparing.

The fire is lit in the fireplace.  The paper is all over the room.  The kids are laughing and playing.  An unintentional but very loud sigh comes out of nowhere.  "Well Done" we say to ourselves and we whisper a thank you for everything going just the way we planned.  We feel so blessed!

 
We sit down and we rest.  It's time to rest now and reflect on the past year.  It's time to recharge and look ahead to the New Year.

Will we find time to rest more?
To remember to praise our loved one?
To hug, kiss and say I love you as they go out the door?
To take time to pamper ourselves?
To eat better and walk among nature?
To be a friend?

The best gift I received this year was handmade by someone who didn't have much money this year.  She was able to bring everyone in my family joy with her precious gifts that she lovingly spent a lot of time creating.

     ~Do not look for rest in any pleasure, because you were not created for pleasure: you were created for joy. And if you do not know the difference between pleasure and joy you have not yet begun to live.~                                                                                                                                    Thomas Merton 

Happy New Year and May you feel the peace and joy that rest brings!

Contemplating Poverty

Sometimes people can hunger for more than bread.
It is possible that our children, our husband, our wife, do not hunger for bread, do not need clothes, do not lack a house.  But are we equally sure that none of them feels alone, abandoned, neglected, needing some affection? That, too, is poverty.    Mother Teresa

Greatest Gift this Year - Finding Blogging!

It has been one tough month and a half.  Like so many of you I follow here on blogger I ended up with the worst cold/flu I've ever had.  It couldn't have come at a worse time.  Our company was in the middle of transitioning from the sale of one company and the purchase of another.  There was so much extra work to do.  I worked through it but don't really remember it.

I am also preparing the house for my 94 year old aunt to come live with us.  We are making a room for her in the living room.  (We don't have a basement or a spare bedroom for her and she has to be on the main level)  It's a lot of work but is looking really good. 

At night I would sit with my tea and honey.  I was able to use a wonderful cup and saucer I found on my treasure hunt a few weeks before!

It has such a pretty blue hue and the silver trim is beautiful.  I don't think I've ever seen anything like it and it was not marked so I don't know where it's from.  Sipping tea from a pretty cup is always more calming to me.  Just Sunday I woke up feeling like a normal person.  I could think and see outside the cloud.  Thank God!  

But now it was time to catch up on work and getting ready for Christmas.  I did so much over the past few days (including Sunday) that I think I hurt myself last night.  Every muscle aches and I ended up feeling very weak and had an episode of panic.  I decided I'd better stop and take it easy.  I went straight to my friends on blogger that always have words of encouragement and make me feel peaceful.  

I am so happy I found "blogging" and sure wish I'd found it sooner.  But I'm here now and can't wait to figure it all out so I'm a better blogger.  There is so much talent on here and so many different personalities.  I also notice that we span the physical borders of land and sea.  I like that about this place.  We are all here for each other no matter where we live and what our circumstances are.

A very Merry Christmas to everyone who chooses to share and give of themselves so people like me can find them and receive their gifts of time, wisdom, joy, help, tutorials and love!

What will you do to help someone this Holiday Season?

I am going to serve my son when he can do nothing but study.

I am going to help a friend who needs her car repaired.

I am going to get food to the homeless.

 

May joy be felt among all this season! 

During this time of celebration, gift buying, decorating, baking and spending time with our families we tend to forget those who seem to struggle more emotionally and financially because of this time of year.  Some don't have family members or loved ones to spend time with.  Some are not working and can't shop for presents for their babies.  Some can't put food on the table as it is let alone bake extra for the season or for others.

I tend to focus on those less fortunate.  How can I serve others?  My friends who are out of work or who are alone come to the front of my mind.  I thank God for my blessings and pray for them to be blessed.  I am not homeless.  I have family and work.  I am warm.  I can help others.  The depression and sadness I see come over some people during this time breaks my heart.

(My son would kill me if he knew I put this picture of him on here)

He hasn't slept in 24 hours and is studying for his chemistry final.  He is going to be a doctor like his Grampa. He looks kind of mad in this picture.  I'm bothering him while he's trying to focus but it's exam time for our kids who are in college.  They are so stressed out and it's painful to watch them.  This is more true with really hard majors or double majors.  I remember pulling all nighters but when you see what colleges are demanding of the kids these days it looks much harder. It's harder if the young person has to work on top of going to school full time.  In my day it wasn't as hard.  In my parent's day it was even easier (according to my dad, the doctor).

Hot Flashes!! Here comes another one!!

Oh...when will it end?  I have the most severe hot flashes and night sweats.  I've been told by many they DO go away.  It's been 7 years and some months are light but most are unbearable.  My sleep deprivation has the most significant impact on my life.  It affects my health, my immune system, my mood, my ability to do my work and day to day things required of me.  I'm writing about this today not to go on and on about menopause or complain (Although I really want to) but to tell you how I hurt myself trying to cool off. 
I was so hot last night (the temperature was in the low 30's outside) but I could not get comfortable no matter how many covers and clothes I took off.  I finally opened the window.  The cold flew in and gave me some comfort.  I know others in the house were in disbelief and suffered.  I felt badly but anyone who has experienced this will know it's like "survival instinct" kicks in and "no one is going to touch that thermostat"!!!  To my dismay I woke up with the worst sore throat and feeling like I have the flu.  Mind you....I got a flu shot this year.  Some will say there is no way the cold coming in the window gave me a virus.  I intellectually know this but feel that I should not have let that freezing air get into my throat and lungs while I slept or attempted to sleep.  It seems the longer my body is beaten up by the ravages of "menopause" the weaker my immune system gets.
I do juice, take vitamins, exercise, eat right, use other herbs and natural/organic things to keep me healthy.  But if we don't get SLEEP everything good we are doing gets cancelled out.
I am drinking my mixture of Green and Sleepytime tea (chamomile being the key ingredient for relaxing and helping me go to sleep) and raw honey and going to try to sleep.  According to my cousin I have 3 years left.  I don't want to believe that.  I say "I am not sick.  I am not in menopause".  I will keep telling myself that!!
I will drift off tonight hoping my sore throat goes away.  Sore throats are the worst symptom of a virus.  In my whole life I don't ever remember getting a sore throat.  Now I know what my poor babies went through when they got strep throat.

Remembering to encourage each other today!

I was inspired by these Bible verses and the comment below them when I read them over at A Quiet Gracious Life:

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom,

neither shall fruit be in the vines;

the labour of the olive shall fail,

and the fields shall yield no meat;

the flock shall be cut off from the fold,

and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the God of my salvation."

~Habakkuk 3:17-18

I think these verses are a timely reminder during these difficult economic times; and I thought it might be a good idea for us all to encourage one another with them.

Praying for those who are suffering...

I hope Thanksgiving day and the holidays in general will be a blessed time for everyone!  We have a lot to be thankful for even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it. I am in a time of life where the smallest things can bring the greatest joy to me.  I pray for all the families who have suffered tremendous loss during this economy.  This may be a sad and hard time for them.  May they feel the grace and mercy of God wash over them and heal their pain.

I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army that I sent among you.  Joel 2:25

Remembering to slow down

I find myself this day realizing that I haven't written in my blog for a while but couldn't believe it has been so long. The months are just flying by.  I can barely keep up. My lower and upper back were really hurting.  "I hate getting old" I would say to myself.  Then I would remember what I did at the gym that day.  I am finished shopping for Thanksgiving.  I am going to my brother's house because everyone else in my family will be out of town visiting in-laws.  We all get so busy this time of year and maybe forget to breathe.  My plate has been definitely been full.  I decided to stop and do something for me which is blog-surfing and enjoying the beautiful things I see.  There are so many talented people in blog world.  I am in awe most of the time and get such great ideas.  I also like to go through my own pictures, forgetting what I have added to my collection lately.  I came across the above picture I took while in my doctors office one day.  It called to me today so I am sharing it with you in case you need a reminder to Slow Down!!!!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

I am a Gramma

A nice thing happened to me today.  I was in a store and found the cutest sign about Grammas.  I said "Yes that's for me".  The clerk said "No Way".  Needless to say, he made my day!!!

I am a gramma!  My step-daughter Melissa has a beautiful little girl.  Her name is Mikayla.  She lives in Colorado and I miss her so much it hurts.  I am grateful for Facebook as I watch her grow up on there.  She does remember me and I hope to be making a trip to see her this year.

Precious Angel!

Little blessings

I have a funny and awesome story to tell about My Wishboard.  I had a picture on my board of a shed I loved and hoped to have one day.  It had been on the board above my desk for about a year.  My mother is a treasure hunter like me.  So when she came by my house one day with the most adorable porch table with two folding chairs I did not realize something very cool. 

I set it up on my porch and enjoyed it on warm summer mornings.  One evening after work I was looking at my board and out popped the chair that is in the fore-front of the picture of my shed I want.  I almost fell out of my chair. 

There in the picture was THE exact chair my mom had purchased with the cute little porch set; folding legs and red....just like the picture. It's not like most chairs - very unique.  I was awestruck!  I didn't have the shed yet but I got the chair I wasn't even focusing on.  Awesome how things turn out.  I felt the little twinge of God's whisper saying I'm here. Ask and you shall receive. It's the little blessings that WOW us.

Quiet in thought

And down the river’s dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance -
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
- Alfred Lord Tennyson

Remebering to be Grateful Always!

Relax

The beginning of the month always seems to bring me a bit of anxiety.  It's bill paying time.  At least the major ones like the mortgage or rent, utilities, groceries. You know.....all those "Necessities we must have to ensure a roof over our heads and hot running water (which I never take for granted)".  I do my monthly budget, organize my coupons and GO!  It's always crunch time at work at this time of the month.  We are closing the month before in the first 2 weeks of the following month.  Needless to say I'm juggling personal and work "money".  And we all know when dealing with money: check, check and re-check.  No mistakes.  Well maybe 1 but it is usually caught pretty quickly by me or my very understanding boss. Make that 2 bosses - my controller at work and ME at home.  Double Jeopardy!

This month has been especially stressful since my 80 year old mother's 94 year old sister fell a few weeks ago and we put mom on a plane to go be with her. My mom is the youngest of ten children.  Her sister is almost like a mother to her.  She is struggling with how to tell her it is not safe for her to be alone in her house anymore. Aunt Connie is inactive because her heart is bad.  This keeps her muscles weak and atrophied. So she falls sometimes.  I'll keep you posted on where she ends up - in a home near her where there are lots of people who would love to listen to her vibrant stories of her long life or here, far from home where she would not even have her own room.  I have been handling my mother's finances as well as mine while she is away.  Foreshadowing of times to come???

When under stress I LOVE to shop. Bargain shopping is the most fun. What new treasure can I find today and not break my budget?
Today's treasure:

Ahhhhhh. Now I'm Happy!!!!

Dream Big!

Lucky Me!

I have had a series of doctor's appointments for the past month and have one left.  My medical "issue" started with a required bone density test back in 2005.  I was in my mid 40's and all of a sudden my doctor's are telling me I have to get a bone density test, a colonoscopy, my usual mammorgrams and other "female" check-ups.  Oh fun!!
My bone density turned out to be a big surprise for me. I had mild osteoporosis - NOT Osteopenia which is what comes before osteoporosis.  The doctor said to start "boniva", take calcium and call me in the morning!
OK. So I started.  After researching Boniva I did some research and didn't like what I was finding out about this drug.  So I stopped and just took extra calcium while eating lots of calcium rich foods.
Then my visit to the Osteoporosis doctor revealed low Vitamin D.  He prescribed 10,000 units a week forever. Wow. I thought Vitamin D was fat soluble.  I am told in order to utilize it and get enough of it some of us have to take more. OK.
This doctor did another bone density (this is a year later mind you).  He wanted me on the newest drug "Forteo". This is a self-given shot once a day for a year.  Some people do 2 years but after a year I heard about a once a year shot.  I hated those daily shots.  My doctor wanted to see if my body could tolerate the shot so he wanted me to begin a series of Boniva shots once every 3 months for a year.  I complied.
Another bone density test was done and my numbers were'nt changing.  We agreed on the "Reclast" shot once a year.
Another bone density test and my numbers were worse.
Lucky me!  As it turns out I am in the 1% of people whose bones do not respond to these drugs.
I set out on a mission to find some alternatives to add to what the doctors were prescribing.  I found a supplement called Osteo K that I heard about at a wonderful site run by Sean Croxton called Underground Wellness.  I decided it couldn't hurt to start taking it.  My doctor approved.
I walk, do yoga, work with weights at the gym and eat lots of calcium rich foods.
My doctor said I am doing everything and "the more I beat up my body the better".  I was relieved to hear I am not at risk for a fracture at this time.
Now he wants to start me on a new drug that is designed for people like me who don't respond to the other drugs.  It is called "prolia".  I don't think I have much of a choice but to try it along with my Osteo K.  The side effects are minimal and as long as I keep trying I know I will increase bone density.
What is so interesting to me is that for years I have noticed that I don't respond to medications the way other people do.  I have had to figure this out on my own with doctors not usually believing me until I make them.  This new information proves that my body chemistry is "one of  a kind". It is important that we all know we are created uniquely and need to be our own advocates with our medical doctors.  If your doctor does not listen to you move on!  Ask your friends and everyone you meet who they see.  You'll have to bounce around but it will be worth it in the end when you find that "medical professional" who is just right for you.
We all do this for our children and parents.  It's time we do it for ourselves!  I did and I'm so happy with the doctors I have now.  It was stressful and time consuming but I have a lot of years left and I want them to be full and wonderful.  Here's to your health!!

Simple Joys!!

Tonight I handed out candy to about 30 adorable little ones who couldn't wait to dive into my bowl of candy. So young and so eager to run to the door yelling "Trick or Treat!". The parents took pictures of their babies first Halloween where they could walk to the door without mommy or daddy.  It brought back great memories of me and my son and the excitement in the air with all the kids running and laughing and comparing their bags. There were a few too many "Scream" costumes. I got a little scared :)

Then I made pesto pasta for dinner. I bagged so much basil this summer and was craving homemade pesto with artichokes.  Yummm. After handing out all that chocolate candy I was craving dessert.  A coke and chocolate ice cream  float did the trick!

I prepared for my visit to the doctor tomorrow.  I found a new primary doctor.  I've been unhappy with the doctor who's been my primary for about 6 years now.  When I came back to Atlanta from Colorado I had to find all new doctors.  It's crazy how much changes in 5 years.  In the big city it seems more and more common that doctors "aren't taking new patients".  I don't like that I can't go to whom I choose.
If they are "the best" I want to go to them.  Times sure have changed.

Time for bed. Good Night and Sweet Dreams. I thank God for the ups and downs of today, for keeping me and my family safe and showing me the blessing of children and their simple joys. I needed to be reminded of where my focus needs to be. Life is good. Tomorrow is going to be a GREAT DAY!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I'm sure lots of you are going to some kind of celebration, wearing wonderful costumes, dancing or maybe just handing out treats or trick or treating with your little ones which in my case would be the grandchild.  But alas, she lives in Colorado so I will be handing out much candy tonight.  It's cold enough to feel like the perfect Hallowen!!  Enjoy!!
Feel free to post your tall tales from tonight and pics!!