My journey hasn't been easy the last couple of years. I have shared bits and pieces of my struggles but ya, know what? I was doing a pretty good job of hiding from myself, while hiding from others. When you see yourself for who you really are it is almost like you see yourself as a fraud. I can surely preach or give my advice to just about anyone but when it comes to doing it for myself...ya whole other story. Boy, am I good with stories, especially the ones I make up in my head! Do you create stories in your head? You might find this POST enlightening. I know I did when I heard the concept at Brave Girls Camp when I went in September!
See this year marks my 50th birthday and I chose this year to take care of myself in every area. Learning to say "NO" when I wanted to say "YES" because I truly didn't want to let anyone down. You would think after 30 years of learning this concept I would actually know how to do it without pain to myself. I am a peacemaker and well peacemakers are about creating other peoples peace not one's own. Sometimes, we allow people to walk on us like a doormat and before we know it we are dirty with everyone dirty and grim.
Seriously it is hard to say "NO" and it makes my soul hurt. Then something happens, you see that their is a bigger plan in play than you ever thought possible. That is what I LOVE seeing and hearing about. So I am going to try to remember that my "NO" might just be a "YES" for another person.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
Celebrate Life
This past June I celebrated my 30th wedding Anniversary. Sometimes it is seriously hard to realize that we have been together for that long. In my mind I can still see us as young parents running after our children, then I see them. Growing old use to scare me and to be honest it still does at times. I guess now, I am just learning that life is all to short to be caught up in the worrying about stuff. God doesn't want us to do that anyway.
My husband gave me a very special gift for our Anniversary, a beautiful 2003 Cobalt Blue Corvette. For 25 years he has always asked what kind of car I have wanted. Bright blue, a two seater(so we don't have to take anyone with us) and I wanted to be able to go fast. Truth be told I didn't think he would remember my idea of a dream car but it is safe to say he got it spot on! I have named her Charlie after her former owner, our brother in law Chuck Reece who lost his fight with cancer this past spring.
So today I am going to enjoy life. I am going to choose to not get caught up in the what ifs. I will enjoy the sun on my face, the light breeze I feel across my cheeks and a good drive in my new car. My friend Goog died this past week suddenly of a stroke and she will never feel those things again. I want to make sure I don't take things for granted, life is to short for regrets. So here's to you Chuck Reece and Goog......I will drive with the top down for you because it looks like it is going to be a good day for it!
My husband gave me a very special gift for our Anniversary, a beautiful 2003 Cobalt Blue Corvette. For 25 years he has always asked what kind of car I have wanted. Bright blue, a two seater(so we don't have to take anyone with us) and I wanted to be able to go fast. Truth be told I didn't think he would remember my idea of a dream car but it is safe to say he got it spot on! I have named her Charlie after her former owner, our brother in law Chuck Reece who lost his fight with cancer this past spring.
So today I am going to enjoy life. I am going to choose to not get caught up in the what ifs. I will enjoy the sun on my face, the light breeze I feel across my cheeks and a good drive in my new car. My friend Goog died this past week suddenly of a stroke and she will never feel those things again. I want to make sure I don't take things for granted, life is to short for regrets. So here's to you Chuck Reece and Goog......I will drive with the top down for you because it looks like it is going to be a good day for it!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Be Gentle
Where have I been? Taking care of little ole me, which I promised myself I would do this year.
I have spent the last several months with a personal trainer and I am happy to report that my mind is changing towards serious exercise. I have had lower back issues for years, it has been increasing in pain for a few months. Showing itself in the form of nerve issues in my feet. Imagine having tons of little needles poking into the bottoms of your feet, then it leaves you with a burning tingling feeling or like you have little crawling things on your skin. A check up with my doctor found me going in for an xray. They found that I am having some arthritis in my lower back. I believe their is probably a bit more going on, since I have lost a half inch a year for the past couple of years. If their is nerve damage going on, nothing can really be done except for time for them to heal. Exercise is helping but doesn't relieve all the pain. I am getting stronger and just have to keep doing what I am doing to have relief. I am learning to be gentle with myself in every area of my life. It is hard when you are your own worst critic, who wants instant results.
So many changes have been happening and I promise to share more with you very soon! I just won't let two months go by before posting again. Please continue to come back! I do have so much to share with you as the fog is lifting from my heart.
I have spent the last several months with a personal trainer and I am happy to report that my mind is changing towards serious exercise. I have had lower back issues for years, it has been increasing in pain for a few months. Showing itself in the form of nerve issues in my feet. Imagine having tons of little needles poking into the bottoms of your feet, then it leaves you with a burning tingling feeling or like you have little crawling things on your skin. A check up with my doctor found me going in for an xray. They found that I am having some arthritis in my lower back. I believe their is probably a bit more going on, since I have lost a half inch a year for the past couple of years. If their is nerve damage going on, nothing can really be done except for time for them to heal. Exercise is helping but doesn't relieve all the pain. I am getting stronger and just have to keep doing what I am doing to have relief. I am learning to be gentle with myself in every area of my life. It is hard when you are your own worst critic, who wants instant results.
So many changes have been happening and I promise to share more with you very soon! I just won't let two months go by before posting again. Please continue to come back! I do have so much to share with you as the fog is lifting from my heart.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Life
Life just keeps going, each day passes brings new life. When I made the decision last fall to have my hernia surgery I gave myself permission to take care of me. I haven't always done the best job of that...self care. Deciding to take this year to take care of me in all things hasn't been easy. Sometimes I am scared of the words that come from my mind so much so that I can push them away telling myself that I don't have time to think about them. The reality is in doing that I have hurt part of myself. It took me saying yes to self care to understand that. I have not wanted to face the disappointment I have had with myself in so many areas. I have realized though that if it wasn't well with my soul that there was going to be no way I could be okay with anything else in my life. Now I know their is no going back to change things but I can change where I am now. That is the kind of change that I am learning to be okay with. Somewhere the last couple of years I stopped choosing to be happy. It was like I was slowly drowning and I couldn't get any air no matter how much I knew I shouldn't take on other peoples stuff. How could I be happy if others around me weren't? I let so much effect everything in my life. Since my last post I feel like I am coming out of a deep fog. I can see things a little bit clearer now and life is getting ready to change again for me. All is good and I am learning what over flowing joy is all about. I'm doing my best to embrace it! I hope you will come back to visit.
Monday, April 07, 2014
Pain
Yet again I learned a lesson the last couple of weeks about pain...if any of your teeth are hurting for any reason go to the dentist!
After my surgery in December my jaw joint was hurting like crazy. I chalked it up to being under pain, a little stress with the holidays and all the adjustments that have been being made to my schedule so far this year. Well, with face swelling and pain not going away, even with Tylenol it was time to do something. Dentist didn't even need to see me before he put me on antibiotics to make it through the weekend until I could get into seeing him the following week. A couple of x-rays later a root cancel was needed. They got into the damaged tooth only to find 2 more that needed to be done. So I can tell you this.....3 root cancels in one day isn't fun especially when it has to be taken care of through a crown. I wouldn't even wish it on my worst enemy! It turned out that some decay got underneath my crown so today marks the day I go in to have it replaced.
To all of this, you can add two of our cats needing to go in for dental surgery to have a few of their own teeth removed. Cats teeth actually will rot if they don't fall out and can start causing other issues. With our oldest Sneakers it showed up in bad scabs on his face. At least now they are happy cats, overly happy.
Tomorrow I meet with a personal trainer to work on getting in shape so I can just feel good all over. I sure hope everyone in the house remains healthy for the rest of the year!!
After my surgery in December my jaw joint was hurting like crazy. I chalked it up to being under pain, a little stress with the holidays and all the adjustments that have been being made to my schedule so far this year. Well, with face swelling and pain not going away, even with Tylenol it was time to do something. Dentist didn't even need to see me before he put me on antibiotics to make it through the weekend until I could get into seeing him the following week. A couple of x-rays later a root cancel was needed. They got into the damaged tooth only to find 2 more that needed to be done. So I can tell you this.....3 root cancels in one day isn't fun especially when it has to be taken care of through a crown. I wouldn't even wish it on my worst enemy! It turned out that some decay got underneath my crown so today marks the day I go in to have it replaced.
To all of this, you can add two of our cats needing to go in for dental surgery to have a few of their own teeth removed. Cats teeth actually will rot if they don't fall out and can start causing other issues. With our oldest Sneakers it showed up in bad scabs on his face. At least now they are happy cats, overly happy.
Tomorrow I meet with a personal trainer to work on getting in shape so I can just feel good all over. I sure hope everyone in the house remains healthy for the rest of the year!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Healing
It sometimes takes so long to heal and it kind of reminds me of winter. Winter settles in, you wrap yourself up in a nice blanket and you wait to see the growth that is going on underneath. That is how it has been for me for such a long while. I have tried to force things but it comes back to me needing to slow down, waiting for my strength to return. Everyday I am taking steps to take care of myself. For for someone who has always taken care of others it is a big deal to me. I've never been good with saying no to people because it is in my nature to help others. Now it is time for me.
I started this past fall by taking a new Brave Girl class called Soul Comfort. It was such a good thing for me and it helped me to settle into taking care of myself. I didn't realize that I had almost forgotten what it was like. I have had to face how busy I have been with taking care of my Grands full time. While I love to do it most days and so glad they are part of my life I wasn't taking care of me.
The fall was followed by winter which is still surrounding Spokane with cold temperatures. Christmas was quiet for me as I was recovering from my surgery for my umbilical hernia, with very little baking taking place. I sat back and took care of me. It was some of the worst pain I have ever had. I depended so much on my family and they were right there making sure my every need was met. When everyone went back to work/school in January I actually had to remember how to make meals for myself. It took me about 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things. Slow going, when you aren't suppose to lift over 15 lbs.
I kept myself busy with working on two very special Quiet Books for my two youngest Grands. Loads of hand work!! I can say I perfected my blanket stitch!! As of today I am designing out the covers and will soon be putting the finishing touches on them! Soul Comfort ended and I was able to win a place in the new Brave Girls class called The Walk. I am learning so much about myself again and doing so more growing. This new year has also marked me moving to taking care of my Grands part time. My daughter has a wonderful man that is in love with her and the children. They are now blending their two families and expecting another little one come June.
This day I feel blessed and full. I don't like everything that is going on in the world but my world is good. Lots to look forward to, challenges to meet head on and people to love. Really, it can't get any better than that! Happy New Year everyone and thanks for sticking around!
I started this past fall by taking a new Brave Girl class called Soul Comfort. It was such a good thing for me and it helped me to settle into taking care of myself. I didn't realize that I had almost forgotten what it was like. I have had to face how busy I have been with taking care of my Grands full time. While I love to do it most days and so glad they are part of my life I wasn't taking care of me.
The fall was followed by winter which is still surrounding Spokane with cold temperatures. Christmas was quiet for me as I was recovering from my surgery for my umbilical hernia, with very little baking taking place. I sat back and took care of me. It was some of the worst pain I have ever had. I depended so much on my family and they were right there making sure my every need was met. When everyone went back to work/school in January I actually had to remember how to make meals for myself. It took me about 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things. Slow going, when you aren't suppose to lift over 15 lbs.
I kept myself busy with working on two very special Quiet Books for my two youngest Grands. Loads of hand work!! I can say I perfected my blanket stitch!! As of today I am designing out the covers and will soon be putting the finishing touches on them! Soul Comfort ended and I was able to win a place in the new Brave Girls class called The Walk. I am learning so much about myself again and doing so more growing. This new year has also marked me moving to taking care of my Grands part time. My daughter has a wonderful man that is in love with her and the children. They are now blending their two families and expecting another little one come June.
This day I feel blessed and full. I don't like everything that is going on in the world but my world is good. Lots to look forward to, challenges to meet head on and people to love. Really, it can't get any better than that! Happy New Year everyone and thanks for sticking around!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)