Tagged

I have been tagged by my blogging friends Cindy, Donna, Dee and and Gina. You simply go to your sixth picture file pick the sixth picture post it and give the story of the picture.

This picture was taken in the play ground of the church where my son and daughter in law were married. It was the night of the rehearsal dinner. The kids were bored with the grown up stuff. One the merry go round is Haley, my niece's little girl. Running across the pay ground is Daniel, my nephew. In the background you can see my son in law, daughter and grandson Ethan by the swings. It was g great time and a great wedding.

Now you have been tagged so it is your turn.

Wow when God speaks I listen

OK, so everyone knows I am doing this challenge thing diet, exercise which should equal life change. Well I have been exercising every day, keeping my food journal, eating foods that are good for me, not eating after 9pm. Honestly I am barely eating the calories they gave me to eat, they actually told me I was not eating enough. SO I went to the weigh in last Thursday evening after a long day of work and their scale said I gained 1 lb. I was devastated. I thought I am killing my self with all of this and I gained a pound! I thought what is the use. I know my blood sugars have been better but I wanted poundage lost, ya know! SO I continued on with my Friday. I worked in the hospital and literally ran all day. I was exhausted after that so I went home, ate dinner and actually feel asleep in front of the computer taking my test for my classes I am taking.
Saturday, was Access, an all day seminar at the church. I registered but did not want to go. I got up the next morning and still did not want to go. I got dressed and went. Ten minutes into the program I felt like I had a spotlight on me and Cal, our preacher, was speaking directly to me. He actually spoke about how exercise is good for you! I was blown away! As the day went on several other references to diet and exercise came as the preacher and other teachers emphasised we should take care of the "temple of the Lord Jesus Christ". I cried all day. (Thank goodness I did not put make up on because it would have been a waste of time.) I went to see my dad for his birthday at Myrtle Beach after Access. I talked to him and my step mom about it, but did not exercise, just spent the evening relaxing with my dad. The next morning I went to church with them. Don't you know the message was basically the same thing! This preacher used different circumstances but it was basically the same message. One of the verses for the message was Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. I totally got the message. After church I went for a walk and praised God for everything and for letting me know this is truly what He wants me to do. I walked about 45 min to 1 hour as my trainer told me and later my step mom and I walked again on the beach.
SO I know this is what the Lord wants me to do and I know I can not do it. I have tried many times in the past and failed. Now its God's turn and I have to have faith and follow the rules.

Busy Busy Busy

I have been so busy lately with school, work and work outs for the Healthy Charleston Challenge.
I have not had time to share with my blogging friends. I am doing ok. I have had my ups and downs. I have been doing my exercise work out every day and my blood sugars have been great! Infact when they had been in the 200s for fasting blood sugar that should be between 70-110, my most recent blood sugars of 130-150 are wonderful. I even had a 107 in there one morning! Praise the Lord! I do not know how long I can keep up this pace however, I am constantly running around doing something which leaves me no time for other things like this blog and other computer fun. Physically I feel great, mentally I am starting to feel the pressure. Like last Sunday for instance, I did not go to the gym. I had little gas to last until payday and had to drive to work a few days until pay day. I did exercise; I rode my bike about 1 mile (it was cold). Then I went home and made myself feel guilty for not going to the gym. Crazy, isn't it. I made myself feel so bad I did not go to church that evening and now I wish I had. I am glad I started this challenge and want to change my life style so I can live to see my great grandchildren but wonder what will happen when all the hoopla is over. I am trying to make life style changes and praying I can continue with a healthy lifestyle even after the challenge.

Have you ever made a decision and God said "WAIT"

Hello all. As many of you know who have been following this blog I have been trying to make a decision about my job. Should I stay where I am or go back into the hospital, where the nurse manager is trying to recruit me to come back to working on the floor. I know the grass is never greener on the other side and am completely aware of the hard work involved in working in the hospital. Well, yesterday I thought I made the decision to move to the floor. I had made up my mind after being called into the office for an incident that happened last week in which many nurses were involved. I will not go into details but it involved complaining about something said in a town hall meeting. So back to yesterday, I decided I could not be quiet about all the changes being made so I should go back to the floor where I could be a positive influence instead of a negative influence I feel I have been. My mind was made up. I knew exactly what to do. I talked to my husband and my step-mom and confirmed I was making the right decision.
This morning I read my devotion with a title "WAIT and LISTEN". The scripture was the story of moses as a baby in the Nile when pharaoh's daughter found him. SO now I am back to waiting. I do not know what the Lord has in store for me here or what is happening. I have to learn to roll with the punches and go with the flow, be flexible. I guess. I will pray to be more flexible and positive and see where the Lord leads me.

Just Talked to My Nana

Nana with Mom and Nan with Ethan

I just talked to my Nana. She is OK, but it is sad to me. She was soo full of life. Wind, p--- and excitement as my grandfather used to say. Now she just sits in her room at that nursing home and watches TV because "there is nothing to do here" as she says. When she was here at Life Care she was everywhere. She would walk that wheel chair all over the place even sit out on the porch. Now she just sits in her room. She was happy there; but now she sits because her selfish daughter(mom's sister) had to have her back in Pittsburgh. Just because she wanted her there, not because my grandmother wanted to go.

OK I refuse to let this blog have any more bitterness when it comes to that side of the family so I will focus this on my grandmother. Let me tell you who she is and was.

Rose Marie Tomaro born December 15, 1913 as her family made their way to America from Italy. Her older brother had to stay in Italy because the family did not have enough money for him to travel with them. He came to America later. She is the second youngest of 5 children. She had beautiful long hair growing up( she has her pony tail from when it was cut off when she was a child. She wants to have it buried with her). She met and married my grandfather as a young lady. Her parents did not like him. My great grandmother called him "Irish scum." She loved him and married him. The marriage was not the greatest. My grandfather was an abusive alcoholic until the last ten years of his life. They were married forty some years. He had 10 good years of being a good and sober man the he died January 5, 1980. She worked all of her life. She worked on her parents farm in Pittsburgh as a child. She worked in a laundry for many years until she had to retire to take care of my grandfather. After he died she became a Foster Grandparent at The Children's Rehab in Pittsburgh where she worked well into her 80's. She quit after she had surgery on her legs and could not walk for a long time without a walker. But even this did not hold her down. She is and was a stubborn woman. When my mom moved in to take care of her she often fought with my mom about whatever she felt strongly about.

I remember as a kid spending time at her house and getting love and lots and lots of food! We were there every Sunday for dinner and often spent the night on weekends. When I had kids she was there for me when my mom was living out of state. She even came to stay with me when my twins were born and rearranged the house how she thought it should be. LOL She would drive me to the doctors and where ever I had to go because I did not drive at the time. I got my license because her driving scared me! Then I would pick her up and take her with me. My kids grew up with her she would babysit for me and just spend time with me and my kids. When I asked her if she would baby sit I always got the same answer. "If I am not dead by then I'll watch them." She always talked to everybody around her. When the kids were small and we went to the doctors before we left she knew why each child in the office was there. As my kids grew even their friends would come and spend time with her. A few of their friends thought she was mean because she would not hear it that you did not want to eat. I remember she smacked on of my son's hands because he did not want a sandwich. LOL, that's a funny memory. Then she offered to get some grass from her yard for one of his friends who told her he was a vegetarian. LOL She was always there for me and I never let the world get in the way of talking to and seeing her. When we moved to SC I called the house every week and talked to her till she moved here. I pray she has many more years but the last thing I want is for this wonderful woman to suffer in any way. She endured her suffering with my grandfather and should now only have love and happiness. As long as she is alive I will NEVER loose contact with her.