What a decade so far!

 I can’t believe it is now 8 years later!  I have embraced this decade but what a decade it has been!  Looking back I can understand how I got off track from this blog. My Mom passed in 2016. Since she was living with us for over 13 years, that was quite an adjustment in life as we know it as well as the home.  

And one if our adult children moved back home for awhile. Another adjustment.  

Then the Covid lockdown hit!  We were quite busy doing nothing while making it seem like something!  Zoom get togethers and bible studies.  Home school with with Stephen. Ordering groceries and dinners.  As well as traveling (anyway!) to see our two new grandchildren.  

So we have resurrected from all that and now are on the other side.  

I am still in the decade, but sometimes I think it is embracing me!  I have just begun another year of guitar playing for St. Michael’s.  And I’m glad to do it. Stephen is in his last year there in the post graduate class Exploration Academy.   What a treasure!

Life is good. Our Christian community, the People of Praise, is still thriving  here. We are learning how to care for one another no matter what decade you are in! 

A school begins yet again I pray you all have a great school year and that the Lord surrounds you with his protection!  

  The year in review ,:
 December is a very busy month,  not a whole lot of time to sit and reflect.  But I did just want to post while I'm thinking about it :
 How have I embraced this year when I entered my 60th decade ?
 Embrace the decade has been my motto.   I have done three pretty amazing things (for me) this year.
 I already posted about finishing my first 5K. I don't know if I'll do any others but I did that one in under an hour which is amazing for me.
 Secondly I actually finished the manuscript for a book I have been dreaming of for many years.   Mom's Psalms is at the publisher and almost ready for publication.   I will keep you posted.
 Thirdly thanks to certain circumstances at Stephen's school I am now playing my guitar again for a weekly mass.   Due to some painful arthritis in my thumb I had  pretty much stopped playing my guitar.   But the need arose for a guitar player and I asked the Lord to heal me so that I could do this for the children.   Well it worked!  Even though I still have the arthritis I am able to play the guitar pain-free and make a difference for the wonderful special kids at St. Michael's.    And I really love playing and singing.   As the saying goes "he who sings prays twice"!
 Blessings for Merry Christmas and hopefully we all have a wonderful new year!
 Embracing the decade!

Still moving forward!

So I walked quickly the 5 K race in May!  My goal was to finish in an hour.  I didn't expect to because I realized my app was counting my steps wrongly  and I wasn't training as hard as I thought. However as I approached the finish line, the clock read 1:00.23! There was time to cross before it got to 1:01!  So I sprinted painstakingly, .35,.36,.37 got closer and finished at 1:00.45!  Whew!

I have also still been reading. I read Hope for the Workplace by Bill Dalghety, wonderful examples of bringing Christ to the work environment without ever mentioning him. I am working on the Great Reformer, a story of our current Pope Francis. Also just finished Just Alice, a story written from the patients point of view about early onset Alzheimer's disease. Very insightful!

And today is my 40th anniversary! How blessed I feel to have been happily married to Phil for 40 years.  That's longer than my parents has before my dad died. In a way it doesn't seem that long. But it's been a pleasure going through life with a mate, someone who cares about what you think,what you do during the day,who you talked to, where you went. We matter to one another. It's very good.  Thank you Lord!

Embrace the decade!

My new motto, Embrace the decade!  I turn 60 this week!  The 50s weren't so bad, but I do look a tad older now than 10 years ago.   I fear the 60s will do worst!  However, there is not much I can do about the passing of time so I will embrace this decade and give it a run for the money!
🔹First of all, I will keep my brain sharp.   I have resolved to read one book a month, I am on target for that.  January's read was A Light Will Rise in Darkness.  An intimate sharing of growing up black and Catholic in New Orleans.   Interesting that I always felt welcomed as a Catholic in New Orleans because of the large Catholic population.  However among the African Americans, that distinction was not favored.   An insightful read.
February's  book was Switch.  How to help situations and people change and accept change.  I learned a few things.
I am beginning my Godson TC Elliott's book, Axes of Evil for March.  It is a cold case Murder investigation of the 1912 Ax Man murders.  Not sure what to expect but knowing the author makes it worthwhile.
🔹Secondly I am getting my body in shape to tackle this decade!  I began last year by completing the Couch to 5K app and worked up to  jogging 30 minutes.   This year I have decided to actually jog/walk a 5 K race in May. (To benefit the Women's New Life Center) Never did that before.
Of course I continue my weight loss journey.  It's slow but it is happening!  Every pound lost means my knees have a better chance of making it through this decade unscathed!
🔹Spiritually I am upping the ante.  I will not slow down my service to the Lord or to build his kingdom!  I am going to work (through prayer and medication ) to get past the arthritis that plagues my thumbs and continue to play the guitar.  I am determined to do it because there is a need.  Younger folks, please learn to play the guitar!
🔹Embracing this decade means I will most likely be seeing my mom off to the heavens at some point. I hope that the Lord will give me the grace and peace to do it right.   At this point she is my biggest fan!  ("You're so pretty!") 😊

Time for me to get to prayer and my workout. Peace to all who read this.

Happy New Year

Last year I restarted this blog with a healthier me in mind.  I was somewhat successful, though the journey continues. 

Mom on the other hand had a year of decline.  She will be 90 next month.  Falling and breaking her leg twice and the surgeries and ensuing hospital stays took their toll.  She is still living with us and I have sitters to help care for her.  Don't know how long she will be with us but we try to make her life as comfortable as possible.  

Aside from that pending sadness, I approach 2015 with a positive outlook. 

We ending 2014 so wonderfully!  All the family was in town for many joyous gatherings.  I really am quite blessed and feeling much love!  Even celebrated (a little early) my 60th birthday coming up.  I plan on embracing the decade (rather than letting it overtake me!) 

So here's to moving forward. Perhaps I'll find a way to post pics from my phone to the blog!

Have a fantastic year everyone!

Fall already!

Well it's been awhile since I've posted obviously!
I think I have dug out from under the craziness of Mom's situation.  She is home and we have a rhythm of  care for her.  Thank God for Joan and Gloria who sit with her!  And clean up when she is sleeping!  Mom has not improved mentally.  Her decline continues.  But the leg is healed and we did manage to get some physical therapy to help her get steady on her legs again. I don't know how well she will do.   It's driven by her mental state.  If she is fearful or overly sleepy then
Nothing gets done.
Stephen loves the high school program at St Michaels.  And I have resumed Rhythm Band classes there once a week. Lots of fun!
I have continued the Couch to 5K training on and off.  I just finished week 5 and jogged for 20 minutes straight.  Quite an accomplishment for me!  Feeling energized by that!
We hosted another Pentecost Seminar for some Tulane students this past weekend.  So exciting to see God's work in his people.
I have also restarted the bible study.  We have 12 people coming!  Quite a crowd in my den!  But a great group of women!
God is good!

In Summer!

Ah summer.   June was an amazing vacation month.  We went to disneyworld with Joanna and kids.  Then to Pensacola beach - just me and Phil.  Very nice and relaxing.

 Then July was consumed by taking care of my mom who fell once again and is in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).  Even though she is not at home, the trips to see her (20 minutes across the river) and the talks with therapists, doctors and nurses has been very time consuming!  Thus I haven't had a chance to even post to my blog.  So I will try to update at least weekly.

This Tuesday she will be four weeks out from the fall, break and surgery. Can't walk on the leg for another 5 1/2 weeks.  Will probably be coming home with hospice when she does return. The doctor has decided that her advanced dementia is terminal.   Sounds awful.   But she has had some really "out of it" days.  Today however was a much better day.  Taking it week by week.

Personally, my fitness had taken a back seat, so not doing too well there.  I did however begin the "couch to 5 K " program.  I'm two weeks into it.  Hopefully it will get me back on track.

Also I was making progress on my book project- "Mom's Psalms" ©2014.  Trying to find a venue to publish me. Moving forward on that is very rewarding.

School starts in a week and a half. Then summer will be over.
Wonder what good news August will hold?