Hi, it’s my Day 13 of practicing gratitude. Today I am grateful for a freshly brushed set of teeth! I feel so much better after doing this morning ritual. Love how my breath feels cool.
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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October in review:
Hi, Day 12 I am grateful for the convenience of grocery shopping since COVID. Tonight I needed to pick up groceries after work. Ever since the COVID era and the changes to how we shop, the pick up method has certainly been one of my favorites. The self check out is my least favorite. Heck, with the pick up not only does the ringing up take place, but the items are picked out and delivered right to my car! 🙂
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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October in review:
Hi, it’s Day 11 in the practicing gratitude in October. I am grateful for date night.
Seldom can I get Kevin to go on vacations and real dates. We had a real date! 🙂
The wedding I crashed a few weeks ago was at the Lidia’s Italian Restaurant. Lidia and the restaurant celebrated their 25th anniversary. Before leaving the wedding, I booked a reservation for me and Kevin. This was our real date 🙂
I did good! Kevin had a wonderful time. He watches cooking shows on the weekend. Lidia is one of those shows. Normally Kevin will not let anyone take pictures of him. He runs when the camera is pulled out. On our drive to dinner, I asked for one picture of the two of us. He agreed. I was a happy wife!
Dinner was delicious. The one picture I missed taking was of the menu.
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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Hi, it’s day 10 of practicing gratitude. I am grateful for friends. What is a friend? Doing a Google search, Merriam Webster provided several definitions and the one I am referring to is:
a
: one attached to another by affection or esteem
She’s my best friend.
b
: ACQUAINTANCE
Angie is my best friend from work. We are remote, so she is the only one that I have met in person. We call each other practically each day after work. Many times she has helped through a stressful day. We work for child care and the calls can be sad and sometimes abusive. Not every day. There are some really nice callers, but there are days. Over time we have evolved into more than just work friends. We have learned so much about each other as a person and our conversations are more than ‘work’ stuff.
Linda is my best friend from a past work/client relationship. We had our restaurant and Linda would come in every Saturday for a meal with her family of four, husband and two sons. We sold our business and time passed. One day while shopping in Wal-Mart, Linda came up to me and said hi. This was our reunion. We have traveled together and take virtual walks most every day, sometimes twice daily. Linda is available to walk twice daily, me however, I am not a morning person. Several times I did not make it on time to walk. And Linda still calls me her friend 🙂
I have my Weight Watcher friends. These are my newest friends. I just love meeting new people and becoming friends. They are just one of the many reasons I look forward to Saturday!
Not to mention, I have friends from very long ago. These friends I may not speak to them every day, but when we get together it’s comfortable. We pick up right from where we were and go forth. I treasure this so much. They knew me when……. And still care!
My adult children are my friends, as well. I say this cautiously. Note I said adult children. When they were minors, I was their parent. A parent must maintain the authority, and being a friend can undermine your role as a parent.
I remember hearing my dad telling my mom, “She’s an adult now. You need to consider her as a friend and not as a child.” I thought that was a wow back then, but now I understand- WOW! I had to recognize that both of my children are grownups, now I can enjoy a true friendship with them. I will always have my motherly love for them, that will never change 🙂
When I was a little girl in Brownies (before Girl Scouts), I remember singing a song:
Make new friends, but keep the old.
One is silver and the other’s gold.
We would sing this in a round, like Row, Row Your Boat.
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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Hi, today I am grateful for toilet paper! 🙂 For real.
WW Update:
Since Start Date; -20.4lbs
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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My children were in daycare at 6 weeks old. Both me and my husband worked full time. His income paid for the house, utilities and all property taxes. My income paid for groceries, daycare and health insurance. We never had the newest home nor vehicles. Kevin worked then and still does in construction. The possibility of Kevin getting laid off was great. If Kevin was laid off, he would have the kids and the daycare payment would then be applied to the house payment. Fast forward to June 2003.
I was working for our family business my father started, mom and pop restaurant. Dad was taking more time off. Many evenings I worked late because some 16 year old kid did not show for work. Our children were in 9th grade and Senior year. I had just turned 39. With activities I was winded. Just thought I was getting older and out of shape was the reason.
I had an immense amount of pressure on my chest. My asthma began to bother me. I had woke up one Tuesday morning with chest pain. I made an appointment to go to the doctor. The appointment was for the next day, Wednesday. Tuesday late afternoon I had called Kevin and asked him to come straight home. Once he got home I asked him to take me to the hospital. That was the beginning of my cancer journey.
My parents and I sold the business. I worked but went to being a receptionist part time. And it was a Monday thru Friday job, 8am to noon, holidays off. I was up at the school house every afternoon to attend the school activities the kids were involved with. Did not miss a single one!
So the reason I am grateful for my cancer, I spent the whole school year and the following summer with my kids. Something I would not have done if I was working full time like my whole adult life until that June 2003.
About the doll: I lost all of my hair during chemo. My hair dresser, Nancy, told me when it was time to let her know. She had me come in before hours, locked the door and shut the blinds. We cut all my hair off. My mom was with me and she requested to keep my hair. Later mom found someone who stitched my hair onto this doll. Mom later said she wished she got a doll with blue eyes to match me!
I did not like the doll for the longest time. Brought too many negative thoughts to my mind. It represented pain. Well fast forward to about 3 months ago. Mom has gotten in the mood to get rid of many of her things. The doll came up. She was going to get rid of her. I told mom I was ready to take her. Yes, I still remember the pain, but I have so many wonderful memories with my kids I would not have had if it were not for the cancer.
Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
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