So I have taken up reading novels again.  I enjoy reading but the last couple of years my mind wouldn't allow me to settle in on the words that were on the page.  Stress does that to you.  Your mind gets stuck in that stress world and it won't leave. 
I'm trying to get myself out of that world and now reading books again.  Trying to pour myself into the world that is in the story of the books I read.  Mostly fictional books so that I can be in a place imaginary and take my mind to other places besides where I am.
Surprising myself I am now on my third book after only one month.  I say surprisingly because I have very little "private-quiet" time to read.  My husband being retired is home most of the time and enjoys sharing his thoughts and interests with me throughout the day.  I take care of my grandsons four days a week and sometimes other grandchildren on weekends.  We attend most if not all of the grand kids activities such as baseball, soccer, theater, band, basketball, dance......and whatever else may pop up on the calendar.   That along with the daily activities of housework, cooking, shopping, dog walking and oh yeah.....sleeping.. there is little time for reading!
So I've found a way to squeeze it in from time to time.....one way I've done this is to leave a few minutes early to pick up the grandsons from school.  I find myself a parking spot as close as I'm able to by the school and then sit in my car and read until the bell rings.  A nice quiet car all by myself has become my secret get-a-way!
So now I'm going to keep track of my reading.  I am finding that keeping track of these things such as my walking/exercising and now reading books helps me to keep focused on the FACT that I NEED to somehow put a few minutes of time each week for ME. 
Not having ME time makes me a grumpy unhappy person and also becomes unhealthy.  We all need me time.  Women / moms/ grandmas tend to push our me time out the window as we become focused on taking care of everyone elses needs.  Yet if we don't take care of ourselves we become worn out and depressed and the joy of taking care of others becomes a chore and that is not a good thing for anyone.
SO, with all that said I have posted on my sidebar a link to "shelfari"  which is where I will be adding my books as I read them.  Check it out as it is an easy website to use.

It is just not fair how your mind tells you to do things or gives you this desire to do things and your body decides to create aches and pains and lack of ability to do those things!
I'm 61 years old and have arthritis and my mind says I'm still in my 20's and is filled with creative ideas for projects and activities but my body aches and hurts and slows me down. 
One of the many blessings of having a cute hyper dog is that he urges me to get up and dressed and out the door for walks.  I have to thank him for that!   I've applied the app to my iPhone that keeps track of these walks & activities and giving myself a goal to walk at least three times a week plus other exercises.   This app. is also streamed into my computer so it's right there........right there on my screen to stare me in the face telling me that I have to do it!  
I guess there are benefits to these high maintenance confusing technical gadgets after all.

I think I last posted a year ago that 2011 was a stressful year.  Well,  2012 has been even more so.  With so much stress and needs in life it's hard to sit and type so there have been no posts.

 After a death in the family,  a crazed now ex-relative trying to cause problems,  an elderly sweet relative developing Alzheimer's,  and financial doom still looming over us daily.........we are alive and surviving.  
The fact that we are still surviving,,, that our marriage is still loving... that we still have a home to live in and food on our table...that we still have our children and beautiful grandchildren close by us......and our hyper curly haired loyal 11 year old dog is still looking at me with those sweet begging eyes, tells me that God still has his hands on our shoulders guiding us and leading us towards the goal he has planned for us.

So now even though all these things are still true in our lives and it is going to definitely be a financial struggle as well as a bitter sweet stress of knowing that our elderly loved ones will not get better,  it is obvious that there is a higher strength that carries us through these dark tunnels and that there is a light at the other end.  We just don't know how long that tunnel may be so we just have to trust the guide as he leads us through.

I can say this- it is with a clean slate that we approach the new year.  All has been laid on the table and the one thing that is stronger than all the stress on this earth we live in is our family.  We love each other and will hold onto each other to the end.

Maybe the number "13" is my lucky number and this next year I will be posting of daily joys and laughter.

Wow,
It's been almost a full year since I've written anything on here.

2011 was a very stressful year. Several issues going on. There are members of the family who were diagnosed with a terminal illness. That alone caused a lot of strain on everyone.
It seemed to be a roller coaster ride of ups and downs emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I must hang on to the blessings though and I have several. My five grandchildren keep me focused on what is true and what is beautiful in this life...........plus they keep me extremely busy!

So with this new year beginning I choose to;
go forward and keep my eyes on the blessings that are in my life;
ask God to direct my daily path and keep my mind focused on what is right;
remember that I have only one earthly body and to treat it with care and respect;
and to show my loved ones that they are much loved.

Get Up and Go

I'd like to know where my get up and go went to?

On days like today when I don't have my grandsons to take care of and I don't have any appointments to take care of I seem to convince myself that it's ok to just be a blob.

Yes it's alright to take a day and just veg. It's alright to relax and rest your body and mind.

However, I still have a list of things that need to be done............such as preparing papers in order to do taxes! That is something that just can't be put off for very long!
I just don't want to do it! I just want to lie around like a big blob of blob and do nothing!
Yet if I do that, lie around all day, then tomorrow when my busy schedule starts all over again I will be kicking my big butt for not getting things done on my "day off" knowing that I will now have to wait until my next chance to get those needed things done.

It's an ongoing cycle that somehow circles around and ends up staring you right in the face.

SO, I will now get up off my big blob butt and do something.

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls".

Matthew 11: 29

Lately, whenever I feel the stress of life starting to weigh me down I repeat this verse in my mind and it gives me a sense of peace.

Time to reorganize!

So I went to the office supply store yesterday and bought this handy dandy organizer!

All of these individual boxes & containers are what I WAS using on the table next to my desk. It was a constant mess and confusing.

I can't stand to work in a space that is so unorganized while trying to figure out where I had put things or where I should put things!


Now this is more like it!
EVERYTHING that I had in all of those separate containers is now in the one organizer or in the hanging pockets!