Final Blog - Still More to Say

Hello All,

Let me start off by saying Happy Veterans Day!  I take pride everyday in the 20 years I served my country, but I am also truly grateful to those who put their lives on the line everyday to protect our country. 

I did not make it to the fair as planned.  The weather at the time we were able to go was unreliable.  Cold and cloudy one minute, warm and breezy the next.  I don't do cold well, so needless to say, I stayed in my nice warm house.  We have next year to look forward to.

Took my husband to have a procedure done on his back.  Shots, ugh!!!  Afterwards we went to eat at Chili's which was one of the many restaurants that provided free meals to veterans.  Per doctors orders, he needed to walk around and loosen up from the shots.  Where else but to the mall.  Decided to go watch window shopping at the mall.  Our 15th anniversary will be coming up later this month and the contemporary gift is a watch.  The traditional gift is crystal, but what would we do with crystal.  Watches it is.    Window shopping for watches went well.

We will be getting our house blessed this weekend.  We have never had this done so not sure what to expect.  Other than that, this will be a very ordinary weekend.  Will get stocking stuffers started for grand kids Christmas stockings.

This is my last blog, but I still have so much to say.  Will start to use the journal I have had for years, pages still empty.  I hope everyone has a great rest of the semester, a happy Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas!  May you all have a blessed 2012!

   

 

Busy Day!

Today started off with a little nudge from my hubby.  We had decided earlier in the week that we would get back to the gym on Saturdays.  Well, needless to say when this morning came around, I did not want to get up from under the warm covers into a not-so-warm room.  My husband kept reminding me that in the end, I will be happy that I went.  As usual he was right.  I'm not saying that I was not a happy camper all the way to the gym, but once I was done, I felt great!  I was expecting to do a fusion class, but to my surprise, zumba was on the schedule.  This was my second time doing zumba and it is wonderful and exhilarating.  I had exercised twice this week at home.  I walked/ran on the treadmill, so I am slowly but surely making progress.

After recuperating from our workouts, we went out and about to treat ourselves.  Initially there was a feeling of guilt, but we came to realize that we hardly treat ourselves.  We are usually saving, paying bills or helping out others.  We figured before we start Christmas shopping it wouldn't hurt to get a little something.

Once we could shop no more, we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants for our date night dinner.  We have not been to this restaurant for a while, and was saddened to see that it closed.  Not sure if any of you have heard of "Hannah's".  The food was awesome.  We ended up going to one of our back ups, "Wings and Rice."  The food was great.  No Complaints here.

Putting date night on hold for the LSU game.  I figured if my hubby can have the patience that it takes to go shopping with me, I can have the patience to watch a football game.

I hope I didn't bore everyone with my day.  Have a blessed weekend!
 

Time to Let Go--So Soon!

Hello All,

Well it's that time.  My husband and I will be taking our daughter and our grandchildren back to Texas this weekend. :0(  The Grambling homecoming was more fun than I can describe.  There was some bumps in the road, but when isn't there when you have lots of family together.  The morning started early with the homecoming parade.  Watching the different bands and feeling the beat of the drums was awesome!

My granddaughter was able to meet her cousins on our side of the family for the first time.  My granddaughter and my nephew are only a few months apart, and at the age of two, sharing was a slight or minor problem.  Once they were able to come to a compromise of sorts, things flowed smoothly.
I will miss my daughter and grandchildren greatly.  I'm going to miss my granddaughter calling "GMA!!, GPA!!  (That's her name for us).  I will try my best not to cry as we drive away this weekend.

My parents, nieces and nephew stayed overnight after the game was over.  This was in addition to our daughter and grandchildren.  Can you say full house.  Unfortunately, my schoolwork did suffer.  I was not able to concentrate as well as I thought I would be able to.  I guess I was overly confident in my skill to separate schoolwork from play.  Once I return from taking the family back, I will get back to business as usual.  I do not like giving less than my best.  I will be good to go until Thanksgiving when my parents return.  My mom will be making a homecooked Thanksgiving dinner!  My nieces and nephews will be returning, since my brother and sister-in-law will be going to the bayou classic. 

Next time I will make sure I get ahead on my schoolwork so I will not make the same mistake.  Lesson learned. 

Well I hope everyone has a great, blessed weekend!

What a Week--Weekend!!!

Hello All,

This has been a jam packed, exciting week, which is sure to become an exciting weekend.  My hubby and I picked up our daughter, granddaughter and grandson last week and they will be here for two weeks.  We have been thoroughly enjoying having them here with us.  Our granddaughter makes us smile several times a day, everyday.  She just warms our heart! 

Today my parents, brother and his family have come from out of town for the Grambling homecoming.  My brother graduated from Grambling years ago, so I'm sure this will become a tradition for me and my husband not that we have put down roots in Bossier.

I am not looking forward to when it's time to take the family back to Texas. :o(  I will miss them terribly!

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  I'm sure I will!! 

What's that Smell?

Hello All,

This has been another hectic week.  I'm sure that's the norm for just about everyone :o).  My week started off with me getting used to my husband going back to work.  Since retiring from the military in August, he has been searching for a job.  He found a part-time job and started this week.  After being together 24/7, I didn't know what to do with myself without him attached to my hip.  It was a strange feeling.  I missed him terribly, but I started to enjoy the alone time, to be in my own thoughts.  I'm sure he feels the same way.  We've always had "me time" and "us time."  We had gotten away from "me time," and this was a nice break.

After working on my schoolwork, I spent the majority of my alone time in the back room.  I finally went up front to welcome him home, and got a whiff of an odd burning smell.  I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from and spent the next few minutes sniffing around the house.  Once my husband returned home, he too was welcomed with this odd smell.  Now we both was going around the house sniffing like hound dogs.  We narrowed down the smell to the kitchen area.  There was nothing cooking so we just couldn't understand, why the burning smell.   In the back of my mind I kept thinking, "uh oh" I forgot to reinstate our renters insurance.  I started getting closer to our computer in our "mini" office.  The smell became stronger, "BINGO," we found the source of the smell.  Our computer, the CPU or hard drive, not sure what it's called, was emitting a powerful smell of  burning rubber.  Just great!  Just what we needed!  The computer was DOA!  We tried not to get upset, knowing it could have been worse.  The computer could have started to burn while we slept and caught fire.  Also, we have a netbook that I can use for school until Best Buy figures out what's wrong with the computer.  All is well in life.  Computer getting checked, renters insurance reinstated. 

Getting ready for my daughter and grandchildren to visit.  Going down to Texas to pick them up.  I am so excited!  I hope everyone has a safe and happy fall break.

Made it to 45...What a Day!

My birthday was this past Tuesday, and I enjoyed it thoroughly!  I am thankful to be blessed to have had the opportunity to enjoy another year on this earth.  I was not able to exercise on my birthday as I had wanted, but "MY" day still started out well.  I received many well wishes for a "Happy Birthday".  I must admit, I L-O-V-E my birthday.  I'm not like some who never look forward to turning a year older.  Though my body is definitely showing the signs of aging, I welcome all that growing older has to offer, grey hair and all.  My day was spent running errands with my hubby and, yes, working on school assignments.  One of the highlights of my day was talking to a friend that I hadn't talked to in years.  We were stationed at two bases together.  She is one of the few people that really gets me.  I miss her so much!  My husband treated me like a queen.  He is always good to me, but on my "special" day, he went above and beyond.  My day concluded with a wonderful dinner.  Being on a strict budget, we have not exchanged gifts for over a year.  The way we see it, gifts are not the only way to celebrate the special days in our lives.

My family will be coming from out of town in a week or so for the Grambling homecoming and I'm so excited!  My hubby and I will be busy cleaning and making things just right.  I will have to figure out a way to make sure I don't fall behind on my school work.  In the twisted words of the wonder twins "Multi-task activate!" :o)  Am I showing my age?

Our daughter and grandchildren will be hopefully be visiting this coming weekend.  Can you say "happy camper?"

I hope everyone has a blessed and happy weekend!!

Me Versus the Treadmill; All or Nothing!

This has been a trying week.  My week consisted of finalizing a memoir while starting a draft of the next essay, and taking a much feared biology exam.  Did I mention, TONS of reading?  I'm usually great with time management, but I just can't seem to get a grasp on all my assignments.  I find it so weird that when I have a full load of classes, I'm the management queen, but taking only two online classes, I feel out of whack, as if I"m being pulled in twenty different directions. 

I thought that maybe my anxiousness is because I have not exercised in ages.  With our moving fiasco and finding a place to stay, exercise kind of went by the wayside.  Everyday, I pass my "exercise" room and give my treadmill a smile that could pass as a grimace.  I continuously tell my husband that I need to start exercising and eating healthier, but why haven't I started, I don't know.  I finally decided, enough is enough.  I will be turning 45 next week and I will NOT approach the age of 46 in the same condition as 45!  This is my year to become fit and healthy.  Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not talking quickie diet and excessive exercise.  I will implement healthy eating habits and reasonable exercise.  Tuesday was my first day back on the treadmill and it welcomed me with opened arms. :o)  I must confess, that I've worked out two days this week, but as I see it, two days for me is better than no days.  Tomorrow I plan to attempt step or zumba class.  I've enjoyed both in the past.

Hopefully, once I get my body/health back in order the rest will follow.  Now that I think about it, that is the difference between my prior semesters and this semester.  During my prior semesters, I ate healthier and exercised often.  I guess I answered my own question of why I feel out of whack. 

All I can say is, treadmill, here I come!!!!  I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Interesting Car Day

Today started off as any normal day.  I woke up and saw my husband off to take a test for a potential job.  I watched my usual morning shows that consist of "Saved By the Bell, Yes Dear, Regis and Kelly and The View."  Yes, I know, I watch a little too much television.  Believe it or not I have scaled back a bit.  This semester I am only taking online classes, so I spend an enormous amount of time at home.  The semesters that I actually have classroom instruction, I spend most of the morning and afternoon at LSUS. so I don't get to watch television that often.  I digress.  While watching my shows, I worked on course work that will be due this weekend, oh joy!  I reviewed notes for an upcoming biolology test that I am very nervous about.  Within a few hours, I was welcoming my husband back home from his test.  Having another appointment in a few hours, I wanted my hubby to relax, so I comprimised and watched the shows he preferes, such as "Sportscenter" and "ESPN".  Soon it was time for him to head out to his next appointment, and again I saw him off.  Oddly, I did not hear the car starting, but heard a clicking.  I wondered if it was a neighbor working on a project, but then realized the clicking sound was similar to a car battery that had completely died.  This is what turned an ordinary day into a interesting "car" day.  Surprisingly, neither me nor my husband became upset by the fact that we had a dead battery on our only vehicle.  The way I see it is that it happened for a reason.  Maybe there was an accident that could of happened if the car would have started, and my husband left for his appointment, or who knows what.  We figured, God has things happen for a reason, so why get upset.  We are blessed by the fact that we are able to have a vehicle.  We quickly called our insurance company for roadside assistance, to give us a jump.  If you think about it, it's kind of funny since we were not out on a road somewhere, but at home.  All I can say is thank goodness for roadside assistance.  It was a blessing that we did not have to pay for the assistance, but my husband says after all the insurance people pay, they shouldn't have to pay for the assistance.  Assistance quickly arrived, jumped our car, and we were on our way to get a new battery.  My husband was able to reschedule his appointment, so all is well.  Our interesting day ended on a good note, with our standing "Friday date night."  A great start to the weekend!       

This morning was a very fulfilling morning.  My hubby and I woke up early and headed to the Susan B. Komen walk for the cure in support of breast cancer research.  At first I did not want to wake up with it being a weekend morning and not wanting to shake the much needed sleep.  While laying there, I started to think about the reason we initially wanted to do the walk.  One of my Aunt's died of breast cancer and another aunt is a breast cancer survivor.  My niece is a survivor of a rare form of cancer.  The church I belong to also has breast cancer survivors.  I thought after everything the survivors have gone through to beat this disease, the least I could do is to get up and get moving, so I did.

To see so many running/walking in memory or celebration of a loved one was overwhelming.  I know that breast cancer research has come so far, I just pray that a cure for this disease along with all others is discovered.

Once the walk/run was over, I watched the smiles of those that completed in support of their loved ones and it warmed my heart.  I'm so glad I put aside my selfishness and was able to experience the emotions of not only sadness but of joy and celebration.

Everything I Need...And More

I went to the doctor's today, pesky sinuses werecking havoc!  I could complain about the joys of going to the doctor, but I will count my blessings knowing there are so many who cannot afford what I sometimes take for granted, such as a simple visit to the doctor.

Everyday, I try my best to be thankful and appreciate all my blessings; faith, family, good health, and peace of mind.  I must admit, at times I do get complacent and even greedy, wanting more than I have or need.  Why do we always want more?  Is it so bad to be happy with what we have, when we have it?

Seems just as I start to lose sight of my blessings, my eyes are always opened by hearing about the loss someone has suffered within their family, or when someone has lost their job.  My life is far from perfect, there are many days I feel down because something just didn't go quite the way I wanted it to and usually spend the remainder of the day complaining about it.  My husband usually gives me a day or so to depart from my "pity party," and when I do, I always return to the realization that life is too short to complain or feel sorry for myself.

Everyday I wake up, my goal is to treat everyday as the gift that it is.  As I now sit in my den feeling the cool breeze on my skin that is flowing through the screen door, I am content and at peace knowing that at this very moment I have everything I need, and more.

Football Rears Its Ugly Head...Again

It's that time again....football, football and more football.  I've never been a big fan of sports, yes I played sports as a child, but over the years my sports participation faded.  As far as sports goes, I can take it or leave it.  My husband on the other hand.....L-O-V-E-S just about anything that has to do with sports, be it football, basketball and now he has added on baseball.

 I know there are millions of loyal sports fans that probably cannot understand my non-fascination with the sports world.  I on the other hand cannot understand their loyalty to something or someones that does not benefit them in the least.  Sure, I can see how watching and following sports can be a stress reliever, but some fans take it a bit too far.  Now don't get me wrong, I will watch a game or two with my hubby and actually enjoy the game, but for me when the game is over it's over.  I don't need to watch a recap of what I just spent two hours watching first hand, e.g. ESPN and Sportcenter.

I'm not knocking any of the sports out there, all I'm saying is there's more to life than who made the winning touchdown, scored a basket, or hit a home-run.  The fact that the athletes everyone watches are making millions, is a whole other discussion... 

Now that I've got that off my chest, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.  For all you sports fans out there, including my husband, all I can say is GO TEAM!!!

One Choice Too Many...

My husband and I went out and about Monday, looking for items to help with moving into our rented home.  We went to one of those big box home maintenance stores for a simple dryer hose, and washer and dryer clamps.  Finding these simple items wasn't simple at all!  I find it funny that too many choices can be worse than no choice at all.

My Blessed and Crazy Ride

Hello Fellow Bloggers,

This is my first official blog and I've had a lot going on in my life since the semester started.  Where-oh-where do I begin... Well, here it goes...

 I moved to San Antonio in July with my hubby, with intentions of closing on our first home.  Needless to say, we could not contain our excitement.  After moving around for so many years, we had a place to put down roots and call home.  Long story short, the house and San Antonio was not meant for us, and we begrudginly moved back to Bossier City.  I believe if we would have prayed more on this decision and listened to what God was telling us and showing us (yes there were signs), we would have saved ourselves major heartache and money.  I realize that when we pray, we have to patiently wait for His answer and not do what we think He wants us to do.

In the midst of not buying the house, my husband retired from the Air Force after 21 years of service.  Now that we are both retired, we look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives, which include new careers.

My husband and I just returned from Texas for the birth of our grandson.  His birth makes us grandparents of three.  I really don't feel like a grandmother, let alone a grandmother of three, but I must say, there's nothing like looking into those precious faces with the unconditional love they give.  I wouldn't give that up for the world!  When I held my newborn grandson, I couldn't help thinking, a part of me is now a part of him.  Amazing!

Arriving back home, we were met with our boxed up furniture, that had arrived the day before our trip out of town, can you say perfect timing...  Returning from Texas, I quickly realized that I am getting behind on my reading assignments for my classes, which is odd since I was ahead of schedule before I left.  Was it all in my mind?

Well, that about sums it up.  All I can say about my interesting and frustrating past weeks is, thank the Lord I am blessed to experience the ups, downs, and joys of what we call life.

New to Blogging

Hello All,
I am new to blogging, so if I do not blog correctly, please excuse me.  Today has been a hectic day already.  Still in the process of moving and starting school.  Not the best time to multitask!!