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Celebrating The Small Things Archive

December 19, 2014 – Celebrate The Small Things

Posted December 19, 2014 By LadyJai

This will be my last post for this year. I’m on vacation and away from the internet for the most part. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Glorious New Year!

For this final 2014 Celebrate the Small Things, I am celebrating a HUGE milestone. Monday marks our 25th Anniversary. Here’s a brief run down of how we met and our marriage:

25 Years

We met on 11 November 1989.
He proposed to me 16 November 1989.
We were married by the JOP on 22 December 1989.
He deployed 15 January 1990 and was only supposed to be gone 45 days.
I planned a church wedding for his return.
He came home 6 days before our church wedding.

IMG_20141211_082439

We’ve beaten so many odds, so many situations that could tear us apart.
And we’re still going strong!
Here’s to forever!

We had a family photo session. I hope you like them.

IMG_22545943595224[1]

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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December 12, 2014 – Celebrate The Small Things

Posted December 12, 2014 By LadyJai

The biggest thing I am celebrating this week is that we have movement on TheHubs’ appeal. Check out our latest update. I sure hope I didn’t jinx it as we haven’t heard anymore since last week.

And the other thing I am celebrating is that today is the first day of my vacation! I do not have to be back to work until next year! That sounds so cool to say!  YAY for PJs, kitties, TV catch-up, gaming, reading, and relaxing!

That’s it for this week. I will have more next week and then, no more posts for the rest of the year. Check out my other blog while you’re at it. That one has been more active this year due to my healing process.

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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November 21, 2014 – Celebrate The Small Things

Posted November 21, 2014 By LadyJai
Color In Motion 5k

After a year of many doctors, specialists, and tests, I’ve finally received my diagnosis. I have fibromyalgia. There’s one more specialist I have to go see, a hematologist, as some of my blood work is questionable. It’s a diagnosis. One I was pretty sure I had anyway. And it’s incurable. I just have to manage it and deal with it. At least I took care of myself this year, so I can continue caring for my Veteran. I still need to get my depression under control. I’ve opened up about it a few weeks ago on my other blog. It was hard, but I needed to do that. With the fibro diagnosis, my antidepressants changed a few months ago in hopes it would take care of the depression, anxiety, and the fibro symptoms. But since I’ve been on it, about two and a half months now, the fibro symptoms have subsided, but the panic and depression have worsened. So, today, I go back to discuss this with the doctor.

Taking care of me has been hard. I never had time to do it since I had to do everything else. That was my excuse. The other excuse was that I always had weird symptoms that they could never diagnose yet I would have to pay out an exorbitant amount of money for all the tests. Well, I did have all these tests, medical bills, prescription drugs, and labs are all outrageous. But I took care of me. When you are a caregiver, it’s hard to do this but so necessary. When you can no longer function in a normal capacity, keep your senses straight, or  think coherently, how can you expect to take care of others? I found this out the hard way last year when I fell down a deep dark hole of my own. This year has been all about caring for me first, and then caring for everything else.

My fiction writing has faltered, again. But healing comes first, right?! So, my writing has been about me, on my other blog, writing to heal. I hope to be able to heal myself and I hope by my sharing it in public, someone else can benefit from it.

I’m sorry that my Celebrate The Small Things has taken a once a month turn, but that’s how it is with so much going on and very little energy. At least I am still doing them! I still try to keep my standard of Find the Positive, in every situation no matter how small. And most days it’s taken all my energy just to get through it.

For this month’s celebration, we’ve had some very brief, but wonderful experiences to share.

1) Thunderbird in foreground, Blue Angels in backOctober 26th, the Blue Angels had their Air Show here. It was TheBoy’s first time, and TheHubs’ first time being so close to the runway. It was amazing, despite me almost passing out due to heat exhaustion. It was 80 and they had run out of water. Joy. We found a couple of bottles after going from tent to tent. But when the jet noise started, I forgot everything and it felt like home again.

2) Clay County Courthouse, Greencove Springs, FLOctober 27th, I had Jury Duty. I’ve been picked 4 times since I was 18. My first time, I had to report 3 days after we flew out to Germany. So I was excused. The second time, I had to report 1 day after we moved from Texas to Florida. Again, excused. The third time, the number written on my summons was not called the weekend prior so I didn’t have to show up. I guess the 4th time is the charm. The judicial system fascinates me, and I really don’t find it a huge inconvenience as most people do. I showed up and was not excused due to hardships or anything. I was sworn in and we waited around. Then they called many people and they were escorted to the court room where they were questioned to see if they would be picked for the trial. I really wanted my name to be one of them. I was one of 12 “left overs” just in case they dismissed too many from the selection. We waited all day and then let go saying we were not needed. When I got home, I found out what trial it was for. Two years ago, an officer was killed. The first time in 20 years in this county. This was the only trial going on and man I would have loved to have been on this jury! Oh well, it wasn’t time. At least I’m several steps closer to actually serving, right? I do hope when it is my turn, that it will be an interesting case.

3) November 8th, we participated in another Color Run. This was a Color In Motion 5k and we brought my mom and TheBoy’s BFF and family along with us. It was definitely fun. Unlike the Color Vibe, this powder didn’t come out very easily. It took about 3 showers and scrubbings to get it all off the scalp and everywhere else.

Color In Motion 5k

4) I’m going to add that pictures with TheHubs is also a wonderful thing to celebrate since he’s usually the one behind the camera when we have a family outing. Here’s one from yesterday morning when it was 23 degrees in Florida. This is February temperatures, not November temps. And how in the world is Alaska warmer than Florida??

TheHubs and I in TheCold! Home VS Nome 20 NOV 2014

This was a pretty busy month despite all the medical stuff. I’ll take the little family outings we have, even though we’ve never been on a true vacation. It’s the little things we always have to hold on to in order to get through the darkness that sets in from time to time. It’s why I do this blog hop, to remind myself there is good that comes out of it all.

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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October 17, 2014 – Celebrate The Small Things

Posted October 17, 2014 By LadyJai

It’s been a rough few weeks for my family. With my health issues and all the testing and medication changes, I’ve been struggling to keep myself together. I think it may also be affecting TheHubs, or at the very least, exacerbating the darkness already there. Because… He broke.

It’s when he breaks down that I can’t handle very well. YET.

When he breaks. When the pain gets so bad, he breaks and goes to his dark place again. When he wants to give up. When he feels like a failure. When he feels like a burden and that we’d be better off without him. When he hates that he’s made me a single parent. I spend a lot of my time in a pool of my own silent tears, not knowing what to do. I do my best to find the light, for both of us.

I do what I always do. I’m here for him. Because I love him. With all my heart and soul, I love him.

So what I am going to celebrate are the little things we’ve done that’s made me happy over the past few weeks, despite all that’s been going on.

1. I wrote on my new WIP. I got a little further than I have in a while, even with all the life issues. So, that makes me happy.

Mom & Dad 47 years!Mom & Dad's Wedding Day2. We had a family photo shoot. My parents, my son, my husband, and myself, all together for a family photo session. Plus, it was also to document my Mom and Dad’s 47th wedding anniversary later this month as well as our 25th anniversary at the end of December. We had to postpone it for two days because our original appointment had rained all day and our shoot was outside. It wasn’t clear, but we managed a few good shots on the only day that next week that wasn’t raining.  I’ll have another post with all the photos in it later. But to celebrate my mom and dad’s anniversary, I’m including one of them. <3

TheBoy & his BFF at Painting with a Twist

3. Since I went to Painting with a Twist and TheBoy was disappointed he couldn’t go, we decided to take him and have his BFF and his brother join. They had so much fun!

4. And then we had some family fun with TheBoy’s Halloween costume.

horseheadfamily

5. I created a page just for my kitties on Facebook. The Oxymoron Clan. Check them out and give them a like. And please share. I hope to be able to post something every day over on their page. I do have loads of photos. 🙂

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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September 12, 2014 – Celebrate the Small Things

Posted September 12, 2014 By LadyJai

These last couple of weeks have been a bit of a chore.

Work has me stressing because people fail to do their job, and when they do it’s half-assed. This year has been THE WORST. I’ve never missed deadlines. EVER. But this year, I’ve missed half. Because of the government changing their process. Because people not wanting to do what is required. Because there’s other things they need to do. Because I have no authority to make them do it. And because, well, no one else does, either, apparently.

I’ve started a new medication for what my doctor thinks is Restless Leg Syndrome, but I’m pretty much leaning towards fibromyalgia. Who knows. In either case, the first medication he put me on made it so I couldn’t sleep. This new medication, well, in less than 3 months, I’ve gained almost 10lbs. I am not happy. Yesterday, I stopped taking any of it. I’m hoping it will allow me to go back down. I’ve not changed what I eat or how. But it really is frustrating. And, last night was the worst by far. I think I maybe, MAYBE, slept about an hour in total? I’m not sure if it is my lack of medication? Or if it’s because my brain was way, WAY, too active after last night’s adventure.

Which leads me into my celebration of the small things…

Last night The Hearts of Valor ladies went to this thing called Painting With A Twist. What a cool idea! It was so much fun! If you have one close by, or something similar, I highly recommend getting a small group together and having a go at it! Doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to draw or paint! They help you every step of the way! Check out my steps below.

 20140911_175121
1. Start with a blank canvas. Just like a blank piece of paper, you can only fix emptiness with something! 20140911_183053
2. Basic outline. Yeah, ok, so it doesn’t look like much.20140911_184533
3. Fill in a bit of the detail.20140911_190944
4. Start painting. Not too much yet. Just a thin layer. 🙂 Then you can go back and fill it all in.

20140911_1922325. The hardest things for me to do was the dove and the lettering. I don’t have a steady hand, never have. 🙂

20140911_204956 6. The Hearts of Valor ladies and their finished paintings.

So, what do you think?

**As a caregiver, I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a support group and “me time.” Last night was my first really “me time” with my local support group. I haven’t been able to do this since January. I have issues with leaving my family and having “fun” without them. But this really was so much fun and I will definitely take TheBoy for a go at it! Our little Hearts of Valor group went to Painting with a Twist last night. They were offering a tribute to  9/11 and it seemed so fitting for our group of Veteran Caregivers.**
Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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August 22, 2014 – #CelebrateTheSmallThings

Posted August 22, 2014 By LadyJai

Last time, I celebrated smiles. Honestly, I’m still smiling! This is such a great improvement for me and I am enjoying all the positives.

The first draft of my very first novel!!!

The first draft of my very first novel!!!

 

I’m continuing this celebration and adding a little something that makes me incredibly happy. ...I FINISHED THE NOVEL...I think. 🙂 At least it feels finished. But since this is my first novel, I really don’t know how well this is. So, I must put it aside for a while and then learn how to edit it to make it better! 🙂

While it may be rather HUGE since it’s taken me about 3 years to complete, it is rather small in the grand scheme of things.

Now, to get back to writing because, well, there’s more stories in me. I just know it. I also need to convince my muse to come back and start talking to me again. 🙂

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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August 8, 2014 – #CelebrateTheSmallThings

Posted August 8, 2014 By LadyJai

Today I’m celebrating smiles! Out of all the bad and sad things that have happened, I’m still trying to spread the positive with smiles.

  1. I’ve listened to some vent, cry, ponder, look for advice. I’ve given my heart, my ear, and my shoulder. I’ve done my best to help those in need and it makes me feel good. So I smile.
  2. I’m in the process of trying to get an old co-worker, and friend, back on board with me. It makes me happy to see all the praises coming from my team about her up to the hiring manager.
  3. A friend introduced me to Operation Beautiful. I’ve been trying to do this for myself for a few years. I am doing my best to change the way I think about myself. But I think it’s more important to change the way others think about themselves. I am going to do my part and hope I can share the smiles with others and hope they can start changing their perspective on themselves. I’ve started with sending out a few dollars with the positive messages. Much like the “Where’s George” idea. I began writing these types of messages on the bathroom mirror at work. And I plan on taking some stickies with me and putting them on random cars and in public restrooms. Anywhere that people would see it. I hope you will join me!

I will leave you with a picture of me feeling beautiful, even though I still relapse and listen to those negative voices. This dress I feel in love with really brings out my beauty and this smile that only my family can make me do. I am seeing my beauty more and more.

2014-07-31 16.08.02

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3

LadyJai

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July 25, 2014 – #CelebrateTheSmallThings & #WriteMotivation

Posted July 24, 2014 By LadyJai

The small things in life are what gets us through day-to-day. When you are a caregiver and are going through your own chronic issues, smiles in any form are precious. I found this face in an old, rusting tractor-trailer out in our parking lot at work. Even old and broken, it still has a smile on its face! This is going to be me! I promise! 🙂

Here’s some small things going on in my life right now to celebrate.

  1. I got my blue on! (see pictures below!) This makes me happy! I’ve been wanting this since I was 13!
  2. Laughing and smiling. These things are so important to me. When I can’t, that’s when I worry.
  3. The ability to make my friends laugh. In their dark times, I have managed to be their ear, their voice that grounds them. I’ve also provided a good clip or ten to get their mind focused on other things and get them laughing again.
  4. The ability to make a complete stranger laugh. I’ve been able to make people laugh at my name. But never my address. That was good. She will never forget where I live now. Wait…that could get scary. 🙂
  5. The ability to help when needed. I helped someone, who was illiterate when it came to computers, “fix” their computer. She was so happy she called me genius…but really, it’s not fixed until Microsoft patches their patch that broke it in the first place.
  6. I introduced a friend to a whole new world with a new book series. This also makes me happy.

IMG_20140721_072750 20140721_130135 IMG_20140721_072357

July Goals:

  1. I AM GOING TO FINISH WIP#1 YET! Seriously! Finish it already! It’s only ONE MORE SCENE! – Got another paragraph or two. Slow and steady, right?
  2. Keep up with blog posts for both blogs – this one and my Caring for My Vet – Trying, but not getting enough time or energy
  3. Comment/cheer on my fellow #WriteMotivation peeps on Twitter, FB, Google+ and their blogs – Trying, but not getting enough time or energy
  4. Continue with my positive thinking. – Doing very well and helping others with theirs.
  5. Read another book. – Just managed to start this a few days ago. I started Diana Gabaldon’s OUTLANDER.

If you’re want to know more about #WriteMotivation go to their website, check out the twitter feed and theGoogle Plus Community. It’s really a wonderful group of people who love to help kick you in the patooty, or send Dino out on “motivational assignment,” or fling cookies. We ALL love cookies!

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3
This is a Blog Hop!

LadyJai

7 Comments so far. Join the Conversation
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July 4, 2014 – #CelebrateTheSmallThings & #WriteMotivation

Posted July 4, 2014 By LadyJai

 

The Color Vibe 5k

The Color Vibe 5k
June 28, 2014

We celebrated something this past weekend. It wasn’t small, by any means. If any of you know me and my family, you know just how hard it was to accomplish this task. We signed up a month or so ago for the Color Vibe 5k Run/Walk. We’ve been really looking forward to this outing. However, when we woke up that morning, TheHubs had one of his incredibly painful migraines. He almost told us to go without him.

Almost.

We are so very thankful he sucked it up, took his medicine, and hoped for the best. By the time we parked the car, the migraine was a dull thud. And by the two-mile marker…well, just look at his face up there in that pic! By the time we reached the 2 mile marker, his migraine was gone! I’m going to show you the difference of the before and after photo. Pay close attention to his smile! It says it all.

Color Vibe Before

Color Vibe Before

Today, we celebrate something HUGE! We celebrate being a family, enjoying a day out, and having fun!

And here are some videos if you’re interested!

 

 

I keep setting goals. I don’t know why. And I never really accomplish the ones that do have an end…

I took a webinar yesterday on using journaling and mindfulness to get UNSTUCK. I thought it would be a good one because I’ve been stuck for quite some time. But I didn’t realize just how STUCK, and how scared I was, until I started writing it out on paper. And then, I started getting incredibly scared and sad and worrying if it would ever come back to me. The more I thought about what was so different between when I was actually writing and now is that we are all so busy and the cheering and motivation has come and gone. You guys are truly my motivation.

It’s frustrating, yet I still set the goals because I need to see progress. And a single word is progress. I need to remember that.
I will never give up on you guys, nor #WriteMotivation, now writing!
So, here’s my July Goals:

  1. I AM GOING TO FINISH WIP#1 YET! Seriously! Finish it already! It’s only ONE MORE SCENE! – Haven’t had an opportunity yet due to work.
  2. Keep up with blog posts for both blogs – this one and my Caring for My Vet – Trying
  3. Comment/cheer on my fellow #WriteMotivation peeps on Twitter, FB, Google+ and their blogs – Trying
  4. Continue with my positive thinking. – Doing very well and helping others with theirs.
  5. Read another book. – Haven’t started this yet.

If you’re want to know more about #WriteMotivation go to their website, check out the twitter feed and theGoogle Plus Community. It’s really a wonderful group of people who love to help kick you in the patooty, or send Dino out on “motivational assignment,” or fling cookies. We ALL love cookies!

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3
This is a Blog Hop!

LadyJai

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June 27, 2014 – #CelebrateTheSmallThings & #WriteMotivation

Posted June 27, 2014 By LadyJai

Always enjoy the beautiful colors that paint the sky.

Sorry I’ve been MIA these past two weeks. It’s been really hectic at work and by the time I get home, I’m exhausted. I’ve literally had to jump through flaming hoops to meet deadlines after they took my help away and kept piling the work on without giving me my help back on top of making the new deadlines impossible.

Monday, I broke my phone. Tuesday our TV died. So that didn’t help the pocket-book any.
I’ve learned I’ve gained 5lbs in the last month and I’m thinking it’s the medication the doctor put me on for RLS as it’s been that long. Now I’m wondering if I should experiment with going off the meds to see if it was coincidence that my pain lessened or if it was its normal cycle of on again off again.
TheHubs has been pretty bad off in the pain department but he’s been loving just the same. We are starting to think that the Botox is not working as it’s his 4th treatment with little to no relief.
We’ve hardly done anything, inside or outside the house. The house is getting pretty bad so I am hoping to do some cleaning this weekend. IF we’re not too broken from the Color Vibe 5K on Saturday. At least we have that family outing. I Hope it will be something fun and TheHubs isn’t in too much pain from it.

Seems all I do lately on here is combine the two posts but I’m sure that’s ok. Life happens and that’s all we can do, right?! 🙂

So, June Goals are kind of meh…

  1. FINISH WIP#1! Seriously! Finish it already! It’s only ONE MORE SCENE! —  Still inching. But had to put it on hold this past week because of the day job.
  2. Keep up with blog posts for both blogs – this one and my Caring for My Vet. — Yeah, no. Too much life happening.
  3. Comment/cheer on my fellow #WriteMotivation peeps on Twitter, FB, Google+ and their blogs. See #1 and #2
  4. Continue with my positive thinking. I am so rocking this out of the ball park right now. I know that it ebbs and flows. I just hope I never go down that dark road again. So I’m keeping up with positive! Even though it’s been a rough couple of weeks, and something just wanted to bring me down, I wouldn’t let it. I also made a move to help a fellow friend find some peace in her anxiety! I love helping people! <3
  5. Read another book. Finished ALLEGIANT yesterday. YAY!

If you’re want to know more about #WriteMotivation go to their website, check out the twitter feed and theGoogle Plus Community. It’s really a wonderful group of people who love to help kick you in the patooty, or send Dino out on “motivational assignment,” or fling cookies. We ALL love cookies!

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. :) <3
This is a Blog Hop!

LadyJai

8 Comments so far. Join the Conversation
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June 6, 2014 #WriteMotivation & Celebrate The Small Things

Posted June 6, 2014 By LadyJai

I’m going to be posting another double-header. My Celebrate The Small things post is in regards to The Color Vibe 5k Run. I saw some of my runner friends on Facebook doing this over the past years. I honestly thought I would have to run. When they told me I could walk…I began researching for the next color run in the area! I found The Color Vibe was scheduled here at the end of June. Oh boy my excitement levels skyrocketed.

However, I’ve had a lot of squashed excitement since TheHubs has gotten worse. I tried to prepare myself for the worst. It was hard. I wanted to do this just so we can have a little bit of fun. Then, I thought, even if he couldn’t do it, TheBoy might enjoy it. And my excitement returned. But he’s so void of emotion mostly. I think that has to do with our situation; but that’s for a different post…on the other blog. 😛

Anyway, I get home and present it to both. TheHubs is in so much pain he can’t think straight so no decision was made. I did tell him that we had to sign up by the 31st, which was the next day,  in order to get the cheaper rate. I also asked TheBoy if he wanted to do it. He said “I guess.” So, that night, I was left to wonder if that meant he wanted to or not. I hate forcing him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. You know?

Saturday everyone wakes up. TheBoy tells me he wants to do it. YAY! I was starting to get all excited again. TheHubs comes downstairs and I tell him about it too. He’s unsure because of all the people, the noise, the bright sun, and his pain. I told him he didn’t have to walk, he could just watch. But then, I broke out my tablet and showed him the website. That’s when he started really thinking about it. He said, “It looks like the Indian Celebration of Color (Holi, The Festival of Colors) and that’s probably the closest we can come to experiencing that. Go ahead, sign us up. The more I look at it the more fun it looks. Can’t deny the family some fun time.”

So Double YAY! I’m now so excited I can’t contain myself! I so can’t wait for the end of this month. But I’m celebrating the small things…the triumph I had in convincing TheHubs to do this, the triumph he had over his fears and pain, and the triumph that the whole family will be doing something together soon, outside!

June Goals:

  1. FINISH WIP#1! Seriously! Finish it already! It’s only ONE MORE SCENE! —  Inching, inching away! I’m so proud of myself…So close!
  2. Keep up with blog posts for both blogs – this one and my Caring for My Vet. — I wrote one last week about my epiphany to live life positively. I included a previous #WriteMotivation post, but expounded on it to include what happened to TheHubs at the same time. If you haven’t read it, if you have the time, please do. Thank you.
  3. Comment/cheer on my fellow #WriteMotivation peeps on Twitter, FB, Google+ and their blogs. Trying to get to that this week. Between work, caregiver commitments, and trying to find time to relax, it’s rough.
  4. Continue with my positive thinking. I think I’m doing well with this so far. There have been a few moments that I revert. BUT, as I say, this is like an alcoholic’s journey. It is a constant battle to remain sober, or in this case, remain positive. So some days are easier than others.
  5. Read another book. I didn’t complete the book last month. It’s been rough, but I’m slowly working my way through ALLEGIANT. 

If you’re want to know more about #WriteMotivation go to their website, check out the twitter feed and the Google Plus Community. It’s really a wonderful group of people who love to help kick you in the patooty, or send Dino out on “motivational assignment,” or fling cookies. We ALL love cookies!

Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. If you’re interested in learning more about Celebrate The Small Things, please visit their website, visit others participating, and sign up if you’re so inclined. It’s always great to see what everyone finds in their day to celebrate! And it adds to a positive outlook on life!

It is a blog hop, after all. 🙂 <3

LadyJai

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2 Birds, 1 Post – Celebrate The Small Things & #WriteMotivation- May 27, 2014

Posted May 27, 2014 By LadyJai

Celebrate The Small Things. Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. This will definitely aid in my quest to find the positives in every situation, no matter how small. If you are so inclined, need a helping hand, or just want to recognize the positives in your life, I highly recommend you try this method, even just for a little bit. It can only help.

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So, last week was exhausting at work.  And I managed to weed half my rose garden. THAT is back breaking work! All I did this long 3 day weekend was laze around on our new sofa recliner and either play xBox or watch movies/TV. So yay for doing nothing.

But I wanted to tell you about something I found, and something shown to me.

I don’t know what I was searching for, or maybe I was cleaning out the mess beneath my bathroom sink. But when I pulled out my basket of hair stuff, I found a card my husband had given me, I don’t know when. I just sat there on the floor of the bathroom, reading and loving it so much.

 

A Card of Love 20140516_173332

“Of all the things I have done and regret, asking you to be my wife will never be one of them.”

Yup, you guessed it, it made me cry.

Of course I told TheHubs I found it and what it said. And of course, he said, “Absolutely true. I will never regret asking you. I love you.”

Then, a few days, maybe a week later, TheHubs showed me a video on YouTube. I’ve heard the song before and really like it. But TheHubs hadn’t heard it before. He said he heard it on the way to taking TheBoy to school and he thought of me and made him cry. It was how he felt about me.

And of course, it made me cry too.

But all these tears are happy tears. They are the little things that mean so much to the heart and to the soul. They are the positives we all need to find in our own lives. I am so glad to have found them and to share them with you. Because I know, if I share them, someone out there will be thinking about their own little pieces of positive. <3

Now, I must detour over to my May Goals for #WriteMotivation. That hasn’t been pretty. But hey, I’ve managed progress and that’s positive! 🙂

 

May Goals:

1. Since WIP#2 wasn’t working, I switched to WIP#1 and I’ve written a few paragraphs towards the ending. So, continue that. Unless my MC in WIP#2 starts talking to me again! I’m flexible like that! Still plucking away one sentence at a time. 
2. Keep up with blog posts for both blogs – this one and my Caring for My Vet. Started my “Many Hats” Series over at Caring for My Vet. I have managed to continue with this post and the new “Celebrate the Small Things” posts. But still haven’t decided what else to include. Do you have any suggestions?
3. Comment/cheer on my fellow #WriteMotivation peeps on Twitter, FB, Google+ and their blogs. Bad Jamie! Bad! I really need to work on this, but between work and home, it’s been difficult lately. Just like my writing. :/
4. Continue with my positive thinking Yup. Am still in this mindset. Hopefully it will continue for a very long time.
5. Read another book. Maybe a third or half way through ALLEGIANT. I may not finish it in time. But hey, I read when I can.

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If you want to take a look at what others have found to celebrate this week, or if you want to sign up, please visit the below links! It is a blog hop, after all. 🙂 <3

LadyJai

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Celebrate The Small Things – A Blog Tour – May 12, 2014

Posted May 12, 2014 By LadyJai

I just found this AMAZING blog hop that fits in with my mantra of “Find the positive, in every situation, no matter how small.” It’s called Celebrate The Small Things. Celebrate The Small Things is a weekly celebration where we celebrate the happenings of the week, however small or large the item in question. I didn’t find it for last week. So I am playing catch-up and posting today. Hope you can join me in this weekly blog hop and keep that positive energy going.

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Yesterday was Mother’s Day.

The one day everyone raves about what their husbands and children do for them. Breakfast in bed. Homemade cards and crafts. Surprise visits. Dinner out or at the very least, cooked by anyone other than the Mom. Now that I’m in a community with other Veteran Caregivers, I see a different side of Mother’s Day. Many feel the same as I do. Left out. Just another day. Wishing that someone would make them the priority, or even an effort. But there were so many other posts out there where their veteran was blowing up, arguing, ignoring, leaving. These ladies were feeling that they weren’t important or loved or even recognized. Their day seemed so much worse than mine.

It made me take a step back and look at my day. Yes, sure I woke up like every other day. I laid in bed until TheBoy got up. TheHubs was already awake, downstairs watching TV after a night of insomnia. Yes, sure I had to remind both my son and my husband to wish me happy MomMom’s Day. But, hey, I got hugs and kisses. Yes, I made breakfast. And yes, hubs went to bed soon after we woke up. I managed to wake him up around noon and asked if he wanted to go with us to get groceries and TheBoy a new set of swim trunks. His pain level was pretty bad and I gave him two hours to see if it would calm down. Nope. As per usual, it remained high. So TheBoy and I went out by ourselves.

I had those bad thoughts, those selfish thoughts again. But I didn’t let them get to me. The guilt tried to creep in, too. But I pushed it aside and did what I needed to do. I did do something bad, though. I bought some cookies, some donuts, and also the items to make strawberry shortcake. I also bought Subway for dinner. Hey, it was Me Day, right?! 😛  I wanted to go to the salon and cut off all my hair but decided I wouldn’t put the boy through that. I also wanted to look for a new swimsuit for me too. That whole ordeal, for both of us, was a disaster. But we did have a little fun with hats (in which I bought him one).

I went over my day and all the posts I read regarding Mother’s Day. And you know what? I need to let go of those unrealistic expectations, those magical dreams of the perfect holiday, and just enjoy the small things. Count them and watch them pile up. Soon, it will be a HUGE mountain of positive.

My husband’s alive. He loves me. My son is alive. He loves me. TheBoy made me a Mother’s Day card with love. We were together at the store yesterday and had fun trying on hats. We were able to enjoy some good food. And we made it through another day. I’d call that a win.

Today’s my Wedding Anniversary. I got a Happy Anniversary and then it was off to work with me, off to school with TheBoy. I will go home knowing that I’m loved and cherished and not expect my perfect dream. Because, really, “perfect” is reserved for only one entity. God. And He blesses me everyday with all the love.

(Want a little more behind this story? Visit my other blog post about Holidays.)

LadyJai

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