Day 84 ~ Tomorrow I Will Do Better

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Can you say exhausted?  There are a few things that are great about being busy... first, you don't have time to think about things- you have to act now, and think later!   Then.. time goes by fast!  Granted, you never want to wish time away.  Just trust me - time does just fine on its own.  Finally, you often loose weight because half the time you forget to eat.  (wink, wink!)

Well... now there's something old to consider... life.  Regardless of what is going on at the moment... hence being there for my mother in law... I still have to take care of my own life.

Prior to Nana's passing, I had plans.  Learning more and more about the type of woman Nana was, I am compelled on moving forward in her name. 

I need to get back on track, move forward in order to accomplish what I want and expect from myself.  

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First thing is first.  I will continue to write my blog and continue to heal.  My other project...~ I will be doing is a Lifestyle Change which is meant to do a redesign of my diet and exercise routine so that I may lead a healthy lifestyle.  My LifeStyle Change Redesign will also include a blog.  I had planned to start this the first of September and would last through March.

My wii Fit Plus 21-day Challenge was just that... a challenge.  In the 21 days I was able to loose just under nine pounds.  Six pounds shy of my goal.  Even so... I felt great, although it was a crazy challenge.  Especially when I had set out to work out twenty-one days in a row without a break- which I did complete!!  (big smile!)

As I think about what is yet to come... I stop right there.  I am not going to over analyze anything, especially when I'm so tired.  I am just going to finish this post up, relax and finish my tea, thank the Lord for my day, and have faith that tomorrow... well, I will do at least one thing to make it a better day than today.

       “Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”    ~    Mary Anne Radmacher

 “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.”       Buddha

 “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely...”        Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Blessings to all! 

281 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 83 ~ Nana's Better Now

Our last Easter with Nana.
Nana, Gene (mom) and Calley.

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of sorts.  It is mind blowing when you start putting together everything that needs to be taken care of when a family member passes away.

One of the things needed to be done on my list, which with all honesty, Dean and I had not really talked about was telling Calley.  You think that with all three of Dean's grandmothers being in ailing health, two of them living here in town, we would have touched the subject.  

The last time we had seen Nana was for our family Father's day outing in June... and since then, she's been in and out of the hospital.  Finally arrangements were once again being made for her return to her home... she was happy to know that once again she could be with her animals, especially Pixie, her dog.  Nana had decided a while back that she did not want to pass away in the hospital.

Nana had been back home just a few days by the time that Dean, Calley and I were able to visit.  However, as great as all that was, we were being told that her body was beginning to shut down.  With all that going on, she may have not said anything, but Nana acknowledged that we were  all there.  I am so happy that we were able to tell her we loved her, and say good bye. 

My wish on Saturday was to fill the house with joy and laughter so that mom's last memories of Nana's home, with Nana there would not be somber ones.

Throughout it all Calley knew Nana was not doing well and that we were there for mom (grandma).  We did ask her that there was no yelling, screaming or running around.  

There were a few times that mom and I were deep in conversation and I lost track of Calley... when she appeared she told us she had been in Nana 's room.  "Calley!", we both exclaimed!  Calley immediately replied, "I was just giving Nana kisses and hugs.."   Calley truly touched my heart.

When Sunday rolled around, once again we were going to head over to Nana's.   While on our way, mom called me... "Calley can't come. Nana is worse, and we don't think she's going to make it .."  As I hung up with mom and my heart sank.

Needless to say I had to bribe Calley with all sort of things after I finished telling her that she and daddy had to stay at grandma and grandpa's house while I went to help with Nana.

At the end of the day and after being so worried about how Calley would react... after we told  her that Nana has gone to be with Jesus... she said "I understand mommy... Nana's better now."   I left it alone and walked away scratching my head.

Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation.  For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life.  ~Albert Einstein

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death.  ~Leonardo da Vinci

Blessings to all!

282 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 82 ~ Life Happens Here...

courtesy of Bing images

With all that is at hand ... I wanted to share some quotes that I have taken a liking to...

A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
Charles Darwin

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha 

Every man dies. Not every man really lives.
William Wallace 

Life is half spent before we know what it is.
George Herbert 

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!  ~Albert Einstein

You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.  ~Desmond Tutu

  

 Blessings to all!!

283 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 81 ~ Nana... Thank You For Leading The Way

Today our family gained a new guardian angel.  Rest in peace Nana... you will truly be missed.

Frances ~  daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, widowed wife, mother of two, grandmother of four plus two, plus four, great-grandmother of nine.  First woman CPA for the State of Texas, first woman Vice-President of an El Paso bank.  A petite woman who directed men twice her size.  Full of spunk and wisdom, joy and faith... a woman who stood by her family just as much as she loved them.  A woman full of drive and vision... style and etiquette... and a woman who made sure to pass these traits on to her family.  Jesus was her Savior. 

My mother in law, Gene ~ mom, as I call her, shared the best story about her mom with me today...the best I ever heard...

While away at college, Frances would send her all the latest fashionista magazines.. cosmopolitan, vogue, etc.. each month.. and each month Frances would take the time to circle pictures of outfits she liked, and then the ones she didn't.. she would write little notes on the pictures of those girls who were dressed too provocatively and state something to the effect of it let men know that they had one thing in mind, and it wasn't school!

~   ~   ~

After an emotionally exhausting day... I sit here and take a deep breath... once again I have come face to face with reality and have learned another one of life's lesson...  Seriously, we are here on borrowed time... and what we do with the time is entirely up to us... in the end, our lives are reduced to a mere pile of photographs, which then become the memories to others.  Why not make it count? 

My Mom found following verse handwritten by Frances on a piece of her note paper...

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.     ~  II Timothy 4:7

Blessings to all!!

284 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 80 ~ To Nana, With Love

Nana ~ Thanksgiving 2009 

Today I, along with Dino and Calley, spent most of our day hanging out with Dino's mom, Gene, at her mother's home (Frances, better known as "Nana".) 

We more so were paying our respects, and letting Nana know how much we love her.

You see, in the last twenty four hours, Nana's health has had a turn for the worse. 

Nana, who is a young 85 and quite petite at her five foot stature~  but don't let her size fool you!.. she's a tough cookie where you see her standing.  In the early seventies, she was the first woman vice-president of a bank when it was not the norm to be a "working woman"~  she was ahead of her time!  And well respected too!

She, has had bronchial problems, pneumonia, has had multiple surgeries, including a new pacemaker, and on top of that.. several more surgeries on the pacemaker alone... and all since November 2009.

After our visit ended... my day's experiences sent me into a head spin... thinking about my own mortality.... and not like I did not know this already, but we are all on this earth on limited time.

You have to make it count!  ... well and let me tell you...  

Nana.. well she made it count!

God bless you, Nana. 

It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth ~ and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up ~ that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.  ~ Elisabeth Kubler~Ross

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.   ~  John 3:16

Blessings to all!!

285 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 79 ~ Saving Money On Therapy!

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NEW MILESTONE!!!  3,000 VIEWS!!   This is too cool... 
Here are some blog stats for you (or rather for me, being that I am so amazed by this all)... 
it took 29 days for my blog to reach 1,000 views, another 24 days to reach 2,000 and it has taken 26 days to reach 3,000 views.

I can not explain the feeling I get when I get a comment on my blog ... other than to say that I feel elated, as if my "self-esteem" meter goes off the charts!  

courtesy of Bing images

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that "writing," more than likely, will not be most people's first choice for a "self-help" therapy, let alone "blogging"... although for me IT IS number ONE!  

"Writing/Blogging" has and continues to be very therapeutic for me... not to mention all the money I am saving on actually going to a psychologist??!!  Could you imagine that if everyone that goes to therapy were to start writing? or if they were prescribed to write a journal...  hmmmm....  very interesting thought.  Anyways... it works for me, plus I don't get kicked out in mid thought at the end of the hour!  LOL!


Instead... I kick myself off my laptop in time to publish my post before midnight!

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.     ~Sylvia Plath

Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning:  I wanted to know what I was going to say.     ~Sharon O'Brien

If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams.    ~Terri Guillemets 

Blessings to all!!

286 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 78 ~ The Truth Always Prevails

Wm. Shakespearecourtesy of Bing images

Shakespeare wrote in The Merchant of Venice "The truth will come to light", which was based on proverbs dating from at least the eleventh century.  "Truth will out" appears in this form by 1439. **

As centuries go by, nine to be exact, the quote has transformed itself to, "The truth always comes out in the end."

Even all those centuries ago, where to most of us consider it simply history and others find it to be surreal or almost dream like to have lived such a long time ago... regardless, Shakespeare was very wise on was on to something. 

Personally, I find it very deep and right on the money.  Doesn't matter how much time goes by, eventually, the truth always comes out.  More so after the deceiver has left us for greener pastures (at least they hope they went to greener pastures anyways.)

cbk

So, if you think that you have gotten away with untruths, think again... it WILL eventually come out, and then what?!

Whether your scared, afraid or just a habitual liar, please know that you ARE hurting others with your stories... however in the end, the person you are truly hurting is yourself!  

I'm sure there are situations, that out of true safety for yourself or your family you may tell a "white" lie... this is different.  I am talking about ridiculous untruths that are meant to hurt others.   

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I have always told my sons, and now I am teaching my daughter the same...  "a lie can hurt forever... telling the truth only for the moment"... as I continue to explain it now to Calley... "when you lie, people will eventually not believe anything you say... when you are honest, you are trusted and hardly questioned."  I also would tell my boys... "a man could have all the money in the world, but without his word, he is the poorest man.  And a man without money, however with integrity and honesty behind him, can be the richest in the world."

So, when you have asked me a question or my opinion and you did not like my answer, at least you know that I was being truthful.  And please don't ask me if your butt looks big!

the worst thing about being lied to is knowing you're not worth the truth   ~ author unknown

Never forget what people say to you when they're angry--that's when the truth comes out.  ~ author unknown

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.   - Benjamin Disraeli

I'd rather be hated for who I am, rather than loved for who I am not.  - Kurt Cobain 

Blessings to all!!

287 days to go

**  http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/appendix-faux-truth-come-light-out

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 77 ~ A Shout Out ... Filled With Gratitude

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When I started writing my blog, as I have mentioned, I wanted to put my story out there for my children and my family so they could understand me a little more... and to possibly help someone.  

Having said that... I knew that my blog had to be read... however... I cannot believe all the cities that my blog has been read in!!  

I am dedicating tonight's post to all of those who have read my blog... I hope in some way I have either helped you, or at least made you laugh.   ~ wink, wink

Some of you may have only read my blog once, and others couldn't resist coming back for more... Either way... a big thank you!!!  and then some of you may not like what I write...  a quick note to you...  if you don't like what I experienced, how do you think I felt going through it all?

Regardless... I hope in some way I have toughed your heart, and maybe even made you laugh once or twice...  any way you look at it... 

a shout out to each an every one of you (a heartfelt hello)... you know who you are... ~ wink, wink.  ... this post is for you!!

courtesy of Bing images

...   as south as Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil...   as north as on the borders of Nunavut and Manitoba, and in Vancouver Canada...   Alexandria, Egypt...   Paris, France...   as north as New Delhi, as west as Gujarat, Chennai and,  south of Dubbak and Vishakhapatnam in India...    Germany...    Malaysia...    near Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands...   southern city in Pakistan...    Lima, Peru...   near the cities of Manila and Batagas City and near the small island of Banton in the Phillipeans...   southern Poland...   Moskva in Russia...   Singapore...   as well as near the cities of Seoul and Busan in South Korea...   near the cities of Birmingham, London, Oxford and just north of Stockton-on in the United Kingdom... 

I also want to pay homage to those back home, in the States, some old friends... and some new... may God Bless you too!

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Normal, Alabama...   near Phoenix and in Tucson, Arizona...   near San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, California...   Pensacola and Port Charlotte, Florida...   just outside of Atlanta and Huntsville, Georgia...   near Boise, Idaho...   the windy city- Chicago, Illinois...   Council Bluffs, Iowa...   just northeast of Wichita, Kansas...   south of New Orleans and Thibodaux, Louisiana...   a border city in Massachusetts...   Las Vegas, Nevada...   New York...   close to Cleveland, Ohio...   near Rapid City, South Dakota...   Austin, El Paso and San Antonio, Texas...   Seattle, Washington...   southwest of Washington D.C.... Milwaukee, Wisconsin...     

I really hope, that I in some way, have brought you a little insight, encouragement and support, possibly even some joy or even maybe an "Aha" moment... as much insight, encouragement and support, and "Aha" moments as writing this blog has brought me!   This one is for you!

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.   -- Cicero

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.   -- Albert Schweitzer

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.   -- Brian Tracy 

Blessings to all!!

288 days / 41 weeks to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.