1st day of school....sorta...

picture by flicker

Yes today is the day.....you remember their first day of school. It is etched in your memory, usually there is a picture with their very first teacher. You leave them....with you praying that they have fun, make lots of new friends and they don't miss you to badly.


Well, today that did not happen. Today was a new beginning of sorts. Ethan started College classes. It was very different than his first day of school. There were no pictures made with his teacher, or goodbye hugs or kisses, I didn't even drive him. He is all grown up and doesn't need me to hold his hand. It is bittersweet, but it is also part of life. It is amazing how mothers learn to let go a little at a time. When they are young and so dependant on you for their very survival, then you blink and this young man or woman stand in front of you. Regardless of their age, I find it difficult to stand on the sidelines.
On a good note...he did ask me to make him breakfast and I felt a tad bit needed. This afternoon he told me his day and his classes were OK. I sure could have used a good night hug....I digress.....

Please say a Prayer.

( pic/poem courtesy of flicker)

I thank you that you are always just a prayer away.

What an awesome thought to know that at any moment

just by lifting my mind and heart

a bit I can talk to the very Creator of the Universe

When I read this poem earlier I cried. We have such a valuable resource in prayer. It is our private connection to God. I hope you enjoyed the poem as much as I did today, and I hope it lifts you up.

I have a favor to ask of each of you. When you go to God in prayer, please remember my bother-in-law, JB. His Dad passed away Monday night. I know that JB is strong and he will always cherish the lifetime of memories he had with his dad, but I also know that even men have a hard time when faced with losing a parent. Please remember his wife, Sherri and their children, losing a loved one is never easy especially for little ones little ones who have never suffered this type of loss and may find it very hard to understand or comprehend.
Thank you for your friendship and I am so blessed to have each of you in my life.

Olympian I am not!!!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine myself as an Olympic athlete!! Never in my wildest dreams will I ever be one.....lol

This morning when I tried to get out of bed, I felt as if I had been in training for the 2012 Summer Olympics! I guess I should explain myself...

As many of you know (by my shameless bragging all summer long) I have been on an exercise program and we'll call it "healthy eating plan"......My exercise program consisted of water aerobics 2 times a week. I really intended on making the class more often, but organizing, cleaning, gardening, canning fruits and vegetables among other things seem to get in the way.

Back to the story...stay focused Sheila. I decided that all the hard..haha work I had put into my exercise program needed to continue, since I had not reached am not near my idea goal. So for the life of me, I don't know where I got the idea that I was ready for an aerobic class (out of water) on land.

The story goes something like this...I meet a friend Monday night at the Civic Center for a body sculpting class. Girls, this body definitely needs sculpting, and a little carving wouldn't hurt either. I met my friend, and am pumped and ready to begin (continue) my exercise program.

I should have known something was wrong, the warm~up seemed awfully hard. The warm up last all of 5-7 minutes. Don't judge me, unless you have attended Jilleen class on Monday nights. Girls I really truly think she could get a job on The Biggest Loser, training people, she is that good.

I survived (barely) and have every intention on going back next Monday. I really felt better after I was about 1/2 way thought the work out. Tuesday morning was great, I thought to myself (water aerobics really did help me with my flexibility) I did say Tuesday morning, Right? I woke up this morning and was attempting to get out of bed as usual and this horrific pain stop me dead in my tracks! The pain was coming from my under worked, underused, abs!!!

I almost let out a call for help from Richard! What happened to my body overnight didn't prepare me for what I felt on awaking!

I did finally, of my own freewill, make it out of bed. I thought "you know I really needed that work out" I am so out of shape.

When I get to school, I ask my friend if she is sore? She smiles and say "YES!!, right here, while pointing to her abs!!) So I breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn't only me and my age.

I definitely will be back next Monday!

We are continuing our Water Aerobics class on Saturdays, I plan to add this Body Sculpting (Ab. killer) class too, along with walking, and maybe another class or the gym and the machines. I thought to myself "I never want to hurt like this again!!"

I must tell you all that Jilleen is awesome, beautiful, in great shape, and just as beautiful on the inside. She is a personal trainer also.

So if you are looking for something to do, Monday nights 6:45 pm, come check it out, but you really should use the water aerobic class as a warm up.

Just wanted to share....

Have a blessed day.

Making time for the important stuff.....

Picture courtesy of flicker

I really didn't even know how to begin this post, so I have procrastinated long enough.

Where in the world is Sheila?

The last few weeks have been filled up with vacation, family emergencies, back to school in service and duties, add to this list getting 2 young adults ready for college!

The vacation with family was relaxing, fun and just good times.

Once we returned home, the dreaded return to work (school) sank in, I am not complaining, I truly loved having this summer off after working the last 2, but I always kinda dread the going back until I actually get there. I truly love working at schools and making a differences in the lives of children, but I also hate summer winding down and missing my own young adults that will not be returning to school (college) grind until end of August.

This year I faced a double whammy. Two, did I mention that I now have TWO in college. Tuition, book fees, and supplies!! What's a mom to do?? I am so very proud of both of my children and I truly enjoyed helping them get ready.

One of the things I did not enjoy about my summer and have not mentioned until now, is my Mom. She lives in Michigan and she has been living the last 8 years or so in a residential home setting and I have never worried once about her care and the love she has received.

Nothing last forever and as you age circumstances change and our bodies just can not continue to perform as they once did. My Mom's health has started to deteriorate and she finally just gave up on even trying to walk in July. With this new health problem among other minor ones, she would face having to go to a Nursing Home. The Residential home she had been living in was under strict condition that had to be followed. Did I mention she is in Michigan and I am in Tennessee. I am not complaining, I have been so blessed to have her good health and the wonderful help of the director of the home, who my mom thinks of as family. It's.....Just.......a Nursing Home.....it was so hard to accept. Along with the acceptance of your parent going into a Nursing Home permanently, you as the child have to look at the end results. I don't think we ever think about our parent's death. So included in the preparations for the move to the Nursing Home facility I was faced with thinking about and making preparations for that dreaded day in the future.

I haven't completely accepted the responsibility of this dreaded decision, but I am dealing with the move (that's what I have started calling it), and I sorta feel better knowing this was the only option I had. Now in the coming months I will take care of the details pertaining to the other things that go along with having an elderly parent. This is hard....and I don't know if you are ever truly ready to accept taking on these decisions. Although I do know I must handle these things and have everything worked out for my own sanity. If and when I get that dreaded call I want everything to be taken care of so I wont be making decision while in an emotional state.

So girlie's this is part of the reason I have just not totally been in the mood for blogging and decided to deal with life's unexpected circumstances.

I debated posting on this issue, but I felt if this could help someone else who may be going thought this, or someone (like me) who didn't think about it until it happened. It is worth sharing.

I don't want you to leave here thinking I am sad beyond belief. I am strong, my mother raised a girl who knew how to take charge and be the leader if necessary. I am the oldest in my family and I feel the need, along with the responsibility to do this.

My Mom is happy, and being well cared for, and she doesn't have a care in the world (that she is aware of.) This in itself should be comforting to me, it's just miles separate us and it is very hard to let someone else care for your loved one and lay your head down at night with no worries.

Now my unsolicited very inexperienced advice would be to love your parents, children, family and please don't ever take for granted the "Time" we have with them. I am learning it is going faster than I ever thought....