Busy, busy, busy

The first two weeks back to work have been a whirlwind. Quarterly reviews, donation and sponsorship requests and marketing request for our next fiscal year all had a deadline of this week. I have three of the four completed so tomorrow will be another very busy day. The naps take on a whole new meaning now.
A big hurdle I have to overcome right now is finding the right time to exercise and do my physical therapy. As I typed that I remember an earlier blog where I was going to look for the beauty in a evening walk versus a morning walk. No better time than today, right?
It's 8:00 PM, the temperature is perfect and there is very little humidity this evening. Do you think God might be trying to tell me something.

I'll blog more tomorrow and let you know what I see.
Thanks for checking in.
Kris

Kid Quotes

This is week two back to work. I am continuing this week with five hour work days and feel pretty good about what I have been able to dig into.
One of the many wonderful parts of my job is finding artwork to rotate through our branch on a quarterly basis. This next quarter (July, August and September) we are featuring the talents of MPS students and their amazing art teachers.
Here are a few quotes that I am going to share with my office. They are currently in frames in the kids playroom.
"A friend is someone who helps you up get up when you fall down." Rachel McCullough, Age 9
" Kiss me when I'm bad. That's when I need it the most." Maura Stuard, Age 9
" Life is about who you love." Anna Yu, Age 12
" People are suppose to make mistakes. That's why we have erasers." Brittany McMahan, Age 8

Here is a brief health update.
Naps continue to be important. Although I felt pretty good when I laid down to rest on Sunday after church I slept for nearly four hours.
The last few days I have had a few dizzy spells. I haven't fainted but have felt faint. I left a message for my doctor and although she tried to reach me three separate times today we never connected. I am sure we will touch base tomorrow and I'll see what she has to say about that.
While in line the other day at the pharmacy I was able to ease the mind of a man who would be starting methotrexate injections. It was one of those moments where you ask yourself...should I say something? If I do, he will know I overheard the conversation. If I don't say something, he walks away nervous and scared. I said something and he seemed very appreciative of the shared experience. I hope it goes well for him.
Regarding the injections. The site of the injection is quite uncomfortable for about 24 hours after the injection. I don't think it's the needle, I think it's the actual medicine thats burning.
Time will continue to tell.
Patience will continue to be important.
Prayers will continue to make me strong.
Thanks to all of you.
Kris

The home computer has provided quite a challenge for me this week. Only when it wants to it provides the little arrow that shows where your mouse is. Right now it's not working so you can only imagine how long it took me to get this far...
I have been back to work for four half days this week (I've been working 5 hour days) and I am exhausted. A good tired, I am not complaining. I receive a lot of joy and satisfaction from my career and the wonderful people I work with and for.

Right before I left the office I ask my coworkers to be prepared to learn new information and new ways of accomplishing tasks. I asked them to keep track of those things or have at least one valuable new thing they learned to tell me about upon my return. Tomorrow I am going to ask them to share that with me. Here the practice run on just a few things that I have learned while I was out of the office.

I learned that it is really important to listen to what my body needs and then follow through.
I learned how to give myself a shot.
I learned that I have a very strong spirit.
I learned that there isn't enough time in the day or days in my life to spend time being negative. It makes me feel bad, physically, mentally and spiritually and I definitely don't need that.
I learned that having the energy to be active with my family can bring as much joy (MORE) than running across a finish line alone. ( I haven't lost my desire to cross a lot more finish lines in my life)

I learned a lot more but those of you reading this learned that about me along the way so these are the first five things I could think of.

My quote for the day "A woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong."

Thanks so much for checking in. I am sorry that it took me a week to get back here.

I'd like to know what you think? 2nd try...

Sorry about that. My fingers were flying on the keyboard and they hit something they weren't suppose to. So let me try again.

What do you think I should do?

I'd like to know if I should tell my guests I am going to bed or if I should just quietly slip away. I prefer to slip away. The reason for this is because I don't want the party to end because of me. However, last night I laid in bed listening to our friends and our kids light off fireworks in our yard and I hoped and prayed they didn't think I was rude for not joining them or for going to bed without saying good night. Some of you have been at our house to be on the receiving end of this so I especially hope you will let me know. If you prefer to not put it on a public blog, you can always email me at home too. Thank you.

Today I pulled down the family calendar to make sure all bases were covered before I return to work on Monday. When I took it down I noticed a piece of paper I had taped up there around Christmas time.
I think it came from an email reminder I get from "the flylady". Here it is...I hope you enjoy it.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I can not change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

When I got home I looked up the Serenity Prayer and read that first verse and then I saw that there was a second verse. I was so surprised.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr
Merry Christmas! My gift to you; if you choose to open it, is a sense of peace that comes from making a choice to be happy!

Have a wonderful day.

I am chosing to be happy.
Kris

I'd like to know what you think?

Lemonade and Cards

The last couple of days have been hard. When I do more than I should (like summerfest) it takes days to recover. I cancelled my physical therapy appointment. There was no way I could have successfully completed even one set of exercises. When the therapist called to check in on me and reschedule we discussed how I was feeling and what I would do differently the next time.

I used to love exercising in the morning. For years it's been an awesome way for me to start the day. Everyone in the house is still sleeping, the neighborhood is quiet, the sun is coming up over the lake.
She suggested I find joy in exercising after dinner. Since I have been off of steroids I am very stiff and achey in the morning. The walk is painful not pleasurable and she is also concerned if I exert that energy in the morning before work it will make being at work more difficult. I did commit to stretching in the morning and doing physical therapy exercises as well (total that takes just over 30 minutes). This will be a nice alternative to my morning walk (bonus....I can do some of it while still in bed and ALL of it while still in pajama's) I look forward to finding and reporting to you the great things I have come to realize when walking at night. She did say it was OK to take my bike out for a ride but I have to build my courage back up for that. I know, I know..."its like riding a bike"

Now what is it about lemonade and cards...

A couple of weeks ago I watched a video clip of a woman who also has Myositis. One of the things she said is "all those old sayings are true"
"When life gives you lemons make lemonade."
"It's not the cards your dealt but how you play them."

In my opinion, she couldn't have been more right.

Have a great day.
I hope you find joy everyday but tomorrow I hope it comes through a celebration of the personal freedom you have for those things that mean the most to you and the freedom we enjoy together as a nation.
God surely has blessed America (and me)
Happy Fourth of July.
Kris

Too much

Remember the other day when I wrote about how Summerfest was just too much walking, dancing, etc... for me to go. Sunday was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was about 68 degrees outside. Temptation won (and my sister Vicki had free admission) so we took the kids down and guess what? It was too much walking, though we didn't dance and I really thought I was taking it easy. Today I am wiped out. I have a physical therapy appointment this afternoon and she will either congratulate me on being active with my family for 4 hours or remind me that feeling good one day doesn't mean cashing in all my "fun chips" on one activity.
As wonderful as it would be to go down in the evening with Bill and our friends, I learned my lesson. I have to take care of myself first.

Thanks for checking in.
I have to go rest now and try to make up for yesterday.