Friends and Family

Friends and family

Today October 25 would have been my Mom’s 69th birthday. I am starting this blog off with this to explain my rather melancholy mood.

I have been thinking a lot about family this week- my actually family has dwindled significant in the last decade or 2- My Mom, Dad, Husband, both my Mom’s Parents, My Dad’s father, my Mother in law, one of my Grandmother in laws, my step mother in law, and many Great Aunts and Uncles are all deceased.

I do have a fabulous Brother, his wife, 2 Nephews, My Dad’s Mother, a Father in law, Grand Mother in law , Sister in law, 2 Nephew in laws – 1 of which just got married, My Mom’s brother and a bunch of her relatives that all live in and around Ludlow Massachusetts.

We do not choice our families- they come to us from God, he selects them for us. However there are the “collected family”, as my Mom used to call them. I have many of these family members. Some have been part of my “collected family” since I was 8 or 9 years old, others since Jr. High school ( I Graduated High School in 1982 and college in 1986) High School, College, Jaycees ( 1984-1996), Landmark education, and life in general. Many of those family members live all over the place- New Hampshire, Georgia, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Delaware, and others are just up the street.

They work in all kinds of jobs and careers from, stay at home Moms, to Teachers, Chiropractors, Hotel sales director, IT folks, office/practice Managers, bar owners, Physicians, Retired military personal, Etc. We get to exchange ideas in our diversity.

I love my “collected family” for I have chosen them, I have invited into my life and my heart, they are frequently on my mind, and never ever out of my heart. As I sit here to write this there are some of them doing amazing things and other having struggles. One of “collected family” ran the Marine Corp Marathon today, and I am anxiously awaiting his blog to find out all about it, another is on his way home from Las Vegas where he delivered a speech this weekend about this incredible plan he has come up with that helps Patients get out of pain, and be able to strengthen their weak core muscles, a plan I know and thanks to him, has given me my life back. Yet another is preparing her special needs son for Tonsil surgery this week, one is dealing with caring for his aging Mother who is in the beginning stages of dementia, one has a daughter about to graduate high school this year and a teenage son to deal with, one is coping with the recent death of her beloved Mother in law, one just got her 1 yr clearance from a Liver transplant, and others are dealing with the day to day joys and struggles of living life.

Of all the Collections I have had in my life, the collection of “Collected Family” is my most cherished and beloved. They are blessing in this amazing life I live and I am truly blessed to have them be a part of my life- to each and every one of you I say THANK YOU, I love you and even though we don’t talk often, you are never out of my thoughts and always in my heart. God bless each and every one of you.

This week I finally broke down and purchased some winter clothing. I ordered on line several pairs of slacks, some tops, a couple of fleece jackets, a few sweaters, 2 pair of shoes, a pair of boots, and 2 sweat suits – yep I am COLD already. I have always disliked shopping and I am not enjoying it all now either. I did however order a fabulous Dress to wear for New Years Eve, I will be celebrating New Years in Jamaica this year and am very excited about this dress, and it’s awesome.

I saw my PCP this week; I have lost 168lbs – HOLY COW--- I am blown away by that. My injected insulin has been reduced drastically in the last year- from 220 units a day to my now 20. WOW. My blood pressure meds have been reduced equally as drastically. My goal is to be off all by my Thyroid replacement hormone within the next year. It’s all about being HEALTHY.

Thanks for being a part of this incredible journey with me.