My Life's Journey just took a sharp Left Turn.......

My husband never goes to the doctor, but he went for a complete physical last week for the first time in 5 years. What prompted him into making this appointment was his not getting over a bout with bronchitis, loosing about 20 pounds (without trying) and a few other issues.

The "call" came from the doctor's office yesterday with his test results. He has Type 2 Diabetes. We will be going back next week to start him on meds; be given a glucose meter, nutritional advice, and whatever else necessary to start our new journey. He's in a bit of denial, which is quite understandable. I am not surprised, given that fact that I myself had gestational diabetes while carrying my children and my dad has Type 2 Diabetes. I just had a "feeling", which I brought up to him before the test results came in. He told me that I was crazy because as far as he knew, no one in his family has ever had this disease. Well, now they do.

I must share with you, dear reader, just a bit of my history. After having my kids (in my thirties) and being on the heavy side (to be kind), the doctors told me to watch my weight and to quit smoking because I was in the high risk category for getting Diabetes in my forties. I have since taken off all the weight needed and have maintained my size for many years now. I have done this by completely changing my eating habits (which I will go into more depth in another post).

Simply stated, I do no eat anything out of a box (except pasta on occasion). No processed foods and the more veggies the better. My carbohydrate intake is quite low, yet I just about drink extra virgin olive oil. In a nut shell, I've been eating like a diabetic for many years now. As for the smoking, well, let's just say, that's all gonna change for the better.

My husband also smoked, until this morning. When he got home from work last night and after our long talk with each other and then with our children, I put into motion his new diet regimen. I did not want to wait for his appointment next week because his AC1 number what very very high as was his fasting glucose level.

This morning, I sent him off with 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast to replace his 2 daily donuts (he simply loves sweets). I also placed small healthy meals in his lunch bag and off he went, leaving behind his newly purchased carton of "smokes" on the kitchen table.

Now, there are a couple of ways in which you can "go" when life goes left. We could wallow, worry, and steep ourselves in self pity and despair. Or, we could do just the opposite and change directions from left to right, having the attitude that this new adversity presented to us will be looked upon as a gift of sorts. A reason to make life changes for the better. I have chosen to take control behind the wheel of misfortune and make a sharp right turn!

In doing so, these adverse circumstances will allow us all (the four of us) to live a happier and hopefully healthier lifestyle for the following reasons:

1. Better food choices for all! Remember, now my children have a grandfather, father (and a mother on the edge) with Type 2 Diabetes.

2. More exercise! This, I am not too thrilled with, as I am not too fond of the "E" word. Even though we have a complete gym downstairs (which with recent guidance from my dad on his last visit, my son, has become quite happy to do) and my daughter has her own gym membership at the local gym. Now to get me and my husband in gear, the slugs that we are.

3. More doctor visits for my husband and I! Yes, I'm gonna have to bite the bullet myself and start going for regular yearly physicals. My husband will unfortunately have to make routine visits for the rest of his life.

4. Quitting smoking! Let me first just say that we do not smoke all over the house. It's either an outside "job" or in the store room in the basement. I hate the smell of smoke and have never wanted my kids constantly surrounded by it's toxins. This being said, I will be struggling. I am hoping to get some kind of RX in order to help aid me through this eminent and most difficult personal/physical journey.

I share this recent event with you, dear reader, in order to hopefully assist you with your own physical/medical adversities at this time. You are not alone.. Please know that this is not the first, the worst, nor the last one I expect to have in my life here on earth. I wanted to show to you how and why I have decided to deal with this issue in the here and now. I also wanted to set a personal example of how I try to approach adversity.

Please walk with me in this decision to make that left turn right. To seek hope into what the future may bring and to have peace of mind in knowing we've made the "right" choices and the strength to make it through.

The mighty bargain hunter and do-it-your-selfer ........

 Who doesn't love a sale? To me, a sale, bargain, or deal is the prize "catch" of the hunt or the winning "trophy" of the competition. No matter where I go shopping, the sale isle is always my first stop. There is something quite satisfying about stealing a deal. I feel as though my purchase is a victory of sorts. My endorphins kick into high gear when I spot (what I deem as a much needed item at that very moment) with that "reduced" tag/sticker attached. I then move quickly to snatch it up and declare (to myself) "Victory is mine!"

Why am I sharing this subject with you today, dear reader? Well, I wanted to express to you the thrill of shopping on a budget (yes, I said thrill) and to help you along with the self confidence needed to attack home and job/work projects yourself.

You see, most of us are not doing as well financially as we would like these days and have had to cut back on many things. After paying for the necessities like mortgage/rent and utilities, we need to find ways to save a bit on all purchases made, from food to fashion and everything in between, let alone getting the leaky faucet fixed by the high priced plumber. This can be a very painful process, I know. That is why I am here to give you a bit of hope and help you through this "speed bump" by making it a fun challenge, or sport, if you will.


I am not a "coupon queen" by any means. I find them tiresome and laborious. If they work for you, then great. I would rather go hunting for bargains sans a bucket of coupons and the rifling through at the register. I guess I'm just not as patient as some.

Creativity and necessity can go hand in hand when it comes to shopping for bargains. You may find yourself trying out new recipes with those 10 cans of corn you just bought on sale at the grocery store for 20 cents each. You may come to the conclusion that buying off the sale rack (in the back) at your favorite clothing store is really not so bad and that you've become fond of paying less while others pay more for the same quality clothing at the front of the store.

 Yes, you really wanted that gorgeous slate tile in your kitchen you saw at the designer home center, but for maybe half the price you can go to the home warehouse store, or tile outlet center and get enough of a similar tile to maybe do twice as much. Who knows? You may even like that tile better!

Are you in the market for a new car? Do you really want a certain make/model automobile that you know is way beyond your means? If you so choose, you can do what I did and went to that particular car dealer and purchased a "certified" vehicle for a lot less. Yes, it will be a couple years old and have a bit of mileage on it, but who needs to know and who cares?

Do you need a room or two repainted and don't have the cash for a painter? Why not try painting the rooms yourself? If you don't know where to begin, then learn! The sense of accomplishment afterwards will leave you with a major amount of self confidence. With this new found confidence, you will find yourself indulging in other home fix up projects. The money you will save on supplies and labor will be enormous and the new found talents you will have under your belt will be priceless.

By not depending on others to do the work for you (whatever and wherever the project may be) and learning to do them for yourself, you become more astute as to how much money you spend on these services in the future, cause if you can do it yourself, you won't be as willing to hand over your hard earned earnings.

On the surface, the above listed examples are but a very few things you can do to save money. Yet, my true intention for you, dear reader, is that you become a bit more mindful of your purchases. That you turn the negativity of a smaller bank account into a hopeful challenge. That you discover your hidden talents. That you can recover from this "recovery" with a new found sense of empowerment and the peace of mind in knowing that you are not alone and that you can get through this.

There are oh so many of us living with great financial adversities these days. If you happen to be fortunate enough to not be in this predicament of sorts, please make sure to be mindful of those around you who are. Give them hope and the helping hand that they so desperately need, for we are all connected. We are all here for one another and we all matter.

"Never in a Million Years"........

Who has not said these words: "Never in a million years" (or something to that effect), only to find themselves a few years later in that very position they had denied previously? Life has a funny way of putting us directly in the path the unexpected/unforeseen in the most inconspicuous way and before we know it, we're there looking back and scratching our heads as to how did this all happen.

Some of these declarations come from fear, others from denial or ignorance, and the most unfortunate ones come from sever judgement of others' circumstances. On the other hand, there are the ones that come from a place of great hope and chance which should serve as a constant reminder that good things can come around, even at the most difficult times.

I can look back in 5, 10, or even as little as 3 year intervals in my life, so far, and site a multitude of examples. I am quite sure that you, dear reader, upon reflection, can do the same. Life's changes, twist's, turn's, and sometimes even detours, can take you to places in which you have either previously denied or never even dreamed of, both good and bad. There could be places you've never thought of living in or visiting, jobs you could not of imagined doing, or people you would have never thought would be such an important part of your life.

In mentioning the positive we must not forget the negative: the illness that comes from seemingly nowhere, the sudden death of a loved one, the loss of your job, home, and/or savings. Your assumptions about your future can be undermined at any moment. Taking a left turn when you were supposed to head right, or visa versa. None of us are immune to any of these adversities, nor are we unworthy of the blessing that come our way.


Please be advised, dear reader, that you had better be very careful to judge the ones, in the current unfortunate circumstances they have found themselves in, and say "never in a million years" to yourself. Because life has an interesting way of playing a good game of irony with those who shake their fingers in the faces of the unfortunate. A quick example: A mother of a daughter (at any age) should never ever judge another mother's daughter who has become pregnant at a young age. Shame on those who do, because you never know, no matter how good of a parent you may think you may be, what will become of your own daughter. If anything, that mother and child need your love and support, not your "I told you so's".

Enough with the negative; my main intention in writing this post is to show you how to show yourself the power of hope in the face of great challenge and to be able to look ahead by looking back in order to know that you don't know what may lie ahead, and that life can be a series of unexpected surprises and journeys..

I will leave you with this: "Never in a million years" did I ever think that I would be a blogger in any way, shape, or form. I had had preconceived notions about the blogging world and therefore denied it. Well, I guess I was wrong, and here I am with you. Many blessings and happy trails forward for the next million years!

Dealing with regret and moving forward on a brighter path.......

Regrets are a form of emotional baggage carried by us all. Some, the figurative size of backpacks, others, the enormity of a full set of luggage all compartmentalized into each individual suitcase. This type of baggage is a heavy load to carry along life's path, holding you back and perpetually increasing in volume and mass if not addressed.

I would like to say that I have no regrets but then again, I'd be lying. And so would you if you said the same. If we were given the opportunity to turn back time and undo a choice or action, the vast majority would jump at the chance. Unfortunately, that cannot happen. You cannot turn back the hands of time. You cannot have a "Life Redo". But what you can do, is to revisit these adverse choices and their subsequent consequences with an honest and open heart.Then, choosing to learn from these mistakes and appreciating some of these self inflicted advertises as gifts of wisdom and knowledge.This helps us to not dwell on them. These experiences (in part) have lead you to the place you are at this very moment in time. They are the culmination of who you are.

Reflecting on these circumstances will aid in your coming to peace with them. If you do not given them the proper acknowledgment you will be cheating yourself out of a future which includes good choice making skills and, in turn, the same mistakes will be repeated over and over. They may take on different forms, as time goes by but they will still, in essence, hold the same motivations.

Moving forward with a lighter load will help you to make better choices. It was also aid in drawing a more positive vibe your way. You will no longer feel held back and your self pity factor will be greatly decreased if not all together eliminated.

If, during this reflective journey, you find a opportunity to right a wrong, please do. Being it as simple as an apology to some one you have hurt in the past. Validating the feelings of another who you have harmed is most important (if possible). Not only will they feel better but then so shall you.

I, myself, ponder my past choices quite often. I try and use them as good current decision making tools. I can easily open my "backpack", take a reflective look, and close it back up till needed again. I make it a point to not forget these moments but to rather continually learn from them. You see, sometimes it is not as apparent as one would like, what the benefits of these adversities are until you find yourself at a certain place and time where they are called upon to show you their gifts.

May your load be lightened and you path be brightened!