A Welcoming Happy June

Hey, hey, hey. It is still June and I am posting my second list of gratitude post of the month. I do better this month already than the previous, I think.

I cannot fail to mention Father's Day. I special mention, Paul, who's been a great father: a tennis dad to a varsity teen who won doubles for the state of Colorado, a basketball dad to his son playing varsity this summer for his school, a math tutor, a life skills coach, and the sole financial provider to two lucky kids. Look at him enjoying his Margarita on his night. I thought he would order something hard but with just a lady's drink he had a smile from ear to ear.

I thank the thoughtful people who brought cupcakes and cookies in the nurse's lounge one day. I don't even know who brought them. Sometimes, I'd see a card or a sign who the treats are from. But on days we are so busy on the floor to take a coffee break, my hungry tummy, sure, is glad to find quick snacks I can stuff in my sugar hungry mouth, and run back to the busy floor. 

I found this free app on iOs (also available on Android) called Text to Jesus. I write a word or two about what I am thinking about. And then it responds in a form of a short reading from the bible. One time I sent the screenshot of the reading to my teens. I did not get any response but maybe a picture is worth a thousand words? Oh well, I sent this, 

Do to others as you would have them do to you," Luke 6:31. 

No text back from my teens. But I am thinking, it is not me nagging at them. These are words from the Bible so maybe they would listen. This app is for me as well. If I need an inspiration or a reading, I use the app. Half of the times, it is right on and it eases my mind. I don't carry a Bible around but my phone, I carry most of the times. The app comes handy.

My city had a ten-day art fest. My daughter and I participated in painting a mural to be displayed later. Look at her posing proud in front of the piece.

I finished a 5K on a 100-degree weather. The fact that I finished it is an accomplishment on its own, never mind my speed. Heck, I still earned a medal even though I walked all the shady areas. When I said, "I walked," I slowly walked. A friendly dog on my way gave me a slobbery lick on my hand. Maybe it thought I could use some hydration. Anyway, I helped raise funds for heart and stroke patients. It is a good sacrifice to make.

My family discovered a nearby Mexican restaurant that was pretty good. We passed it by many times before but it is away from the road that we did not notice it until I read the reviews in Yelp. We will eat there again.

Snowball looks like he posed for the picture but my poodle was just resting on a hard medicine ball. I don't know why of all places he rested there but he looks so cute.

And lastly but the greatest gratitude of all--my son loved the Welcome Home cake we got for him from being away for high school for a year. He is back home full time. The cake is Tres Leches cake which is a light, wet-whipped-creamy cake we all enjoyed. It is a sweet ending to the sort-of-boot-camp-high-school of one year. He is 18 now and I realize his move may not last a long time. I am hoping he'd go to college but he may move out of our home before then as he is working a lot these days and saving up for a car and an apartment. No matter what, I wish him happiness and self sufficiency.

And that concludes my post for the month. Next time I will write about our vacation to California. 

Have a good rest of the month, my friends.

Click the picture to read more gratitude posts by my blog friends.

Growing Teens This Spring

A month has passed, and I have not posted anything! Did you miss me? LOL. I am alive and doing great.

Here are my gratitude list and the reasons why I am occupied.

1. My first born just graduated from high school. Two years ago, I did not even imagine this is possible as he was skipping days and sometimes months of school. He turned around and took extra credits to graduate on time on top of working full time as a new young manager at a pizza chain.
2. He requested to eat at Red Lobster. Where we are, I was not too impressed with their lobster and shrimp, but this night, it was awesome. The seafood including mussels was fresh, we had a blast for his graduation dinner. He even apologized that the meals were expensive. I was like, where did this teen come from? It was his graduation night.
3. My house got hit hard by golfball-sized hail last month. It is not to be thankful for. My siding and roof are damaged, but I just got my first check from my insurance yesterday to pay my contractor for replacement.
4. My son, yes the one who's behaving so differently got me a mother's day card with his artsy work all over it. He even thanked me for being his mother and father. I was so touched. His dad is almost non-existent, especially after our divorce. I feel so appreciated.
5. Look at my handsome son in his senior picture!
6. Paul has to be silly in our dinner picture, of course.
7. My son on his graduation gown makes it more real that he really did graduate. LOL.
8. He gave me a long-stemmed rose for the first time on Mother's day. It also marks my 18th year of being a mom. The only other time he gave me a flower was when he was six. He was so proud to give me a dandelion. I reminded this to him, and he just laughed.
9. What's more from my son? He gave me a Teddy bear for Mother's day!
10. My daughter, of course, as sweet as she is, gave me a gift and a card for Mother's day. This is the first Mother's day we were all together in the last few years. It was indeed very special. I think the used-to-be defiant teens left the house for good.  I have my teens and my home back!

Read more gratitude post through TToT blog.

Save a Heart

Another week has passed and it's another opportunity to look back on how lucky I am to receive many blessings.

My MyIntent bracelets came, finally. My daughter has Lil Soldier etched in her pendant to remind her to be strong. I have to bracelets. One says, Help Them, and the other, Be the Example. I use these reminders for work and family. With my teens, it gets tiring to say do this do that. At times, I feel, they purposely do the opposite. So I push myself to be the example. I hope it works, soon!

A family member of a patient brought us, staff, a fruit bouquet. It is as delicious as it looks. This bouquet I don't buy for myself. It is expensive. The best parts are the chocolate covered ones. Guess what I had?

I bought a Hurricane electric scrubber. The ad lied saying, "Does the hard work for you." I powered it and it did not do the chores by itself. :) I still have to put some work in. I must admit it makes scrubbing the floor and tiles easier. It is $40 well spent in Bed Bath. With the coupon, it was even better.

My breakfast partner, Paul, ditched me because of his son's basketball games. So, I took my daughter instead. She got up late that the restaurant did not serve breakfast burrito anymore so we had lunch burrito instead. What is the difference? We did not have potatoes, bacon, and eggs in it. And it is ten dollars each instead of two. Daughter surprised me by paying the tab.

A nice lady handed me a palm cross as I left the hospital. That was nice. She was making a bunch of them.

I am training to run the 5K for this coming June to raise money for Hearts and Stroke week with my group in intensive care unit. My team is trying to raise funds to save a heart (and or a brain). If you want to help, here is a link. I am using the free app C25K. It might be too late for me to start being 46. But I finished training for two weeks out of eight and I haven't suffered a heart attack yet. So I may be good.

I am also using the music app Rock My Run. I love it. I am listening to the sound of the 90's right now. It really inspires me to move. I paid for this app with a Groupon coupon. Another money well spent.

Join us.

P is for a Parent's Prayer

My gratitude for prayer is so great,

My family is good that I have faith

The years are gone when my teens were astray

Praise, the Lord my God, He wiped my tears away

His grace is great, now I have other things in mind

(Not just wishing) that is all I do,

While waiting for the moment

To reach the dreams that I can do

I have always like to learn more, either through reading or taking classes or lessons. My children's lives and activities got so hectic in the past that I did not have the sanity or the time. Things are better now for many months I actually can give time for myself. I even signed up for a gym membership and actually go every day. I plan to read more books. Maybe, I can devote some time studying for work. 

April Thankfuls

My love for my family is so great,
My heart melts for them as we ate
I worry when my teens are away
Wondering if they've gone astray

Togetherness for me feels so great,
I do hope my children see
Although eating is what seems all we do
I wait for these moments, I sure do

***

We had a good Easter. We went to church. Even my son went, my 18-year old. Then we had a potluck with my Filipino-American group. My teens helped hide or scatter the Easter eggs for the little ones. They were so fun to watch.

***

My daughter made some Easter fruit bouquet. They are as delicious and refreshing as they look. She also made cookies for our neighbors who are relocating, nicely foil wrapped disguised as fish. She baked and paid for the cookies. How sweet she is.

***

At work, I found time to pray and meditate a bit when I left the unit early (as we were overstaffed). I volunteered to leave because it was "4/20" in Denver. That is when marijuana fanatics have big parties in downtown. I went to spend time with my teens after school. I was so happy that they went to school the whole day and spent after school time with me having dinner and just talking. I know exactly where they were!

***

I ordered bracelets with encouraging words for me and my daughter. They are not here yet but we are excited.

***

I bought one more Fitbit activity tracker that is waterproof so I can wear it in the pool. I used my, yet another, 20% coupon. Every step counts. Yes, I am a step counter addict and I'm not seeking help. :)

***

And lastly, I won another trophy for my steps this week. Little things like this keep me motivated to move.

What kept you busy this past week?

Join us above.

It's Almost Easter

Six years ago, my Facebook showed

My children posed with their beaks exposed

We were at the park on a sunny day

Back then like the parks and play

That was years ago

It is different now 

They seldom go with me somehow 

I'm getting old but I still should move

Not to play in the park but to the gym, I could . . .

Alone I go, as my teens are slow

Not slow in general, but in the morning? Oh no,
They can't get up as their limbs are tied

To the bed, they are, but not at night

I miss my kids when they were young

Back then they followed, danced with me, and sung

How I cope is just to remember the old

And walk with a book with encouraging words

I borrowed this book Operation Happiness

It is full of tips, just sweetness no nastiness

I do this as I can't watch or read the news

Without reading something that gives a boost

Last weekend we went to an auto show

I didn't buy anything as I've got  no dough

But for fun, we posed with some nice cars

Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, and Jaguar

My daughter went with us, though a little bored 

It's a blessing the place has a charging station aboard

They must have kept the children's parents in mind

To keep everyone happy, the techy kinds

I've got another picture from years ago

It's me and Paul with our Easter eggos 

In that picture, I wore my wig because

At that time I was bald from cancer and chemo

But look at me now with a head full of hair

As I'm enjoying my green smoothie to nourish my body

It took cancer for me to really watch my food

I'm afraid it'd come back so kale I drink and chew

Oh look, my daughter got up for a hike with me
Though it was close to dark, and we had to turn back
We should have started earlier
Like in the morning perhaps

Lastly, I want to thank my Filipino-American group

For teaching Tagalog class, something I couldn't

I do not have the patience of teaching my language

So my daughter enrolled in the lessons she craved

Nurturing My Teens

What have I done lately? Not blogging much, I admit. I did spend some time talking to my children. Nurturing them is not always an easy task, but I tried to show my love and support in small ways.

It's Better to Kiss

I admit I have been postponing to write about a K-word because the word that keeps popping out of my head is the word kill, LOL. I wonder why? Kill is such a strong word and so negative. I've got to write something positive, right?

Picture This x 10

The week is not complete without good food and the company of my loved ones. So this week's gratitude is full of time with my children, my pets, and my soul mate Paul.

Jump

A little depressed, nothing to do

I turned to my side

to the radio at the bedside

I picked a station

That gives me joy 

The one that plays

Jazz and  jingles that I enjoy
Soon, I'm not upset

I am not even mad

Instead, I'm glad and jumping 

Happy, just like that

(or at least, I got up from the bed)

Colors and Peacocks

There is beauty around us

It may be for fee or for free

Regardless, it is there

To enjoy, for you and me

Imperfect Life

My life is not perfect. Whose life is? So instead of getting stuck on the negative, I focus on my wins. Gratitude makes me feel good.

***

ICU

Yesterday was a usual busy weekday in our unit. I work in adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a nurse. I was going through my day, almost-without-intention or effort pacing in the halls from one end to another. I was logging 8 to 10,000 steps a day in my Fitbit. Well, that is not all I do, of course.  I help other nurses and patients grabbing things, getting supplies, pulling meds for others, until my first my patient arrives from surgery.