Focused February - Week 4

[papmom3]

Focused February - Week 4

whoo hoo Mi Mom!!! Big girl huh? So glad the long wait is over and the joy can begin!! give that lil pumpkin a kiss from all of us at MWO!!
:h

[Lavande]

Focused February - Week 4

I'll get better pictures tomorrow

[paguy]

Focused February - Week 4

Congratulations, Mi Mom!!

:dancin:

[Lavande]

Focused February - Week 4

Thanks 'Uncle' John

[Dewdrop]

Focused February - Week 4

Lav you must be so pleased, it?s a very special time when a new baby arrives so enjoy every minute, your daughter must be so relieved!

There have some very interesting, thoughtful and eloquent posts recently and I?d like to thank everyone for sharing, I love coming onto this thread to read what everyone has to say and to hear what is happening in their lives. I?m off to an Art Exhibition this afternoon with Alex the guy from Friday night and then something to eat early as he has something on tonight, I?m thinking this will be a bit more relaxed and less formal than a ?date? ? who knows I plan to simply stay in the moment and enjoy myself.

Thank you Chill and everyone so much for the congrats on getting to 6 months AF, it does seem a bit surreal and almost like it?s happening to someone else, I know it seemed like a huge achievement when I first started and I was in awe of folks that far on. However from here it doesn?t seem that far yet I know it?s a big accomplishment, that probably doesn?t make much sense but it?s difficult to put into words. All I know is I am in such a better place now than then, life is worth living and looking forward to and I am much calmer and at peace with myself

Right I?m off to put a reddish rinse through my hair, take my supplements and get on with the day!

Dewdrop :h

[dill]

Focused February - Week 4

"May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." ..." — Mother Teresa

Lav, I fell asleep in the waiting room and woke to the wonderful news! Congratulations to you and your family. What a blessing!

Dewdrop, congrats on you 6 months and may you continue to enjoy the fruits of your effort. I understand what you were trying to say about not feeling it, per se. I guess that's because it's just an artificial marker. The real achievement occurs each and every day we are AF. Never the less, feel it or not, it is an awesome accomplishment and you should feel pride and satisfaction. Well done!

Well, we have decided to take a trip down to New Orleans to see our daughter later in March. It should be quite an adventure because we have decided to drive, rather than fly. I have issues with the whole body scanners at airports. Such an over the top invasion, IMO. The terrorists have won. We will not be there for Mardis Gras. In fact, that has already begun. I was watching live streaming of some of the parades yesterday, looking for my SIL who road on one of the floats. I couldn't pick him out somehow....I think it was because of the masks!:H

Have a great AF day, one and all!

[Guitarista]

Focused February - Week 4

Dewdrop;1066876 wrote: Lav you must be so pleased, it?s a very special time when a new baby arrives so enjoy every minute, your daughter must be so relieved!

There have some very interesting, thoughtful and eloquent posts recently and I?d like to thank everyone for sharing, I love coming onto this thread to read what everyone has to say and to hear what is happening in their lives. I?m off to an Art Exhibition this afternoon with Alex the guy from Friday night and then something to eat early as he has something on tonight, I?m thinking this will be a bit more relaxed and less formal than a ?date? ? who knows I plan to simply stay in the moment and enjoy myself.

Thank you Chill and everyone so much for the congrats on getting to 6 months AF, it does seem a bit surreal and almost like it?s happening to someone else, I know it seemed like a huge achievement when I first started and I was in awe of folks that far on. However from here it doesn?t seem that far yet I know it?s a big accomplishment, that probably doesn?t make much sense but it?s difficult to put into words. All I know is I am in such a better place now than then, life is worth living and looking forward to and I am much calmer and at peace with myself

Right I?m off to put a reddish rinse through my hair, take my supplements and get on with the day!

Dewdrop :h

Makes a lot of sense Dewdrop. Life is worth living alright. Sobriety ROCK'S!

Congratulation's Lav!

[Guitarista]

Focused February - Week 4

G'day Dill!

I'd love to get to New Orlean's someday. Have a great day.

[Cassia]

Focused February - Week 4

Afternoon all

CONGRATULATIONS Granny Lav - she is absolutely gorgeous - lily is such a beautiful name and she also has the same middle name as me - she is truly destined for great things.

:hiya::hiya: my fellow focused ones! Have we decided on a name for March yet - it's nearly here (can you believe it?!?!)

x

[Stargazerlily]

Focused February - Week 4

Good morning all.

Congratulations, Lav, on the birth of your granddaughter, Lily. I love that name!! A time of joy for your family.:h

PAguy, amazing that you can run 10 miles. I am still working on being more physically fit.

Rusty, you are really hard on yourself. You are doing great, and it is really hard to eat right 100% of the time. I liked Dill's quote today from Mother Teresa, something about accepting and liking ourselves, just the way we are. You are staying AF and exercising. :goodjob:

Dill, thanks again for your quotes, they are such a great way to start the day. You are sorely missed when you leave for a time. How fun to take a road trip to New Orleans, during spring break, right? When I see Mardi Gras, I always am amazed at the drunken debacle that goes on there. I know a guy who used to go to Mardi Gras in the 70s and said he was drunk the entire time. He eventually went into recovery, but not until he had two DUIs and almost lost his job. Once he made up his mind, he never looked back. He is a joy to be around to this day.

I had an interesting time at lunch yesterday, an old work friend told me of a possible job opportunity, so today I will email her my resume. I feel scared but hopeful, I asked for divine guidance, as I wonder if this is the time I should be leaving my job, looking for another? I need to, but there is that comfort factor. I suppose I am jumping the gun, I might not even get an interview. Anyway, I will continue to network and look.

It is supposed to rain today, I hope it melts away all the snow. This week is March, Marvelous, Magnificent, March. What will the name be? I am fine with both. Have an AF Sunday.

[Lavande]

Focused February - Week 4

Good morning Focused friends!

Why am I so tired this morning? I didn't deliver that child yesterday :H
Honestly, I suppose it's emotional exhaustion. I can't belive I go thru it all again in 5 weeks when my DIL delivers EB's little brother

Star, toss that resume out into the universe, see where it lands ~ you just never know
Something fantabulous could be sitting there waiting for you in the job world!

Dill, it feels so nice to have you back sister :l
Driving to NO......how long of a trip is that??

I need to get readfy to go back to the hospital to see my girls again but I will be back later.
Dewdrop, do enjoy your non-date

Lav

[rustop61]

Focused February - Week 4

Hi everyone

Another quick post from me. Just wanted to give Lav - my congratulations on your beautiful grandaughter :h:h

Dewdrop - Congrats and your 6 months, that is a great achievement. I really enjoy your posts.

Star - If it is meant to be it will happen. Fingers crossed for you.

Everyone else big hello. Looking forward to getting back to normal tomorrow when the girls go back to school. Enjoy the rest of the week-end.

Rustop

[papmom3]

Focused February - Week 4

good morning my Focused Febbers!! We're almost done with Feb and I'm totally OK with that!! March means Spring and the disappearance of the snow. Marvelous March is what I'm voting for!!

Lav-have a great visit with your DD and new grandbaby. Love the name!!

Star-go for it!! You just never know!

Dill-love the quote this morning!! I bet New Orleans will be fun and hopefully you will see the result of it's rebirth after Katrina. Driving is my mode of choice. Hate flying!!

Dew-have fun with NBF (non boyfriend) on your ND (non date)!! Sounds like a blast!

Hey John, Cassia, Rustop, LBH, Cyn (where are you?), Rusty (I agree-you are way too hard on yourself!!), RB and anyone else who stops by.

Another busy day for me. Still need to do taxes but also need to do some repair work to my office set up.

Also lost 3 fish in 4 days and think I'll be losing 2 more today sometime. Ick may be the culprit and also some high Nitrates although the tank is fairly new to be suffering from that.
We got 5 inches of snow so far and I'm only going to do a cursory shovel today as rain is forecast tomorrow (and sleet and ice....). Don't know if I'll get out today to take a water sample to the pet store. Que Sera Sera. May need to go back to the hardy goldfish (not the fancy ones) or a salt water tank. WE'll see.

Later gators!!
:l

[piper123]

Focused February - Week 4

Good morning everyone! Today is the triplet's 20th birthday!!
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I am driving to my son and daughter's university about 2 hours away in about an hour. My other daughter who is an exchange student in Stellenbosh, South Africia was treated to a very special surprise from our MWO friend Mr. Tips and his wife (the Army thread) yesterday and hopefully I'll be able to posts pictures. I am blown away at the care and support here and can't thank you all enough for being here.

I have been very sick with bronchitis since I started my AF journey and for the last week I spent pretty much the entire week in bed. I have not been 100% successful at being AF for the entire month. Normally, after a virus, I would go to the doc, get a zpack, a bronchial steroid inhaler and even then I had to fight the cough. I have been this way since a child. Without health insurance I was unable to get medicine and had to do whatever I could to sleep. And I tried everything, even visited the organic herbal store for natural remedies. I think I am getting better, but I have forced myself to stay out of the pool for swim lessons, teaching from the side of the pool. It is still very cold here at night and I think the in and out of the humid indoor pool, with wet hair, was not helping at all. I was also trying so hard to exercise daily, which included running, I got up to 4 miles before I also had to quit that. I broke down coughing on the treadmill, even crying that the forces were so against me trying to be AF.

I am back to being AF and I will join the March monthly thread hopefully with more than a few AF days already. I am finally able to sleep with only an expectorant and trazedone. I can't tell you all how beat down I felt by week three and even right now, my joints ache and I am nauseated most of the time. Up until a few days ago the bronchial spasms literally made me gag and throw up. And of course, I had to give up my job hunt. Remember my interview? I never heard from them, but that was about when the spasms started. The triggers for them starting include being nervous, in a confined space, where I can't cough, and being overheated. A recipe for at least 10 min of nonstop coughing. I finally broke down and drank wine last Sunday to sleep (which we know isn't good sleep but at this point any sleep was the goal). After not drinking for awhile I passed out pretty quick.

I was also caring for my 17 year old niece. My life is a long story and I can't tell you how many times I've started to write about it here, but it's way too long to get into -- I honestly could write a rather large book with what I've been through in my 50 years. It is not unsimilar to books like the glass castle or any wally lamb book. Some pretty sad shit that continues to effect my daily life. Can you imagine being a grandparent and not acknowledging your grandchildrens' birthdays? At least the less desirable children's children. Hey dudes, it's not my fault you gave birth to me to be a slave to your selfish behaviors. Thank God I married into a family where I learned unconditional love and the importance of priorities with regard to raising innocent children you CHOSE to bring into this world. Sadly, my sister, my niece's mother, morphed into a much worse, truly disturbing parent that my ex bil, 27 yr old nephew (who is in med school and pretty much has no relationship with his mother) and I continue to pick up the pieces so my niece can hopefully be successful in life. Although a LOT of damage has been done and I feel we are loosing the battle. Too many years of substance abuse, alcohol, prescription meds (sister is a ped. nurse of all things), animal hoarding, the endless horrible lying and excuses about EVERYTHING. UGH! Stop it piper!

Today is about celebrating so I am off. I just want to thank you all again, especially Mr. Tips and his wife with my daughter in SA, and Flossie who is so encouraging in her pms. This is my "come clean" post you mentioned, so bring on March because I am still ready, I just need to have the stars line up in at least a decent order so I can move the flip on! I used to ask for spiritual support, but you can imagine where I am with that.

I'll post later after we celebrate (((hugs)))Piper

[papmom3]

Focused February - Week 4

(((Piper)))!! Great cake by the way! that had to take some time to do!!

I totally get it about the bronchitis. I too get it about once a year as I have asthma and I've even had 2 or 3 hospital stays due to severe infection. I know exactly what you mean about coughing until you gag and then vomit. Been there many many times.

All I can say to you and I say this knocking on wood, is that this whole past year I've gotten nothing but a tiny head cold and my asthma is wonderfully under control. I take all the supps recommended in the book, try to drink a lot of water and eat as well as I can and exercise. I also get a flu shot EVERY year and got my pneumonia vaccine 2 years ago (it's good for 5 I think). I think the combo of the vaccines, supps and being AF have played a huge role in that part of my health. So when you feel strong enough, look into the supps if you're not already taking them and make being AF the most important goal in your life. It might depend on it!!
Just remember, AL might make you sleepy and pass out but invariably you wake up a few hours later and there is no restorative value to the sleep you did get, then your immune system starts to break down and it's a viscous circle. You just can't rely on AL as a sleep aid no matter how bad it gets.

I'm glad you shared part of your story with us. Its cathartic and helps us all to get to know one another. What a wonderful surprise that must of been for your DD from Mr. Tip and his wife. We are a very special community, ready to help one another at the drop of a hat that is for sure!

Take care of yourself today, enjoy the celebrations and feel better fast. We're here for you!!