thankful...

"Be prepared to let go of anything I take from you, but never let go of My hand"

Today is a day of reflection for me, and gratitude.

It also brings back a flood of memories and fears.  The last few days have…

Today is a year, last year at this time my husband Steve was having his open heart surgery.  I won’t retell the story, but he found out about his heart problems during his 50 year Wellness tests… Things happened very quickly, tests then the surgery. 

Steve is my “everything”; I went from my parents, to his side at 18 years old.  We have been through many things together, and our path has taken us away from family…so you see it is he and I. 

My fear, what would I do without him during that surgery?  He was always there for me, for all of the hard times…I was alone.  Or was I?  I am not a religious person, I believe in God.  But for the first time in my life, I really believed…I felt his presence, I knew he was with me and I knew he was with Steve. 

My outlook has changed a bit; I do not question being alone any more.  I know I am not.  I am still learning. 

I had the company of my very special friend, my “sister friend” who came with us that morning, and stayed by my side all day.  I love you Bridgette, you will never know what that meant for me, for you to be there with me.  I had friends come by the hospital as the day went on, I am so grateful for them. 

You never, ever know what you are capable of doing.  I struggle with fear and fear based thoughts, it is ongoing and it is hard work….”I am not where I want to be, but I am not where I once was”…that is my mantra…

I love my husband with all of my heart, I have for the 34 years I have know him… we have struggles like all couples... but I am so happy that he is here with me.  Call me very grateful today.  I love you Steve…

TICK,TICK,TICK

Well the time is ticking away from 2010.  We are just days away from a New Year... Resolutions are on our minds, a fresh start....for many of us...what does the New Year mean to you?
For us, the latter part of 2010 brought much anxiety and worry.  First Mom and her open heart surgery and then to return home and have my husband Steve....wind up in the same boat, oh my gosh....Who could have thought this???? Certainly not me.  Oh the lessons I have learned this year.

One is gratitude- I am so grateful for the love and prayers of both friends and people I do not know...or did not know.  I learned that when you ask or open your heart to others about your worries...you shall be blessed with the concern of the people you open up to.  Mom and Steve are both doing great, God has answered all of our prayers.  They are still recovering, but moving onward. This family has much to be grateful for.

LIFES PATH…..

Hi everyone~

Just as I was trying to get back to blogging after being away for so long with my mom’s open heart surgery….we find through a series of everyday tests, that my 50 year old husband Steve was having heart problems as well. After tests and seeing a cardiac doctor he was urged to get an angiogram, results were….by-pass surgery! WHAT, how can this be happening? AGAIN….

You just never know which path you will be asked to go down, and the lessons learned are always so welcomed and gratitude pours from your soul. I have always believed in everything happens for a reason and I believe that more and more each day.

Steve had 2 blocked arteries at 100%, and one at 60%. He never had a symptom and was told he had 2 heart attacks or events. Crazy….thank God for a Dr. asking for a stress test. Now he is, no WAS a smoker…but heart disease runs through both sides of his family, as does mine. So much of this was genetic as well as effects from smoking. He was operated on Friday Oct. 22, and much to our surprised released Monday evening. He has done fabulous; praise God and his Dr.’s. He is at home for about 3 months since he works offshore, he goes back to the surgeon in 2 weeks. He is walking and doing little things, unable to drive or ride for that matter. He is not one to sit around, so this is bothering him a bit. I am trying to not hover over him and give him some space…lol. I came very close to losing my best friend and neither of us knew it. I am so grateful to everyone for thoughts and prayers and friendship! I feel like one luck girl…

I hope to be back with more good news soon, and maybe some art too. I just wanted to catch y’all up….if you haven’t all left me already. I plan to blog hop tonight, so see ya soon…..
Blessing to each and every one of you.

So BLESSED...

This morning I am feeling so blessed and saying thank you. Last month on this day, we were in the hospital with mom and she was awaiting her heart catheterization. This was the first step to her open heart surgery. We gathered and tried to get her mind off things, trying to keep her (and us) positive, we prayed we asked others to pray…and pray you did. And our prayers were answered. For that I am very grateful and mom and dad are very grateful.
She did great, her stay in CCU was only two days, and her stay in the hospital was much shorter than expected. Her trip to rehab, now that was hat she feared most, and she did so well that she was released from there quickly as well. We all see this as God’s will….but I am so proud of my mom, because she also has a very strong will and we are all so happy to see that.
So continue to fight mom, and do what you are told to do…I am so proud of you and I love you and Dad very much.
Thank you to each and everyone of my friends and family, my art friends, FB friends, Etsy friends, personal friends and people whom we didn’t know…prayers mean so much and I appreciate them all~

GRATEFUL HEART

Today I write this as a very grateful woman.  All the prayers were answered and my mom’s open heart surgery was a success.  Her hospital and rehab stay was much shorter than her Dr.’s thought, Amen…She was VERY happy about this, and she just wanted to be home.  Her RA was the major factor in this, and so far we are very pleased.  She is getting stronger everyday and becoming more and more herself with each passing day.