One Day At A Time

Our family has moved quite a bit over the years. Military moves and around town moves. Moves to be with family. We are looking to move one last time. House hunting is a mixture of excitement and frustration. I have been told by my wonderful husband that I am by far too picky, but a house is more than a structure to store your things and provide shelter. A house becomes your home. It is the place where you feel safe and comforted. It is the place where family memories are made. My family and I looked at a sweet little house that has been through the mill. The carpets look like used napkins and the interior doors have been used for soccer practice. I stopped to think what if this little house is looking for a new owner. Someone to love it and care for it as it deserves. Someone to patch up its boo-boos and breath fresh life into it. This thought makes me a little sad. If a house could talk what would it say? My previous owners took me for granted. They did little to notice I was even ...

I will never forget when my doctor told me that I am considered obese. I knew I was overweight, but obese is such an ugly word. More Americans (adults, teens, and children) are overweight than ever before. I am often shocked to see pre-teens that are carrying more weight on their bodies than I am. I did not have problems with my weight until I became a teen. Around age 14-15, my weight seemed to explode overnight. School photos show a dramatic change in my face. I had chubby cheeks. My weight gain seemed to happen so quickly that no one said hey put that second serving down. Matter of fact my dad was my food friend. We ate together because it was enjoyable. My sister and mother were tiny, with petite frames, while I was 182, 5’6, and a size 16. I lost weight my junior year and joined the army at 17. Then I really lost weight. At my smallest, I was 128lbs and a size 8. That may not seem small to some, but after I met my husband and had our daughter, wow did the weight come back and ...

As a freelance writer, I write about many different subjects. Most often, my topics are mundane and business oriented. However, there are times when I write about subjects that touch my heart and bring tears to my eyes. I recently had to write a piece on teen suicide. An 18-year-old girl took her life after falling victim to sexual abuse. She gathered the courage to tell others (teachers, counselors, police), but detectives told her they had trouble believing her and it was left at that. A year after she seeks help, justice, and healing she chooses to end her pain by suffocating herself at home. How this turns my stomach, fills my heart with pain, and leaves me to ask why someone did not do more for her. I have a young daughter. I warn her about people with dark intentions. I tell her to protect her body and to always tell someone in the event of the unthinkable. Nevertheless, this young woman spoke out and was ignored. On top of the pain she suffered from abuse she was shamed and s...

I never really thought about using proper grammar when writing my blog. I guess I always assumed it is just an electronic journal entry that I allow anyone to read. I started studying a grammar book after having someone point out to me how poor my grammar and punctuation can be. I am guilty of run-on sentences, comma splices, improper use of apostrophes and commas. Wow I feel like a writing mess. Writing is my passion, so to learn that I am performing all of these grammar felonies is alarming. So I am working on grammar self improvement. As I am studying I find that with new media we have new grammar rules. Who knew? This applies to texting, instant messages, emails, Facebook posts, etc. No fear, it's not as bad as it sounds. It's a matter of choosing a "language" so to speak that suits your style, audience, purpose, and self. Are you writing to a business crowd? If so you want to go formal. Are you simply talking to your peers, friends, family, etc.? This writing stl...

People are always searching for that certain someone to share the amazing thing we call love. I often wonder why people don't concern themselves more with loving a child or a pet. Sure there is something truly special about sharing life with a partner as we age and experience life, but love should not be meant for one adult human to another alone. Our hearts have a huge capacity to love. When we see a neighbor, child or animal who you know has that need for a hug, handshake or gentle caress we should give with all of our heart. I try to live this philosophy as much as possible, but I will be honest and say that I find it much easier to give love and care to an animal over many people that you encounter today. This is why I am asking the good people of Lexington Kentucky and surrounding cities to open your heart to pet adoption. If you have the financial means to take in a pet please adopt. There are so many cats and dogs that need a home with a loving family. There are four kitten...

In April of 2010 a small grey and white cat showed up at our door.I thought she was a kitten because she was so tiny. I assume someone dumped her in the neighborhod as she was friendly, not shy and ate the cat food on the porch right away. Later we discovered she was pregnant and she had her first litter Memorial Day weekend. I made numerous phone calls to find help or homes for the kittens, but it was "kitten season" and no one wanted these babies. I made flyers advertising free kittens. I offered to provide a free kitten kit with a litter box, food and pet dish. No answers and no phone calls came in. After struggling to get help with Oreo's (this is momma cat's name, named by the neighborhood kids)first litter of kittens I felt anxious about finding help for her third litter (Neighbors cared for her second and are uncertain of what happened to them). With prayers and hope the Jessamine Humane Society has taken these new babies in. All six sweet little fury, blue e...

I grew up in the eighties and remember mom and dad smoking in the house, in the car, just about everywhere. I remember thinking I was cool just like mom and dad as I blew out the smoke from my candy cigarette. I have flipped through child hood photos to see myself as an infant in my mother's lap as she holds her cigarette between her delicate fingers. The sad fact is that I lost both my grandfather and my mother to lung cancer. Both of them were life long smokers. I did what every kids does after learning that tobacco is bad for you in health class, I went home and gave my your killing yourself speech to my parents, which only aggitated them. After my mother was diagnosed with cancer I watched her slowly drop weight from her already naturally thin frame. I saw her wince in pain and lose enjoyment of life. I remember telling her about the electronic cigarette and how it has no tobacco, tar, carbon monoxide or any of the 4,000 harmful chemicals in tobacco cigarettes. My hope was to...