So many times we have to come to the VA for appointments for my husband and it can feel torturous.
I don’t know about anyone else, but we tend to dread it. The anxiety floods both of us and many times puts my hubby into a seizure.
I share this because anxiety is an up front, kick you in the pants, kind of thing to deal with And we deal with it all the time.
Realizing that the anxiety comes from us worrying about things was huge for me.
Worrying about what has happened in our past experiences.
Worrying if those experiences would be repeated or made worse than the last time.
Worrying if my hubby would have another seizure trying to get through the situation.
Worrying if he would fall again, since his riding scooter broke, and his wheelchair won’t even fit in my car now.
So many different things running through my head, ALL THE TIME.
So, what do I do?
I try my best to focus on any positive thing that God puts before me in each step of the process.
I focus on keeping my connection with him on a positive note while helping him get ready.
I focus on being grateful that his anxiety hasn’t already spun him into a seizure before, which usually leads to us having to reschedule.
I focus on the beautiful things we see on our drive there, some silly conversation and joking with him along the way.
I focus on the blessings in each step.
The waiting room tv wasn’t playing, so the noise level was lower than normal. This was a blessing, as noise tends to make the anxiety rise.
The one individual that checked us in was nice and she spoke in a gentle tone. HUGE Blessing!!
The tech that helped us get ready for his MRI was very personable and listened to what I had to say to help him get through it. Thank you, God.
These little blessings, God gives everyone, every day, throughout your day.
We just have to focus in and up to Him to see them.
Most people may not realize what it takes to get through an anxiety-ridden moment.
I can tell you, that through God’s grace, we are making it and YOU CAN TOO.
One moment at a time, focus for a second and find the blessing God is sharing with you.
Those little blessings will help ease the worry.
Those little blessings will help calm the nerves.
I pray your day is blessed and you see those little blessings more vividly today.
Hey, Y’all!
I know it's a few blog posts in but never too late.
Welcome to my blog.
I wanted to start by sharing a little about myself. I am a born and raised California girl. I am married to my soul mate and love, Jon, a Kentucky boy.
Our previous military life brought us together and eventually to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This is where we chose to settle down and raise our family after my husband’s early medical retirement from the United States Navy. Here we have embraced the Southern lifestyle and raised our three kids, now young adults pursuing their life dreams.
Our journey has brought so much joy as well as sorrow. We have endured having to rebuild our life, more than once, including natural disasters, disability and health issues, and just chaos amongst it all.
Maintaining our faith, love, and family values have been of the highest importance and kept us going. When the going got tough, I got on my knees. When we felt like there was no way up, God brought us the ladder we needed.
Even Hurricane Katrina couldn’t keep us down. The chaos of having to regroup, after losing everything was one of the hardest things, we’ve even been through as a family. At the time, it felt paralyzing, and all the “Why us?” Questions came pouring in questioning God and how He allowed this to happen to all of us on the Gulf Coast.
Have you found yourself questioning “Why us?” in your life lately? Do you feel like there’s no way up?
You too can find a new balance through any chaos you are going through. We truly aspire to find the blessings in every day that God has us here on this Earth. Can you find the blessings in your days?
I look forward to chatting with you all and seeing how our family's life and stories can inspire and bless yours.
I hope your day is blessed.
XOXO Kat
A few days ago I sat working on my laptop, my husband laying resting in the bed next to me, I chose to watch the Movie "We bought a Zoo." A little bit about the beginning of this movie...family of four, mom recently passed away, widowed dad left to raise their two kids alone. It's a good movie about a family that works through their trauma and comes out on the other side truly blessed.
In the first few minutes of this movie, the evidence of trauma comes vividly apparent and you can see that they need a change drastically. That night, as the dad puts the daughter to bed, their neighbors are having a party and she says "Their happy is too loud."
Their family needs a start over.
Have you ever been through something that you just needed a start over? Our family truly has encountered the need for a start over. Health traumas have tainted our life for many years.
Have you ever been through a family situation that turned your life upside down? We have, more than once, and we have lived through it and are on the other side.
Have you ever felt like you just want to erase what happened and start over? Absolutely.
Are you going through something right now that you're having a hard time with? Let's connect.
Have you felt like your "happy" volume has been turned down? Let's check the volume.
I have learned that to find hope in life, I needed something to look forward to yet I had a hard time finding it by myself.
When I turned and focused on my Faith, things seemed to begin to look up. God helped me to see the hope in our life again.
Where do you turn to find hope?
Would you like to start working towards turning the happy volume back up in your life?
Come join my community where we are working towards finding the blessings in life.
In the midst of the chaos, we are finding the Joy in the moments, and turning our happy volume back up.
We are finding FAITH, discovering HOPE, and sharing LOVE.
Tonight I am having a moment of reflection.
Reflecting on how far I have come in my life.
Reflecting on how far we have come in our marriage.
When I think about how we've gotten through all these years of the health issues and situations that have come along with them I am soo grateful.
I am grateful that I have God in my life.
I am grateful that He has guided us through each hard time.
I am grateful that He has helped me to change my mindset on so many things in our life.
I am grateful that new perspectives can turn negative situations into positive blessings.
I am grateful that our life continued, one day at a time, and with each day brought new beginnings.
I am grateful that being my love's caregiver has given me the ability to show him my love on an extremely deeper level.
I am grateful for the situations that were turned from traumas to testimonies.
I am grateful for the situations that were turned from traumas to testimonies.
I am grateful for the priceless moments that we have had to rebuild our lives together since his health traumas because he is still with me.
If you don't know already, I love music and how God truly speaks to my heart through music. Through music I can truly embrace worshiping Him. There are many artists that have helped me through their songs to embrace worship on a new level.
This song is one that really brings me to my knees with how GOD has blessed me through this journey as a caregiver.
Even in the darkest times, He guides me and helps me get...THROUGH IT ALL. Here's a song I love that just resonates with me and how God has helped me through it all.
If you want to see more of my marriage, family life, & caregiving encouragement (with military caregiver focus), Come to join my Facebook community here. Let's connect!
My heart is full of blessings today. As I think back on a day, last week. I was resting in bed after a spine treatment, a friend's post blessed me from over a thousand miles away. It got my creative mind thinking and moving in such a beautiful way. Why not start a blog post with a thought like this?
God truly has blessed every one of us. And in so many unmeasurable and different ways. I feel that with how busy life has gotten for everyone that we simply do not take the time to enjoy it like He intended us to.
❤️What have you seen 👀 today, that blesses you?
❤️What have you heard 👂 today, that blesses you?
❤️What have you smelled👃 today, that blesses you?
❤️What have you touched🖐️ today, that blesses you?
❤️What have you tasted 👅 today, that blesses you?
❤️ What have you felt 🥰 today, that blesses you?
Why do you think God gave us these delicate, sensitive, inspiring senses in our bodies if He did not intend for us to use them to find the joys in life? (Yeah, for the negative Nancy's out there, they find the bad stuff too....but that thought is for another post, another day.)
Find one thing today that blesses you and describe it for us below in the comments.
More in depth on this in future posts and even trainings.
I Love being blessed and love sharing the blessings God shows me every single day.
I hope your day is blessed!
Blessings,
