Grow. Seek. Look. Dream. BE!
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness #Greatitudes
“Look for the best in each day” — has become our motto. Be grateful for each and every moment of lucidity, joy, every smile and laughter. They do become our treasures.
Month: October 2017
renew
Reflect, renew…. LIVE your purpose
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness #Greatitudes
We’re often asked if we’re still okay with our decision to move cross country to take care of Mom… we’ve never regretted a single day. Some days are harder than others… but we are very happy with our decision to come home and become full-time caregivers. It’s a joy!
It’s important to remember that this is part of a long stretch in our journey and it requires us to RENEW daily. To reflect on our purpose and LIVE with joy in the now. We know our choices have made a significant difference for Mom. She is thriving. The decline that was anticipated at this point in her life isn’t happening as rapidly as once predicted —
Here’s to a fabulous day! We are ready and encouraged by our own renewals for the great things that are along today’s path. Hope your day brings joy your way.
pause….
Take a few minutes and enjoy the every day sort of things that surround you.
Every day as we get Mom ready for her day, we have the opportunity to check the landscape through a high window in the bathroom. Sunday, the sky was a brilliant blue and the gold and yellow hued leaves still filled the branches of the tree.. Yesterday, there were fewer leaves on the trees and the sky was a dusty kind of blue with a few scattered clouds. I’ve no doubt that Mom can envision a beautiful watercolor image on a canvas using her favorite brushes to create a “masterpiece” on a canvas as we “paint” a picture describing the beauty of what lies beyond the glass every day.
Sadly, her abilities to paint have been stripped away by Alzheimer’s. Her hands shake as she holds the brush and even drawing a line or what we would consider a simple shape now eludes her and no doubt causes her great sadness as tears sometimes welled in her eyes..
What we do know it that she loves the beauty that nature provides her in every day moments and ordinary things. Be it a flower, twig, rock or a pine cone; a leaf, a smile, or a kind word, a snapshot of a family member, friend or the mountains. They all bring great joy to her heart.
Consider pausing today — look out the window, look at the sky, take a walk. Enjoy and treasure today.
gifts
Give yourself a most precious gift…
believe in YOU!
(image credit: Oh So Shabby by Debbie Reynolds)
Yesterday, I was met with a wall of frustration — my inability to get something that should have been so easy to finish, DONE! I had to walk away from it. Leaving it cluttering my work space overnight – I woke up this morning, looked over at the the mess on the table and decided it wasn’t worth more frustration and disappointment in knowing and seeing that the face of the project was still warped despite the weight I’d placed on it hoping I would have a workable surface today, isn’t usable at all for this project.
Seeing what I see now, this small segment of the larger project just wasn’t meant to work — and guess what? This morning, I’m okay with that — and that’s the GIFT! It actually opens more possibilities AND I can take this project in a new direction — make it “more” than the original project idea was meant to be.
Today the gift is seeing beyond the original idea — envisioning more potential and growing in the process.
embrace the good
Embrace the good that is in every heart.
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness #Greatitudes
Embrace the moment — That’s been our mantra the last couple of days. We’re both a bit under the weather and definitely not feeling our best. I can only imagine how difficult it is for Mom when she can’t find the words to pinpoint the problem so we can provide the correct support. Her frustration is visible as she shrugs her shoulders as we try to pinpoint the current feeling of unwellness…
Deep breaths for both of us and patience blooms again as we take one more long, deep breath… exhaling and start new.
Together, we’re resetting back to greatness and not getting stuck in the muck when it would really be so much easier to let the funk continue to take us for a longer ride. Embracing our greatness together brings a release and the ability to begin again.
Here’s to a fresh start — right now. Not in 5 or 10, but in this moment and most importantly, with LOVE.
today’s intentions lead us to our tomorrows
The thoughts and intentions we have today
will lead us to our tomorrow…
Being flexible at all different levels has ultimately become this week’s intention — going with the flow so to speak.
Yesterday was one of those days we needed to pull out something else from “bag” and shift the energy around a bit. We have learned that listening to music will change her energy and make a difference, so that’s exactly what we did. Within a few minutes she had selected 2 DVDs and was tapping her toes and trying to sing along to most of the songs in the Music Man (an all time favorite and never grows old) and even surprised us with a bit of voice to a song from Annie! There was even a lightness in her step as we took a walk around the house after it finished.
From my perspective, if our intentions are to provide “best care,” then we need to be prepared to be “in tune” and shift our own energies and intentions for more #bestday choices when those in our care aren’t sure how to go about it. Here’s to today! It’ll be a Great one!
smiles
Make it a smiley kind of day!!
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness #bestday
We have found lots of ways to turn things into smiles as we traverse this journey. It’s not always easy, but the results are definitely worth while. Last night, a case in point after a pretty rough start earlier in the day…
We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to care for our youngest grandchild last night for a few hours. His face lights up when he sees us and especially when he connects with Grandma Great! Those brief moments of touch and more.
He’s too big and squirmy for her to hold for long now, but he reached out and held on to a finger for a few seconds and the joy in her face and voice were well worth it. She avidly watched as he rolled on the floor chasing his toys from one side of the room to the other. She was delighted even more when he rolled to her feet and tickled her toes through her slippers.
I’ve no doubt that memories from long ago as we were all growing up were brought back to mind. Her smiles lasted the rest of the night and even as she laid her head on her pillow for one last hug for the day and a kiss….
perspectives
When you learn to appreciate the core of who you are,
you will see the whole “package” …
with an amazing and beautiful perspective of the real you.
#Alzheimers #bestday #family
I’ve seen Mom cringe more than a few times she looks at herself in the mirror over the past couple of years. She hasn’t been happy with what she was seeing reflected back at her. BUT….that’s not the woman I see. I see her beauty from the inside out. She’s still ‘Mom, Grandma, and Grandma-Great” and always will be to her extended family. White and silver hair, a few wrinkles, don’t define her … She has an amazing story to tell and there are still a few stories in her eyes as we look through old photo books and she shares bits and pieces of the memories that come flowing out.
Yesterday, we had our monthly family gathering — a few of her grandchildren and great-grands joined us. It was an amazing afternoon and evening. There was laughter, tears, joy and so much more. We had a beautiful time as the great-grands picked their pumpkins from our “patch” and delighted as they opened a small bag of goodies at the end of the evening. Mom was just as excited for them as they were!
Mom’s demeanor was light, filled with smiles and joy and even a twinge of sadness as they all gathered their jackets, put on their shoes and headed back to their own homes as bedtimes grew closer — then, as we initiated her bedtime routine last evening, she paused at the mirror and said, “Not bad!”
Mission accomplished for the day!
Be True to you…
Let your true you be bright and shine for the world
to see you for who you are.
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness #BestDay
This image was inspired by a posting made by @Soulseeds a few years back. I hope you’ll find something that you’re searching for today in yourself and let it be colorful and bright. Share it with those around you. That’s our plan for the day! Have a #bestday!
Listen in the stillness
Listen in the quiet moments of the day..
there’s much to hear, see and celebrate!
#nurturedheart #GrowinGreatness
I sometimes get caught up in the messiness that is part of my “every” day — and when that happens and the anxiety or overwhelm builds in what isn’t going well – I need to remember I have the capability to filter that out and can choose to find ALL that is going well. It’s really my choice as to what I see, hear and feel.
Today, I have the intention of listening in those quiet moments and let the goodness I see and feel be my guides and cherish the joy that fills my heart and hope that as my momentum grows in seeing the good, others will join me and we will all enjoy another #bestday.
Greatitudes 