Monthly Archives: May 2015

Time To Take Care Of You!

Last year, I wrote a post about learning at a very young age how important it was to take care of my health, and that by the time I was in my 30s and busier than ever raising kids and working full time, I started making May “me month” so I would remember to schedule annual exams. I have always reminded my friends to make their health a priority and when I got on Twitter nearly four years ago, I started reminding women there to take care of themselves. Because of these reminders (as well as other stories I have written on my blog pertaining to my own health and Wil’s health) I have been asked again to be an Ambassador for National Women’s Health Week and of course, I said yes!

One of the things I love that they’re doing this year is talking about health at every age. Being in my 40s, I have noticed a lot of changes in my body that are new to me. Annual blood tests, gynecological exams, and mammograms have been my peace of mind in knowing these changes are normal. And if I have something suspicious, such as the nodules on my thyroid, I get ultrasounds and biopsies to monitor it for any possible changes.

Our bodies are complicated but getting annual screenings is the greatest thing you can do for yourself to live a long and healthy life. As your Ambassador, I’m here to remind you to take a few moments this week to schedule those annual exams! And if there are new changes you’ve noticed in your health, including your mental health, please take the time to schedule an appointment to talk to your doctor, or to find a low or no-cost clinic near you to get the treatment you need. You, and the people who love you, will be so happy you did.

 

Still A Day To Remember

This is a repost from last year.

Every year as Mother’s Day approaches, I can’t help but feel like it’s a silly “holiday” created by Hallmark to sell cards. But every year on the actual day, my mind fills with memories of all the handmade cards and gifts my kids gave me when they were little and it makes me so happy.

Today, I found an old photo of me, Ryan and Nolan, taken in front of the little duplex I was renting back in 1995. They are 5 and 3 in the photo, and I was 25. I was really struggling to support us back then, but I did everything I could to find fun things to do, and tried to take as many pictures as possible of us with my old 35 mm camera that my parents gave me for my 18th birthday.

We don’t live too far from that duplex, so I thought it would be fun to go back and re-create that photo of us today. It’s been 19 years since that was taken, and I love that the building still looks the same. The 3 of us have all gotten older, the kids are obviously bigger, but standing on that lawn together felt like walking into a time capsule. We lived through some pretty tough times there, but we wouldn’t have the life we have now if we hadn’t lived that life then. I would do it all again in a heartbeat knowing the men those boys have become. Best Mother’sDay, ever.

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