BIRTHDAY WEEK FAVES

 

Wow....we are in the midst of the holiday season and it's Friday already!

I'm joining in with others who share FIVE of their FAVE blessings from the week by linking up together over at Living to Tell the Story. How about joining us? It's important to find things to be grateful for especially in hectic weeks during hectic times.

FIVE FAVES

Holiday Vegan Donuts!

• HOME!  Our youngest daughter, Claire, now a senior at UNH, came home last Friday and brought with her the most amazing donuts I've ever sunk my teeth into. I will never crave a dunks or krispy kreme again. These donuts are the real deal.  Totally vegan and handcrafted in Kittery Maine at this place. She drove 30 minutes north of campus to Maine to pick these up Friday morning before turning south and west to come home to NY.  They're made with oatmilk vs dairy.  She chose 2 donuts for each of us based on our likes.  For me, she chose vanilla donut with chocolate ganache. Friends!  These  donuts are not made with ANY animal products!!  Just amazing.  I'm so thankful she got home safely and can be home for Christmas and most of January. She also gave me the BEST compliment a mom can receive.  She told me she learned this fall that she appreciates me and our home more than ever now that she has an apartment to care for. She said she realizes how much work there is that I do.  LOVE!!!!

• GOOD REPORT!  I had to have a couple of medical tests done to rule out a couple of things.  Praise God, everything is normal and healthy in the areas I had to have assessed.  I thank God for medical personnel and quick results and never want to take health insurance for granted.  I cannot imagine what two of these 3 exams would cost minus insurance!

"Happy Birthday, Mother" in Russian

Ethically sourced olive oil from Palestine

handmade winter infinity scarf
 (because she taught herself to crochet)

Navy blue Pajamas made from bamboo

• GIFTS!  I turned 61 on Wednesday, and had the day off because I had a medical appointment.  After the appt, since Dave and Courtney were working from home that day, they gave me the gifts they had bought/made me.  Dave got me the most awesome bamboo pajamas.  I have a bamboo bathrobe I bought my self a couple of years ago.  Well, if you're not familiar with clothing made from bamboo (which is a renewable resource and SO worth the extra money), you should try an item.  Bamboo keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. It's just amazing.  And Courtney crocheted a beautiful infinity scarf for me to wear on my winter walks or on the playground with the students.  Claire gifted me with fair trade, ethically sourced Palestinian olive oil that she bought from a fair trade shop in NH. I felt so special and loved and am very thankful for my family and their gifts to me.  Claire also wrote "Happy Birthday, Mother" in Russian(she's been studying Russian since the 5th grade and is minoring in it at UNH). 

• CHIROPRACTIC APPT: Finally figured out why I've had burning pain in my body in one specific area......after a slew of tests and ultrasounds....it's my sciatica!  I have an acute case....meaning it just came on fast and  fierce.  I got into my chiropractor the same day I called (Wednesday as I had the day off) and she really manipulated my spine, and gave me the hypervolt on that horribly painful area.  Wow....I was a good 25% pain free when I left there with a good stretching/yoga plan:  4 different moves that target the lower back and piriformis muscle. Since I have degenerative disc disease from all those years of hauling heavy backpacks up and down mountains and also carrying preschoolers and lifting, pushing, etc I have 2 slipped discs that were discovered in 2012 on an MRI.  My chiropractor knows how to use cutting edge technology and exercise to get the pain away and the muscle and tissues stronger.  It's probably going to take 2-3 appointments weekly for the next month for me to be totally pain free.  I'm so thankful for being a client at the best chiropractic practice in the area where I live.  They're the only place that uses laser and ultrasound therapy as well as hypervolt therapy and combining it with exercise and yoga.  Most places just adjust your back.  

• POWER OF PRAYER!  A friend of mine and i were talking about the power of prayer and our thoughts and also about praying Scripture over our bodies.  Man.....the power of prayer is amazing.  I have had some fear over this sciatica (because we didn't know that is what I was dealing with as it presented differently the first time I had a flare up) and after reading a devotional about taking out thoughts captive and focusing on God's healing power, I had such peace!  Combined with the prayers of my Book Group, some family members and my close friends/husband, this has helped my emotions tremendously.  I'm so thankful we can go to God in prayer and He is always there for us.

That wraps up my birthday week!

We have my youngest sister and her husband and 2 daughters coming over tonight for pizza, salad, drinks and to exchange Christmas gifts.  Since me and my 3 sisters and our families cannot all gather at once due to continued Covid restrictions, we are getting together in small groups.  We will have my girls and her girls eat in the dining room and us older adults will eat in the family room. Then we will try to sit together as households to open the gifts.  It should be ok and fun!  

If you think of it, please lift up my mother in law Betty in prayer. She just discovered she has covid and is in the hospital as is quite ill.  She's 85 and also has other health issues.  She is not a Christian so we are praying she comes to Christ through all of this. 

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!!