tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92066678214541632662024-03-12T16:27:03.491-07:00Love and Combat BootsWives. Writers. Warriors.Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-55246158007355500082015-08-15T00:35:00.000-07:002015-08-15T00:35:51.462-07:00The Role of a Lifetime<br />
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In this hard time of life right now, trust is a huge factor in why I chose some people over others. I've learned that for most people, time is not a factor in life. I do believe in the theory of "Reason, Season and Lifetime". </div>
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Reason- To help get you through a time or purpose. To teach a lesson of life that you might not otherwise have learned, and is pertinent for the rest of your life. Now, "Reason" might only be in your life for a very short time, a certain doctor who can heal your illness or wound or even a stranger you pass on the sidewalk who smiles at you and it brightens your day. "Reason" can also be in your life for a longer amount of time. They could be a boss who teaches you how to do your job better or more effectively so that you can promote to a better position. It could be that friend in 7th Grade who taught you to love with your whole heart, no matter how much it hurts inside. Whoever "Reason" is, learn from them what you need. God put them in front of you right now, or right at that time for a reason.</div>
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Season- This is a person who means just a bit more than "Reason". "Season" is the one who stood by you all through High School, but come graduation, you went your separate ways. You have great memories with Season, good times to recall on when reminiscing about your old glory days. Season can also be that friend who was there during a special or difficult time in your life. They were there for advice, a shoulder to cry on, to laugh with. Season was put in your life to teach you about who you are or who you are becoming. Season can be that old fling who taught you what you wanted from a relationship, and more importantly, what you wouldn't have in any future relationships. Season can be around for a short time, but is usually not. Season usually takes part in your life for at least 1 year. </div>
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Lifetime- This is a person who is there through each and every season of life, and stays. Lifetime is a constant in your heart, but doesn't necessarily have to be a part of your daily life. Lifetime is the person that time doesn't have a factor for. Lifetime is a tried and true friend. Lifetime is also very rare. Lifetime is the one who you can go for months without talking to, and you pick up right where you left off, like not a day had passed. Lifetime is not one you have to question if the relationship is ok.</div>
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There is one other kind of person. I call them "Bubble". Bubble is a person who has somehow become all 3. They are not a constant part of your life, but have been in your life for the longest. They come in for a Reason every once in a while, and maybe they stay for a Season. At times they only come for a Reason and then they are gone again. Each Season they come back for teaches you a little more about yourself, and them as well. You grow as people together and apart. They Bubble up in your life as God sees fit for you. </div>
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I have all of these kinds of people in my life. I have a couple of Bubbles, I have fewer Lifetimes some Seasons and a usually quite a few Reasons. And the truth is, just because someone starts out one way, doesn't always mean they they will stay there. It doesn't always mean that they stay, at all. But what it does mean, is that they brought something into your life. If a person coming into your life changes you at all, they become one of these people. Whether it be that stranger smiling at you as they walk past (Reason) or it's the best friend who you go to the ends of the earth and back with time and time again (Lifetime). </div>
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The funny part of life, is that God doesn't usually tell us why some people stay and some people go. Why he closes the door on a relationship when we think that the person is the only thing in life we need. Or why that friend that is an on-going on again off again person in your life, always seems to be there at just the right moment. </div>
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I have been blessed with that answer twice. Why, when all I thought I wanted to do was have that door wide open, and have that person in my life forever, God had another plan. He knew that I would end up hurt, more so than what I was when the relationship ended. He showed me that I would have just been one of many in a line of women who were tossed when he had better things to do. That person I wanted for my own, who for a time I thought he was, was only there to teach me about myself. And I did learn from him. I learned that I am beautiful and desirable and wanted, despite what I thought of myself. I learned to not compare myself to other women, because it has nothing to do with what I see in them but what he sees in me! I also learned that I deserve to be first choice. I don't deserve to be a secret or something kept hidden. I am lovable and I am meant to be shown off and praised. I learned that no matter how hard you pray for something, if God really doesn't want it to happen, it won't. He was my ultimate Reason who was a very big part of a Season. </div>
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The other answer I got from God was that no matter the situation, God will always protect me from things meant for my harm. As deeply as I love and as hard as I fall, God's love is deeper and truer than any we can experience from another human. No matter how much I wanted the relationship to go on forever, God knew when it was supposed to end. He also knew that my heart could handle a Lifetime relationship that would never be together. He gave me everything good from himself, and as soon as he did, he was gone. I have an amazing and beautiful reminder of him on a daily basis. The very best of him, walking around and being all the good things that he or I could have ever imagined from ourselves. And recently, after my heart had healed and was no longer broken, God revealed to me exactly why He closed that door. I pray for him now, and can only ask God to show him the path that He has made for him. But I can also live now, knowing that he no longer holds a piece of me. And for that, I am blessed!</div>
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Do you have a Reason, Season or a Lifetime? Maybe you even have a Bubble?? We all usually have a few of each, but do you know who they are and what role they play in your life? My message to you is<b>…</b> ask God to reveal Himself to you. To show you who is supposed to be in your life and for what role. Also, trust Him when He answers you. When He is closing that door, don't try to put your foot in the way to keep it from closing. He has a reason, and one day, He might show you. Trust in Him in ALL things! </div>
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Proverbs 3:5-6 </div>
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart</div>
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and lean not into your own understanding;</div>
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in all your ways submit to Him,</div>
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and He will make your paths straight.</div>
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Currently Listening to: The Seattle Seahawks Pre-Season Game 1!!!! GO HAWKS!!!</div>
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Emily</div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-71545916591667671452015-07-07T14:10:00.001-07:002015-07-20T22:49:06.861-07:00The Long Road<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999; font-family: AppleSpice;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999; font-family: AppleSpice;">Well, it has been some time since I last wrote. Things have happened. Things have changed…</span></div>
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In May, my mom went in for a mammogram. She got called back in., "I'm sorry to tell you K, but you have breast cancer." My world was shaken upside down. In a whirlwind of time, my mom was diagnosed, going to specialists and prepping for a bi-lateral mastectomy. My grandmother has also had BC twice, once on each side. So, when my mom was diagnosed, she had options. Lumpectomy, remove one side or remove both. She made the courageous decision to have both of her breasts removed. She didn't want to worry about having to go back every 6 months, to go through the anxiety of "what if". She was able to go through the genetic testing to see if she carried the gene, and by the grace of God, she doesn't carry that gene, which means that I most likely don't, which means my girls most likely don't. (((DEEP SIGH OF RELIEF))) Well, we prepared for what was to come next. </div>
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So, now we start June<b>…</b> </div>
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The day before my mom went in for surgery, my husband was at an event with WWP. At the event (touted to be a motivational thing, not a physical thing) a guy was demonstrating a martial arts move with my husband, and instead of just demonstrating he came down on my husband full force and fractured one of his ribs. So, the next morning, my mom went in for surgery. All went well, with a couple of "surprises" that kept her under for 2 extra hours. But all went smoothly and (shockingly) she came home that day. Yes, now they have finally realized that recovery at home is actually a good thing. We got my mom home and settled and comfy. And then, I had to take my husband into the ER. </div>
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His chest was in incredible pain. And with his burn-pit exposure from down range, he has a decreased lung capacity, so he already has issues breathing. Well, when we got to the ER, they took us back into a room. The room they took us into just so happened to be the same room, where 3 years ago, my grandfather passed away. I was with him in that room when he took his last breathe. I was overcome with emotion, to say the least. They did x-rays and a MRI, and from what they saw, he was possibly looking at emergency surgery. However, at that hospital, they cannot handle his type of case, so they had to transfer him to another hospital. At the next hospital, they did more x-rays and another MRI. There was a lot of internal bleeding, or so thy thought, so they had to keep him for observation. Luckily, there was only internal bruising, he was not bleeding internally. </div>
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During this time, this last few days of my life, I kept saying "I can't handle anymore". I used the analogy of the unknown strength that comes over a mother to remove a car from on top of her baby, that energy, that rush of adrenaline, was the ONLY thing that i was working with. I hadn't slept in days. I wasn't able to eat much. And during this time I'm still helping to take care of my mom, to lessen the work for my dad. I'm still taking care of my husband, who really can't do a lot of anything because of the pain. I'm still taking care of our daughters, the littlest is still nursing. I'm still taking care of our house and animals. (I must stop here and mention that at some point in the first week of June, our cat went missing and we have still yet to find her) I'm still trying to find time to sleep, ha ha ha<b>…</b> </div>
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My mom has a couple more procedures during the month. But her recovery is going along very well. She is healing well, and her doctor informs her that he is very confidant that he got all the cancer out. She is now, and still, in the process of going through the next phase of the journey. She is now getting ready for chemo. This woman has the strength that only God can give you. She has come through this with such joy and high spirits. I am in awe of her. I know that is with God and only God that she has made it through all of this with such grace! </div>
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All during the month of June, I kept saying "I can't handle anymore", " I just can't do this". Well, God knows me better than I will ever know myself. He knows just how strong He made me. And He also has a sense of humor. </div>
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I have a great friend who is an amazing photographer. I've actually know her since I was very little, she was one of my babysitters. Every so often I help her out with events and projects. We have a GREAT bartering system. I "work" for her, and in return I get professional pictures of my family and an amazing discount!! (I'll put in her website at the end of this, in case you need a good photographer) Well, one of the last days of June, I was scheduled to work with T. I had an appointment just before going to work with her, so I was looking great walking into the office! The first time in a long time that I had put makeup on, done my hair and looked better than the "crappy jeans and tshirt with a messy bun" look that I normally go for. I was feeling amazing about myself and looking good!! Well, God and His sense of humor decided to pop up just as I was walking into the office.</div>
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TCF. Of all the people in all the places. I was walking through the parking lot, just about to walk through the breezeway to go into the office. And there I am stopped dead in my tracks. Probably looking like I had just seen a ghost. I couldn't move my feet. All I could do was stare. My daughters biological father was sitting right there in front of me. well, he was sitting off to the side and somehow I mustered up enough to move my feet so he couldn't see me watching him. I just stopped and watched him, he was talking to a woman. She walked back into the building, and he started off for the parking lot. I had to talk to him. I hadn't seen this man in over 8 years. And the last time I had seen him, it was not the best parting. The last time he had seen my child was almost 10 years ago.</div>
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We talked for about 20 minutes. It was one of those times that you never think is going to happen. I know I've had so many unanswered questions. And I finally got to ask him. Does he think about her? Does he care about her? Did he regret signing the adoption papers? Is he ok? I got to ask, and he actually answered. The best thing he ever did for her was walk away. Just looking at him, you could see the drugs had done quite a number on him.He used to have this amazing smile, and ow all thats left is a mouth without teeth and the faint hint of a person who used to be in there. And he was ok. Just ok, but at least ok. I saw the reason God took him out of our lives. God answered that question that had lingered in the back of my mind for so many years. I said goodbye. And as I was walking away (still shaking, mind you) I knew that I had just closed that chapter. Finally, after all this time, I got to close that chapter in a way that I wasn't left with more questions.</div>
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God has a funny way of showing us things. And for some of us, who do't get it, He puts it right in front of us, in the flesh so that we can see it, feel it, hear it<b>…</b> And still know that it's Him. My God has given me the very best. I don't praise Him enough for all He has done for me. He has opened up doors to things I would have never thought possible. He has closed doors on things that I fought so hard to have open, and all because He needed to protect me. If not from the person or situation, at the very least from myself. </div>
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Has God done things like that in your life? Have you ever had that very blunt, in your face answer? Well, God knew what He was doing when He created me. He created me to be strong. Stronger than I even know. He created me to be passionate, caring, compassionate, empathetic, loving, kind and extremely emotional. He created me to go through the toughest parts of life, and come out victorious on His shoulders! </div>
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So, now we move into July<b>…</b></div>
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The 4th of July is always a little difficult around our house. With the Hubbs PTSD, it can be interesting. My birthday is this month, and I am SO blessed that I get to spend it with Ayana, who's birthday is just 2 days before mine! The big kid starts her cheer practice again and later this summer gets to go to Summer Camp (a whole week away)!!! The little kid is getting in her 2 year molars and is not dealing with it well. My mom is gearing up for chemo beautifully. </div>
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Then theres me. I am stressed, blessed and taking one step at a time. I thank God for my blessings and lean into Him when the stress gets to be too much. Thanks God for having such great timing, in all things.</div>
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Emily</div>
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Listening to: Z and L watching cartoons</div>
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Word: Phillippians 4:!3 "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength."</div>
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WWW.RiandiPhotography.com</div>
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</span>Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-38251026514851217462015-01-29T16:46:00.000-08:002015-01-29T16:46:08.505-08:00Do you DSFY?<br />
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always does “Do Something for Yourself” equate to you spending tons of money
exploring your surroundings, or even leaving your house for that matter.
Sometimes, remembering to do something for yourself can be as simple as taking
time out for a long hot bath, spending an hour watching a TV show that you love,
preparing a yummy meal of all your foods, or even taking a long walk to clear
your head. For me, reading is a simple, inexpensive way for me to connect with
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;">This
year, a good friend of mine challenged me to read one book a week leading up to
my birthday in July. I hesitantly accepted this challenge- as my life usually leaves little time to sit down and enjoy a book the way I used to-, and decided to start
this endeavor by reading a book that has been sitting on my shelves for over a
year. This particular book is Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;">As a little back history; my father
passed away suddenly on April 29<sup>th</sup>, 2013. I was crushed, broken to pieces,
and spiraling into a manic/depressive frenzy months after his passing due to
grief and misplaced anger stemming from that loss. For months after his passing
and memorial service, we received an assortment of cards, flowers, money,
prepared meals, and much more from people who knew him (both at work and
personal life) and wanted to honor his memory and pay their respects. One day I
found in the mail a hard cover copy of Wild, along a card that read:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;">“Dear
Mrs. Young,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;">I
am so sorry for your loss. I know there is nothing that can be said right now
that would heal your heart, but I do believe that sharing others experiences
with loss helps to ease the pain, and allows you to move forward without
carrying that pain with you. I am passing this book onto you in hope that you
will connect with someone who has been in your shoes, and allows you to grow
from the pain.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;">I
was touched and grateful that someone- a complete stranger to me- thought enough
of my Dad, and me, to send us something that she felt would truly help me get
past what was at that time, the greatest pain I’d ever felt. Even though I was melting on the inside at the thought of this strangers kindness, after reading the book jacket, and learning that the book was about a woman who lost her mother, the idea of reading such a heavy memoir was a little too much to take in just then. Now that I'm past the majority of my grief (although I still miss my Dad deeply), and a little less raw in the feeling department, I felt this would be the perfect time to jump in with both feet and use this book as my kick-starter to my friends 2015 book challenge. And you know what- I'm so happy that I did!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;">I won't spoil it for any of you interested in reading this book, but I will say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love her perspective of healing after loss, and inadvertently the process of dealing with the unexpected emotions that arise after a loss. I know that several of you who follow this blog have had lots of experience with loss due to the war and/or aftermath of war; it's my hope that if you have experienced a loss that you are finding a way to cope while healing and surviving through grief. Loss is never easy, and almost always cuts as deep as emotional scars can cut, however, finding ways to cope will provide you with the strength and courage that you will most definitely need to move forward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;">I hope you are all enjoying your New Year thus far, and finding ways (each day- either simple or extravagant) to Do Something For Yourself, connecting with what brings you joy, and allowing yourself to not just understand the importance of, but actively practicing putting yourself first, and loving yourself enough to take time out for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;">Health and Happiness to all</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;">Ayana-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"></span> </div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-45647383572193633182015-01-25T20:02:00.001-08:002015-01-25T20:02:53.166-08:00Wake up call… and learning to embrace love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s a common phase used by every walk of life. It’s meaning
varies from individual to individual, but typically anyone who hears it, says
it, or even encounters it maintains on general consensus regarding it, and that
consensus urges it’s importance. That phrase is…love yourself. I’m sure you’ve
heard this phrase, I bet you have even- as advice- issued this statement to
those around you from time to time. But how many of you truly practice it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s a big question, and revelation I’ve had to even ask
myself over the last few months. No, I’m not out there calling myself stupid,
ugly, unimportant, or shaming myself for things I haven’t exactly done “right”,
but that doesn’t mean that the concept of truly loving myself is one that I’ve
mastered, or even consider a priority. Why is that? There is only one me- for
the rest of my life. I’m living in this body, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
Day after day, week after week, month after month. I’m not EVER going to wake a
different person, than I am today. So in light of that, why is loving myself
such a hard concept to put into action as a daily regimen? It’s almost comical
that I haven’t even thought much about what loving myself really means. This is
something that should be as routine as breathing, and yet it’s the one thing
that I struggle with daily. And it’s not just me! I found that several of my
other warfighter (Combat Veteran) wives struggle with this exact same thing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now since I brought this subject up, I feel like I have to
examine it a little further. First- what does loving myself mean to me? Let me
elaborate for you. To me, loving one’s self means treating yourself kindly and
gently. It means having pride in who you are, even when you make mistakes- no
matter your successes or pitfalls- finding reasons to encourage positivity
within you instead of highlighting and waxing morosely in your shortcomings.
For me, loving myself means that I pledge to care for myself; emotionally,
PHYSICALLY, mentally, and otherwise. It means I will nurture my creativity,
passions, emotional stability and HEALTH, but it also means I pledge to own my
mistakes, acknowledge them and grow from then instead of allowing those
mistakes to wedge my success. It also means I will speak kindly of myself, and infuse positive thoughts at all time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Now…here’s why I say I’ve struggled with remembering to truly love
myself. My days (throughout the week) start fairly early in the morning. I wake
up (or I should say I struggle to wake up) early, get out of bed, immediately
go check on the frogman to wake him up and get him ready for school. After
froggy is ready, I rush through washing my face, brushing me teeth, makeup
application, getting my hair together, dressing and gathering everything that I
need for the day. I then rush out the house, usually in a hurry, get froggy off
to school and brave high speeds to make it to work on time. Once at work, I am
officially ALL work NO play. After a full 8-9 hour shift, I dash home, fighting
traffic, pick up froggy, fix dinner, bath time for frogman, shower myself to
steam away the stress of the day, take care of the hubby, wash the dishes, and
finally crawl into bed by 11:30. Not much different from every other working
mom out there. But where in that routine did I stop to eat breakfast? Lunch
maybe? Did I take any time out at all to breathe before immediately jumping up
from one task to the next? Did I take any time to relax other than the shower-
which by now is luke warm because I bathed the kiddo first and used almost all
the hot water on cleaning the tube before jumping in myself. In fact- what part
of that busy schedule allows for time to practice loving myself? Think about my
statement above about what loving myself meant to me. Am I practicing my pledge
of treating myself kindly or gently? NOPE!! Not a bit. I didn’t even realize
that simply forgetting to eat, or not having time to take a few minutes in the
morning to just breathe before stepping out of bed, or not taking 5 minutes
throughout each day to re-commit myself to taking time for breaks; all these
things are examples of me not loving myself enough to put myself first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s what this revelation brought to light. In April of last
year, I started to feel sharp stabbing pains somewhere over my left ovary. I
didn’t think much of it. I picked up a bottle of ibuprofen from the drugstore,
and went about my way. By August the pain was so severe I actually missed
nearly two weeks of work! I called my doctor and scheduled an appointment to
see her. She examined me and noticed that I was extremely bloated and swollen
on the left side, and she decided to order a MRI just to rule out any serious
complications. Thank goodness she did that! Ladies…OMG ladies, when the MRI
came back it showed a mass on my ovary, the size of a grapefruit, and several
stringy pieces of tissue absorbing the entire left tube and lower intestine. I
FREAKED! Do I have cancer? Am I going to be ok? Will I need surgery? All these
questions clouded my mind and completely brought all upcoming events (both at
work and personal life) to a halt. I am happy to report that it was not
cancer!! But it was (is) Endometriosis. I had a cyst on my ovary that grew 5
times the size it ever would have due to endometriosis. I also had a ton of
endometriosis completely encasing my left side including the end portion of my
intestine, left fallopian tube, outer left quadrant of my uterus, and wrapping
itself tightly around the affected area to a point where blood circulation had
been compromised. In short, I was closer to meeting my maker than I ever want
to be in my youthful years. I had endometriosis for more than 4 years, and I
never even knew it, and I didn’t know it because I WAS NOT TAKING CARE OF
MYSELF. I didn’t take time out to listen to my body, because I don’t stop long
enough to even think about my body. I didn’t even stop to question my health
once the pain started. I just figured it was a strange cramp, or even gas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">My point is, overlooking things as small as properly hydrating
myself, nourishing myself by way of GOOD food (no fast food ladies), resting a
full 8 hours at night, or even taking time to listen to my body- as pain is indicative
of a problem- are all things one should do in conjunction with loving yourself.
If I don’t care for me, who will? I suddenly was faced with a wakeup call- take
care of yourself, or there won’t be a YOU to take care of again. It’s harsh to
put it to term in that form, but ultimately it’s so true. As I sat in the
recovery room after surgery, I asked an on call nurse (whom I’d spoken to
before and discussed my diagnosis with) what could I do to encourage healing
and prevent this issues from becoming this bad again, and her answer blew me
away. She told me that my diet (what I thought was good food at the time),
stress (not new news at all), inactivity (healthy exercise or active
lifestyle), and of all things, SODA, contribute to healthy management of
endometriosis. Why didn’t I know that the combination of all these things,
could cause a reproductive issue? It blew my mind, and I knew I had to change
something really soon! So I did! I had the surgery, stopped eating nasty foods,
and went back to my vegan roots, cut of soda all together (no soda in over a
month!), and also decided to cut out processed foods and excessive sugars.
Within one month I have lost 26 pounds, and have already started to feel a
difference in my breathing, mobility, sleep, and (surprise, surprise) my mood!
I’m happy! No, really- I wake up happy! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I learned a good lesson, that luckily did not cost my life, but
it’s an important lesson that I wanted to share with all of you. You see,
loving yourself isn’t always you looking in a mirror and loving what you see.
It goes so much deeper than that. Think about it, when you are in love with
someone, they have your complete attention don’t they? Of course you still can
maintain a job, kids, friends, and everything else- I mean, loving someone won’t
consume you to a point where there is nothing else other that your object of
affection. Loving anything typically means you will care for it. You will view
it highly, and it will become a focal point in your everyday life. That is what
it means to love- so why not apply that love to you! In loving yourself, you
will (despite our crazy busy lives), make it a point to make you a priority
EVERYDAY. I’m not saying make yourself a priority all day every day, but every day
you should be taking time to think about you. What drives you? What excites
you? What motivates you? What do you need for your own growth and physical and
emotional health? And it doesn’t just stop with your physical health, there is
an entirely separate issue of our mental health to consider as well. I was more
prone to criticize myself, before I would ever praise myself. I would come down
hard on myself if I couldn’t do something for someone, or if I didn’t do
enough. Want to know what that did to me? I can tell you it took it’s toll
physically, and made me sick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We have to take a stand, and take care of ourselves always. So
here are some suggestions on how to do that even starting small.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Take 5
minutes in the morning once you wake up to meditate. You can do this by
connecting to anything that calms you. You can choose to pray, or you can close
your eyes and think of things that make you happy. You can even grab your iPod
and play a song that lifts your spirits, or clams you. Anything goes, as long
as you don’t leave your bed for at least 5 solid minutes. Breathe deep, and
connect with you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Water heals
all things. Drink at least two 8 ounce classes of water first thing in the
morning. It’s suggested to drink 8 6 ounce glasses, but I’ve confirmed with a
physician that two 8 ounce glasses will suffice. This process of drinking water
soon after you wake will help rehydrate your body as we often dehydrate overnight.
This will also help to kick start your body and energy levels. Drink lots of
water throughout your day as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Kick caffeine-
now don’t kill me ok… I’ve heard many times that drinking coffee can actually
cause multiple health issues later on in life. Try drinking a cup of green tea
instead, and if you are looking for energy throughout the day, eat granola
bars, and energy fueled veggies and fruit for lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Learning to
walk again- Walk peeps! Oh what walking for at least 30 minutes each day can do
for your body, mind, improving lung function, weight loss, and so much more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Take 30
minutes at night before bed to lay silently. No TV, no music, no light, just
you. It’s fairly common knowledge that getting into a quiet space at night for
at least 30 minutes prior to bed will promote healthy sleep. This is important
for us ladies because our combat vets often have nightmares that wake us
throughout the night. If you watch TV right before bed, your mind is still
stimulated and often doesn’t completely shut down to allow for restful sleep.
This combined with being woken up by nightmares of your loved one, and really
prevent a healthy sleep schedule, which leaves you tired, confused, and
actually trigger you to eat comfort foods throughout the day that could be
equally damaging to your body and overall health. By shutting everything down
and lying in bed for 30 minutes prior to bed, you allow your mind to quiet
down, thus allowing you to fall into a restful sleep, which will promote better
focus, energy, circulation, and even burn calories over the duration of your
sleep! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Remember, these are just small cookie cutter steps you can take
to kick start your overall journey, but they are all very important factors of loving
yourself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not saying you should completely
omit the notion of caring for your combat vet or children, but what I am saying
is that if you don’t find a way to incorporate taking care of you as a
priority, the results could be devastating. It’s worth it, you are worth it, so
just do it already. Believe me when I say, you won’t regret it when you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Until next time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Health and Happiness to all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Ayana-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-49695446015283774692015-01-25T17:34:00.000-08:002015-01-25T17:34:13.270-08:00In Case you foolishly forgot...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpDp5NfrCYeQJg3fn_QPpqwVSS3tGe2UuMaNZpPkzdC0e4-2se1ld_m0syeRZ0jdn862s7PxCEp9vilV2mzWSEu-lzBFF-9eyCVg_NCAGIZjB0kSGGcKD4LSyyCgL2R7u_q6zONGnDZCY/s1600/in+case.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpDp5NfrCYeQJg3fn_QPpqwVSS3tGe2UuMaNZpPkzdC0e4-2se1ld_m0syeRZ0jdn862s7PxCEp9vilV2mzWSEu-lzBFF-9eyCVg_NCAGIZjB0kSGGcKD4LSyyCgL2R7u_q6zONGnDZCY/s1600/in+case.jpg" height="367" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Happy New Year! So…did you miss us? Well, we certainly missed
all of you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s been a while since my last blog post- life literally became
far too complicated for me to find adequate time to blog the way I wanted to
blog. But, blah, blah right; we all get busy, and because of that, I plan on making it a point in 2015 to make more time for blogging and connecting with all of you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Lots of wonderful things have happened for me and my crew- the adoption of my 4 year old son
is almost complete! I had surgery…boo! Work, mommy life, etc- which I thoroughly
intend to put into words and share here, so look forward to many more post from
both myself and Em. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s a new year, and we hope you are all taking time for
yourself, remembering to breathe through the storms, and enjoy every bit of the
sun whenever possible. I have a TON of information to blog about, resources
that I’ve found, and lots of fun stories and adventures to share. Stay tuned for upcoming blogs- I think you'll find them useful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Health and Happiness to you all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Ayana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-36096862463120398412014-06-16T14:46:00.000-07:002014-06-16T14:46:08.786-07:00My DSFY Journey<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Sweetly Broken';">I'm learning that I do have to take care of myself. Who I was 6 years ago, is <span style="text-decoration: underline;">NOT</span> the woman I am today. Back then, I would have never thought that I was strong, or capable. I was sure I was going to live on as a single mother just me and my girl Z. </span></div>
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Now life has brought on changes, and challenges. But I haven't taken time out for me<span style="font: normal normal normal 28px/normal 'Lucida Grande';">…</span> Well, a couple weeks ago I finally did something for me!!! I had a "Boudoir" Photo Shoot done!!! And I know there are probably plenty of you out there who are thinking "wow, thats brave. I couldn't even begin to think that I could do that looking the way I do now..", well, I'm here to tell you that you CAN!!! I'm going to let you in a a little secret, I'm not a size 8!!!!! As a matter of fact, you have to add a 1 to the front of that to get my size!! Yep, thats right, I'm a size 18. This is the biggest I've ever been, and hopefully this is the biggest I'll ever be! I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into?! Was this going to make me want to run and hide in a carton of ice cream? Well, you be the judge…</div>
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While this isn't one of the racier photos, it was one of my favorites! It captured my personality and I think I look pretty darn good! And here is one that I was able to crop and post…</div>
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This one… this is one of the best ones… I have my top 3, and this is one of them!! A very good friend of mine is an amazing photographer!! She is able to transform women who might be a little scared, or feel a little unsure about the way they see themselves into gorgeous pieces of art!! I ended up giving the finished photos to mu husband for Father's Day, and he about fell over with surprise! He had no idea that I did this, and was probably just as surprised as I was with the results. Don't get me wrong, my husband thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world (I don't always agree) but he hasn't seen me all dolled up in a very long time!! </div>
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And dolled-up is what I got!! I am a professional make-up artist by trade, but just like with life as we know it now, it becomes very difficult to find time to even shower some days, let alone do hair or make-up. When you are spending days taking care of a wounded soldier, two kids, animals, a house… it takes its toll on a person. </div>
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You can find time for YOU!! Even if its a matter of taking yourself out for a short drive, go down to your favorite spot and just breath in the fresh air for 20 minutes. No reading, no pampering, no phone calls… just you and your self for 20 minutes. At least twice a month. You can find time for you. </div>
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This journey is just getting started for me. You can begin your own journey, just make the first step. Plan a date for yourself. If it makes it easier, make a date with a friend. Just get out and away from "life" for 20 minutes. </div>
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I have plans for me coming up and I will continue to post my "DSFY" so you can be inspired too!!</div>
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Emily</div>
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Listening to: Dr Phil is on in the back ground</div>
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Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God"</div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-44920422101821404262014-06-08T16:18:00.000-07:002014-06-08T16:18:34.892-07:00Adventures in DSFY Wonderland...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">As
far as remembering to do something for myself goes, this week I pretty much
rocked it. I had the opportunity to check off some major bucket list items, and
get some much needed <i>me-time</i>, along
with having a chance to spend some quality time with the hubs, kiddos, and the bestie! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">This
week was fairly stressful at work, so in order to retain my sanity and keep my
promise -to myself and all of you- of remembering to take time to do things
that are important to me, I planned a few fun filled weekend (which actually
started mid-week) to decompress, unwind, and relax. This weekend has been
fantastic, and it all started with a book, and one amazing author!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">On
Thursday night I went to a book signing of one of my favorite authors, Emily
Giffin. Emily Giffin is an author best known for her books <i>Something Borrowed</i>, and <i>Something
Blue</i>. <i>Something Borrowed was actually
</i>adapted into a film starring Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson. You may have
seen it already since it opened in theaters a few years ago, but just in case
you haven’t, I’ll add a cover photo of the movie poster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
signing was to promote her new book <i>The
One & Only</i> and was held at Barnes and Noble in Los Angeles- it was incredible!
I got there a little late due to traffic, but I was just in time to hear the
last 30 minutes or so of Emily’s discussion and Q &A, and of course get my
collection of books signed! Emily was great- she was funny, down to earth, such
a sweetheart, and overall a joy to be around. Since I was nearly dead last to
have my books signed, I had the rare opportunity to have a great one-on-one
session with Emily, which pretty much made my week, and cemented my resolve in
believing that Emily and I are now total BFF’s.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";"> The only unfortunate event of
the night was that I completely spaced and forgot my memory card to my camera,
so I pretty much missed out on taking any pictures while at the signing (that,
and I just saw the exact same book- 6 dollars cheaper- at target already
signed! But I digress). I did however take a snapshot after I got home to share
with all of you here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
next day after work, I headed over to my best Jane’s house- Jane C- for an
evening out that, that turned into an evening of Sangrias and Tapas at one of my favorite restaurants, Seville. We
talked, laughed, and had bottomless Sangrias to the backdrop of Spanish guitars
serenading us to our hearts content. We sat outside since it was so warm out- honestly the entire night was so much fun, and definitely needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
next day, the hubs and I, sis-in-law, and kiddos headed out to the California Science
Museum to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor, and the Pompeii exhibition. As a side
note, I’m not a total space geek, but something about The Endeavor has always fascinated
and excited me. In truth, the thought of launching into the dark unknown of
space scares the crap out of me, but the idea of witnessing first-hand the majesties
of the stars, and moon peak my interest and definitely take my breath away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">We
spent about 45 minutes to an hour at the Endeavor, walking through the exhibits
the science center had in place to educate all of us on how the Endeavor
mission came to be, and just what went into making it all come together. The
tour was pretty fun, but after 45 minutes, we were all eager to head over to the
hanger that held the actually space shuttle. It wasn’t until 5 minutes before
the center closed that we were able to finally enter the hanger, and experience
for ourselves the wonders of the Endeavor. I was moved- truly moved, and the wait was absolutely worth it. I’m sure
you’ll understand once you see…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Before taking the Endeavor tour, I took the kiddos around to a few of the other
exhibits the Science Center had to offer. They had a BLAST! The Frogman was SO stoked at having the chance to tinker with all the displays they had available for the kids. He at one point turned to me and said "Mom, this is the best place EVER!!".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">After
all the Endeavor and science geeky fun, I FINALLY had the chance to have a
family photo taken of my entire crew in the middle of The Rose Garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Everyone
was in such good spirits, and it truly showed as the sis-in-law and I took
turns capturing snapshots of the kiddos, and the hubs, the outside of the Science Center, and the amazing flowers of The Rose Garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">All-in-all,
the day was absolutely fantastic and the week of DSFY was a total success!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">What
did you guys do for yourselves this weekend? Leave a comment and tell Em and I
all about it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Health
and Wellness Everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ayana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-53319620470087902352014-06-04T13:03:00.003-07:002014-06-04T13:03:43.996-07:00The Start of the Best...Listening to: Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole Radio on Pandora<br />
Henehene Kou 'Aka<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was January 2009. My friend T invited me to come to a "getting out of the Army" party with her. A girl she knew had just finished her med board process and was celebrating getting out of the Army and going home. My friend worked out at the WTB (Warrior Transition Battalion) as a civilian driver. I hadn't been out in a while, so I thought it might be good for me to get out of the house and just have an adult night. No pressure and NO guys for me!!</span> <i>I had decided some time before this that I wouldn't date another military guy… EVER AGAIN… They were too much drama… </i>About 2 months prior to this party I had had a conversation with God about being single. At this time I had been a single mom for almost 4 years. I had dated a few guys, but nothing got serious. I had it up to <strike style="font-style: italic;">HERE </strike>with guys, so I had a strong conversation with God and said "I'm done. If you want me to be a single mom for the rest of my life, then so be it. But I am done looking, I'm done being disaapointed. I give it to You". I'm guessing He was pleased with me finally giving up my sense of having to be in control. I was at peace with me. And I was going out with my friend to have a relaxing night.<br />
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We get out to the house and we're cooking on the BBQ, drinking and listening to music. More people show up. We're all just hanging out and having a good time. Some time later a few more people show up… and he walks in. Our eyes met as soon as he walked in the door. And I'm really not trying to be all sappy, but it literally felt like I knew him when I saw him. I turned to the friend that I had come with and asked her if I knew him, if he had ever come and hung out with us before, anything… she said "no". I asked what was wrong with him. He walked with a cane, but having been around a lot of the guys (and girls) out at the WTB, I knew that some of them were a little worse off than others. She said that he was injured, but that's all she really knew about him. Every so often we would catch each other looking, but it wasn't until he had been there for more than an hour that we finally talked to each other. The guys were being very typical Army guys, and giving each other crap. I was walking through the room and all of a sudden I'm grabbed and put in front of someone as a human shield. The guys had been acting "gay" with each other and he didn't like it, so he grabbed me, threw me in front of himself and yelled "tell them I'm straight… TELL THEM I'M STRAIGHT!!" I could not stop laughing. We ended up going off together to talk. We talked… and talked.. for about an hour. We talked about what had happened to him, where he had been and the fact that he was getting a divorce. We rejoined the rest of the party and at some point he had been cornered in the kitchen by another girl. I wanted to give him my number before I left, but when I saw him with the other girl, I figured that he wasn't interested, so I just left. No bye, no number.<br />
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About a week later, we met again, this time at the WTB. Z was with me that day. He came over and asked if he could buy her something from the vending machine and I said, "sure, if she'll talk to you". <i>Please let me be clear~It was NOT ever my intention for S to meet Z that soon. Prior to meeting S, Z had only met 1 of the guys I had dated, and that was after 2 months of seeing each other. </i>Well, Z let him give her the coins to put in the machine, and he helped her open the bag of goodies that she picked.<br />
<br />
On Valentine's Day he gave me a ring, it was a promise ring. He knew, I knew, right away that we were falling fast. He told me that when the time was right (ie his divorce was over) that He would propose for real… that day finally came… over a year later. Lots of things happened between Feb 09 and April 2010. We moved in together, and moved again. Met some friends and lost some friends. Z had turned 5 by then. In April, we got a phone call from our lawyer, he had some papers on his desk that we had been waiting for… his ex finally signed the divorce papers!! This was it! We were finally going to be able to move on. And that was the day that life got moving very quickly. The papers were filed with the county on Thursday, we applied for our marriage license on Friday and that Monday, we were married. Him in his duty uniform and me in a gorgeous dress. In the office of the chaplain of the WTB. It was a very small quaint ceremony. The chaplain, us, Z, my parents, our best man and maid of honor and my nephew. That was one of the best days of our lives. He wanted to make sure that we (Z and I) were going to be taken care of.<br />
<br />
This has been quite the journey. We've had ups and downs. We've been down some tough roads and on some amazing adventures!! This man God created for me is an astounding man. He has fought a life long battle against him. From family issues as a kid, joining the Army at an early age (17) to being in and out of the military (he had 16 years in, over a 25 year time frame), being married to someone who was abusive and then being injured in Afghanistan. I will get more into him on another post.<br />
<br />
God has blessed me abundantly. And while not many could live the life I do, I wouldn't change it for anything!<br />
<br />
<br />
Emily<br />
"The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen" ~ Ralph Marston<br />
Listening to:<br />
Artist: Katy Perry<br />
Album: Prism<br />
Song: Dark HorseAyana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-49956326992381787192014-05-31T22:19:00.003-07:002014-05-31T22:22:09.371-07:00The DSFY Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Before
I get started, I wanted to let all of you know that I will now be sharing this
site with a very dear friend of mine. Her mane is Emily, and she is amazing! I
love her to death, and I can’t imagine my life without her. We will be co-bloggers,
and sharing and posting individually, and I am sure all of you out there will
love her just as much as I do. Join me in welcoming her to this blog! If you want to get to know a little more about her, just click <a href="http://chroniclesofawarriorwife.blogspot.com/2014/05/this-is-me-im-chameleon.html" target="_blank">here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Now,
lets get to it shall we!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
have a question... how often- in our frequently hectic and non-stop lives- can
you say you actually have taken time out for yourself? And I’m not talking
about taking 15 minutes to sit in-between cooking dinner. When I refer to
taking time for yourself, I mean it in the sense of truly stepping away from it
all for a few hours, shutting off your phone, and truly breathing in life. Tell
me...really, how often can you say you do this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Think
hard- I’ll wait...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Yeah,
that’s what I thought! The answer to that question in so many cases is, has
been, and will always be: <i>I don’t
remember</i> or the ever so <i>famous I’ll
rest when I’m dead</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Always...unless
you do something to change that is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Here’s
the fact: if the aforementioned was your
answer ladies and gents, trust and believe when I say dead, will come around
much faster than you EVER anticipated. In an older blog post I talked about the
physical and mental reparations of <a href="http://chroniclesofawarriorwife.blogspot.com/2013/01/ww-resource-stress-war.html" target="_blank">stress</a>; How stress can manifest itself into serious disorders, physical limitations,
and in some cases complex diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes,
infertility, and even death. With more and more of our troops coming home as
this war nears it’s close, and more spouses assuming the role of a caregivers
to help them with their post-war injuries, the number of reported cases of
depression in the caregiver, have grown to almost staggering numbers. Of all
the significant elements of caregiving, the most important and most impactful
element is the caregiver’s ability to recognize that taking time to take care for
you is absolutely imperative to the overall success of the combat veterans
health and wellness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Think
about it: if you do not feel well emotionally, what care could you possibly
provide to anyone? I don’t know about you, but when I’m deep in the throes of
my Eeyore feels, caring for someone is the LAST thing I’m capable of. In fact,
I can honestly say that on those days my brain quickly shuts down from Super
Mom/Wife/Caregiver to everyman (woman) for himself (herself). True story.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Which
brings me back to my point...if you are not taking time to care for yourself,
how can you honestly care for- to the degree in which your war fighter/combat
veteran requires care? The answer to that is simple. You can’t. So what do you
do about this now? Well, that’s simple too; you just take the time to do YOU!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">It's time to DSFY-
DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ok,
I’ve said a lot in this post thus far, and I know for me whenever someone would
mention taking time out for myself, my immediate response would be: <i>Well how the hell do you exactly expect me
to take time for myself with all that I have going on?</i> Here is the reality
behind that response. It’s bullshit! I’m sorry, but it is. And here is what I
had to finally break down and realize about the heaping BS of that statement;
there are 24 hours in each day, 189 hours in each week, and 52 weeks in each
year. You can find the time to do something for yourself within that time trust
me. I’m not talking about taking a three week long vacation to Brazil of Fiji
(however wouldn’t that be something right!), but when I actually decided to add
up all the hours I spent on the phone venting to a friend about how bad life
sucked, and added in the hours I spent sulking in a stew of my own misery about
things that I absolutely could not change, I ended up with nearly 3 months of
time I could have allotted to finding fun events to attend, of vacations I
could have taken. Like I said, it doesn’t have to be extravagant, I’m simply suggesting taking a few hours out
of a day each week to do something that excites you, enriches you, energizes
you, or helps to remind you that there is still a YOU there underneath the
laundry list of “need to do’s” that we all seem to accumulate. Think back long
and hard people to the “you” that existed pre-caregiving. What did you like to
do? What are a few things you always told yourself you wanted to do if you ever
had the chance? Write them down, create a list, and slowly start checking those
things off. Go live your life while you have one to live. Believe me, I’m a
mom, and I understand the demands of life as a mom and caregiver, but I also
understand that this is the only shot at life I’m EVER going to be afforded.
Once I’m gone, I don’t get to come back for a do-over. So right now while you
have air in your lungs, make your health and wellness a priority. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Because
I recognize that when I embarked on my DSFY journey, I was clueless as to where
to even start taking with taking time for myself, and how hard it was for me to
come up with ideas as to what to do or what resources were available financially
to help me, I’ve decided to start posting thing that I found helpful, and
resources that are available out there to guide you in your journey. Em, and I
will be posting our DSFY adventures on this blog regularly to keep you updated
on all the things we do to DSFY, in hopes to give you all ideas, and
inspiration to go out into the world and chase your own happiness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">We
will be posting things that we have done to share our lives with you and share
ideas of what you can do for yourself, as well as sharing resources offered by
organizations that offer spouse and veteran retreats, events, family getaways,
and more. Stay tuned for more folks, but most of all understand how important
your overall wellness is succeeding in happiness in life. We are all strong, we
are all capable, we go through trials that would take out most people, and we
come out still standing, but sometimes standing isn’t enough to keep ready for
the next battle. Do yourself a favor, listen to that little voice inside you
that lets you know that you need a break- take that break, and continue
thriving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Health
and wellness everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Ayana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-20787529040050344932014-05-30T11:47:00.002-07:002014-05-30T11:53:38.509-07:00This is me… I'm a chameleon…<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is me… I'm a chameleon…</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My name is Emily. I'm a thirty-something mixed Islander with 2 gorgeous daughters and an amazing husband. I've lived my whole life in Washington (state not dc) and I can't imagine living anywhere else. This is one of the best places in the world to raise kids, and I get to watch my girls grow up in the same place I did! (Almost literally right now since we live in the neighborhood I grew up in)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So… about me. I'm proud of my Hawaiian Filipino Irish German heritages. I use to be an avid writer, but then I got this writers block about 10 years ago. This is me coming out of that hopefully. I'm a short girl with a big attitude, but the reality is that if my brain had it's way, I would be an introvert. I'm extremely self conscious of my body image and have been for pretty much my whole life. I am the friend of friends, but get hurt very easily by those I keep close to me. I have a sharp tongue when I've been attacked. I am extremely honest with my advice, to a fault at times. I am the kind of person who you really can call at 3 am for a ride and I will do anything I can to help, even if its not convenient for me. And at the same time I am horrible at keeping in touch because I get WAY too much into my own head sometimes. Music helps me deal with a lot of my emotions. It speaks to me in ways that words can't. As I type this I'm listening to AlexClare. This album brings out a depth in my mind that i don't tap into a whole lot anymore. I am the kind of person who inspirational quotes can be game changers for my day to day. I lean heavily into God, but not as much as I should. My heart is His and His alone. He chooses to share it with my family and friends. He speaks through me when needed. I am DEEPLY Patriotic! I cry at commercials of home comings. (that part of me warms my husbands heart) I have battled depression since I was very young. I've seen my fair share of counselors, therapists and psychologists. (they're all nuts!) I can be very random most of the time. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am the youngest of two kids. Still Daddy's girl (well, most of the time) My brother and I have a very <i>interesting</i> relationship. My mom is my best friend. I am very dependent on her (not that I like to admit that, but I know its true) My parents are still married and have only been married to each other.. I'm a rare one.. They still live in the same house that I grew up in. That is still where I consider "home". Both of my parents worked full time jobs while I was growing up. My dad a police officer from the time before I can remember. My mom was a professional singer. I wasn't close to my mom until I grew up and out and had a daughter of my own. And now I get it! I spread my wings early and tried to be the cool girl. I started smoking when I was 10… because I wanted a boy to like me and he smoked. A nasty habit that I gave up a few times and finally gave it up for good when my oldest daughter was about 4. I had bad friends and good friends. I liked the bad ones better. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am a kid at heart, and a 1940's war bride at soul. I've been through schooling for quite a few different things. I still can't decide what I want to be when I grow up. Although, I would say that my life now is just as I want it. Not exactly the way I thought I would get here, and definitely not the easiest road to go down, but this is what I was made for. I had always wanted to be a stay at home wife and mother. Make the kids' lunches, have breakfast ready to go, send them all off and tidy up the house… have snacks for the kids for after school and dinner on the table by 5:30. This whole "Donna Reed" thing going on.. Well… be careful what you ask for, right?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had my first daughter when I was 22. Her father and I had known each other for a very long time. He was around until she was about 8 months old. Then he had to make a choice between us or drugs… Best decision he ever made was to walk away (although it took me a LONG time to realize that). Z is the spitting image of me. and I CAN wait for her to grow up. Seems like nowadays kids are growing up way too quickly. But isn't that how it's always been? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I met my husband a little over 5 years ago. When we met I knew he was injured in combat. I wasn't sure about anything other than I felt like I had known him my whole life. His injuries didn't throw me off, much. Our love affair started off in a whirlwind. But I believe God knew exactly what He was doing, for both of us. We were married a little more than a year after we met. And about 9 months later he adopted Z. We tried for 3 very long hard years to have a baby of our own. and in September last year, she arrived bright and smiling!! That was quite the journey… getting sick, a cancer scare, medications and multiple doctor visits. But as with all things, it was all in God's timing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've learned that there are some very specifically strong women out there. Some who are able to hold the whole world up on their shoulders and still manage to take care of everyone else around them. They have a voice very seldom heard out loud, but when you do, its the voices that move mountains. They are strong, powerful and almost always selfless. They take the cards that are dealt to them and start handing them out to help others. They are able to juggle running a household, raising children (of all ages), being a taxi, a nurse, a cook, a dog catcher, a banker, a wife and all while taking care of our countries bravest men. We are the wives of Wounded Warriors. But that doesn't even begin to explain who we are. I've learned that I am one of those women. I have fought hard and have earned the right to be a part of this amazing community of women.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope you continue to follow my journey. I will take you down paths of deep shit and glorious days. I will be real, even if I don't want to be. I will be honest, even with myself. I will share the high highs, and the low lows. I will share some of my favorite inspirational quotes and always let you know what I'm listening to. I hope what I write will inspire and ignite a fire within those who read it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Emily</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CEV)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">listening to Pandora- Hawaiian Radio</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-24278336516919781732014-05-26T18:53:00.000-07:002014-05-26T18:53:40.489-07:00Hello there! How the hell are you?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENLxx3kizBlsM1QD4MYeqk0Z9iKvaJkFL1dm2jeWh0nfHwDWLcHptU_DI3K_txzRGvYxWttT_7S5WbY0hi1Pi86dC03WB_-8vzIQ7oIqSlB4-tjWPgPl_HcKOU9cYV1tomY5NVmu96quq/s1600/wolfequote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENLxx3kizBlsM1QD4MYeqk0Z9iKvaJkFL1dm2jeWh0nfHwDWLcHptU_DI3K_txzRGvYxWttT_7S5WbY0hi1Pi86dC03WB_-8vzIQ7oIqSlB4-tjWPgPl_HcKOU9cYV1tomY5NVmu96quq/s1600/wolfequote.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Hello
Blogger Friends!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">It's been a YEAR since my last blog – maybe a little more by a few
days, weeks, or months, but that’s all semantics- and now I’m back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">I guess we can chalk the year or epic absenteeism up to a need to
do some soul searching, major life challenges, just life in general, blah, blah
- but I'm happy to say that life is now GOOD. I very much I hope that you've
been thriving as well, and that life is treating you gently. Because I can’t
make an epic blogger return, without providing some explanation of what they
hell kept me away, I’ll let you all in on a few things that have gone down:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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1<sup>st</sup>:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
became a mom overnight to a healthy (now... thank God) and happy little boy! A
real mom! A fulltime, boo-boo kissing, bedtime story reading, non-stop,
all-the-way mom! Not to say that being the Stepmom of my beautiful 10 year old
Ladybug, didn’t qualify me as a real mom, but I’m sure you all know what I
mean. And yes, I am VERY serious by saying it was an overnight kind of, sink or
swim, welcome to the motherhood, sudden and extremely surprising dive into
parenthood. A dive that at first, I almost didn’t make. It is a very
complicated, and convoluted story that I fully intend of divulging in an
upcoming post, but suffice it to say for the purpose of this post, that all is
well, we are all happy and thriving, and I am so very lucky and blessed to have
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">2<sup>nd</sup>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">The
passing of my father. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced pain that ran that
deep, in all my 30 years of life. My father passed away on April 29<sup>th</sup>,
2013, and I can honestly say that his passing changed me in ways – both positive
and negative- that I never could express in great enough detail here. Because of
that I will just say, it broke my heart, and kept me away from this blog, and
pretty much suspended my life until January of this year. As stated above, I’m
in a much happier and much more mentally healthy place now, and I am looking forward to all the incredible blessings life has to offer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">3<sup>rd</sup>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
was promoted at my job! It was a HUGE promotion and an incredible opportunity,
but I quickly learned that the new role would consume much more of my time than
I anticipated. Can’t complain though- I’m thrilled to pieces to have this
opportunity!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">I
could go on and on about the <i>How’s</i>
and <i>Why’s</i> of my year without
blogging; Work, kids, hubs, blah, but instead I’ll just say that I’ve missed
blogging dearly and will make much more of an effort to blog more frequently
from now on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">And
to remind myself of this new promise:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;">I look forward to seeing your comments, and look forward to posting all the amazing information I have collected as of late!</span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-38417915357900132432014-05-26T15:39:00.001-07:002014-05-26T15:39:59.328-07:00A Special Day for Remembrance <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTB_wYNRmOLttU7IjMK9cDy18_Oi7kklm03JQfcAgJWrfuJIfz2RULvU941n5pwRsxOE0ELZM80cjySw-padt5rO8mkv93WcvCbixsMCVAaSsRgNw6rCtzQ8ZhwS0KlV-fuvYWOjd8Hodw/s1600/happy_memorial_day+american_flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTB_wYNRmOLttU7IjMK9cDy18_Oi7kklm03JQfcAgJWrfuJIfz2RULvU941n5pwRsxOE0ELZM80cjySw-padt5rO8mkv93WcvCbixsMCVAaSsRgNw6rCtzQ8ZhwS0KlV-fuvYWOjd8Hodw/s1600/happy_memorial_day+american_flag.jpg" height="242" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Although
today may be a difficult day for many, it’s still a special day to remember the
lives- and sacrifices- of our Military and Veterans. Past and present- we thank
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif";">Happy
Memorial Day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-28716619354427159972013-04-14T17:14:00.001-07:002013-04-14T22:57:39.314-07:00Oh the treats of a retreat!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">About two weeks ago (or maybe more) I had the
extreme privilege of being invited to the annual Operation Home front’s Hearts
of Valor retreat, this time held in sunny San Diego at the San Diego Resort and
Spa. I traveled with my fellow warrior wife, and good friend Jane M, which
pretty much started this incredible weekend with laughs and much needed stress
relief. For all that are new to my blog,
I rarely refer to my friends by their actual name here. Instead- since I call
our brood the <i>anything but plain Jane’s</i>-
you’ll see me reference them as Jane [+ the initial of their first name].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The resort was phenomenal; great catered food,
impressive suites, to-die-for spa and Jacuzzi, and ultra-plush amenities, made
our weekend trip, the ultimate weekend getaway!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not only were the amenities amazing, the activities
and speakers on the agenda planned by the miracle workers of H.O.V, were
incredible and so uplifting. Our keynote speakers on night one were a CSM with
PTSD and his lovely wife. They definitely didn’t hold back as they recalled the
rocky trails their relationship experienced while navigating this ever so
twisty road of marriage and PTSD. I tell you, there wasn’t a dry eye in the
house after they were done speaking. I know for me, hearing out-loud the very
same emotions that I have felt for now 7 years, spilling out of the mouth of
another woman in my very same shoes, gave me such a feeling of emotional
support. It was great- knowing that I wasn’t crazy for feeling angry, distant, and
protective of myself and my kiddo- and helped me to not just hear but truly know
that I’m not alone. So moving and powerful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The rest of the weekend wasn’t as intense, but was
still just as powerful. We had classes each day that covered everything from VA
benefits, intimacy, journaling, money management and then some. We also had
lots of downtime, which included free facials and massages courtesy of the
remarkable resort and H.O.V, a bon fire on the beach, relaxing poolside (either
in the private cabanas or overlooking the beach), and Jacuzzi time. I can tell
you from my experience, that this retreat was a life saver. I had reached my ‘burn-out’
phase, and having a moment to myself, some much needed r&r, and building
connections with an amazing group of women, who are turning out to be really incredible
new friends, was just what I needed to get me back to being me, and providing me
with the tools to help me get through the challenges that life with PTSD and
TBI afford . <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">To all of you Combat Veteran Wives, I definitely recommend you join</span> <a href="http://www.heartsofvalor.org/" target="_blank">Hearts of Valor</a>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For me the retreat was much needed indeed, but
more than that, what I got out of this amazing weekend was much more than I ever
expected. It allowed me the greatest gift I’ve ever been given…peace. At a time
where my entire life seemed to be rooted deeply in chaos and stress, the bonds
and friendships, resources and information, and time to decompress that this
retreat gave me, I know I will be forever grateful for. </span><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For all of you out there struggling on your
own- don’t! Join, talk, get it out ladies. Just know that you’re not alone.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strongest women I know!</td></tr>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-38952884239672679452013-04-02T19:42:00.000-07:002013-04-02T19:42:28.150-07:00March Rewind<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m
trying out a new monthly re-cap, which I will post at the end of each month
just to summarize any good resources, events, daily happenings, or funsies I
was able to uncover. I’ll try to keep it from becoming too convoluted to read
the entire port; but if it does, please excuse my rambling, and next time will
be better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here
goes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">March
in photos<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UfN5I86-fywF1QExoJgtORKZduvafrK2vZz6OHkuX98mvFMkXSWVYNdpzzUH-GlwtEkOvqFUjRWBqwHmaG0jPEFLjY1OqZUvT0ObjUjxyNV_FpppE4lwcC783ArXUu9LnPEEsyoJ0iUU/s1600/482225_501926673198246_1118488878_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UfN5I86-fywF1QExoJgtORKZduvafrK2vZz6OHkuX98mvFMkXSWVYNdpzzUH-GlwtEkOvqFUjRWBqwHmaG0jPEFLjY1OqZUvT0ObjUjxyNV_FpppE4lwcC783ArXUu9LnPEEsyoJ0iUU/s400/482225_501926673198246_1118488878_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my beautiful ladies at the Hearts of Valor San Diego Retreat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">March in one word<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Enlightening<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Quote you lived by in March<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Take ownership
of the energy that you bring into a room, as well as the energy that you allow
others to take from you.”- Oprah<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Song(s) in heavy rotation on your iPod
in March<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hold On by
Alabama Shakes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Radioactive by
Imagine Dragon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">3 personal accomplishments in March</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Increased exercise
by 60%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Officially
knocked out ¾ of my debt (100% debt free by 30 here I come!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Soda/sugar free
for entire month<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Most popular blog post in March<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
is kind of pathetic since I hardly blogged in March, so….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">3 important WW resources found in March<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">National
Caregiver Support Line (TBA in upcoming post)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wounded Warrior
Family Support (Ditto)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">VA Benefits for
100% disabled combat veterans (ditto-o)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">3 awesome things you did in March</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hearts of Valor
Retreat San Diego!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Magic Mountain
with the kiddo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Day trip to
Ojai with the hubby!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">*Shout Out!* Favorite WW resource blog
for March<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Top 5 March Obsessions</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Benefit “Bad
Gal Lash” mascara (but really, Benefit cosmetics in general)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gin Wigmore’s
album, <i>Gravel and Wine</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mindy Kaling- <i>The Mindy Project</i>. Seriously, how are we
not BFF’s by now???<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Trips to my
local Farmers Market<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Alabama Shakes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">March Reads</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here I Go by
Jen Lancaster<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paper Valentine
by Brenna Yovanoff<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">Things I’m looking forward to in April</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Temecula Wine
Country trip with my girls!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">LA Times Festival
of Books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt;">March Pearls of Wisdom</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">March came and
went with quite a few unexpected problems. The usual exhaustion, issues getting
appointments at the VA for the hubby, and wearing multiple hats of wife, mom,
cook, nurse, and fulltime employee were all to be expected. Becoming an
overnight foster parent (for reason that I won’t go into) on the other hand,
quite literally threw the hubby and I into a tailspin of frustration and chaos.
Somehow with each issue that was thrown at us, and each issue that we safely
dodged, one of my Grandma’s most recognizable quotes kept coming to mind, and
pretty much became the theme of March.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My Grandma
(Grammy as we call her), would always tell me that strength -true strength-
doesn’t evolve from struggles you face, it evolves from the way you handle
yourself through the struggle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Smart one that
woman is I tell you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I remember
being 10 years old, and running to her house one day after school, tearing
through her front door to immediately fall into her arms sobbing hysterically.
My face, completely saturated in my own tears, and distorted from what Oprah
calls “The ugly cry” due to an entire afternoon of hard core teasing, when my
always affordable payless brand shoes quite literally fell apart during a strenuous
game of flag football. You see, my mom was on a very tight single mom with two
kids budget, so we couldn’t afford the stylish kicks that all the other kids
had. Of course- having a flair for the dramatics at that age as I did- I was
convinced that my life at school as I knew it was over, and swore to never
return until all the Curella’s (a term that I use for mean girls) ceased to
exist and proper balance was restored. Oh wishful thinking…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, Grammy
wasn’t having any of that. She swiftly pulled me up by my chin, looked me in
the eye, and said in her deep southern voice, “Child, there will be plenty more
to life to be hurt over than some silly kids teasing about your shoes. There is
nothing wrong with where you buy you shoes from, and if they don’t like them
they need to buy shoes for you then. Either way, we don’t run from our problems
in this house, we face them head on. If you get in the habit of running, you’ll
be running for the rest of your life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Grammy believed
that how we choose to handle our struggles is what makes the difference between
truly overcoming them, and being <i>stuck </i>in
them. Instead of sulking and wallowing in the things that I can’t change- the
things that I feel have forever changed my life- I can choose to get up and
keep moving forward to make my new path work for me. Instead of complaining
about the things that I don’t have, I can choose to make the absolute best of
what I do have (and pardon my French, rock the shit out of them). Instead of reciting
like a broken record, how unfair these challenges that I face are, I can choose
to embrace the fact that regardless of the struggle, I have the resources,
fortitude, and capability to get through them. That’s what she meant by strength
being determined by how you <i>choose </i>to
handle what life throws at you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s almost
amusing that now- after hearing her say this all those years- I finally
understand the depth behind her words. I can definitely say that being a wounded
combat veteran wife, certainly comes with it’s fair share of struggles, but for
the first time ever, I can also say that I am truly say my strength grows each
day because of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-78607482693344249822013-03-08T16:07:00.000-08:002013-03-08T16:09:47.242-08:00A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JbEvhiJ3rgSNNaA4C15oYyeeF9ycwn6cilGwDAcGiWonLwKhyphenhyphenlmvmp8l1Wr4g2bxoROAbCmyYf400lqdT8x_2RAwB37BMcCcEX-mEZykFdLg9LuqNIg9MqSbJL8kgjXeCiGh2yQDprtW/s1600/rosie-the-riveter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JbEvhiJ3rgSNNaA4C15oYyeeF9ycwn6cilGwDAcGiWonLwKhyphenhyphenlmvmp8l1Wr4g2bxoROAbCmyYf400lqdT8x_2RAwB37BMcCcEX-mEZykFdLg9LuqNIg9MqSbJL8kgjXeCiGh2yQDprtW/s400/rosie-the-riveter.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is no better day than today to celebrate strength,
perseverance, forward-movement, and beauty. Why, you ask? Because today is
International Women’s Day. It’s a day wholly dedicated to the many incredibly
powerful, sophisticated, intelligent, and thoroughly capable women around the
world, a day we can all stand together in recognition of one another, with
pride in how far we have come since our initial fight to secure our own claim
in the workplace, government, military, and otherwise. So many women have
contributed to the dozens of advancements our society has been fortunate enough
to accomplish over the years, and I am so proud to have learned from those
women, and to have been given the opportunity to reap the benefits of their
hard work, as well as to continue on that work for the future generation of women
of our nation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I absolutely love that there is a day dedicated to my fellow
everyday women, and I couldn’t help but throw together a post of some of my
biggest female inspirations (my mother and sister are a given, but I’ll give
them a shout out too!).</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> <b>
</b></span><!--[endif]--><b>Shonda Rhimes</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySX-d1QevP7I4XeKbgWLMMTQQ10MCoAARRm8Ng-fwxiGqhgAckcpOI_MthL_jmo22Y4tjYgS6g5yMEzVZ3JFgbA6bYrd-lrnUloFJt5fTfir3HqSO9Swh3DOcEdTvqOn9LSLy0DbpgH8F/s1600/vibe-shonda-rhimes-issa-rae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySX-d1QevP7I4XeKbgWLMMTQQ10MCoAARRm8Ng-fwxiGqhgAckcpOI_MthL_jmo22Y4tjYgS6g5yMEzVZ3JFgbA6bYrd-lrnUloFJt5fTfir3HqSO9Swh3DOcEdTvqOn9LSLy0DbpgH8F/s400/vibe-shonda-rhimes-issa-rae.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Never before has there been a television powerhouse like Ms.
Shonda. With a career spanning just 18 years young, she has achieved
unprecedented success as a screenwriter, director and producer. If you think
you don’t know her work, just think <i>Grey’s
Anatomy</i>- yup, that’s her baby. Now think <i>Scandal-</i>my latest obsession to end all obsessions. Yeah, she’s incredibly
awesome. She’s my biggest writing inspiration and I so want to be like Shonda
when I grow up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>2. Alice Paul</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can't talk women's rights and not think of Alice Paul. She took suffrage to degrees that our world hadn’t seen-
nay, expected or even thought possible. It’s because of her efforts and the
many women that stood beside her that allow us the freedoms that we have today.
I’m forever appreciative of this amazing woman, and the women that weren’t
afraid to stand on the President’s door step (literally) and demand our equal
rights without fear, and with dignity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. <b>Meryl Streep </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcF3fyj8OV1yS5pl2Z33Ie487yIkbNroU53DvKg5AZGkvFKHNLGA2K4yuLLgPaeK7HsvyNyApSNQDyOxYVCceGXtT0y9U3MD3xvtb40mO2EKzS6WppSEXSUNW7o2olHxoI8I29_qTsWK4e/s1600/Meryl-Streep_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcF3fyj8OV1yS5pl2Z33Ie487yIkbNroU53DvKg5AZGkvFKHNLGA2K4yuLLgPaeK7HsvyNyApSNQDyOxYVCceGXtT0y9U3MD3xvtb40mO2EKzS6WppSEXSUNW7o2olHxoI8I29_qTsWK4e/s400/Meryl-Streep_l.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She's beautiful, she's strong, and she continues to redefine what it means to be a Hollywood leading
lady with her work in films like <i>Iron
Lady</i>, and <i>Doubt</i>, all while
remaining graceful, honest, and humble. I love her to pieces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>4. Coretta Scott King</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcGwQdWV1ux6kZcQaboCQhi_1lgrm3W2JbUy1FDFb5Xcju0MJcHrFRmza4-q4HkicmRHXDrUKtdlm3rEPssOvA14X6P6RqmteUXuoswUE02Fm-_Gn8194URrC58emZunzEzStsWJ3_sQ-/s1600/coretta-scott-king.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcGwQdWV1ux6kZcQaboCQhi_1lgrm3W2JbUy1FDFb5Xcju0MJcHrFRmza4-q4HkicmRHXDrUKtdlm3rEPssOvA14X6P6RqmteUXuoswUE02Fm-_Gn8194URrC58emZunzEzStsWJ3_sQ-/s400/coretta-scott-king.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More than just the wife of, more than a recognizable widow, she is the very face of black women of
the civil rights movement. She is the most inspiring lesson of life after
unexpected tragedy and forward movement. She’s inspired me all my life to not
allow anyone to define me but me, and she dedicated her life to helping women find
their strength, and take ownership of their own road to empowerment. I swear I
think courage was simply a part of her DNA. She was and still is a woman of
wonder. Long live Coretta.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>5. Kerry Washington</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHAj32MYRDZjr0eb0_6H03nqZDaDCqg0ur9RH9xwGBzgoQ6_NxTUi76B0JazleRbSykORkUd_7Fpbg8CsluJys1vj3APL_OzsBDkoAlxOCOSb5ASrH9KqskSrvo9uf7yOamy64u7nWd-z/s1600/Kerri-1-1024x954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHAj32MYRDZjr0eb0_6H03nqZDaDCqg0ur9RH9xwGBzgoQ6_NxTUi76B0JazleRbSykORkUd_7Fpbg8CsluJys1vj3APL_OzsBDkoAlxOCOSb5ASrH9KqskSrvo9uf7yOamy64u7nWd-z/s400/Kerri-1-1024x954.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Never before has there been anyone like Kerry, nor will
there be long after she’s gone. I’ve mentioned before how much I swoon over
her, how- if ever I’m lucky enough- I fully intend of becoming BFF’s with her
should I ever meet her, and how O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D I am with her latest body of
work, <i>Scandal, </i>but have I mentioned
how courageous she is as an actor? If not, trust me when I say <i>D’jango Unchained</i> serves as proof of her
courage and commitment to her craft, and that is enough to make her a huge
inspiration to me in sticking to what you love, and letting it become as much a
part of you as the skin that shields you. Go Kerry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can promise you there are so many other women who inspire me each day, but the efforts and spirits of my fellow combat veterans are truly the biggest inspiration of all. All of you deserve your recognition and honor, and I hope today, that you take the time out to honor the women that inspire you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Happy International Women's Day Ladies!</span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-70069059817913792502013-02-17T15:38:00.002-08:002013-02-17T15:38:31.331-08:00Because laughter soothes the soul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozqGjp2J0dpWwO_aHwePFoqvWv5l_352Wns_lIlQWzVkGL2kfKw_NWWYRHqyGvQbr4k4EqUnWIS8t04Sj4373V-npKAGb6sh-fOFQP_XJzWwBgEOLowOA2EWdizcaUhQpkgJPzaZyCtL0/s1600/405001_395566143847187_310063859_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozqGjp2J0dpWwO_aHwePFoqvWv5l_352Wns_lIlQWzVkGL2kfKw_NWWYRHqyGvQbr4k4EqUnWIS8t04Sj4373V-npKAGb6sh-fOFQP_XJzWwBgEOLowOA2EWdizcaUhQpkgJPzaZyCtL0/s400/405001_395566143847187_310063859_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Happy Sunday!</span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-69141731784803516282013-01-21T07:49:00.003-08:002013-01-21T07:49:35.726-08:00All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQCxgqw8MYa-7NCmRpg0pr0ziBwIj19_-Kp7VNgzQXuPLokk7xTCtllrdKgPMqtZjoS1zl4phj9WNB8ikHOQuQKWNPahq2ca66eqeWtOx0zLV8kjP1-UDfWi5DKSa-p93Wd4nQh7d8hu5/s1600/martin-luther-king-jr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQCxgqw8MYa-7NCmRpg0pr0ziBwIj19_-Kp7VNgzQXuPLokk7xTCtllrdKgPMqtZjoS1zl4phj9WNB8ikHOQuQKWNPahq2ca66eqeWtOx0zLV8kjP1-UDfWi5DKSa-p93Wd4nQh7d8hu5/s400/martin-luther-king-jr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It took a great man, to lead our country in one of
the greatest efforts of equality, and ultimately the love of all humanity. Regardless
or color, regardless or religion, regardless of social differences…just
equality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, I thank that great man for his excellence
and sacrifices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you for uplifting our humanity Dr. King. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-4630368015052781492013-01-16T21:13:00.000-08:002013-01-16T21:13:04.249-08:00Because laughter is good for you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg9xV6O6Ox5XYibpQcNiOucMLN7yrpEP-Y0vaPIBhkGERZhBFDDwahdX5ECNRJwJfSbpfKes5AktZWjBw1JYhz0Tz66JTXtZJowA-KE3pJ6Ox6s9-bN-hxt_rY8zAZEfTYOZtyqg7fFKS/s1600/580522_401133333303535_1382973773_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJg9xV6O6Ox5XYibpQcNiOucMLN7yrpEP-Y0vaPIBhkGERZhBFDDwahdX5ECNRJwJfSbpfKes5AktZWjBw1JYhz0Tz66JTXtZJowA-KE3pJ6Ox6s9-bN-hxt_rY8zAZEfTYOZtyqg7fFKS/s400/580522_401133333303535_1382973773_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy Wednesday folks!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-81744857540177312982013-01-14T19:55:00.002-08:002013-01-14T19:55:28.318-08:00WW Resource: The Stress War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vtZXiZGXekXhya39usbJT7NNgEE4z2JJLyqg7_KVhNutQm4jCDtmS9skWXnqdyCu2nLmB8_A2MpkNrWAS0VaZQVmZBKvB74rbyZlLWpbbr117PJumLTb3PjmbXNkaZVSmLld2iAKUTAh/s1600/stress+word.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vtZXiZGXekXhya39usbJT7NNgEE4z2JJLyqg7_KVhNutQm4jCDtmS9skWXnqdyCu2nLmB8_A2MpkNrWAS0VaZQVmZBKvB74rbyZlLWpbbr117PJumLTb3PjmbXNkaZVSmLld2iAKUTAh/s400/stress+word.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For most of us, stress is just another part of our
everyday make-up. We experience and encounter stress in many different forms
throughout our daily lives; stress from work, stress from parenting, stress
from financial burdens- stress for the most part is the only constant in many
of our lives. Although some stressors may not be harmful, continued or
prolonged stress without management can be extremely dangerous and detrimental
to your overall health. For a warrior wife, the day-to-day stressors of life
become overwhelming when added with the stress of coping and living with
someone with PTSD and/or TBI (among other wounds- both physical and mental-of
war). Stress, simply put, becomes insurmountable and because of that fact, life
becomes even more cumbersome and harder to balance than ever. Often the level
of stress that a warrior wife will or can experience on a daily basis, renders
that warrior wife susceptible to medical ailments like: anxiety, depression,
over-eating, exhaustion, mal-nutrition, chronic headaches, excessive weight
gain or loss, hormone imbalances sometimes leading to infertility,
heart-disease, mental illness, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, gastrointestinal
issues, and skin conditions. This isn’t just my opinion, here is a passage from
an article I found on Web MD: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The human body is designed to experience
stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to
avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges
without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person
becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stress that continues without relief can lead
to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead
to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood
pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also
can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stress also becomes harmful when people use
alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to try and relieve their stress. Unfortunately,
instead of relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state,
these substances tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more
problems. Consider the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Forty-three
percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Seventy-five
percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments
and complaints. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stress
can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart
problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and
anxiety. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard
of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion
annually. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to
chronic, untreated stress reactions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Passage found from:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/effects-of-stress-on-your-body<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Experts have noted, that people with current
medical conditions that experience continued stress with no relief, can
actually worsen the medical conditions and cause more health related problems
going forward, and rising cases of worsening medical conditions due to stress
in women are fertility issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stress
and Infertility<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Basically, stress that is not managed and/or
relieved is often much more harmful than any of us ever realize. Stress plays a
huge role in many fertility cases such as Endometriosis, and Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome (PCOS). Although studies have not conclusively discerned how either medical
conditions start, many believe prolonged exposure to severe and unmanaged
stress caused their initial symptoms and worsened them thereafter. Studies note
that high levels of prolonged stress do worsen the symptoms of both diseases,
leaving the sufferers of these diseases caught in a vicious cycle of continued
or worsening pain and discomfort. In many cases for both diseases, worsening
symptoms have led to diabetes, heart disease, infertility, and more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So,
what is stress? </span></b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The definition of stress varies from person to
person, however, many define stress itself as a feeling; whenever life begins
to feel out of control or overwhelming, but for others, stress is much too
broad to just be classified or identified as an emotional manifestation of
things going wrong around us. I found this passage from an article written for
Medical News Today, that I absolutely thought fit my definition of stress: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Anything that poses a challenge or a threat
to our well-being is a stress. Some stresses get you going and they are good
for you - without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and
would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental
and physical health they are bad. </span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Passage found from: </span><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php"><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.php</span></a><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
works to reduce stress?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For me, relieving my daily stress revolves around
my ability to assert my creativity. I love to draw, paint, write, work on crafts
or do-it-yourself projects round my home, and spending time watching old
movies, or of course my indies! I’ve done all of these things my entire life to
relax me and because I truly enjoy them, and I have to say that for me, they
work every time to reduce my levels of stress. In case arts and crafts aren’t
your thing, here is what the Mayo Clinic suggests to relieve stress:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Get active</span></strong><b><br />
</b>Virtually any form of exercise and physical activity can act as a stress
reliever. Even if you're not an athlete or you're out of shape, exercise is
still a good stress reliever. Physical activity pumps up your feel-good
endorphins and refocuses your mind on your body's movements, improving your
mood and helping the day's irritations fade away. Consider walking, jogging,
gardening, house cleaning, biking, swimming, weightlifting or anything else
that gets you active. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">2. Meditate</span></strong><b><br />
</b>During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of
jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation
instills a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional
well-being and your overall health. Guided meditation, guided imagery,
visualization and other forms of meditation can be practiced anywhere at any
time, whether you're out for a walk, riding the bus to work or waiting at the
doctor's office. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">3. Laugh</span></strong><b><br />
</b>A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but it can help you feel
better, even if you have to force a fake laugh through your grumpiness. When
you start to laugh, it lightens your mental load and actually causes positive
physical changes in your body. Laughter fires up and then cools down your
stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure, producing a
good, relaxed feeling. So read some jokes, tell some jokes, watch a comedy or
hang out with your funny friends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">4. Connect</span></strong><b><br />
</b>When you're stressed and irritable, your instinct may be to wrap yourself
in a cocoon. Instead, reach out to family and friends and make social
connections. Social contact is a good stress reliever because it can distract
you, provide support, help you weather life's up and downs, and make you feel
good by doing good. So take a coffee break with a friend, email a relative,
volunteer for a charitable group, or visit your place of worship. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">5. Assert yourself</span></strong><b><br />
</b>You might want to do it all, but you probably can't, at least not without
paying a price. Learn to say no to some tasks or to delegate them. Saying yes
may seem like an easy way to keep the peace, prevent conflicts and get the job
done right. But it may actually cause you internal conflict because your needs
and those of your family come second, which can lead to stress, anger,
resentment and even the desire to exact revenge. And that's not very calm and
peaceful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">6. Do yoga</span></strong><b><br />
</b>With its series of postures and controlled-breathing exercises, yoga is a
popular stress reliever. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines
to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress
and anxiety. Try yoga on your own or find a class — you can find classes in
most communities. Hatha yoga, in particular, is a good stress reliever because
of its slower pace and easier movements. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">7. Sleep</span></strong><b><br />
</b>Stress often gives sleep the heave-ho. You have too much to do — and too
much to think about — and your sleep suffers. But sleep is the time when your
brain and body recharge. And the quality and amount of sleep you get affects
your mood, energy level, concentration and overall functioning. If you have
sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine,
listen to soothing music, put clocks away, and stick to a consistent schedule. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">8. Journal</span></strong><b><br />
</b>Writing out thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise
pent-up emotions. Don't think about what to write — just let it happen. Write
whatever comes to mind. No one else needs to read it, so don't strive for
perfection in grammar or spelling. Just let your thoughts flow on paper — or
computer screen. Once you're done, you can toss out what you wrote or save it
to reflect on later. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">9. Get musical</span></strong><b><br />
</b>Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever because it provides
a mental distraction, reduces muscle tension and decreases stress hormones.
Crank up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music. If music isn't
your thing, though, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy, such as
gardening, sewing, sketching — anything that requires you to focus on what
you're doing rather than what you think you should be doing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #54585a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">10. Seek counsel</span></strong><b><br />
</b>If new stressors are challenging your ability to cope or if self-care
stress relievers just aren't relieving your stress, you may need to look for
reinforcements in the form of professional therapy or counseling. Therapy may
be a good idea if stress leaves you feeling overwhelmed or trapped, if you
worry excessively, or if you have trouble carrying out daily routines or meeting
responsibilities at work, home or school. Professional counselors or therapists
can help you identify sources of your stress and learn new coping tools. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">Information found at: </span><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relievers/MY01373/NSECTIONGROUP=2"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-relievers/MY01373/NSECTIONGROUP=2</span></a><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here
is what I know<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The most important thing to remember as a warrior
wife is to do things for yourself, and take the time out that you need to
breathe, re-boot, and rejuvenate in order to deal with whatever is currently on
your plate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When my hubby came back from Iraq in 2006 carrying
with him the wounds of war in the form of severe PTSD and TBI, I honestly felt
my entire world had shifted off its axis. It was the scariest, and most
stressful thing I think I have ever (and still continue to) experienced in my
life. Not only was there the stress from trying to just understand what was
going on with him and what had changed, there was also the added stress of
trying to figure out if he would be released from the Navy due to his injury,
how we would manage financially if (or when) he were, where we would live, and
how our marriage would survive it all. It was hell, and more so, it was hell on
my body. I gained weight, and developed PCOS, and for the first time in my
life, my health was at stake. I knew by 2010, after 4 years of battling with my
deteriorating health and devoting all my time and energy into my hubby’s issues
and work, that something needed to change fast, and it was that realization
that helped me turn both my health and my life with my hubby back in the right
direction. I decided to look into adapting to a vegan diet (a little extreme
for some, but for me was perfect since I already wasn’t big on dairy or meat,
and had been vegan in the past) and was determined to remind myself to take
time out to do the things that make me happy. I was lucky because none of my
health issues were advanced enough to cause further damage to my body, but some
of you out there may be in an entirely different boat, and therefore taking
action against prolonged stress is even more imperative and compulsory to your
overall health and well-being. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What I know about stress is this: you have to take
charge and make the decision to not allow your stress to drown you- and trust
me it can and will try. You have to know that regardless of your circumstances,
if you don’t take care of yourself, you will be no good to anyone else,
especially your wounded warrior. Taking care of yourself may be hard
considering all that you have going on, but it’s worth it. Read, get off your
feet and watch some T.V (even if it’s only for an hour or two) take a weekend
to yourself, start a journal, go on a long walk once a day, just do something
for yourself. I know that I plan to make 2013 my year of doing things for
myself on a weekly basis (maybe even writing about the places I go or the
things I do here!). It’s not selfish, it’s vital to your health, your family,
and your ability to let your body heal naturally. And trust me, your future self will thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-17473169447812726672013-01-13T21:13:00.000-08:002013-01-13T21:13:24.787-08:00A little taste<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">So I
know I already mentioned in my 2012 Post Mortems post, how absolutely stoked I
am for the highly anticipated premier of my FAVORITE book turned film adaptation
<i>Beautiful Creatures -</i>in theaters Valentine's Day- but failed to mention why. So… In an effort to show you
all why I’m literally counting down the hours until I’m pleasantly cemented to
the chair of my local theater watching this wicked awesome film, I figured I’d
give you a little taste via trailer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">Hope
you enjoy it; better yet, I hope you run to your nearest book store and pick up
the four part series. I think you just might become addicts just like me </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Maiandra GD"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Maiandra GD"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r9rjhB7KWEc" width="560"></iframe>Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-31858618305206363192013-01-08T21:56:00.002-08:002013-01-08T21:56:50.872-08:00WW Resource: Caregiver Programs & Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7fjc0s3owQpTLzDf0KqtytftpT91z0TVnlzakzHXO_wI60kmA7OEMGqVrPd7FrsJ5pOE6zxeG_pSixxCqTJzSpVI2uqiecmFpg5miLBvvx55h109hS40fzl-nzp7KOY2m6tp21OMZoS9/s1600/tumblr_metjhgAO8U1rjrzsmo1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7fjc0s3owQpTLzDf0KqtytftpT91z0TVnlzakzHXO_wI60kmA7OEMGqVrPd7FrsJ5pOE6zxeG_pSixxCqTJzSpVI2uqiecmFpg5miLBvvx55h109hS40fzl-nzp7KOY2m6tp21OMZoS9/s400/tumblr_metjhgAO8U1rjrzsmo1_400.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hey there my fellow Warrior Wives! I’m finally
hammering through my mound of emails that I have sadly let accumulate over the
last 3 ½ months due to my overall busy work schedule, and a little bit of
laziness. Sad but true; all work and no play makes me non-responsive and blah. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m working on it though. It’s a new year and all
that jazz, you know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alas, with the ringing in of the New Year comes a
new motivation and commitment to this blog and re-connecting to all you crazy
kids that actually <i>read </i>what I have
to say here- you poor unfortunate souls you (said in my best Ursula voice- too
much Little Mermaid for me thanks to my lovely niece). Either way, I’m stoked
to know you are there, and are reading, and enjoying my sometimes tyrannical
tirades, and acknowledging my general fiery awesomeness. True story. Hey, if I
don’t blow my head up who will? Just as long as it doesn’t excel to that of a
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloon big, I can afford to give myself a few
over exaggerated credits… or two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Oh, how I digress…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Any-whoville. I came across an email from a lovely
reader by the name of Soul Sister Sara, (by the by, your name rocks my socks.
I’m crushing hard core- get it girl!) who indicated that she was advised that
she would qualify for tuition assistance from the VA now that her hubby’s
rating has been increased to 100% disabled. She wrote that she has been having
a hell of a time trying to find out how to get the ball rolling in applying for
this benefit, did not know where to even start, and wanted to know if I had
ever heard about this benefit and have any pointers for her. I have heard that
dependents of a Vet who is considered either 100% disabled due to service
connected injuries, or who is deceased and was a <b>veteran of foreign war</b>
(that’s where they kind of nail you if your vet had no foreign war
involvement), are eligible for education assistance. I usually refer back to the
caregiver support website whenever I am unclear about a benefit or need verification.
Here is what I was able to pull from the site regarding the post 9/11 GI Bill:<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information gathered from: </span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/other_programs/dea.html">http://www.gibill.va.gov/benefits/other_programs/dea.html</a></span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #000647; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 16.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><u>Survivors & Dependents Assistance (DEA)</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dependents'
Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to
eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of
education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate
programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may
take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may
be approved under certain circumstances.<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">You
must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled
as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out
of active service in the Armed Forces. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A veteran who died from any cause while such permanent
and total service-connected disability was in existence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A servicemember missing in action or captured in line of
duty by a hostile force. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A servicemember forcibly detained or interned in line of
duty by a foreign government or power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">A servicemember who is hospitalized or receiving
outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and
is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective
December 23, 2006. <span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If
you are a son or daughter and wish to receive benefits for attending school or
job training, you must be between the ages of 18 and 26. In certain instances,
it is possible to begin before age 18 and to continue after age 26. Marriage is
not a bar to this benefit. If you are in the Armed Forces, you may not receive
this benefit while on active duty. To pursue training after military service,
your discharge must not be under dishonorable conditions. VA can extend your
period of eligibility by the number of months and days equal to the time spent
on active duty. This extension cannot generally go beyond your 31st birthday,
there are some exceptions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If
you are a spouse, benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible or
from the date of death of the veteran. If the VA rated the veteran permanently
and totally disabled with an effective date of 3 years from discharge a spouse
will remain eligible for 20 years from the effective date of the rating. This
change is effective October 10, 2008 and no benefits may be paid for any
training taken prior to that date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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surviving spouses (spouses of service members who died on active duty) benefits
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">You
should make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training. If you
are not clear on this point, VA will inform you and the school or company about
the requirements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Obtain
and complete VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents'
Educational Assistance. Send it to the VA regional office with jurisdiction
over the State where you will train. If you are a son or daughter, under legal
age, a parent or guardian must sign the application.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If
you have started training, take your application to your school or employer.
Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, and send both
forms to VA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Section
301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of
"eligible person" for DEA benefits. The new category includes the
spouse or child of a person who:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">VA
determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and at the
time of VA's determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized
or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and is likely to
be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Persons
eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective
December 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">DEA
provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans
who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or
who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition.
The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be
used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job
training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial,
deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Special
Restorative Training</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. The
Department of Veterans Affairs may prescribe special restorative training where
needed to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability for
the purpose of enabling an eligible person to pursue a program of education,
special vocational program or other appropriate goal. Medical care and
treatment or psychiatric treatments are not included.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Special
Vocational Training</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is also available to persons eligible for DEA benefits.
This type of program may be approved for an eligible person who is not in need
of Special Restorative Training, but who requires such a program because of a
mental or physical handicap.<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Hope
this will be helpful in making 2013 your year to pursue your education dreams!</span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-9386389886035631492013-01-06T23:58:00.001-08:002013-01-07T00:01:19.499-08:002012 Post Mortems<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEfN5bl0e8RqIHXOd4ru-lKLlz4yeu8LkhSEDUM1sfN_xDVfHurJshLswO2xG1syVhPxcWTn_Gt7zVLhG6iu_xpP27ARqJFehkHWtJ1v-RVRBNd-jE0quWoG5lTOqQYYl8A5kYKgAgJL-/s1600/2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEfN5bl0e8RqIHXOd4ru-lKLlz4yeu8LkhSEDUM1sfN_xDVfHurJshLswO2xG1syVhPxcWTn_Gt7zVLhG6iu_xpP27ARqJFehkHWtJ1v-RVRBNd-jE0quWoG5lTOqQYYl8A5kYKgAgJL-/s400/2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">What a difference a year makes! 2012 was filled with major accomplishments and major set-backs, and as most us do when entering a new year, reflecting back on the prior year seems to be the most commonly used tool to help carve out a clear path for the hopes and goals we wish to accomplish going forward. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Usually I make a list of all the things I want to set in motion and list achievements I seek to bring to fruition during the new year, but this year I decided to make my traditional New Year’s blog a little different. That’s why when trying to devise a theme for this post, and coincidently surfing blogs I frequently read- as I usually do on my free time- I came across a post I absolutely loved from The Lost Book Reports blog (an all things book lovers blog). This blogger usually does a monthly look back (which I think is an amazing idea that I would like to somehow incorporate into my blog this year, but with a twist) and includes things she did, read, accomplished, and so on during the previous month. I love doing look backs and am always surprised by what I had going on, and how much I’ve actually done. If you like it, I strongly suggest you check out her blog whenever you have some free time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">2012 In One Word</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Progression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">5 Big Things That Happened In 2012</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">My old company was acquired by a larger organization = A big promotion and raise!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Finally got a good team of doctors together for the hubby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Joined Hearts of Valor<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Finally Saw Nikka Costa Live!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Went Vegan (still a work in progress) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My IPod</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Man Like That by Gin Wigmore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Settle Down by No Doubt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Ho, Hey by The Lumineers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Home by Phillip Phillips<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Easy by Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Top 5 Favorite Books Read In 2012</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">The Diviners by Libba Bray<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Beautiful Creatures Series by Margaret Stohl<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">2 Most Popular 2012 Blog(s) </span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Absence makes the heart grow fonder...or it just gives you plenty of time for Indies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">WW Resource: Higher Ground</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">3 Obsessions in 2012</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Oprah’s Lifeclass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Photography<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">VA Volunteer Work<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #e06666;">3 Things I’m Looking Forward To In 2013</span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Hearts Of Valor Retreat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Premier of Beautiful Creatures (Film Debut!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Finding more joy in my life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Although 2012 for me wasn’t filled with half as much stress and chaos as previous years, it did leave me incredibly busy, and in serious need of re-grouping, reassessing, and re-connecting with my biggest sources of joy. Instead of writing down a list of things I hope to accomplish in 2013, which inevitably I won’t get to achieve, I decided to instead make a few promises to myself that are attainable, and easy to remember. I’ve rounded this (would be repeatedly long) list into 3 simple promises<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #e06666;">I promise to be Kind.</span> </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Kind to my body by eating healthy nourishing foods, kind to my hubby by <b>finding time</b> to relate to each other as a married couple regardless of the stress, and busy schedules, and kind to others by finding more time to give back and become more involved in the charities that are near and dear to my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">I promise to nurture my creativity.</span> </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Whether it be writing, blogging, photography, painting, crafts, or drawing, I promise to dive deep and make time to exert my creative side without excuses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">I promise to find joy.</span> </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">With all that we warrior wives have on our plates at any given day, it’s easy to loose sight of the things that bring us joy and happiness. For me, happiness is too general of a concept to try to reach everyday, so instead I choose to find joy in my life, joy in my marriage, joy in my the little things that I often overlook, and joy in the time I am able to spend with the people I love. Joy is all around us, we just have to dig through the muck to find it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">I hope your 2013 is jam-packed with overwhelming joy, success, fun, and freedom bloggerella’s and fella’s!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif;">Here's to a happy 2013!!</span></div>
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<br />Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-11271901465049902202012-11-15T10:52:00.002-08:002012-11-15T10:52:50.932-08:00You're really lovely, underneath it all...<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You can’t talk love songs and not include the incomparable,
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irresistible No “ effing” Doubt. I’ve been a No Doubt fan for as long as I can
remember (along with half the globe), and this song reminds me of why I fell in
love with them in the first place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Enjoy this great pick everyone!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-33581204796599535942012-11-13T20:25:00.002-08:002012-11-13T20:44:06.137-08:00Love is in the air...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">I don't know about you, but to me there is nothing like a good love song to get you all </span><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">nostalgic and ridiculously happy. It's the kind of happy that reminds you of how it felt the first time you knew you were head over heels and helplessly falling. No matter the genera- pop, rock, indie, oldie, blues, R&B, neo-soul, whatev, whatevs- love songs take you back to a place where the warm and fuzzies are steadily flowing, and fills you with </span><span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">optimism that love springs eternal. Oh-me-oh-my do love songs make me want to sing out loud (as if I don't do that everyday in my car already). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">I’m feeling rather cheesy, and love-o-licious
today. Maybe it’s because I’ve realized that with everything that I have going
on in my life on a daily basis, love is the most prominent factor in my ability
to “just keep swimming”- Or maybe it’s because it’s my (drumroll please)………ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!
– either way I’m feeling the love today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">So, in honor of my 6<sup>th</sup> year of marriage
to the absolute love of my life, and to get all of you feeling the warm and
fuzzies, I figured I'd share our love songs (and since one is never enough, yes,
we have two) today, and post songs about love for the rest of the week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">First up is our official song (ironically titled
Love Song) covered by none other than Adele. I don’t really care for The Cure,
and didn’t <i>love</i> this song until I
heard 311’s version (which is the version that my hubby dedicated to me). This
version is much softer and I just love it so… here it is<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next is our unofficial (but just as significant)
second song <i>Dig </i>by Incubus. If you
listen closely to the lyrics you’ll understand why this song is so beautiful
and so perfect for all couples, no matter how many years you have under your
belt, or how many struggles you may face. It’s just rad, and I so us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Can’t you just feel the love flowing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy Love songs everyone! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206667821454163266.post-22840509107482712232012-11-11T17:54:00.000-08:002012-11-11T17:54:06.445-08:00Thankful and Grateful are the words of the day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Veterans Day to all our heroes both past and present,
still with us or not; today we honor and thank you.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Amongst the surplus of “Thank you for your service” acknowledgements
that your Veteran will receive today, there are also many organizations in your
area that offer free or discounted goodies as a way of honoring the hard work
and sacrifices of our Vets and their families. If you’re planning on going out
tonight for dinner, or may be interested in what deals may be available in your
area, I figured I’d pass along some of the freebies that I’ve found while web
surfing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Veterans Day to all, and to all a great night!</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: -.75pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Restaurants with Veterans Day Free
Meals </span></b><b><span style="color: #093886; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; letter-spacing: -.75pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.applebees.com/veterans-day-menu" target="_blank" title="Applebees Free Meal"><span style="color: #ff001e;"><b>Applebees
Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
Applebees is offering a free signature entree on Sunday November 11th,
2012 at participating locations. Must present</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://militarybenefits.info/veterans-day-discounts-sales-deals-free-meals/" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">valid</span></a></span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">Veteran’s form of identification.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://interact.stltoday.com/pr/dining-restaurants/PR110612103410952" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Arby’s
Free Roast Beef Sandwich</b></span></a><br />
Arby’s largest franchisee is offering a free roast beef sandwich at their 280
Arby’s restaurants on Monday, November 12, 2012. This offer is valid only at
all participating Arby’s locations in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri,
Illinois and Colorado (Colorado Springs and Pueblo).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=484321321591050&set=a.128819250474594.17608.128104120546107&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Bar Louie
Free Lunch or Dinner </b></span></a><br />
Bar Louie is saluting veterans and active-duty on Sunday and Monday (November
11-12) this year with a free lunch or dinner, up to an $11 value.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/422948851091900/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>California Pizza Kitchen</b></span></a><br />
California Pizza Kitchen is honoring Veterans and Military personnel by
inviting them in to dine for free on November 11 (Veterans Day) and November
12. Enjoy an pizza and a non-alcoholic beverage for free. Dine-in only. Please
come in uniform or bring your military ID or other proof of service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://carrows.fbmta.com/shared/images/2147483747/2147483747_AEx4Z8jCdLdPHACHgIAyAACTAAAMAAAAAAAAAID7yn-Ozwj_0.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Carrows
Free Slice of Pie </b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11 get a free slice of pie with any purchase. Present military
ID.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://champpsamericana.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=23622367175&StoreCode=" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Champps
Free Cheeseburger and Fries </b></span></a><br />
On Monday, November 12 veterans and active-duty can get a free cheeseburger and
fries all day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://charliebrowns.com/coupon/?CB_Vet_Coupon" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse Eat
Free</b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12, 2012 Veterans and active-duty military eat free with a</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://militarybenefits.info/veterans-day-discounts-sales-deals-free-meals/" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">coupon</span></a>. Valid ID required or in uniform or
photo in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151523184368378&set=a.10150842391808378.520061.122912783377&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Cheeseburger
In Paradise Free Meal </b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12, 2012 veterans are saluted with a free meal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://chilis.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=23622341159" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Chili’s
Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11, 2012 from 11 am to 5 pm Veterans and active-duty military
get a choice of 7 free meals. Must show proof of military service.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cocos.fbmta.com/shared/images/2147483748/2147483748_AJPMTozCc9dPvACIgIAyAACTAAAMAAAAAAAAAID7yn-Ozwj_0.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Coco’s
Free Slice of Pie </b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11 get a free slice of pie with any purchase. Present military
ID.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.dennys.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Denny’s All You Can Eat Pancakes</b></span></a><br />
Get all you can eat pancakes for all active duty military and veterans with a
valid ID on Monday, November 12, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.einsteinbros.com/pumpkin/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Einstein Bagels Free Bagel</b></span></a><br />
Receive a classic or signature bagel on Sunday November 11, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.famousdaves.com/promo/veterans-day/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Famous Dave’s Free or
Discounted Meal</b></span></a><br />
On November 11th, 2012 Famous Dave’s is providing a variety of free meals and
discounts at participating locations to former and current military personnel.
Offers vary by location.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152265806420440&set=a.292131500439.322845.54000790439&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Great
American Cookies Free Cookie</b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11, 2012 all those who served get a free cookie with valid
military id.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://pitchengine.com/thegreeneturtle/the-greene-turtle-thanks-members-of-the-military-with-free-veterans-day-meals" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Green
Turtle Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
All of the casual dining restaurant/sports bar chains’ locations across
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C., will</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://militarybenefits.info/veterans-day-discounts-sales-deals-free-meals/" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">free offer</span></a></span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">meal items on Sunday November 11 from 4 – 9 PM. This is offer is
for current and former service members.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.elabs12.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=14580&mlid=73&siteid=2012000052&uid=680b8067b4&hq_e=el&hq_m=14580&hq_l=1&hq_v=680b8067b4" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Friendly’s
Free Breakfast and Coffee</b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12 until 11:00 am get a free Big Two Do Breakfast and</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://militarybenefits.info/veterans-day-discounts-sales-deals-free-meals/" title="Click to Continue > by Text-Enhance"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">coffee</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goldencorral.com/military/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Golden Corral Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
Get a Veterans Day free meal to any veteran who has served in the United States
military or is a current active duty service member. All Golden Corral
locations will be participating On Monday, November 12, 2012 from 4 PM to 9 PM.
No identification is required to get your free Veterans day meal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hootersveteransday.com/register.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Hooters 10 Free Boneless Wings</b></span></a><br />
On Sunday November 11th, 2012 receive 10 free boneless wings with the purchase
of a drink for all veterans and active duty military. Military ID or proof of
service required.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hy-vee.com/company/press-room/press-releases/hy-vee-celebrates-veterans-day-with-free-breakfast-for-veterans.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Hy-Vee
Free Breakfast</b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12, 2012 Hy-Vee is providing free breakfast during regular
breakfast hours.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/431079393620323/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Krispy Kreme Free Donut &
Coffee</b></span></a><br />
On Sunday, November 11 is offering a free donut to all those served or
currently are serving. Proof of military service required or those in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.littlecaesars.com/news/veterans-day-2012.asp" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Little Caesars Free Crazy Bread</b></span></a><br />
Receive free Crazy Bread with valid ID Sunday, November 11, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.longhornsteakhouse.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Longhorn Steakhouse Free App
& Drink</b></span></a><br />
On Monday, November 12 get a free appetizer and drink.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/10/12/4333560/max-ermas-to-honor-americas-heroes.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Max &
Erma’s Free Cheeseburger Combo Meal with Dessert</b></span></a><br />
On Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, 2012, participating Max & Erma’s
locations are celebrating veterans and active military personnel with a free
cup of Tortilla Soup or side Caesar Salad, a Cheeseburger, seasoned fries and a
chocolate chip cookie.<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151151254934891&set=a.152182039890.116500.148030884890&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>McCormick
and Schmick’s Free Entree</b></span></a><br />
Enjoy a complimentary entree Sunday, Nov. 11. All veterans must show official
verification. Veterans Day entrees must be enjoyed at the restaurant. No to-go
orders permitted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://enterprise.fishbowl.com/shared/images/27917287438/27917287438_20121107524114.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Mimi’s
Cafre Free Meal with a Purchase</b></span></a><br />
Free lunch or dinner entree with the purchase of a meal plus two beverages.
Valid November 9th to the 11th, must bring coupon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ocharleys.com/eclub/webversion/VeteransDayOffer.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>O’Charley’s
20% Off Your Order</b></span></a><br />
On Veterans Day vets and active duty receive 20% off your order. Bring coupon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.olivegarden.com/Menu/Specials/#veterans_day" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Olive Garden Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
On Sunday, November 11, 2012 all veterans and military active duty will receive
a choice of 1 of 5 entrees plus unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ontheborder.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=36507253043&StoreCode=" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>On The
Border Free Entree</b></span></a><br />
On 11/11/12 15% of purchases will be donated to Carry The Load plus veterans
and active-duty will receive a free entrée certificate, valid up to $10 and
good through 11/30/2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.outback.com/companyinfo/veteransday.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Outback Steakhouse Free
Bloomin’ Onion® and Coca-Cola®</b></span></a><br />
On November 11th and 12th, 2012 military personnel and veterans get FREE
Bloomin’ Onion® and Coca-Cola®. Must have valid identification. Also, receive 10%
off the entire guest check (excluding alcohol, taxes and gratuity) from
November 13- December 31, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151265665812220&set=a.278587212219.141654.80018237219&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Red
Lobster</b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11, 2012 a free appetizer to all veterans and active-duty
personnel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sizzler.com/VetsDay12.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Sizzler Free Lunch</b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12, 2012 through 4 PM Veterans and active duty military will
receive a free lunch from a select menu. Valid ID required or in uniform or
photo in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.souplantation.com/veteransday/#.UJyUroZGw40" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Soup Plantation Free Meal with
Purchase</b></span></a><br />
Past and present military can receive a free meal this Sunday and Monday,
November 11 and 12th with the purchase of another regular priced meal. Just
show proof of military service or be in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.40meatballs.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Spaghetti Warehouse Buy 1 Get 1 Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
Friday thru Monday (November 9-12) buy 1 meal and get 1 Original Recipe
Spaghetti Entrée for your veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.souplantation.com/veteransday/#.UJyUroZGw40" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Sweet Tomatoes Free Meal Free
Meal with Purchase </b></span></a><br />
Past and present military can receive a free meal this Sunday and Monday,
November 11 and 12th with the purchase of another regular priced meal. Just
show proof of military service or be in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.texascorral.net/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Texas Corral Free Entree</b></span></a><br />
A free entrée on Veterans Day to vets and active duty. Unofficially we believe
it’s Sunday but their website just says Veterans Day. Call ahead to confirm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.texasroadhouse.com/landing-pages/veterans-day" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Texas Roadhouse Free
Lunch </b></span></a><br />
Monday, November 12, 2012 select from a special veterans lunch menu.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.timhortons.com/us/en/about/voters-and-veterans-special-promotions.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Tim
Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop Free Donut</b></span></a><br />
Sunday, November 11, 2012 Veterans active duty-duty military will receive a
free donut. No purchase required. Valid ID required or show up in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tgifridays.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>TGI Fridays Free Lunch</b></span></a><br />
On Monday, November 12 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm get a free Veterans Day lunch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151281852379756&set=a.260648329755.138810.252336509755&type=1&theater" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Travel
Centers of America Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
All CDL drivers who are Military Veterans eat free on November 11th, 2012. Up
to $15 on a complimentary meal of your choice Must present valid ID or
photograph in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.twinpeaksrestaurant.com/event/armed-forces-appreciation/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff001e; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Twin
Peaks Free Meal</b></span></a><br />
Twins Peaks provides vague information and it doesn’t look like it includes
Veterans. Here are their event details. “For Serving Us, We’re Serving You!
Service men and women eat free on Veteran’s Day.” Starts on Thursday, November
8 through Sunday, November 11. We are working on clarifying this information.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
Ayana and Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16201267460416634819noreply@blogger.com0