Are you paying attention to your heart health?  February is American Heart Month.  I can't believe the month is almost over.  I've been trying to wear the color red a lot lately.  Since red is my favorite color, it hasn't been that hard to do.  :)

I think many women still don't realize that heart disease is the #1 killer of women.  

I have many friends who've been impacted by breast cancer.  And being a woman I can understand why there's so much publicity to raise awareness for breast cancer.  I applaud those efforts.  But I also think that we can't ignore heart disease.  It's no longer a men's disease.  The risk for women begins to rise from the ages of 40-60. Uh oh, that includes me!

I've been participating in a private Facebook group called At Home with Kim: Weigh-In Wednesdays.  It has become such a wonderful source of recipes, challenges and group encouragement for many of us who are trying to lose a few pounds.

It's interesting to me that most younger women are more concerned with losing weight than with avoiding a disease like heart disease. But if it hasn't impacted you personally, it's easy to think it will never happen.

When I worked as a nurse in a cardiology practice, I conducted a survey of heart patients. I asked them what they were most afraid of.  Was it another heart attack or maybe dying?

The overwhelming response from heart patients was that they were afraid of losing their independence.  

They wanted to continue to do the things they enjoy and not have to become dependent on others.  I get that.  After all, I witnessed many who survived a heart attack and ended up becoming dependent.

So for all of you younger women out there who are simply trying to lose weight.  Listen up!  It's time to start those healthy habits now while you're younger.

Here's a bit of advice:

• Establish healthy habits for life
• Be a good example for your children
• Walk your talk
• Regular exercise can become a part of family life
• Eating healthy will benefit the entire family

I think our perspective needs to change.  It's not about simply going on a diet to lose weight.  It's a long term goal of healthy living for life.  That takes time, effort and perseverance.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers helpful resources on their website.  You can access information about heart disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure and stroke.  They also offer heart healthy recipes.

I'm linking up with Kim of At Home with Kim  for Weigh-In Wednesday.


Blessings and love,

Blessings are all around if only you take the time to notice.

It can be so easy to focus on what's wrong and ...get frustrated.  

I prefer to discover what's good and ...appreciate it.

This week in our school, we had fun getting ready for Miss Vicki's birthday.  The children had to get in on the decorations too.
They were trying to blow up balloons, without much success I might add.  Hilton handed me her balloon after numerous attempts to inflate it.  She wanted me to blow it up for her.  I laughed and told her that it had lots of germs on it now.  She looked at me and quickly added "My mom and dad have the same germs as me" and grabbed the balloon so she could bring it home.  I love the responses of the children.  (Another one to be written down for our class jar to read at the end of the school year.)

Other teachers were getting in on the action of course.  Have I mentioned how much I enjoy working with younger women?  I think it helps to keep me young at heart.

Here's Miss Annie who has the best smile.  She's a kid at heart!  She was mainly responsible for arranging all the fun festivities.  I felt so badly as I took photos of the birthday girl and ...they didn't come out.  Can you believe it?  I think I opened my camera to check my disk and ruined them.  I am so sorry Miss Vicki!

I couldn't resist snapping this photo of two children during free play time.  They were reading to one another. They often play act out Mrs. Rosetti and Miss Debbie.  Heidi and I chuckle as we listen to them imitate us.
You just never know what kids will say.  This little girl was in our class last year.  She was dressed for an after school dance class.  But out of the blue, she asked me "Miss Debbie who made God?".  Mind you, this isn't a Christian school.  But when a child asks a simple and yet very profound question ...I try to answer.

I told her that nobody made God.  He has always been.  She looked at me with her head slanted to the side and said, "God made the earth and the flowers and the trees.  They are so beautiful.  But who made God?"  I tried to once more tell her that God existed before anything and that He has always been.  She shrugged and continued walking saying "The sky is so beautiful".  You never know what a child will ask or say.  So much was going on inside her little four year old head.  Praise God!

So I continue to count those every day blessings.

#698 The excitement of a birthday party
#699 Decorating with children
#700 Blowing up balloons
#701 Working with young teachers
#702 The cute things children say
#703 The profound things children say
#704 How God works in a child's heart
#705 Children trying to read to one another
#706 Reconnecting with a friend from nursing school on Facebook
#707 Words flowing as I continue to write my book
#708 Kind words from friends and family
#709 Snow in Phoenix (and yes you read that right)
#710 Rain in Phoenix
#711 My car that continues to run well and look good after 12 years

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.




Blessings and love,

Do you daydream?  I'm definitely a day dreamer.  Sometimes it's good for me to take a virtual vacation.  It's especially good when I know I'm not going anywhere. :)

So I hope you will indulge me while I show you a few scenes from my vivid imagination.

I can just picture myself sitting in this rocker reading a great book or simply enjoying the view with a cup of tea in hand.



I might enjoy a leisurely swim in the pool.


There's nothing quite like a bubble bath after a day like this.


And then I am finally ready for bed.  How about this?


Thank you for indulging me in this virtual vacation.  Now I need to get ready for work tomorrow.  After all, that's the real world, right?

Blessings and love,