Ashley

I just had to find time to brag on my wonderful daughter! She is heading to college this fall and received a full scholarship from the school she is going too and as well got on there Honor's program! She is graduating soon in the the top 10th percentile of her class as well as has a 4.0 GPA. I can not find the words to tell you how proud I am of her. She has been through so much in her lifetime but always finds a way to make things better for herself! Her boyfriend, Brandon, will be leaving soon for basic training for the guards and she did a photography project recently that reflect's how she feels about this and I just want to share the pic's here. She is so talented and I am just not sure where she is getting it from but I can tell you this I am one proud mom!!

Travel...

Well it is again that time in the year when I am off and traveling alot. I have to admit though each year it gets harder and harder. My body just doesn't like it and my heart is always at home with the family. This year we splurged a little and got a laptop and a web cam to take with me and I am looking forward to seeing the family next week when I am gone. I choose the VA Beach area to work in this year and so far it is going well. It is still cold there like it is here but waking up to the sound of the ocean is still a plus! The kids are busy as well this year with them both graduating. David Jr is going into 6th grade next school year and Ashley is heading off to college in August. I am missing there younger years but I have to admit it is great seeing them grow up. I am going to miss Ashley alot when she leaves but I am also very proud of her. She set very high goals for herself and she has made those goals and then some! I can't wait to see what she will accomplish in her life.

The lost of a great man..

I haven't posted in awhile because I have been having major family issues and work/personal issues to deal with. But recently my Uncle Billy passed away and that has shook us all to the core. To understand the brother/sisters in my dad's family I will need to explain it, so please bear with me. My dad is 1 of 19 kids my grandfather had/has. My grandpa has had 3 relationships to get this many kids and my dad and my uncle that passed was from the 2nd relationship. My Uncle Billy was the baby of those kids and we are all still reeling from his passing. Uncle Billy was a wonderful man, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend and his funeral was a testament to that. There was so many people that came and went during his service and his funeral processions was so long that cars were running red lights in front of us because they had thought we were through! The one thing I took comfort in was that he had found God recently and was prepared to go home to him. He was shot as a young man and had complications from that shooting for the rest of his life. The is the last picture taken of him at the KFC Yum Center 3 days prior to his death and the one thing that broke our hearts was at the time he was at theYum Center a week prior and we were burying him the next week at the same time. I remember funny times with him and just his love that he shown me over there years. He was truly loved and I will forever miss him! Love to you Uncle Billy!

Positive Thoughts.....

A few weeks ago my sister and her kids were involved in a very serious accident. Her son, Clark, ended up in Kosiar Children's Hospital ICU and to be honest this was the worst thing  I have ever seen. If I never see a child like that again it will be way too soon. During this time I being the one who is always there and doing everything for everyone worked, went to the hospital, made phone calls and etc for everyone while not taking care of myself. And as most of you know this is just the way I am, but this time in doing so I made myself very sick. I ended up with the worst headache I have ever had and all due to my B/P being way out of control. I had to learn how to step back and let others take control for my own health & well being. In learning this lesson I have also learned that I need to be more positive on things in my life. For instance while I am traveling instead of being upset because I am without my family I now look at this way, I have a family to go home too. Unlike some of my co-workers. David and I lives have never been easy and to be honest may never be easy but the one thing we do share is a true love and trust in each other. So from this experience I am now setting out on a new personal journey by trying to be more positive in my life. Seeing things in my own life in a positive light instead of the negative I am hoping this will help me with my Fibromyalgia and well as my B/P. I plan on blogging more to help me achieve this goal. This will be my sounding board on how I am doing and the failure along the way. Hopefully there won't be too much failure but we will see....

Busy days....

Well since I last posted we have been busy with school and my work trips. I also have been going through some personal challenges. I have had a hard time dealing with some issues and although they have finally come to a head in the process I lost, what I thought was great friendships. I am struggling to learn how to close this door in my life and in learning this very hard life lesson. I am only hoping by going through this process I will see a door with another opening on the other side with a light that is very bright. And although I know I will not be the same from this experience I do know I will be stronger or at least I hope I will be.

Onto other news I finally convinced a doctor to take me and the pain of this disease seriously. And although it took me asking the doctor to admit me to the hospital and cut off my leg to get her to listen at least I got her attention! Okay I know that was bad approach to it but I am so frustrated with this disease. It is only getting worse as time goes on and the pain is not the only issues anymore. I am having short term memory issues, dropping things, speaking words backwards, and the list could go on and on. So she has now put me on Lyrica and I hope this will help. I do know after a week of being on it the pain is decreasing so maybe it will work. At least I pray it does.

David 50th Birthday

Here is David sometime in the 80's I think....

And  here is the love of my life today......

Although he swears he is only turning 30 this weekend we all know the truth!!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!! Love ya!

David & I 12th Annivesrey

David and I will be married 12 years tomorrow! I can't believe how fast time goes because it sure doesn't feel like we have been togther that long. David and I have had a rough life, financial that is, as a couple but we always seem to find comfort in each other. David, as most of you know, has 13 hip replacements and I have been with him for at least 4 of those replacements. As well as numerous times for them "popping" out of place. This year David is finding it harder to walk and as much as he & I would love to deny this he will soon need the assistance of a weelchair. I find this very upsetting and I tend to cry alot, well when he is not looking! I know that he will be okay but to see this part of his life slipping away is heartbreaking to say the least. The one thing I do know is this he & I will face this new challenge with the same spirit that has gotten though all these years. I am so honored that he choose me to be his wife and I feel very blessed to have him in my life. We were truly blessed to find each other and if there is only 1 thing I would like to change is that we would have meet each other a lot more earlier in life. We already had Ash when we got married and we also was blessed with David Jr in 2000. Life in the Harlow household may never be easy but it is truly filled with love each and every day.  I fill very blessed to say I have a husband who I can truly come home to that will help me in every step of my life. Thanks honey for all the memories and I hope to spend many more years with you! Love ya!!