featured Archives - Page 42 of 43 - Inspired & Strong | Making the Best of Every Day with Stacy

As you read in “How Did I Get Here“, I visited eight countries in Europe before going to Thailand to teach English. After three days in Germany (“Take the Leap “), I flew to Helsinki, Finland for the second leg of my trip. I was so excited to meet up with my friend/family member, Marja.

Marja was a foreign exchange student who stayed with my family in the ’90s when I was in college. After playing basketball for and graduating from my former high school, she went back to Finland and became a teacher. Like myself, she loves traveling and has visited numerous countries. She came back to visit us in Pennsylvania and Virginia over the years, but I had never been to her home country, and I couldn’t wait to see her, her family, and her hometown.

I made plans with her before I left the United States. We messaged through What’s Up and Facebook while I was connected to wifi in Germany to finalize plans. I don’t know what I would have done without modern technology:) She said she would meet me at the airport exit. I wasn’t sure how big the airport was or how I would ever find her, but to my surprise and relief, she was right there! Have any of you traveled before cell phones and the internet? Please tell us about your experience!

Marja and her partner were the BEST tour guides! They and their son welcomed me into their apartment with open arms. Marja had the most creative agenda for me neatly decorated and laid out. I was so excited!

As you can see, on Saturday, we rode our bikes to a child’s birthday party where I met other Finns. It was nice to be immersed in Finnish culture and actually see the homes of people who lived there. The thing that impressed me the most was that I was in a roomful of people, I was the outsider, and of course, didn’t know a lick of Finnish. Once they knew I was a visiting American, many of them spoke English to make me feel more comfortable. It was a shock to me. I was so grateful they all knew English and could communicate with me, but it made me a bit sad to think about all the people that come to the United States who don’t know English and who can’t understand what is going on. And I was further impressed by Marja who came to the US and immersed herself into our culture. What courage and strength! Have you ever been in a roomful of people who didn’t speak your language? How did you feel?

We went to dinner at Juuri, a fabulous restaurant, and spent the night in the heart of Helsinki at Hotel Indigo. The next day, we took a bike tour of the city and went to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Helsinki is a beautiful city right on the water, and although it was a little chilly, it was an amazing fall day.

Monday, I went with Marja to the school where she teaches. It was such a cool experience to be in an educational setting in another country. Most of the day, I didn’t understand a word but definitely got the gist of what was going on. It was a fantastic experience seeing her in action and meeting other teachers in her school. The kids were very similar to American students…laughing, learning, engaging, and just being kids.

Tuesday, Marja and I explored the city. Click Helsinki for more views of the city. We went up to the Tower bar to view the city from above. Then we got on a cruise ship to Sweden. I was so excited to mark another country off my list! Viewing the archipelago from the ship was amazing. Although we only had one day, we explored the old and new town of Stockholm. One of my favorite spots was the Himlen, a rooftop bar. We also explored Kungsträdgården, a beautiful park in the middle of the city.

The next day we took the ship back to Helsinki, and I boarded the plane for my next adventure!

Have you been to Finland or Sweden? What were your favorite spots?

In Pilot's Wife

The 5 Love Languages

September 22, 2020 2 Comments

Do you and your partner speak the same language? You may think I am wondering about how you communicate verbally with your partner, but I am talking about your emotional Love Language. Just like two people who speak different languages may have a hard time understanding each other, people who do not understand each other’s Love Language may have difficulty and frustrations within their relationships. That’s why we feel the 5 Love Languages are so important to learn.

When I met my husband, I was surprised and impressed that he had read the book “The 5 Love Languages” written by Dr. Gary Chapman. It is a great, easy read. The premise of the book is that there are 5 Love Languages and people give and receive love in one of the five ways. When you and your partner understand each other’s Love Language then you can fill each other’s love tanks. This book will teach you a lot about yourself as well as how to improve your relationships with friends, family, and significant others.

In the book, you will learn that the 5 Love Languages are: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. All 5 Love Languages are important, but a person is usually stronger in giving love in one Love Language and may receive love in another. Take the quiz to find your Love Language here.

My husband and I talk a lot about our relationship and the 5 Love Languages. In the beginning, we decided to incorporate the 5 love languages as a way of getting to know each other better. Because we lived in different states, we decided each month to do Words of Affirmation via email on a specific day of the month. We would write to each other and state one thing that we liked or enjoyed about the other and what we liked about our relationship. It also gave us an opportunity to “talk” about what was going well and what we wanted to do to make our relationship better.

The next year, we decided to take turns picking a Love Language. Each month we would choose a new Love Language to focus on and come up with a special way of expressing that to each other. One month, we did Quality Time. We took away distractions, such as phones and TV and just enjoyed a whole day together. Another month, we did Receiving Gifts. We set a monetary limit as to just show appreciation as opposed to trying to outdo each other with some extravagant gift. One month, we decided to make dinner for each other as Acts of Service. He was in charge of the main dish, and I was to make the side and salad. We picked a few items from a recipe book, but we didn’t tell each other what we were making until we started preparing the meal. We poured some wine and got started. It ended up going perfectly together and was a wonderful evening! These are just a few examples of simple ideas that can be fun and bring you closer together.

Because we were both previously married, we have learned a little bit about what worked and what didn’t work. One thing we try to focus on is putting each other first. We do our best to keep our relationship strong by keeping the lines of communication open. Yes, there will always be stressors, but we talk about them, and we figure out together how to get through them. Relationships are hard work, but when you are willing to work together, you can also make it fun.

One of the questions he asks me is, “What can I do for you?” This simple question means the world to me, especially when I am “In the Bathroom with Gram”. I am learning to ask him the same thing, especially when I see him a bit overwhelmed. We try to motivate each other and pick each other up every day. I am truly blessed to have found someone who enjoys a lot of the same things I do. And I am doubly blessed that he is willing to do these things with Gram in tow 🙂

Other little things we do to keep our relationship strong is we like to cook together, we usually go to bed at the same time, we keep phones and TV out of the bedroom, we go to the gym together, we try new things together, and we spend time away from each other and from Gram, which is important as well. We would love to hear if you have read the 5 Love Languages and some of your ideas for each language. What keeps your love tank full?

<br />

In Adventures with Gram

Happy Birthday Gram!

September 13, 2020 3 Comments

Today is Gram’s 96th Birthday!

Can you even imagine having 96 birthdays? I really can’t, but every year I look forward to celebrating Gram’s. Since I have been taking care of her as you read in “How Did I Get Here“, we have had some good times on her birthday. One of the best things about being back in my home town is being with friends I have had since Kindergarten. They have known Gram almost as long as I have, and they love her just as much.

In 2016, my friends, Karlee and Kylee, went with Gram and me to a restaurant called The Frog Pond. It’s a great little place with a lake and beautiful sunsets.

In 2017, my high school girlfriends met us at Venango Valley Inn and Golf Course, one of Gram’s most favorite places to go. The owners have known my grandparents for years and are always the sweetest people, especially when Gram opens the kitchen door because she wants to say hi!

For Gram’s 94th Birthday, we had dinner again at Venango Valley Inn and Golf Course. My friends from high school, their husbands, a family friend, and one of Gram’s friends from Bingo attended. We had a wonderful dinner then we decided to take Gram to the local VFW. After she said hi to one of her favorite men (a former player of my grandpa’s), we got her some rip off tickets and a mini beer. She won $75 and had the best time! So did we 🙂

In 2019, Gram turned 95. We decided to have a little party for her at Venango Valley Inn and Golf Course. Some of my grandpa’s ex-basketball players came as well as my friends from high school and from the gym. My mom and Gram’s niece also were able to attend. Gram loved seeing everyone and talked about the party for days.

Needless to say, Gram is a trooper. She goes along with whatever we have planned. She smiles, she laughs, she cries when she sees people she hasn’t seen in a while. She really can light up a room. One of the fun questions we ask Gram is “How old are you?” Her answers range from 21 to 200 depending on how she is feeling that day. But most days she is pretty close because she usually says she feels like she’s 100. Not yet Gram, but FOUR more years!

Gram has qualified for Hospice care twice in the past five years. Once after she broke her hip in 2017 and once in January 2020 when she was very ill. We continue to use the support of Hospice Care and cannot say enough wonderful things about them. They are supportive of my husband and me as the caregivers and available whenever we have a question about Gram. Recently, Heartland Hospice worked very hard to get us oxygen when Gram’s congestive heart failure was making it hard for her to breathe. Both Hope Hospice of Fort Myers, FL and Heartland Hospice of Erie, PA have been absolutely amazing.

Today, we are hosting a small celebration for Gram’s birthday at our home in Pennsylvania. Because we take her everywhere, all of our friends know her and love her. If you would like to celebrate Gram, please do so by making a donation to Hospice using the donation button below. We will also send you an Inspired and Strong face mask for your generosity so please include your address!

[wpedon id=”1294″ align=”center”]

In Family

Signs from Heaven

September 8, 2020 1 Comment

Some days it just hits you. Some days it’s a picture that pops up in your memories. Some days it’s a funny story you want to share. Some days it’s a cardinal that sits outside your window. Some days it’s a vivid dream. When you are open to it, there are signs from Heaven everywhere.

My grandparents always told me that when a cardinal was around it was a sign from Heaven. After some research on Ecosia, I found an article that stated “many people believe when a cardinal lands in your yard, an angel is near. Cardinals can remind you of a departed loved one and are known as the most notable spiritual messenger”. At our home in Pennsylvania, we have a bird feeder outside of our kitchen window. Every few weeks, we have cardinals that stop by for a bite to eat. Gram and I truly believe our lost loved ones are nearby, and Gram gets so happy when she sees them. These signs from Heaven seem to appear especially when we are feeling down, and they make us feel better.

I was working on the blog this summer and was getting more and more nervous as the launch date was approaching. For some reason, I started going through my old emails. I was trying to clear away some digital clutter and another sign from Heaven appeared. I had stumbled upon some old emails from my sister. At that moment, I was kind of shocked and in disbelief to see her name as the sender. I was also very relieved I hadn’t deleted them!

The few I read brought tears to my eyes. I miss her so much. I would write to her when I was feeling down, when I needed advice, and when I had good news to share. She would do the same. As you read in “Why I Launched on August 8”, I lost my sister, my best friend, a little over two years ago, and there will always be a hole in my heart where she belongs.

When I decided to quit my job and move to Thailand, she was my biggest supporter. She wrote in an email, “I am very supportive of you leaving and pursuing your dream. You have to do what is right for you.” It reminded me that I do have to follow my heart and my dreams. Another one stated, “Confidence, confidence, confidence! You just have to believe! Just remember that you are an amazing woman!” Those words were exactly what I needed. I believe it was her way of sending me encouragement from Heaven. I realize I have lots of love and support from my AMAZING husband, friends, and family, but having my sister’s support was number one, and it hurts my heart that she isn’t here to give me her words of advice.

When you lose loved ones you can give up. You can cry every day. You can blame God. You can blame others. I can’t tell you why these terrible things happen to very wonderful people. All I can tell you is that they are still with you and watching over you, so look for those signs from Heaven. Which ones have you seen?

I believe I will see my family again someday and that gives me hope. I also realize I can’t go on not living because I have lost. All I can do is realize life is very, very short and it can be gone in a blink of an eye. So be happy. Take steps to make changes if you are not. Enjoy life. Smile a lot. Take time for the little things. Don’t wait until tomorrow. And don’t wait for someone else to do it for you.

In Adventures with Gram

The Broken Hip

September 1, 2020 1 Comment

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And that’s exactly what happened. As you read in “Life Changes“, Gram loved playing Bingo and would do so every other Monday. On December 5, 2016, I dropped gram off and then received one of the worst phone calls three hours later. She had fallen on her way out of the bingo hall. It was a rainy, chilly night, and they weren’t sure if she slipped or if her legs just gave out. I raced over to the church parking lot as fast as I could, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was sweet gram on the asphalt, covered with blankets, crying, and apologizing. I hoped and prayed she did not have a broken hip, but it did not look good.

After what seemed like an eternity, the ambulance arrived. Gram was so upset and sorry. I kept telling her it wasn’t her fault. We finally got to the hospital and yep, you know it, it was a broken hip. The doctors were great and wasted no time. Surgery was the next day. I didn’t feel comfortable letting Gram stay in the hospital by herself. She would have no idea about insurance or her medications and would have a hard time hearing the nurses and doctors. Plus, she would have no idea what was going on. Thankfully, I have amazing friends and cousins, and they brought me an overnight bag.

My mom arrived from Virginia and all three of us spent a couple of days at the hospital in a wonderful suite. Then, they sent Gram to rehab, and mom returned home to Virginia. After a week in rehab, she wasn’t really getting better and seemed to be losing hope. I decided I didn’t want her to deteriorate as my grandpa did, so I asked if I could take her home.

At first, they were hesitant, but the physical therapist came out to our house for a trial run, and Gram started zipping around the house with her walker. We decided it definitely would be better for her to be at home, but one of the stipulations was that I had to be with her 24/7. 24/7 is very overwhelming, especially since she was fairly independent up until that point. But I felt I needed to make the sacrifice.

Back at Home. It’s really hard to take care of someone who has dementia and a broken hip. There were certain movements she wasn’t supposed to do because the hip could pop out. I did my best to keep her on track. She couldn’t do a whole lot on her own so she became more and more dependent on me. I was making her breakfast, helping her get dressed, and helping her shower. I did sneak out to the gym in the morning, which was my alone time, my social time and my let my frustrations out time. Because I needed that hour a day, I woke up early so I would be back before she decided to get out of bed. I did what I had to do to make it happen, to keep myself sane and our relationship healthy.

Lonely Christmas. By Christmas🎄, she was walking around the house like a rock star with her walker, but I wasn’t sure if an eight-hour car ride to Virginia would be good for her. We decided not to travel and had a nice, quiet Polish Wigilia by ourselves. It was a very emotional Christmas because we weren’t able to spend it with our family, and it was our first Christmas without Gramps. It’s amazing the little things you come to appreciate as time goes by and how much you learn to appreciate your family and the time spent with them.

Although she was weak at times, I couldn’t believe how well she was recovering from the broken hip. She was walking around the house with her walker. She would take little rides with me when it was nice out. I talked her into going out to dinner a few times and a month later she was back at the bingo hall! Not too shabby for a 92-year-old.

But by February 2017, Gram and I were feeling pretty down. We were around each other constantly. She was getting stronger and able to do more, but she wasn’t fixing herself breakfast and didn’t seem motivated to do much. My life was changing as she became more and more dependent on me.

A Bright Idea. One morning, Gram mentioned going to her condo in Fort Myers, Florida. Needless to say, it sounded like a fabulous idea!! It was cold and snowy in Pennsylvania, and we were both ready for some sunshine! We also were in need of some family time. We packed our bags, loaded up the cat in the car, and headed south. Not knowing that soon again I would be experiencing more life changes.

In Travel Junkie

Take the Leap

August 25, 2020 No Comments

As you read in “How Did I Get Here?” I went to Thailand in 2015 to teach English to Thai students. I remember having that feeling that I just needed to take the leap and get out of my mundane routine. I figured since I was going halfway around the world I might as well leave a month early and visit a few European countries along the way. So I made plans, reserved flights, got documents together, resigned from my job, and put my house up for rent. I was ready…or so I thought. But when my mom, sister, and niece took me to the Washington, D.C. airport, I was so scared, had a few moments of hesitation, and had a fleeting thought of not even going at all.

My sister was seven months pregnant, my grandparents were elderly, and my mom didn’t want me to go. I didn’t want to miss my grandpa’s 90th birthday which was coming up, and I didn’t want to miss the birth of my nephew. But I also knew no matter when I went (because I was determined to go), I would miss something. So, in the end, I cried, hugged them super tightly, took the leap and got on the plane.

I was on my way. I was nervous, but I was also confident because I knew I wasn’t totally on my own. I was meeting up with new friends, old friends, and friends I hadn’t seen in over 10 years. I love that friendships span the distance of years and oceans and pick up right where they left off.

I flew from D.C. to Zurich, Switzerland with a brief stop in Iceland. I landed in Zurich and somehow found my way from the airport to the hotel where I was meeting my friend Samm. My friends, Samm and Nate, were a couple I knew from Richmond, VA. They had been living in Switzerland for a couple of years. Nate worked in Lausanne, and Samm worked in Zurich. Because I was meeting up with them in a few weeks, she did me a huge favor and took my big suitcase with her to Lausanne so I was left with just my backpack for the next three weeks. We had a nice dinner, some wine and went to bed early. The next day she took me to the train station and helped me catch the correct train to Munich.

I loved the train ride and felt so strong. I was actually doing it! I had taken the leap and was in Europe all by myself! It was beautiful, exciting, and overwhelming. I was meeting up with Katherine in Munich for Oktoberfest. Katherine was the one from Richmond who introduced me to Greenheart Travel and inspired me to take the leap to teach in Thailand.

Although many people think Oktoberfest is in October, it actually starts in mid-September and ends the beginning of October. Neither one of us had been so we were super excited to go. Oktoberfest was completely different than I imagined it. I don’t know what I thought it would be, but it was like a big carnival with tons of beer tents and rides. We walked around, tasted different beer and food, and sampled some great desserts!

The next day, we did a walking tour through Munich. The churches were breath-taking and the cathedrals were amazing. We explored the English gardens, went up in the tower to see the city from above, saw some breathtaking views, watched river surfing, and explored Residenz Palace. Check out more pictures of our German adventure here.

We found the walking tour through an app called Triposo. If you are traveling to another country I highly suggest this app. It has wonderful travel tips, suggestions for sites to see as well as offline maps that help you to navigate the city without cell service. Also, if you are interested, The Blond Abroad has a great post about Oktoberfest as well as other travel destinations!

We had a great time! Germany was a fabulous country. The bus system was easy to use and people were there to celebrate and have fun. At the end of the third day, Katherine and I went our separate ways. She found her way to the train station, and I found my way to the airport. Next stop, Helsinki, Finland. Only four days in, and I was so thankful I had taken the leap of faith.

In Adventures with Gram

How Many Dogs Do You Have?

August 18, 2020 3 Comments

On one of our summer road trips, we stopped at my sister-in-law’s house in West Virginia. They have four dogs, three of which probably weigh more than Gram. Although Gram loves dogs, she gets a little anxious around them, especially if they jump, bark, or lick. When we walked up to the house, the dogs came running 🙂 Wide-eyed Gram said, “I don’t need your kisses. No no no.” Then she asked my sister-in-law, “how many dogs do you have?” She seemed to be in disbelief at the number of dogs around her. Gram doesn’t usually say too much, but when she does talk, she is pretty funny and delightful. Usually…

For the next three hours, all we heard over and over was, “How many dogs do you have?” We would say four. Then, she would count them. Then, five minutes later she would ask again, “How many dogs do you have?” She would count them again. It was funny but also sad and slightly frustrating that she just couldn’t remember how many dogs were around. Then every third time, she would say, “They have four dogs and you won’t even let me have one” with a sad look on her face. I see how parents get roped into buying things and getting pets. I mean, how can you say no to such a sweet face?

The next morning as she was sitting eating her egg and toast, she counted three dogs and she said, “Hmm, one is missing.” We were the ones now in disbelief that she finally knew how many dogs they had!

We have learned to accept the fact that her dementia brain isn’t going to remember the short term. She’s going to ask the same questions again and again and again. Yes, we could and sometimes do get very frustrated, and we could make her feel bad by saying, “Can’t you remember, you just asked that question.” But we try to roll our eyes, laugh, and just answer the question again hoping it will sink in eventually. Sometimes, we try to make her laugh as well by giving her some off the wall answer to her repetitive question. Then, she is the one rolling her eyes at us.

I have tried to rely on the strategies I used as a special education teacher for being a good caregiver. Gram has definitely tried my patience and those around us. I mean how many times can you answer the question “How many dogs do you have?” But she’s so cute 🙂 and I have also learned I need to find and celebrate what she can do. It really doesn’t do any good to dwell on what she can’t do anymore.

If you are a caregiver or know someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, Teepa Snow is a fabulous resource. She is a psychologist, and she has several helpful videos about being a good caretaker. She explains how to handle stressful situations, how to understand the person with dementia, and how to diffuse aggressive situations.

I am just thankful we have amazing family and friends who understand her and just keep answering the question “how many dogs do you have?”

In Family

Why I Launched on August 8

August 11, 2020 No Comments

On August 8^th, when I was three years old, I got the gift of a little sister. I am sure I only picked on her a few times throughout our childhood. Needless to say, although we were a few years apart, we got along very well and became best friends. She went with me wherever I went. Maybe I was made to take her, but I enjoyed every minute with her.

We grew up in a town where many of the kids in my grade had younger siblings in her grade. We grew up in a town where most of the parents were in the same social class and made about the same amount of money. We grew up in a town where there wasn’t a lot of diversity, but no one was cultural bias either. We grew up in a town where kindergarten students rode the bus with seniors in high school and it wasn’t a big deal because everyone had an older cousin to keep an eye on them. We grew up in a town where we walked home safely from school. We grew up in a town where we played outside until dark. We grew up in a town where most parents knew each other and a lot of them even went to school together.

As you read in “How Did I Get Here“, my sister and I grew up close to our grandparents. We took family trips together. We took Catholic school classes together. She was my best friend. I went off to college and even though I was only 30 minutes away, I think she felt left behind.

After college, I moved away. After a few months in California, I ended up in Virginia. I begged her to follow me after she graduated, and three years later, she did. I told her you can always go back but if you don’t take the plunge and move away after college, you may never go.

We played sports together through River City Sports and Social Club and Richmond Volleyball Club. She eventually got a job teaching in the same county where I was working. She coached volleyball, I coached basketball, and we coached JV softball together. She was an inspiration to the girls, and we both had a “work hard, be respectful, make good grades” coaching style. We enjoyed the girls, and I think they enjoyed us.

Our dad was fighting lung cancer at the time and after five years of teaching, she decided she wanted to go back to our hometown in Northwestern Pennsylvania to get her nursing degree. She moved back home and helped with Dad for almost two years. After she finished her nursing degree, she decided to come back to Virginia.

She got a job at one of the local hospitals. It was there where she met her husband, who was a frequent visitor because his mother was there battling Crohn’s Disease. After three years of dating, they got married. My dad made it to her wedding day and had enough strength to walk her down the aisle without his cumbersome oxygen tank. In May 2012, he took his last breath. My mom, sister, and I were there to hold his hand as he rose into the afterlife. Although he didn’t get to see his first grandchild, he knew my sister was pregnant. A few months later, she gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl. Three years later, my nephew was born.

In December 2016, we got the most horrifying news. My sister had a cyst. When they removed it, they found out it was malignant. We couldn’t believe it and didn’t want to go through another battle with cancer.

I was so sure she would beat it. Our father fought lung cancer for eight years and even lived another year with a collapsed lung. I had no doubt she would have at least nine more years here on Earth.

But I was wrong. In May 2018, we (my mom, brother-in-law, and myself) surrounded her as she took her last breath at the young age of 38. I am not sure why God took her. It makes me so sad, mad, and upset. I don’t understand his plan. Her body was ravaged by a cancer that could never be pinpointed. It spread like wildfire. It was devastating. I am thankful she is no longer suffering, but I miss my best friend every day. I miss her advice. I miss her kind heart. I miss her smile. I miss her for the children, her husband, and our mother.

I launched on August 8th, my sister’s birthday, in her honor and memory. She will forever live in my heart, giving me strength and inspiring me every time I look at her pictures and those two little children of hers.

In Family

How Did I Get Here?

August 8, 2020 No Comments

So who am I? How did I get here? And why am I writing a blog?

WHO AM I?

I am from a tiny town in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I went to a small college and graduated with an education degree. Then, I moved to California to teach first grade. Six months later, I moved to Richmond, Virginia. There, I taught special education for eight years, earned my Master’s degree, and became a special education coordinator for another eight years.

Something happened in 2015, and I just wanted out. I needed a change of pace. A friend recommended the Greenheart Travel program, and I decided to go to Thailand to teach English as a second language. I was super excited. I had a friend to travel with and tons of opportunities to meet others.

After months of debate and discussion, I left a 16-year career in education where I was making $70,000 a year and had 14 weeks of sick time built up. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out, and many people thought I was making the wrong decision, but I decided to take a leap of faith and jump. Looking back now, I can’t be more thankful that I did.

In the fall of 2015, I left for what would end up being an amazing adventure. Because I am a Travel Junkie, I contacted friends I had around Europe and visited eight countries along the way (Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Italy, The Netherlands, France, and Spain).

Then, my friend Katherine and I headed to Thailand where we would end up spending two months working with children and exploring the Thai culture. I remember when we arrived in Bangkok, we met about 30 people who were also there for training. We had a couple of days in Bangkok where we visited Thai markets, ate some interesting foods, and went to a Thai cooking class. Then, we headed to Hua Hin where we had classroom activities. We learned a bit of the Thai language and that was my first introduction to Sabai Sabai [pron. suh-BYE suh-BYE] which means “no worries, no problem, just relax”. After three weeks of training, Katherine and I were placed at an international school. We were only there for three weeks and then it was Christmas break and we had a month off, so we traveled around Thailand a bit and then I decided to go home to Virginia for Christmas.

HOW DID I GET HERE?

It was Christmas 2015. Our whole family was together including Grandma and Grandpa. We had a great time making pierogies as per our (Polish) Christmas tradition but, I also made mango sticky rice, which was my new favorite dessert from Thailand. We had a wonderful time until Christmas evening when my 90-year-old grandfather ended up in the hospital. He had fluid built up around his lungs and was having trouble breathing. He was in the hospital for several days. I wasn’t sure what would happen, but I felt I needed to stay in the United States and be with him and my family. Therefore, I canceled my trip back to Thailand. After a week in the hospital, they sent him to rehab.

About a month later, in February 2016, our family was at a loss. He wasn’t getting better, he seemed to have lost all hope and wasn’t trying. After several discussions about different options, it was decided I would drive my grandparents home to Pennsylvania. We arranged for Hospice care so that I would have some help. Even though physically he had deteriorated, mentally, he had every desire in the world to go to Fort Myers, Florida to their winter condo like they did every year, but Gram won out, and we headed north.

He was a large, stubborn man and he was very upset that we went north instead of south, but we made it. He was very weak and couldn’t even walk to the door. His heart failure won out because we weren’t even home a week and the good Lord called him to heaven. My grandparents were together just two weeks shy of 66 years. What an inspiring marriage!

Since I didn’t have a job and my house in Virginia was rented for the year, I decided to stay and take care of my grandmother. She needed company, and I needed a place to live. I didn’t know if my grandmother would live for two days, two weeks, or two months without my grandfather, but I decided to stay.

WHY AM I WRITING THIS BLOG?

This blog is a collection of stories from September 2015 to the present day. It is meant to make you want to live life to the fullest, laugh often, love with your whole heart, and constantly learn to be better. It is to share the stories of my Adventures with Gram and my family. It is to show you to never give up on your dreams by sharing my travel adventures, my fitness journey, and my journey in finding love. Hopefully, some of my stories will inspire you to take chances that you’re too scared to take right now. Hopefully, it will inspire you to start a fitness journey of your own. It may inspire you to go see your grandparents or parents. Whatever it is, I hope this blog at least warms your heart and makes you smile.

In Adventures with Gram

Life Changes

August 8, 2020 No Comments

When I quit my job in the fall of 2015, I wasn’t sure where life would lead. I just knew I wasn’t happy, and I wanted to see the world. I also wanted to find love, and I wasn’t having any success in Virginia. As you read in the post “How Did I Get Here?“, I left a wonderful career in education to go to Thailand to teach English. I came back. I didn’t have a job and my house was rented.

Those life changes led me back to my hometown. It was winter. It was snowing. It was cold, but I decided to make the best of it. Gram and I made fires in the fireplace, and we didn’t really have anywhere to go so winter wasn’t too bad 🙂

As time went on, I hung out with old friends from high school. Many of their children were in high school so, I went to local sporting events to watch them. Every time I went to a game, it was like a high school reunion! It was great to see everyone and their mini me’s.

Finally, spring arrived and my high school friends talked me into helping coach my old high school softball team. Also, to fill some time because Gram was fairly self-sufficient, I started working at J’s Ice Cream and Hot Dog Shop where I learned to make ice cream cones. It is definitely a lot harder than it looks! I felt comfortable leaving her for half the day because she would get herself up and dressed, read the paper, and make breakfast. I would work and then pick her up for the softball games. She loved seeing me coach and watching the girls play.

Spring was long, cold, and muddy but, we made it. Finally, summertime. Long, warm summer days and cool summer nights came upon us which was great for sleeping with no air conditioning. That summer, I hung out with one of my high school friend’s daughter. I couldn’t believe she was 21. We had the best time. I introduced her to some amazing 80’s music, and she taught me the names of some of the back roads in town that I didn’t know.

That fall, I worked with her at a chiropractor’s office. When we weren’t working, we were out drinking a lot together, and I was drinking a lot on my own. I decided I needed a detox. I set the goal to quit drinking for a month. With the support of family and friends, I made it 34 days without one drink!!

That fall, someone suggested that I try CrossFit Meadville. I was doing workouts at home, but I really missed going to a gym. After the first week, I was hooked! I was sore, tired, and exhausted, but the workouts were awesome and always different. I had a great trainer and the support of other CrossFitters was motivating. I was easy to coach and eager to learn. Bill, the owner of the gym, talked a lot about nutrition and eating right, and I was interested in making those changes. He definitely inspired me to challenge myself.

That year was full of life changes. I went from being a professional educator to becoming a caregiver with minimum wage part-time jobs. I moved from a big city back to my small rural home town. My social life went from hanging out with a variety of friends to hanging out with Gram, but we had some great adventures. We went to Pirates games. We traveled a lot to Virginia to see family. We ate a lot of ice cream. We took a lot of Sunday drives.

She went to bingo every other Monday, which gave me a night free of responsibility. At first, she could get herself ready and would proudly pack her “bingo bag” with her markers and lucky charms. As time went on, she needed a little extra help but, she still was determined to go. Those Mondays off were very important to me as a caregiver, and I cherished the time off. Even though I felt a little lost, I knew I was on the right journey. Then one rainy, chilly night in December 2016 as she was leaving bingo, she fell and broke her hip. And once again, new life changes were upon me.

featured

Visiting Helsinki and Stockholm

The 5 Love Languages

Happy Birthday Gram!

Today is Gram’s 96th Birthday!

Signs from Heaven

The Broken Hip

Take the Leap

How Many Dogs Do You Have?

Why I Launched on August 8

How Did I Get Here?

So who am I? How did I get here? And why am I writing a blog?

Life Changes

Missing Gram

Letter to Gram