Love Reunited and it hurts so bad

Ok, I am going to try to make this post as legible as possible.  My heart is broken in a million pieces and i'm still numb.  My precious sweet Nanny passed away on Monday , February 25. Now, do you want to hear something I couldn't begin to make up in this universe? My grandpa Poppy - her husband- passed away on February 25, 22 years ago.  So YES, they both died on the exact same day but years apart.
So I cant remember if I had mentioned that this last year since September, we had to go to Hell and back to try to get her approved for Medicaid. She had gotten really sick in September and the Dr's wouldn't release her to live alone again. So Nanny went into a rehab for 4 months and it was wonderful. Then they couldn't keep her forever so she had to move next door into the adjacent nursing home. We really wanted her to go to the assisted living center that was in near her hometown and that's when the battle began with Medicaid to approve her assisted living. She got approved during the Federal shutdown which meant her paperwork got pushed aside.  Fast forward and 4 weeks ago, she got approved and moved into her new place. Nanny was so excited and that's what gave her something to look forward to the whole time she was in the nursing home.  My uncle and his wife got her new place decorated with all the things she wanted from her apartment  and looking good.
My cousin and my nieces were going to ride with me and we were going to visit her and see her new place this past Saturday.  Then Friday, she wasn't feeling very well and had thrown up.  We thought just a bug or virus.  A home health nurse came by and her blood pressure was very low so she thought it would be good idea to send her to hospital to check all her vitals to be safe.  They ended up putting her in ICU because of her age.  That's when they realized her kidneys weren't functioning at all and she had pneumonia.  Her only option to survive this was to go through dialysis. She had done that a few times before and it was really hard on her. She hated it !!  Nanny called it the morgue because it was really cold when they would take her for dialysis. She said she would never do that again so she refused.  And that's when we knew she wouldn't be going home.
She was moved into a beautiful hospice center Sunday afternoon so she could pass with dignity and peace and not a ugly scary sterile hospital room with wires and beeps and people poking and prodding her every minute.  I'll have to do another post on the hospice place because it was so great!!
Of course, no one even Dr's can say when she will Go but they estimated her lasting a few days. I KNEW in my heart that GOD would take her Monday knowing what day it was.  How could he not?!!  It was the anniversary of her losing the love of her life.  I prayed for it.  The waiting is the most excruciating part. Its when I get selfish and impatient. If I cant have her, then please take her now.  And so HE did.
My grandparents were very involved in motorcycle clubs. They had lots of matching outfits and were all so dang cute!! She rode with him for so many years.  We imagined Poppy on his Harley , engine on, revving it up waiting for her to jump on the back and take her for the Ride of her Life through the streets of Heaven.
I will have more to say because I have years and years of stories about my sweet precious Nanny. She was our matriarch and we are very lost without her.  I am grateful for her 91 years and I could have never imagined her leaving us on the day that was already so hard for us but I take comfort that she's with Poppy.

Can I just point out how smoking hot she was!!  The OG Biker chick!

Let's Dance

I grew up dancing. My mom said I danced before I walked. My dad was a musician and played in bands and music was always playing so I chalk it up to that. I was in tap and jazz classes from when I was 3. I was in drillteam all through high school and first 2 years of college on scholarship. When I transferred to a different university , I took dance classes for credits. I was always going to dance clubs even when not old enough to get in. I got a fake id and I wasn't interested in drinking, I just wanted to dance.   Then life got busier and busier and I dance less and less.
Sometimes I forget how much I love (d) to dance.  Every so often, my hubs will dance with me in the kitchen because he knows that will cheer me up.
I will ALWAYS have dance in my heart and soul!

Keep dancing yall!!

Mimi and Marie Kondo

Hey everyone, Happy Monday.  How was your weekend?  I started a project for myself recently to go through my closets way before the Marie Kondo craze. After watching her shows though, it definitely inspired me to have my drawers and closets more organized. In fact, a few weeks ago I organized my underwear drawer by adding shoeboxes and actually folding my underwear which I never thought I would catch myself and admit to doing. LOL!!   In my guest bedroom, I have a wall to wall closet and the closet rods were being held by cheap plastic end pieces.  We have had to replace a few of them in last few years and it was time for this closet- the piece was about to pop off any second. Todd is replacing them with metal end caps and screwed into the wall. This meant every single thing had to come off the rod so I put on top of bed (like MK encourages) and a pile on each side of the bed.  It was perfect timing to go through all that I no longer like or no longer fits.  HOLY COW! It took all day yesterday.  I felt so accomplished. I have 2 bags that I gave to coworker today, my niece came over and ended up stuffing a huge industrial garbage bag full for herself, I have one bag for goodwill and a pile of spring clothes that my local consignment shop is accepting.  I had 83 hangers leftover and an empty box that held sweaters.  Yall, I am a shopper and for a long time, clothes shopping was pretty much my hobby for many years.  I have toooo many though and this process opened my eyes drastically. I am on a roll and will continue to discard.  I had also just took 4 bags of clothes and random stuff to Goodwill last week and took 2 huge bags of clothes stuffed for a church friend of mine.  I am embarrassed to say I still have 2 closets in the house of clothes that i'll be going through soon. My mom is coming in April though so I wanted to start on the guest room.

I have been stressed trying to get my house back together after the holidays and I want to make some changes in my living room like new furniture and rugs which cost money but I am working on redoing some things.  I am still not breathing great and I've been super stressed.  Asthma sucks and its wearing me down. I have been stress eating!!

Lastly, we celebrated my grandma's 91st birthday on Saturday. We all got together at this yummy Italian restaurant for her with a cake and gifts of course. I am So incredibly blessed to still have both grandmas and both are 91.  Nanny turned 91 back in July so she will soon be 92 and its so awesome.

So that was my weekend - it was a busy one but a good one.  Oh and Todd bought me some beautiful tulips from local grocery store for Valentines and matching Harley Davidson license plate covers for my truck. Its something I had asked for and I was so happy to get them!! He bought them last week in York at the Harley plant.   

Have a good week!

Happy Valentines Day Yall

I am so super excited to link up this year with Holly at Holly's Horrorland. She hosts a Valentine soiree every year and I had just missed it when I found her blog last year.  Not only do we share the same name, we share the love for all things spooky and Halloweeny (yep I made up the word).
I found some fun Valentines cards this year on Etsy that are based off horror movies!!! I love them and passed them out to my team at work.
So I am going to share some vintage Halloweenish ( I like that word too) Valentine's with yall.

Todd has been out of town this week on business but he's coming home tonight. I gave him strict instructions not to send me flowers. Its like lighting money on fire because its so expensive and they're never like the pictures he chooses from and they don't last long at all.  He got me something even better because he visited the Harley plant in York, PA this week and got me a surprise from there. LOL He cant keep secrets so at least I don't know what it is.  Just that he got me something from there which is awesome!!   We will probably go to one of our fave Mexican restaurants because they don't do the set menu with jacked up prices like other places on this day.
I hope you have a wonderful day and know that I love you and will be your Valentine if you don't have one!! xoxoxo

Random crap

Its been a loooong week!  If there was a chance for things to go wrong this week , they did. For real- the list is long and I was going to share then decided to delete everything because I was a whiny baby and no one wants to read that crap! I lost a cousin this week and funeral is next week and I've had a severe asthma flare up with 2 visits to Dr's.  That was just part of the fun .
So most of all you know how much I love Halloween and I host a large party with theme every year. I usually announce the theme for next year during the previous year so they can get their costumes on sale or have a year to prepare.  This year's theme is  Steampunk.  After Christmas I went to At Home ( do yall have those- used to be called Garden Ridge), and their Christmas stuff was on clearance. I was so excited that they had 5 glass hot air balloon ornaments and they were half off. I bought them all. I think I will tie them to some pretty rope and make a garland.  I also have had a connection to hot air balloons. I have one on my wall in front of my desk which is pretty with ornament and pompoms.
Hot air balloons can symbolize uplifting spirit, the love of flight ,a quest for spiritual knowledge and rising above practical matters- letting go of fear and caution.

Our weather is confused. We've had high temps reaching 80 and then this morning it was 25. We've had our air conditioner on and now our heater. 

Have yall watched the Netflix series Tidying up by Marie Kondo? She has also written books and some friends said that the books make more sense then to just watch the episodes.  I watched the series and got the main gist of things.  So I have been trying to clear out some unwanted things and trying to keep things that spark joy for me. I managed to get through one side of my closet last night and I have large bag for goodwill and a bag for a friend who wanted to be my recipient of hand me downs. 

I am so happy that we don't have a ton of things planned this weekend and I can take it easy around the house. What do yall have planned?  Sorry for the poopy post but this is as good as it gets today!

I will end on this note- I WAS able to get my concert tickets! Not the same ones and theyre on opposite side of stadium but I got them and I am excited.  Two of my fave bands Live and Shinedown among a few others will be performing there too. 

Refuge for Women ( North Texas)

I’ve mentioned a few times my activities with an organization that I am a Core volunteer for Refuge for Women of North Texas.  By Core, that means I’ve gone to multiple training classes , interviews and have had background checks to be allowed at Safe house with the women.   We’re currently in 6 states total but with plans to expand every year. RFW is about aftercare for women who have been trafficked and sexually exploited.  It’s a non-profit, faith based organization that provides long-term care for those who have escaped the from human trafficking. Its no charge to the resident and offers up to twelve months of safe housing with around the clock care. They have weekly sessions with licensed professional counselors to help them achieve their goals and healing. The residents work through the program to reclaim their identities and to overcome addictions. They will develop life skills leading to  a healthy ,balanced life and financial independence. 

There are 3 phases: Phase 1 is Healing for the first 6 months.  Phase 1 provides the stabilization and safety for victims of trauma in a therapeutic atmosphere to sustain safe relationships, rebuild trust, and maintain a lifestyle of structure that promotes recovery. The daily schedule includes classes, recovery meetings, recreational activities, exercise, Bible studies, solo and group counseling.  The classes are designed to aid in healing from things such as trauma, domestic violence, substance abuse, sexual addiction, and codependency.

Phase 2 is Job Prep for 3 months – During this phase, the women are equipped with the tools and training to achieve and maintain a healthy well-grounded life. This includes computer education training, preparing a resume, participating in mock interviews, exploring careers through internships, and receiving job placement assistance.  They are assisted in setting personal goals in the areas of higher education, financial planning, and their own personal growth. They continue to receive individualized coaching and weekly support meetings.

Phase 3- Employment- 3 months. During this optional portion of the program, residents are offered continued support, assessment and accountability from the program director, individual counseling and additional life skills development.

The safe house is wonderful. Its even got a pool for them to exercise and play in during the warm months.  The residents share rooms with other gals so they learn to trust and share pretty quickly.

Some staggering statistics:   At least 75% of prostitutes were sexually and/or physically abused children.

92% of women who were involved in prostitution said they wanted to leave, but couldn’t because they lack basic human services such as a home, job training, health care, counseling and treatment for drug or alcohol addiction.

Over 31,000 human trafficking cases were reported in the US in the last 8 years…. If that is the number reported, what is the actual number of occurrences?

AND so far 169 arrested for human trafficking last weekend during the Super Bowl.

The 3 top states with most human trafficking activity are California, New York and Texas .

In April we are having a huge fundraising Gala so I’m about to be very busy in preparation for that ( I have a meeting tonight , and every week now until April 11).

January was human trafficking awarenesss month so we were pretty busy with events, speaking engagements, panels, etc to get the word out.

So that’s that.  Now you know what I’m talking about when I mention RFW and post pics from events.