Chasing Joy

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I Am Pre-Diabetic!

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I am pre-diabetic.  I guess I have know for a few weeks now.  But I feel like it is just sinking in.  My dad and a few other people in my family had diabetes so I am not exactly shocked at this news, especially when I also consider my on going battle of the bulge.  I have my journey to becoming a Single Mother by Choice to thank for this discovery and also the discovery of my thyroid problem. Not being able to get pregnant after 4 months of trying lead me to repeated fertility tests, which lead to meeting with an endocrinologist, which lead to meeting with a nutritionist, who broke the pre-diabetic news.

So what does this mean?  This means that while my fasting blood sugar is normal, when a snapshot is taken of how much sugar has been  in my bloodstream over the last few months is taken, it shows too much sugar.  There is not enough sugar in my blood to classify me as diabetic now.  But there is more sugar in my blood than would be in a person who has no chance of developing diabetes.  This means that I am not as healthy as I thought.  Perhaps even unhealthy????  This means that I have to fight even harder in this battle of the bulge.

I’m not sure why this is just sinking in now.  Maybe because I have been watching a YouTuber’s videos about IVF and thinking about how I pray I don’t have to give myself lots of needles to get pregnant.  Then thinking I hope I don’t actually become diabetic and have to give myself needles of insulin.

Whatever the reason, the reality is sinking in.  This pill that I have been taking the last few weeks to decrease the sugar in my body and help me get pregnant could just be the beginning of medicinal intervention if I am not careful.  I do not want that.  Health is our most important  possession.  I don’t want to lose it. Health is one of the most important pillars of happiness.  I can still Chase Joy, but will I be strong enough to capture it if I am unwell???

Have any of you received a pre-diabetic diagnosis?  Have you successfully kept diabetes at bay?

  
Click here to find out about my meeting with the
nutritionist and her advice for my battle of the bulge.  

#1000 Gratitudes: Nubmber 22, Having My Own Car

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This month only I am posting daily for NaBloPoMo.  Thursdays are dedicated to Thankfulness and adding to my #1000Gratitudes List.

#22.  Having my own car.

Yesterday I had a day off from the day job because of Veteran’s Day (Shout out to all the Vets. Thank you for your service).  During my day off I ran a few errands with my mom.  We were in and out the car all afternoon.  We covered three different sections of the city.   We got everything we needed to get done in only a few hours, all thanks to my car.  Without my car I would have had to take public transportation and likely would have only been able to do one of my errands today.  Or, I would have had to ask a friend for a ride, and I am not good at asking for help (topic for another post).

My car is 10 years old and one of the few decisions that I have never doubted or regretted.  This is still my very first car.  I purchased it with my own money.  I have a great memory of going to test drive and purchasing it with my dad.  I am super thankful for my car.  It provides so much convenience and independence.  I can get up and go whenever I want.  I can take care of everything I need to on my own.  I am thankful for the places it has driven me and I am thankful for the memories it has given me.

What are you thankful for today?

  

Dressing Joyfully: What Are You Wearing

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What are you wearing?  Today I wore a blouse with a green tan and black pattern, black pants, black leather flats with a bejeweled bow at the toe, green tear dropped earrings, a green bracelet, a white pearl and silver ring,  and my Temple University Class ring.  No, this is not an OOTD (Outfit of the Day) post and I have not suddenly become a fashion blogger (though I have written about fashion before).   I’m telling you about my outfit because I am realizing more and more that what you wear matters. 

We all know that books are judged by their covers and you should dress for the job you want and all that.  But what you wear matters for more than those reasons.  The way we choose to adorn our bodies is directly related to how we feel.  Most of us have had the experience of throwing on anything to run errands and praying we don’t run into anyone we know.  Inevitable we do run into someone and then we feel embarrassed and not so great about our appearance.  But the truth is we already felt embarrassed and not great about our appearance because we know we did not make the effort  to clothe ourselves in things that make us feel good and like the best versions of ourselves. 

Here I am with my brother
wearing the blouse on my birthday.  

Over the years I have given more and more thought into making sure what I wear helps me feel my best.  Today‘s outfit does just that.  The blouse and bracelet were originally purchased for my birthday they are cute and also reminds me of a happy occasion.  The black pants are comfortable but also, when paired with the shirt, give me a business casual look that is appropriate for work.  The black flats like the pants are comfy and professional enough for work, but the sparkly bows give a glimpse of my personality.  I love all bling! My favorite color is sparkle, LOL.  The silver and pearl ring is classy and one of my jewelry staples.  I love my Temple University ring  (I’ve written about the positive feelings I associate with it).  The earrings are pretty and always make me feel special.  They were the last birthday gift that I received from both of my parent before my dad passed away.   Now I don’t put this level of thought into my outfit every day but I had two meetings at the day job that I was not looking forward too.  With this added stress to my day it was really important that I feel my best.

The things we put on our body can help us or hurt us when it comes to feeling our best.   I want everything I wear to make me feel like the best version of myself.   I want the same thing for you which is one of the reasons that I am starting a line of inspirational T-shirts.  I want to offer you something to wear that speaks positivity and joy into your life.  Something that makes you feel beautiful, empowered, and like your very best self.  The No Negative Self-Talk T-Shirt does all of those things. 

So, again I ask, what are you wearing?  Does it make you feel like the best version of yourself. Is your outfit giving you Joy?

P.S this post is being linked up for NaBloPoMo.

Take A Step Back & See Yourself More Joyfully

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See yourself in a more loving light

The other day I found myself looking at this picture of me and my dad.  This picture was taken about 10 years ago. I found myself not scrutinizing the picture to see how much younger I looked or thinner I was.  Instead I was looking at the smile on my dad’s face.  He was always so happy to spend time with me.  He was so so proud of me.

As I looked at the picture I found myself thinking man, I wish I could see myself the way he saw me.  If I were only half as proud of myself as he was of me I would be so much more confident.  It’s a shame that most of us do not see ourselves the way our loved ones see us.I know I am not alone.

My challenge to you and myself is to take a few steps back to view yourself more joyfully.  Take a few steps back from the microscope of self criticism through which we see ourselves. Turn down the volume on the negative self talk. Stop zooming in on imperfections and focusing on mistakes.  Instead, lets see ourselves more often through the lens that our friends, family, and children view us.  What would you see?

About Me

Chasing JoyWelcome to Chasing Joy!!!

Chasing Joy’s Mission

Chasing Joy provides encouragement, support and community through Chasing Joy Events, the Joy Makeover program to help women build resilience, make happiness a priority, and create the Joyful lives they deserve while honestly acknowledging and working through life’s struggles.

About Arlett

My name is not Joy but I am chasing it non-stop. Chasing Joy is a blog about me, a woman in her 30s who has overcome the most difficult time in her life by focusing on and going after Joy. This difficult time in my life included a horrible job, a bad breakup and most devastating of all losing my dad to cancer two months after diagnosis. These events, that sadly are common to many, left me in a dark place. A place that was filled with sadness and shadows of what could have been. A place that was unfamiliar and void of happiness. A place I was determined to escape from.

In about a year and a half my life changed and the vision I had of my future was erased. I lost myself to the sadness. I could not find my way back to being that light-hearted and optimistic girl that I used to be, not to mention I also gained 40lbs (gasp!!!) in a year due to all the stress.

This quest for Joy is my way back to being happy and staying happy again after so much heartache; to not only finds my old self but to improve upon it. Here on Chasing Joy I share with you my goals, my successes, and even the road blocks in achieving those successes. I share with you my experiences as I try new activities to broaden my view of what can bring happiness. I share with you my search for Joy through my good days and my not so good. On this blog I ask for advice and seek support as I face and conquer fears. On this blog I invite you to start Chasing Joy with me.

Thank you for visiting my Blog.

Find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JoyChasing#!/ and follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Chasing_Joy and Instagram @ChasingJoy.

Most Popular Posts


Beware The Joy Thief
Feel Good Friday, God Is Good To Me
Joy of Forgiveness


Personal Favorites
Beware The Joy Thief
Ready For My Tutu
Recipe For A Happy Joyful Life


Links to guest posts and other writings by me.

Guest Posts

Check out my guest post on Positively Shining  – “Shining the Spotlight” Focus on Positivity and Chase Joy…..
Check out my post for blog magazine Studio 30 Plus – Choices Choices Choices…
Check out my guest post on Inspire to Thrive – They Like Me

 

No Joy In Going To The ER. 8 Tips On Getting Through It

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How to get through taking a loved one to the ER, emergency room.

Unfortunately for most of us there will come a time when we will have to accompany someone  to the hospital emergency room.   There is nothing joyful about it so I’m not even going to go there.  Over the years I have been in the ER with my dad or mom a bunch of times.  I know how much it sucks but here are a few tips on how I get through it.

  1. Remember that your loved one is where they need to be. We all hate hospitals but the doctors and nurses are trained to help your loved one in ways that you cannot. If things get worse they are only feet away in most cases.
  2. Remember your faith. Now is a time for prayer not only for your loved one but for everyone. Pray for your loved ones healing. Pray for yourself in managing the stress, anxiety, and fear that comes with having a sick love one. Pray for the well being of and guidance for all of the doctors, nurses, pharmacists and staff involved in your loved ones care. 
  3. Reach out to your support system. Send a quick text to your friends and family. These would be the people who will not only check in on your loved one but on you as well.  
  4. Assuming you have a few minutes before heading to the ER take a moment to grab all of the medications that your loved one is currently  taking.  It is much easier for the staff to take your bag of meds and document everything than for you and the patient to try and remember the names and dosages of everything.
  5. Feel free to ask questions.  The doctors and nurses want you to understand  what is happening. Just be tactful. For example asking what is that medication or test for is way better than yelling why you doing that? 
  6. Do not get annoyed  when every new doctor  or nurse who enters the room asks you or the patient to repeat what brought them into the ER.  I know it is tiresome and annoying but it is their way of making sure that no one misses anything. Kind of like a checks and balance.  
  7. I’m  sure all the nurses would agree with me on this one.  The nurses are the ones who actually care of your loved one while the doctors provide diagnosis and draft orders.  Treat the nurses with respect. Say please and thank you. Do not ask them for things for yourself only ask on behalf of the patient. Stay out of the way and do what simple things you can to help your loved one when the nurse is busy.  Fix your loved ones pillows and blankets, help them to the bathroom and with their food (if allowed).
  8. Bring your own entertainment. A smartphone or ipad can really help you past the time. Don’t forget your charger.  
I hope none of you head to the ER any time soon.  If so I hope some of these tips come to mind to help you through.
Tell me how you got through it when you had to go to the ER with a loved one.  Did i miss anything? What tips would you add?

For Me, She Left Pray

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how I am making room for baby literally.  I am moving out of my bedroom into another room so that I can use my current bedroom for a nursery.  My furniture will be delivered today so I am almost done redecorating my new bedroom.  Yesterday I put up a few accessories including the word PRAY.   I felt so good to finally have found a home for this word.  I posted on Instagram and Facebook exactly why I was pleased to have found a home for pray.  Here is what I posted:

I once knew a lady named Rebecca. She was one of the founding members of my book club. I did not know her well. I knew her as well as I could know anyone that I saw only once a month for about 3 hours. I may not have known much about her family, friends, or hobbies (other than book club) but I knew her heart. She was kind, funny, thoughtful, and genuine. I learned in time that she was also strong as she continued to cheerfully participate in book club while fighting cancer. Rebecca sadly passed away.

Not long after her passing one of her close friends brought me the word pray that you see pictured. She told me that Rebecca wanted me to have it. My name was even written on the back.

No one had ever left me anything before. Even when my dad passed away there was nothing specifically left by him for me. I was surprised and touched. Clearly Rebecca had learned a bit about my heart as well over the years. She understood my faith in God and belief in the power of prayer. I was also a bit dumbfounded over the gift as I had no clue where to put it. For a couple of years now I have kept the word prayer in the same shopping bag it was given to me in sitting in the corner of my living room.

Recently I have been doing some redecorating. I have been creating a bed room for myself that will be a place that is soothing and reflective of my personality. In this newly decorated space I have finally found a place worthy of Rebecca’s gift to me. These letters now reside above my closet door. I will see it daily and remember the power of prayer and the kind spirit of Rebecca.

Has anyone ever left you something in their will?  Do you have any home decor items that hold a special place because of who gave the item to you?

A Joyfu Mother’s Day

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Yesterday was Mother’s Day. My mom and I share a duplex so we spend a lot of time together. That does not mean I felt any less blessed to spend Mother’s Day with her. My mom has been battling an illness for over two years now. Plus I am of the age where many of my friends are acting as care givers or have mother’s who passed away. I am keenly aware that evey day is a blessing and days like Mother’s Day are a blessing with a bonus.

 For Mother’s Day my mom and I went to the ballet. The tickets we used yesterday were not our original ballet tickets. They were replacement tickets for a show we were supposed to see in the fall. I had to switch the tickets because my mom was in the hospital at the time. I had no clue the tickets would be for Mother’s Day, they just switched me to a different ballet in May. What a blessing!

In addition to the ballet earlier in the weekend I treated my mom to a little gambling at Parx Casino. As my dad would say this was “not the year of the Bad Mother’s Day”.

 Here are me and Mom at the ballet.

A photo posted by Arlett (@chasingjoy) on May 10, 2015 at 11:40am PDT

How did you spend Mother’s Day Weekend?

TMI Alert!!! This Journey to Becoming a Mom is Getting Real.

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Happy Friday!

I hope you are visiting today for an update on what I expect will be my greatest source of joy, my journey to becoming a mom.  Last week I shared the video I did after getting a smiley face on my OPK indicating that I’d  be ovulating soon.  After getting the smiley face I called my doctor’s office to schedule my IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination) .  I had it the next day.  
It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine.  My mom came with me to my appointment.  She has been my number 1 supporter in this process.  No surprise really as she’s my number 1 supporter period.  To make the day even more exciting and special my mom gave me a gift.  She gave me a necklace, a very special necklace.  It was the very first piece of jewelry my dad had ever given her.  She gave it to me to wear that day saying that way both of my parents could be there with me.  My mom in present my dad in spirit and remembered with the necklace.  
When I was researching this process I was comforted by a few you tube videos of women getting IUIs.  So I decided to capture my insemination on video.  My mom acted as the camera woman so please excuse the shakiness.  
This video is indeed TMI but don’t worry you wont really see anything but the first steps (hopefully) on my journey to becoming a mom.  

This is probably the realest thing I’ve ever done on the blog.  I hope someone else may be comforted or educated about the process by watching my video as I was in watching others.  
Please pray for me and cross your fingers that I might soon have a bundle of joy.
Have you seen any other live IUI videos?  Was the video what you were expecting? 

Currently

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Currently….

Currently I am copying off of my blogger friend LaShawn of Everyday Eyecandy.  A couple weeks ago I read her blog post Currently where she talked about all of the things she was currently up to.  I like going to blogs for specific recipes, tips, or resources.  But more than anything else I visit my favorite blogs because I want to know what my favorite bloggers are up to.  I loved LaShawn’s post. If you are like me and like knowing what your favorite bloggers are up to you will enjoy this post.

Currently I am reading What to Expect When You are Expecting.  If you have been reading the blog over the last few weeks or if you follow me on You Tube then you know I am hoping to become a mom soon. I think What To Expect is the most popular pregnancy book in print.  The version I’m reading goes from pre-conception to postpartum.

Currently I am watching Modern Family.  I know this show has been around for years but I only really got into it in the last few months.  I enjoy the back to back reruns on the USA network and now I try to catch the new episodes on ABC.  I like the simple comedy of the show.  I always laugh and it does not leave my wondering what’s going to happen next.  No drama.  It’s not that I don’t like drama though.  After catching up on Empire on on demand I am now getting my drama fix from The Following.   I have enjoyed this show from the beginning.  It is one of the few that I make sure to watch live.  As a matter of fact if you follow me on twitter you have likely seen me live tweet while watching.

Currently  work (the day job) is getting on my nerves.  I have a mix of annoyance and boredom going on.  If I’m not feeling bored with my normal tasks I am feeling annoyed by some issue or project that has suddenly become my responsibility.  We’ve all been there I’m sure.  I am still very thankful for my job and what it enables me to accomplish in my life.  At times while I’m feeling this mix of boredom annoyance I am more thankful or this blog that allows me to be creative and feel fulfilled.

Currently I am nervous about  my journey to becoming a mom.  More people who know me personally are finding out.  I know Duh that’s what happens when you put it on your blog!!!.  But not a lot of people in my real life read my blog. But this topic is definitely getting their attention.  So far positive response though.  Regarding becoming a mom I am nervous about being a non-traditional family, will I be a good mom, stretchmarks, weight gain, finances, and about a million other things that I’m pretty sure are perectly normal for someone entering this phase of life.

Currently I am excited about my journey to becoming a mom.  Ha!  That’s right.  I’m both excited and nervous about the same thing.  I have wanted to be a mom for so long I cannot help but be excited.  I so look forward to telling my friends and family that a bundle of joy is on the way, decorating a nursery, ultrasounds, baby clothes, etc, etc, etc….

Currently I am praying for my mom who has an ongoing illness, my cousin who recently lost her dad, and for any prayer requests posted in the Chasing Joy Prayer Group.

Currently I have been eating Way Too Much Sugar!!!!   I am supposed to be losing weight for my health, increased fertility, healthy pregnancy and all of that.  But lately I have been falling off the wagon when it comes to candy, regular soda, and sweets.  This is not good.  I really need to get back on track.  Did yall know one of my childhood nicknames was Candy?  This is a name I do not need to live up to.

Currently I am cooking nothing.   I usually like to cook but I just have not been in the mood lately.  The not cooking is probably very much related to the eating too much sugar.

Currently I am looking forward to my cousins baptism later today and my book club friends birthday celebration tomorrow.  I would like to be baptized one day and admire my cousin for taking this step.  I love birthdays and am happy to be included in birthday celebrations.

Currently I spend most of my data plan on I Heart Radio Elvis Duran Replay Channel, You Tube, and NetFlix.

Currently I am thankful for my mom, my health, my income, the change in the weather (yay spring), and that Blogalicious is withing driving distance this year.

This is a gimps of what my life is currently like.  What is your life like, currently???

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