greatlyblessmom

[font=georgia,serif][size=4]I am a 50-year-old Christian woman in Kentucky, and I am determined that my remaining time on earth will be lived to the fullest. I have spent my life trying to be the best person I can be, but sacrificing my needs for the needs and wants of others. Now it is time to take care of me![/size][/font] It is time to pull my dreams back out of the box, dust them off, and make them my realities. I see the road I have been heading down as a pathway to misery, but I still have time to take a new road, the road to new choices and new dreams. God has opened a door for me to live the way He intended, and I am going to run through that door!

I have 2 amazing children, both boys. One is out of college, the other about halfway through. I am engaged to a loving, caring, generous man who complements my personality very well. I am the main caretaker for my mother, who has a myriad of health issues, but she is still sound of mind and spirit. My beautiful niece also lives with us, and she is 16 going on 35. We are a southern family. We have supper every night in the dining room, where we share our events of the day, news of the family, and have some very interesting conversations among three generations. Also, we learned to cook from my grandmother, who did not work outside the home. She gardened and canned, and made every meal from scratch, often with homemade desserts. A lot of the menu was fried foods, and potatoes were a main staple. Her food was so delicious, and the family atmosphere so enjoyable, it was a priceless part of our busy days. I have so many special memories of family gatherings involving real "southern cooking".

My grandparents were raised on farms, and worked hard from before dawn until supper time. They were able to use up the calories and fat in their food doing their daily work. I realized a long time ago that I could not continue cooking for my family this way, because our more sedentary lifestyle does not use up all those calories and fat. I have tried to learn to cook healthier, but I still have a long way to go, and some habits are hard to break, like having gravy and bread with meals. We do have several farmer's markets in the summer, so it is easier to eat fresh vegetables. My mom still cans a little, but we don't grow any vegetables. Canning also adds a lot of salt to the food as a preservative.

I have wanted to have this surgery for a long time, but the timing was not right, or my health insurancew would not cover it. My family has vowed to support my choice, and to dive in with me to create healthier menus and to exercise more. They want me to be around for many years to come, and I am ready!