Good morning all you fit guys and gals on the go! I hope your week/weekend was amazing, productive, and full of happiness and opportunities. Happy Cinco de Mayo and HAPPY NURSES DAY! I have been working all weekend and I know I say it all the time, but I LOVE my job. Yesterday I discharged one of the babies I loved who was on the unit for 55 days!! As a NICU nurse, we get really attached to these little ones as well as their families. Its bittersweet- I don’t get to see his cute little face this morning and I wont get to hear his mom laugh when he pees all over the bed AGAIN, but I know they are home together, and I have seen him going from being teensy tiny to this chubby adorable healthy little guy. So happy for them- Congrats and all the best if youre reading this ;) Thank you to all of you nurses who rock at what you do! A very special thank you and happy birthday to the Navy Nurse Corps!
A pic from when I was active duty during the Navy Nurse Corps 100th birthday! A few of us were selected to wear vintage nursing uniforms. I LOVED the one I was in- I cant imagine what it was like to be a nursing during those time but thank you!
So as ya’ll can tell the military is VERY important to me. I grew up in a family where my grandfather, father, and brother were all in the Navy. With a little encouragement, and slight resistance, I joined as well. I did NROTC at Old Dominion University and was commissioned as a Navy Nurse Corps officer upon graduation. It was such an exciting feeling. Long story short, the Navy has been amazing to me and there have been several factors and individuals throughout my career who have helped me to realize not to take health and wellness for granted, which is why I strive so hard to be as healthy and fit as I can be NOW. You never know when it can be taken away from you.
This last week I had the opportunity to attend the event Martinis and Makeovers, hosted by the Got Your Back Network (gotyourbacknetwork.org) which supports surviving spouses and their families. It was amazing, and eye-opening to see these strong women come together to support one another. They were so happy to be pampered and have a night on the town! One of them said something that stuck with me, she said she sometimes felt ostracized in the community by being tagged a “widow” or having the scarlet “W” on her back. People either did not know what to say so they did not approach her, OR that was the only thing they wanted to talk about. These are just normal, everyday women who unfortunately have had to face a time of tragedy that most of us cannot fathom- but they still want to have fun and have a life and heal! I just thought this was so eye-opening for me. I cracked up when one said, “we don’t put our husbands on a pedestal. My husband farted in the bathtub just like everyone else!” The sense of humor, the will, the strength, and the love and support these women had for each other was inspirational and I am looking forward to connecting with them for adventures and fun through Got Your Back Network.
I also had the opportunity to catch up with an old friend, a marine corps veteran, who has been affected both physically and emotionally by war. I had no idea. As we caught up, we both expressed having a huge desire to make a contribution to the wounded warriors and the military families that need it most. You better know for sure, no matter where this fit world takes me, I will always be an advocate and supporter of our military and can only hope I am fortunate enough to make a huge difference! Check out Jason’s blog USMCrazy.blogspot.com and stay tuned for opportunities to give back! Oh how convenient, here’s an opportunity- for ONLY $2 YOU can by a raffle ticket for the 1st Life After War raffle where all proceeds go to Semper Fi Fund, K9s for Warriors, and Wounded Warrior Project. Follow this link to give back!
Fitness: Training hard for Bodybuilding.Com FIT USA, WBFF California, and WBFF WORLDS! I have been alternating upper and lower body days really focusing on my shoulders and glutes per usual. I have been doing 5 heavy sets of 8-10reps per exercise. Eating clean, most of the time. Mentally I think I am just waiting to get the word from BB.com before my diet is super on point again but believe me, I am training for the win! I just feel there is so much I can bring to bodybuilding.com!
Modeling: Had the opportunity to finally shoot with the WONDERFUL Harry Grigsby from LHGFX! Jen Jewell was by my side the whole time and it was just a fun day overall! I love the looks we got but mostly I loved that it felt like just an amazing day hanging out with friends in Malibu (ok, and grocery shopping, "surfing", NOT hottubbing, freezing, and walking in goo, hiking Jen Jewell style...lol) So as you can see, it was a very positive experience!
Faith: Its Sunday Yall!!! I am working so can not attend my usual service but that will not stop me from watching it online tonight! Check out Pastor Miles at www.SDRock.com
Love: I’ve been listening to Ed Sheeran’s song Give me love over and over (as well as his entire album) and am getting a giddy, hopeless romantic feeling again which I thought had been taken away from me. Never looking, but always hoping!
Today’s devotional is about never making a decision without prayer. So many times we make HUGE decisions based on gut and emotion, but take a second to pray and ask if this is what God would asks of you, and you will be surprised at the difference it makes!
Lord, please remind me to pray before I make any decisions. My life is Yours, and I want to do and serve how and where You want me to. Amen.
