My Life As I Know It: A Journal: 5 Year Journal Day 18

Today's prompt is " What was peaceful about today?" Well, I got good news in the mail today! It brought peace to me. I had blood work done at the lab on Monday morning, and got the results back for my A1C. A healthy, non-diabetic person would have an A1C between 4.1 and 6.4, and my A1C was 6.7. That's a huge drop from when I was diagnosed as diabetic in November last year when my A1C was over 11. So, I'm on the right track. I have a good chance of getting out of diabetic range, and not needing medication.
I brought some books out of their storage place so I can read them. I began reading "The Ministry of Motherhood", by Sally Clarkson. I made an interesting comment today about not having a good Christian role model for parenting, and that I needed help to be the parent I choose to be, not the parent I saw growing up. Truth. I want my son to know God's love and to be aware enough to share it.
I am excited that Caleb is being exposed to the Army Core Values on his new video game. PsyOps at it's best baby. He was reading them off to his teacher and friends today. He was very excited that real Army stuff was included in his make-believe game. It makes me think he might be interested in some Army training materials to read. He is already interested in survival, like I am. I ordered him a journal to write in today. I can't wait for it to arrive. He asked, "Should I repeat reading the Army values until I learn them?" Absolutely! I suggested he write them down too. I told him how good they are to know, and they are good guiding posts for life, not the just the Army.
I called my Mom's parents, known to me as Granny and Pepere, to find out if they had any pictures of my mom when she was young. I am pretty sure their are no earlier pictures of my dad left. They unfortunately have lost many things throughout the years due to moving, and the pictures were one of them.
My mom shared an old journal she kept with me today. It was very moving and heart warming. She even had notes from when I was hospitalized in 2013. You know, it took a lot for me to be able to say anything about anything. I had to get out of my head that people would assume the worst once they found out I was involuntarily hospitalized. Now I don't give a shit what people think. How can I care, when people voted Trump into office and still support him? I supported Obama, and still do. Never Trump. I may be white skinned, but my heart belongs to darker skinned people, where I feel my roots and heritage come from.
I hate that I don't look more Brazilian. I think they are so beautifully Latino. I have no control over that though, so...
I am having some trouble healing from my past. I can write about it, but my brain is damaged from it. I do not know how to heal. I have to research it. The brain is something called "neuro-plastic" meaning it can change and heal. How do I accomplish this though? That is a mystery to me right now. I believe I am on the right path by trying to stay mindful of the present, mindful of my dietary needs, mindful of my spiritual needs, mindful of my health needs, etc.
I wrote a list of things I want to do daily.
Meditate
Walk
Listen to my favorite songs
Sing
Chair Yoga
Read books
Write my blog
Study something new
I think these things will bring more peace to my life and help me become healthier in the long run. I struggle right now with doing all these things daily but I am changing that slowly.

I found an essential oil based, pet and kid-friendly insecticide today at my local Walmart, and I am so happy about it! It is definitely bug season around here and I need help keeping them out of my house. It feels good to do what I know needs to be done. A lot of times I know what needs to be done around my house, but can't afford to fix it. Case in point, the hole in my kitchen floor. I have a whole long list of things that I need to fix and/or replace around here. It's exhausting. I use to go to bed every night with all these things on my mind, but now that I have transferred them to my spreadsheet, I no longer have to repeat the same thoughts over and over to remember them all. Writing things downs brings me peace of mind. I am forgetful. It takes the pressure off of me to remember when I struggle with remembering.

I had orders to go to this unit while at Ft. Lee, but my Field Grade Article 15 changed my future.

Army type Love. Ranger Up

The last time we were all together. My grandpa de Mello, grandma de Mello, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Andy, Cousins Max and Mariel, Caleb and Me. 2013. New Jersey.