Welcome back!

Welcome back, it sure has been a while!

I haven't posted to my blog in a few years and thought it was time to get back to it! So much has changed in my life in the past three years, and I am sure these years have seen many changes in your life as well. If you are new to my blog… WELCOME and thank you for coming over!

A little history to get us caught up. In the fall of 2011, I lost my 22 year old daughter, Katrina, in a texting accident. That horrible experience was literally life changing. I had just left a company that I had worked at for 24 years and I had no idea what I was going to do for an income. Admittedly, I had really despised my job the last few years; dreadful management, selling a dying product, etc., but that is what I had known so now what should I do with myself? 

I was laid off in the spring of 2011. I decided to do something scary. Something that took me WAY out of my comfort zone. In fact, I really knew nothing about what I had agreed to do; I took a trip to Haiti to volunteer at an orphanage! I spent the next 10 days teaching bible basics to 5 year olds that spoke only French. The level of poverty was something I was not accustom to but the people of Haiti are so full of love! Needless to say it was an amazing experience and perhaps later I will tell some of my favorite recollections of that memorable trip. 

Thankfully, I spent most of the spring and summer with my daughter, Katrina. We cooked, crafted, swam, talked, giggled and traveled. We had had a contentious relationship for years but in January of 2011 we had taken a long trip to Europe and had finally began accepting and understanding each other. The summer flew by. I had planned to start looking for work in September. But fate had other plans.

September 7^th a young rodeo man was texting on his way home, came into a construction zone but he was so distracted he didn’t even realize that the speed limit had dropped and in fact the traffic had come to a complete stop. His truck hit my daughter’s car and she was killed instantly. NOTHING can prepare a parent for such devastating news.

The first year after her passing was and still is a complete blur. I began blogging a while after that point trying to work through all the things swimming in my head. It is a very painful and lonely road, which you can see in my older posts. Now it has been six long years without her. There is a clear line in my life - pre and post Katrina. Anyone who has gone thought something traumatic may understand. You never really get over something like this, but time does makes things a little softer.

I have learned so much from losing her and thus began my journey back.

I knew Kat would want me to get back up. She would want me to find myself again and do things that would make her proud. I spent several years with other advocates fighting to get texting laws in Texas. Six days before the six year anniversary of her passing Texas finally voted and approved a statewide ban on texting! 

link to Ban on Texting and Driving (http://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article154699709.html)

Although I was very busy; working hard running a very chaotic and stressful office, rehabilitating orphan raccoons, running my house full of pets and had been working on the texting ban – I was physically unhealthy. 

Mr. Lucky 2013

To be honest, I didn’t like looking in the mirror. I did not recognize the person looking back at me. I had worked hard on the insides but neglected the outside. I began eating better, riding my bike and joined camp gladiator. A year later I have lost 65 pounds and am beginning to feel better about myself. One other change I made in my life was joining Young Living, the essential oil company. 

In the past year, I have learned so much about my body and learning to live a much healthier lifestyle. I have replaced most of my cleaning and beauty supplies and remove toxins from my home and diet. And this is why I wanted to return to my blog. To share with you what I have learned and what I continue to learn. 

Me & my Nephew Alexander

Thank you for taking the time to get caught up with me and my journey these past few years. I will working to post each week some of the things I have done to improve my health and I hope you join me to become the best YOU in 2018!

Please subscribe to my Health and Wellness with Oils blog found here https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9176031164039077033#editor/target=post;postID=1556164277620887127;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname

Thank you! I look forward to this journey together!

kb