Low Energy, Winter Blues or Low Vitamin D

There for a while, I felt the weight of anything extra, and I just couldn't do it.  Thoughts of Holidays, birthdays, serving someone with a meal, were just too dang overwhelming to even follow through.  I'd come home from work, tidy house, make dinner, clean it up and sit exhausted on the couch waiting for it to all begin again.  I used to love working out...but then I didn't have the energy anymore.  It was such a gradual thing, that I thought it was just a product of getting older...(although I won't share "how" old I really am.  I mean a girl has to have her secrets).  But anyway, after a routine check up, and blood work, they discovered I had extremely low levels of Vitamin D.  I'm on a mega dose to recover back to normal, but a search on symptoms of low D was very interesting.  For most of them I was nodding my head, yes, yes, yes...Here are some of the symptoms taken from DrFrankKlipman.com

What are the symptoms of vit D deficiency?

There is no clear pattern of symptoms. In fact many people remain asymptomatic despite low levels. But here are the more common symptoms

• Fatigue

• General muscle pain and weakness

• Muscle cramps

• Joint pain

• Chronic pain

• Weight gain

• High blood pressure

• Restless sleep

• Poor concentration

• Headaches

• Bladder problems

• Constipation or diarrhea

I've been taking a pretty hefty supplement under my doctors care, as well as, sitting in front of a Happy Light that I bought a few years ago.  I hope to be feeling energetic and back to normal real soon.  I share this because maybe someone else is suffering in silence the same way I was and just chalking it up to getting older, too.  Low Vitamin D can be very serious, if you find you have some of these same symptoms, why not ask to get your Vitamin D levels checked.  It can make all the difference in your quality of life.


 

Turn Toward the Light – The Son

Remember when I wrote about turning toward the sun and my obsession with light? 

Well, as I turn toward Him and give my devotion and focus to Him, my heart warms like the sun outside warming my skin in the most delightful way.  When I spend time with Him, when I turn toward the Son, praying, reading and pondering on the scriptures I feel so close to Him that my heart warms.  It’s a weird phenomenon really. 

But likewise, when I pull away…I can do it myself or sadly just too busy to spend time with Him, I feel that withdrawal.  It’s a cold dark place not basking in His life giving light.  Just like the thick inversion outside my window, I can often feel a thick inversion in my heart.  I know this is something that can be completely avoided.  I know how to prevent it like a spiritual inoculation. 

I just have to remember…

I have to remember Him….

I have to let Him in...

How do you avoid the thick inversions of the heart? 

Mele Kalikimaka from Idaho

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I would be a little remiss if I didn't mention the fact that I LOVE snow at Christmas time. Unfortunately, it has been greatly lacking in my neck of the woods. Let it be known that I live for sunshine. It completes me, warms my soul and brings me muchas happiness, but there is something about Christmas that just calls for snow. Maybe it is because I grew up in Colorado and snow was a beautiful way of life.

I spent a few Christmases in Hawaii, I know boo hoo, but seriously, Mele Kalikimaka did not mean Christmas to me. (It certainly didn't Jingle my Bells).  And lately, due to the Sunshine and lack of snow, I am in the mood to don a grass skirt and start singing Mele Kalikimaka instead of It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas.

Ladybug has been invited to a birthday party today.  They are going tubing.  My first question, "WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT?"  Apparently a few hours up into the mountains there is a place that is making snow.  Good times, she'll have fun.  Which made me start thinking that I should break out my snow cone maker and spread that lovely white stuff around the yard.....Make my own snow.  You know, to attain that White Christmas look. (I just won't add any yellow flavoring.  Mom always said, 'don't eat yellow snow...')

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

WOW

Country Roads and Sunsets

Daylight Savings

Daylight savings makes me want to claim this spot of sunshine 

And curl up on the floor like a cat.

The Sun is Rising

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Yesterday morning as I was driving to work in the frigid, chilly temperatures I noticed something strange on the horizon. Like an old friend returning, I was beside myself with excitement. There in the eastern sky, just above the mountains was the inkling of daylight. Just an inkling, mind you, just enough to take the pitch dark out of the heavens. Later, after a glorious day of sunlight, that old friend stuck around just a little bit longer. Instead of setting at 5:00, it was almost 6:00 before the dusk of the evening seemed to settle in. When did that happen? Have I just crawled out of my hole in the ground where I try to hibernate the winter away? Without the cloud and fog cover that has graced us recently, I was able to enjoy almost 10 whole hours of sunlight. Those amazing, energizing hours of daylight leave me feeling productive and with a clean home....So despite the fact that it is COLD like 20 degrees cold, spring is on it's way....

Ah Spring Break!

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Today is the first official day of Spring break. Do you hear my big sigh of relief? I love my job, I really do...But, I've never grown out of my need for Christmas, Spring and Summer break. That's why I work at a school. It suits me...I love having the quandary of "What am I going to do today?" I head into my breaks thinking I have all this time in the world as I think of all the relaxing I am going to do. Unfortunately, life has a way of taking over, doesn't it?

I did a little sprucing up here recently...Spring cleaning if you will.  Do you like the new layout?  Gotta keep things fresh, you know...

More Reds and Yellow

The red and yellow hues spice my life like the savory flavors of cayenne and ginger. They make an interesting combination and my eyes are drawn to those colors. Yellow is happy and red pops. Over the years my taste in colors has evolved. I don't imagine I will be forever in this color scheme, but for now it brings happiness and sunshine to my soul.  Especially on these cold winter days...

I've been dreaming

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Sunday was glorious and sunny.  It was the kind of sunny that you look outside and think that perhaps it is Summer or at least Spring until you actually step outside and FEEL the temperature.  Februarys in Idaho can be kind of dark.  Come to think of it, November, December, January AND February tend to be on the darker side.  The sun sets at an obnoxious hour of like 4:30 pm and doesn't wake its lazy butt up until 8:30 am the next morning.  That means I have been at work a whole hour before the sun even tries to grace us with a little light. 

Last night I dreamed it was Spring.  It felt warm and sunny, and I was planning my cute outfit for work which included capri's and sandals.  Yeah, I work in that type of environment.  Well, maybe I don't but that's how I dress, anyway.  When 5:30 am rolled around, I was snapped back to reality... a 20° reality.  I guess I will just have to enjoy the sunshine while I've got it and dream of warmer days to come....

Sunshine Needed!

The valley has been stuck under a thick layer of inversion. It is oppressive, gloomy and bleak. After being stuck under this thick cloud of inversion (Otherwise known as fog full asthma inducing pollutants. cough, cough, wheeze, wheeze) for two weeks, I am in need of a good dose of Sunshine. I hear the higher up in elevation you go the more likely you are to find it. My guys went snowboarding this weekend. They asked if I wanted to go, but I don't dig it like they do. I said no thinking it would be cold and relishing the idea of a QUIET house. Boy was I wrong! It was sunny and warmer than down in the valley. DANG! This is the inversion layer from the top side. Kind of looks like the valley is blanketed in a vast white sea...(not bad for a cell phone picture). Thanks, KT If the sun doesn't reveal itself by this weekend, I'm heading to the mountains.

This girl needs a bit of sunshine! (hint, hint dear)