This is a very exciting time for me!  I have never blogged before, ever!  To be able to do this on Catholic Daily is such a blessing.  So who am I and what can I bring to this table?  I  have been married to a wonderful man, Lou, for forty-five years.  We were high school sweethearts who met on a blind date.  God’s Hand had to be in that.  How many blind dates work out, much less last for 45 years!  He’s a gentle soul, patient and a calming force in my life.  I tell him all the time that I’m making a saint  of him.  I drive myself crazy at times so I must be driving him crazy, too!

We raised four sons who now have families of their own.  I was a typical little girl, an only child, so raising four boys was quite an experience for me.  During some of the more  chaotic times, I would ask my husband (who is one of five children)  “is this normal”.  At which point, he always assured me it was.

Eleven years ago my son had a baby.   As they say, “When a child is born, so is a grandmother.”  There is nothing like being a grandparent.  Those of you who are, understand and those of you who are not, never will.  Ten more precious grand babies have filled the years; the youngest being 20 months old.  There’s a nice mix of boys and girls.   After raising four sons, the girls are a very special treat.  They love their baby dolls, pocketbooks, hats, jewelry and anything “princess”.

One of our little granddaughters holds a very special place in our hearts.  Kamryn was stillborn eight years ago.  She was our fifth grandchild. We were blessed to be able to hold this beautiful baby in our arms for a little while and will we hold her in our hearts forever.

Professionally, I am a retired registered nurse. Way back in the beginning of my career I was a geriatric nurse, then changed to surgical nursing.  After being a stay-at-home mom for a while, I headed back to school for my BSN degree.  With that I was blessed to find a wonderful niche in health care; community  health education.  For over fifteen years I taught an array of  health programs at a hospital wellness center, in schools and businesses.  My expertise was stress management and bereavement.  I am certified as a bereavement counselor through the American Academy of Bereavement and, also, the Archdiocese of New York.   Another certification was in neonatal and infant deaths.

I consider it a privilege to have shared the grief journeys of so many  children, teens and adults during all those years. The support groups I facilitated for those who lost a loved one and  for children who’s parents were going through a divorce, as well as the educational programs regarding those topics were most dear to me.  The stress management programs I presented were fun and really enjoyable. I needed them to balance myself as well as to de-stress the community.  Neither no small task.

My faith is very important to me. God has always been a real Presence in my life. He has been there for me in the good times and in the not so good times. I know He loves me and He will never leave me.  What more could I  possibly ask for?

My hope is to help you tame the every day hassles of life, bringing you some balance and calm.   I will, also, share the stories of the people that have come into my life, what helped them on their journeys, what I learned from them and how God was there every step of the way.

I want to thank Catholic Daily for all the support and encouragement given to me and look forward to sharing a special part of my life with you.

May God bless you and all those who you love.

Sharyn