Hey Friend, it’s been a while, and if you’re still here with me, thank you for your patience. In this week’s Dimples Diary, I will update you on what’s been happening on my side of the screen, but first, let me say “Thank You.” Many of you have reached out to see how I’ve been doing, and I appreciate your concern.
I hate the excuse, “I’ve been so busy!” because it feels like a statement too many of us wear almost pridefully and as if we’re somehow exalted to a place of more importance because we have so much to do.
So, the last month has been a whirlwind, and I’m not exactly sure what the next couple of months hold, but I’m trying to adopt a slower and happier mindset heading into summer.
For now, here’s a little update on where I’ve been, and what I’ve been watching, eating, and dealing with while I’ve been away.
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BASEBALL
It’s baseball season, and the Holloways are a baseball family! Our local and distant boys are all playing, dads are coaching, and Poppy sits on the Little League board and umpires here locally.
We are mourning not seeing our Winchester boys every game like we always have when they are here. But we have a trip planned at the end of the month to see all three of them play tournament games. Here’s hoping they make it beyond game one!
WHERE I’VE BEEN
Early in May, I traveled to my sister’s in Ohio, and we had a sister’s night out to the theatre to see Frozen, the Musical. I was out way past my bedtime!
The next day I continued to Tennessee to see my parents and spent Mother’s Day with my mom and visited with them the following week.
Then I traveled back to my sister’s in Ohio for the night so my sister and her husband could have a long-awaited date night. It was their first official night out since the baby was born…he’s 15 months old. 😉
15 months is my favorite age because they display their personality and develop non-verbal communication skills. He’s one big and super precious boy.
The next morning I was up early and headed to my son’s in Winchester, Indiana, for church and a quick lunch with my Littles (and their parents) before heading home.
I LOVE seeing my family, but I was ready to be HOME!
SPEAKING OF MY WINCHESTER LITTLES
Look who’s six months old already! Doesn’t he look like a doll baby? He’s such a happy boy.
WHAT I BROUGHT HOME
Okay, my nephew shared pink eye with me. He barely had symptoms, but I was down for two weeks! I thought conjunctivitis was over in a couple of days, but apparently, the viral kind is attached to the adenovirus, which can last weeks! So now you know too. 😉
My eyes were horrible for most of the two full weeks; I also felt generally bad and had an incredibly sore throat.
All the while, I was wiping crust out of my eyes and washing bed linens and towels daily; I was also getting ready for a garage sale, having a garage sale, keeping grandkids, and hosting my out-of-town son and his family. Exhausting!
And I had to miss a trip back to my sister’s to see my brother-in-law get baptized. But The Hubs went and represented well, even getting in the creek to help baptize him.
OH, AND DID I MENTION…
I’ve also been trying to wean off of medicine for acid reflux which is incredibly hard. When you try to go off of a proton pump inhibitor, you experience severe acid reflux worse than you ever had it to start with.
I thought I was through the worst of it using a DGL supplement (licorice), but once my sore throat finally disappeared, but the burning in my throat did not, I realized it was still the GERD. It’s a pain…literally!
I’d like to treat this with lifestyle changes, as PPIs are not actually intended for long-term use, and I’ve been on them for several years already. So, I’m making some lifestyle changes and will start a supplement protocol I read about online, including apple cider vinegar capsules, something called HCI, and digestive enzymes.
If you have any experience with this, do you have any advice?
WHAT I ATE
I have, of course, eaten many things in the last month, but one of my favorites has been a spinach and strawberry salad with topped blue cheese and these homemade cinnamon roasted pecans. It’s topped off with a healthy-ish poppy seed dressing based on this recipe.
Let me know in the comments if you’d like me to post the recipe with my own tweaks.
WHAT I BOUGHT
sneakers || block heel Mary-Janes (size down) || favorite flip-flops
This was a shoe month for me. While I was in Tennessee, we went to the opening of a new Nordstrom Rack, and I found these platform sneakers at a great price!
And I purchased a replacement for my FAVORITE summer sandal. I wear these EVERY SINGLE DAY, three seasons out of four!
I saw these adorable shoes on a friend’s daughter a while ago and couldn’t get them out of my mind. They were the “perfect color” for me (see this post for the best color shoes for you), and she said they were very comfortable, so I bit the bullet. I LOVE THEM! They run large, and I’d go down a full size if you have an average width foot.
UPDATE ON MY MOM
As many of you may remember, my mom has metastatic cancer. Several months ago, she started a new treatment with good success but not without side effects. However, she’s recently been in a great deal of pain, and of course, coupled with the pain, her cancer numbers are once again on the marked rise; we believe the treatment has now stopped working.
There has been much runaround, and you know how it is; trying to get to the bottom of things in the medical industry is frustrating when testing appointments are in short supply, and when you do get the appointment, somebody hasn’t dotted all the “I’s” and crossed their “T’s.” So, the wait continues, and someone is in PAIN!
We thank you for keeping her in your prayers.
ENCOURAGEMENT
We believe that God is more than sufficient to meet our every need. Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t have times we struggle with the emotions of it all or when fear threatens to overwhelm us and become a stronghold over us.
But we stand on what we know about God – He heals, comforts, and sustains us. He is bigger, greater, and stronger than the lies the enemy wants us to believe.
So no matter what you’re walking through, little or big, pressing or fleeting, personal, financial, physical, or spiritual – GOD KNOWS and will be with you!
The Lord is good, a sronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Nahum 1:7 ESV
Have an amazing week!
You don’t know how happy I was to see your update this morning. I sure have been thinking about you and yours. Have a wonderful weekend.
Author
Hi Alicyn! Thank you sooo much for missing me. 😄 I’m off to tournament games this morning for our local boys. One is in the championship and the younger two are in the consolation game in their division. Hoping they all do well, but glad we’ll be done for this season.
You have a great weekend too.
SO glad to hear from you! I have been wondering how you were doing and have prayed for you and your family . Loved all the pictures and hearing about your adventures. Continued prayers for your sweet mom and trust that the Lord will be will you all.
Have a wonderful summer! That salad looked delicious!
Take care friend . May God bless you 💕
Author
Hi Cheryl! Thank you so much for the prayers. I honestly don’t know how people get through life who don’t believe in the power and comfort of it. I have plans to still be around for summer and am planning out some content for it. Be in the lookout. 😘
Hugs,
Paula
I’m a newbie to your blog so was really sorry not to have found you sooner! I have a bit of catching up to do.
Take care and God bless x
Author
Hi Gail! It’s great to have you here. Be on the lookout for new content coming soon… I hope.
Hugs,
Paula
So very glad to hear from you. Was worried about your mom in particular. Sorry she is going thru struggles again.
Tweaks in your recipe would be great to see! Have a great and healthy summer. Enjoy your grandsons. I just have 4 grandsons. But they are great!!
Hugs,
Missed you. Glad you’re better
Author
Thanks so much Susan. I think menopause is still wreaking a little havoc on my energy and motivation but I’m definitely feeling a ton better about life in general since the ugly pink eye and virus are over.
Hugs,
Paula
I’ve missed your emails and even recently checked my spam folder for you! Glad to get this update but sorry to hear mom is struggling. Prayers for comfort for you all; I do agree, I’m not sure how anyone does it without the strength of God. <3
Soo glad to see your post this morning! I think of you often, your grands, and especially your mom dealing with her cancer. That one really hits home for me. The roasted pecans and dressing look delish, I’ve added that to my online recipe file! Life can be such a challenge some days, so thankful that we have God on our side, our strength and hope! I’m sure you spend a great deal of time in prayer with all your circumstances going on. Wonderful that your brother-in-law was baptized, as I seldom hear of baptisms anymore. Re the reflux, did that exact same thing you did and weaned myself off of my daily drug. What I think helped me was the adjustable bed we purchased right after my husband’s hip replacement. The head is raised up every so slightly that it has alleviated both his and mine snoring and definitely helped with my reflux. So much so, that I rarely feel any heartburn. And when I do, I pop one of those Tums chews. Of course you won’t find me eating late anymore or anything with tomatoes late at night (pizza is my biggest issue). Have a wonderful weekend and praying for you and all that you are dealing with. ❤️❤️
I’m so happy to see this post! I sure have been wondering about you and even meant to reach out yesterday. I’ve got my own battles with time and it just got away from me.
Author
It’s so true that we all have battles we face on the regular. But God is so good and we walk with him everyday.
Hugs to you!
Paula
I have been following your posts for a couple months now and really enjoy them.
What a wonderful loving family you have.
We have a grandson playing baseball(9yrs.) and we are always on the run with him but he does love baseball and we are having a great time.
So very sorry to hear about your lovely Mother. I know God is wrapping his loving arms around her .
Please take time for yourself this summer and enjoy each beautiful day.
Hugs
Author
Hi Christine! Thanks so much for your prayers… we trust in that God has already gone before us.
I’m definitely soaking in all the time with my peeps.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Paula
Oh my goodness, that pink eye!! We have had a crazy month, and just 2 days before we were supposed to leave to attend our Church’s quadrennial global assembly (which we felt like we NEEDED to be at) my husband got PINK EYE! He has never had it before, but I had it many years ago, and took him right on to urgent care! The doctor gave him some drops that cleared it up in a couple of days and we were able to go on our trip. Obviously it was not the same as what you had, but he was miserable, so I can imagine your discomfort! Hopefully you are all better now 😊
We are also baseball people, although we have to make do with the MLB, as our littles do not play 🤷♀️
Author
Oh wow, it’s no fun no matter how long you have it. This was my first time having it too and I now know more about Pink Eye than I ever care to. 🙃 My doctor put me on drops too, but I think I was sensitive to the first ones and it made it worse. Once I got on the second ones, my eyes started improving.
I’m definitely better now. Thanks so much.
Hope you have a great week!
Paula
You can only do what you can do! Gal Pals understand….. and more often than not are sending prayers and warm thoughts your way.
We tend to think our lives will get simpler with age. Simply not true!!
The past week for me has included 2 dance recitals, a kindergarten graduation, moving up day for a big 5th grader, 3 soccer games (Grandpa and I went in different directions for those..lol) a medical test, a dental procedure (that caused a novicane headache and put me down for the count that afternoon) and a little thing called work. It was just one of those crazy weeks.
I missed this mornings yoga class (NEVER DO!!) as I knew I wouldn’t be able to fully engage and focus with all the “things” I have to do to prepare for Fathers Day tomorrow. But as I go through each task I’m slowly breathing as if I was in class and that just has to be enough.
I took my own advise…. I can only do what I can do. Besides… I was able to enjoy your latest post!!
Author
You’re busy too! But praise the Lord, we have a full life. You’re so right Charlene, race is the kindest gift we can give ourselves sometimes.
Hugs,
Paula
Very relieved to see this post and catch up on all your activities — was worried and kept checking your site for updates. Sounds like a busy time and a busy summer ahead with all the grands as well as concern for your Mom. Best wishes to all.
Author
Thanks so much Kim. I feel very blessed to have an online community of friends like you, who are concerned for me.
Hugs,
Paula
Oh Paula, I cannot believe that pink eye! It sounds positively awful and for 2 weeks, bless your heart.
Glad to see you back here and as always keeping your mom in my prayers.
Love ya!
Kellyann
Author
Thanks so much Kellyann. I never had any experience with it so I didn’t know it could be so bad. I also think the first antibiotic drops they gave me may have actually made it worse. I’m well on the other side of it now, but no more letting my nephew share drinks with me. 😉
Hugs,
Paula
It sounds like you’ve had a lot going on Paula. I’m sorry about your mom, and hope they can find the right treatment to give her relief. I hope you will get the GERD under control the way you want to.
Glad to see an update from you – you are so “real” and relatable. Regarding the heartburn issue – mine really improved when I went gluten-free. I know it doesn’t help everyone but definitely did for me.
Author
Thank you Cindy. I don’t know how to be impersonal. My hubs always says that people will know my life story 10 minutes into meeting me. 😊 That’s good to know about the gluten. I’m cutting out overt fatty foods and meats. Of course, acid food, and caffeine. I feel like I’ve had a little improvement, but I’ll have to see if I notice gluten being a problem.
Hugs to you!
Paula
I was so happy to see your email, but I had to wait until I had time to really focus on it (oh, now I see what you mean). I have learned I am not a car traveler anymore so anything much over an hour or two is dreadful. I used to sleep, read, knit, anything but pay attention to the road, but the Mr. seems to be getting a little lax in his attentiveness when he drives these days. So, I can’t believe how much driving you did…and you’re in northern Indiana!
That pink eye looks so painful. I have never had it. I thought I did once and took drops over and over again. I finally went to the eye doctor rather than the doctor doctor. It turned out my contacts were drying my eyes out. So, the painful pink watering eyes was caused by my contacts. Because you don’t wear contacts while using those drops, the painful pink eyes would go away. Put in the contacts, and in a couple of days the “pink eye” was back! So, I have been wearing glasses ever since…and I hate wearing glasses! I wish I could tell you what worked for me as far as GERD, but I can’t. Right now, I take two different meds, one is a PPI, and who knows what the other is. As long as I take them faithfully, I’m OK as long as I don’t eat any of the things I know will inflame it…greasy food, tomatoes, cheese, peanut butter…you know, all the good stuff! I have tried drinking apple cider vinegar (before taking meds) and even bought an evil concoction people swore by from the Vermont Country Store. I would honestly dread morning because I knew I had to drink that stuff. It didn’t work, and I gave it a couple of months. I have heard going gluten free helps as well as sleeping on your left side. I’ve not done either of those things. Up until five or six years ago, I’d never had heartburn. Then, it became a way of life. Is it just another little gift from menopause?
I will continue to pray for your mom (and your family)…for relief from pain and for answers from doctors. It’s so hard when you can’t get those answers.
Take care, Paula!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Author
Hi Marsha, sounds like you e been through it too. The Hubs and I on a car trip together is another matter entirely; there are times I’d much rather drive myself. It saves from us bickering the while time. ☺️
Thanks so much for praying for my mom. She appreciates each one.
Hugs,
Paula