HOW CHOOSING JOY CAME ABOUT (MY STORY)

Meet Randy – My LOVE – My WHY…

When I was only 16 years old, I met a guy who a few months shy of 21 and my world turned over (or maybe it was my heart).  I know everyone thought it was puppy love and most said it wouldn’t last but it stuck.   He treated me like a princess (I was a tomboy but I was his princess).   I went from seeing this boy to deciding to marry him right out of high school.  I loved him and he me and my parents loved him and he them.  I Graduated in May and Married Randy D. Stoddard on July 11, 1981.

Life took us so many places, we lived in the Dallas Tx area.  Both our beautiful daughters were born there.  They have given us more joy than we can describe to you.   He never wanted for a boy, when I asked if he wanted to try one more time for a boy – he answered why? I have exactly what I want. 

We moved to the Springfield, MO area when the girls were 4 and 1 which is where we live today.  But we did take a 1-year hiatus and live in Las Vegas, NV (long story maybe a blog someday).  We moved several times but landed in our current house on 5 acres in 1995.  We have loved it and it’s been a dream in progress. 

Our life was blessed with granddaughter #1, then Grandson #1, then Granddaughter #2, then Grandson #2.  We loved all thing “Grammy and Poppy” nothing better. 

We had purchased a little cinder block cabin on table rock lake in 2014. It was our little piece of heaven and we had been working on it ever since making it just super cute. 

On January 6, 2019 Randy and I were at our cabin    It was the middle of winter but such a beautiful day the sun was shining, and it was about 50 degrees out.   We were doing some trimming and had just stopped for some water and discussed stopping shortly and going for hike by lake.   Just a few minutes later – he was down, I didn’t know then, but he had a heart attack followed by cardiac arrest. I was alone at cabin with no help, it was winter no volunteers in area that day. It was horrible! The road to the lake cabin was windy and it takes 20-25 minutes to get to cabin from main road and it took all that time for ambulance to arrive.  I begged him to stay with me and he did but never came back to us and left his earthly home January 14, 2019 with the girls and I by his side.  We had been together 39.5 years and married for 37.5 years. I loved him till death did us part, but my love hasn’t stopped. 

During this hospital stay Daughter #2 had a miscarriage and she had even another one later same year. I lost two grandsons that year who I know are with their Poppy (he truly gave me a sign).   In September 2020 we were blessed with Granddaughter #3 (our double rainbow baby), she lifted our spirits so much. 

2019 was not done with me yet.  I lost my very best friend since kindergarten, my sister from my other mother.   I miss that girls so much.  It was a rough year.  Then 2020 comes along and with it it brought covid (not anyone's friend but for sure not a widows). 

As you can imagine I tried all kinds of grief programs, podcast, books, counseling, etc.  It was on one of the podcast that  I heard of a life coach that worked specifically with women going through Grief. I made that free consult call and it was the best thing I ever did.   It literally changed my life and helped me with my grief.  I had PTSD nightmares as well and we did work on that and I started sleeping better.   I was coached on my future, family, schooling, work, just about anything you can think of.   

I believe EVERYONE needs a life coach and the earlier in your life the better.  I believed so much that I decided to take classes to become a certified life coach.   I want to be an example of Choosing Joy in Grief and Loss and help women in the world Find Joy in all areas of their life.   There is not a day that goes by – probably not a minute even that I don’t miss Randy like crazy, but right along with the missing him and sadness I also have joy again. 

If you want to know more about life coaching and how it can change your life, please reach out to me on website at contact or better yet sign up for your free mini session.

P.S. I can help you.