Maria Orth

01/30/2025

The Storm and the Survivor

Lupus is a storm I never saw coming. It arrived without warning, without mercy, unraveling the life I had built, one thread at a time. It stole my energy, my strength, my certainty. It forced me to learn the language of pain, to measure time in flares and remissions, to carry a body that feels more like a battlefield than a home.

But I am still here.

There are days when my joints feel rusted shut, my skin burns from the inside out, and my own immune system marches against me like an army with no off switch.

My head pounds with migraines that blur the edges of reality. My thoughts scatter, lost in a thick fog that steals my words mid-sentence. My body is a paradox—exhausted yet restless, aching yet numb, fragile yet fierce.

But I am still here. And I am more than my symptoms.

Because for all that lupus has taken, it has not stolen my joy.

It has not stolen the way I close my eyes and drink in the laughter of my family, the sound of love echoing in my home.

It has not stolen the way sunlight spills across my bed in the morning, golden and soft, reminding me that even the hardest nights end.

It has not stolen the way my favorite song can still stir something deep inside me, a reminder that my spirit is not broken.

Pain has tried to make me bitter, but I refuse. Instead, I hold onto gratitude like an anchor.

I am grateful for the hands that steady me when I stumble, for the quiet presence of my wife when words are too much.

I am grateful for the days when my body allows me small victories—standing a little longer, laughing a little louder, finding the strength to fight another day.

I am grateful for the people who see me beyond the illness, who don’t measure my worth by what I can or cannot do.

Lupus is a storm, unpredictable and unrelenting. Some days it rages, and I can do nothing but hold on. Other days, it is quieter, and I can breathe. But through it all, I have learned to find beauty in the storm.

I have learned that stillness does not mean weakness.
That slowing down does not mean giving up.
That even in the fiercest winds, there is joy to be found.

So if this storm must stay, then I will learn to dance in the rain.

Because I am still here. And that is enough.

©️Jenn Schoch, 2025
Lupus and Me

01/30/2025

01/28/2025

Celebrating my 13th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

🌟 A Gentle Reminder from Daily Gratitude 🌟

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and being an important part of this beautiful community. We are so grateful for each of you and the kindness, love, and positivity you bring to this space. 💕

Just a friendly reminder: When you post, please include a statement of gratitude—what are you feeling grateful for today? Sharing our gratitude is at the heart of what we do, helping us stay connected, inspired, and uplifted as a community.

Our hope is that this page remains a safe, welcoming space for everyone, where kindness and inclusiveness guide every interaction. Your words of gratitude, no matter how big or small, contribute to the love and light that make this group so special.

Thank you for helping us stay true to the mission of Daily Gratitude: spreading joy, fostering transformation, and celebrating the beauty of gratitude together.

Please intital after reading in the comment section.

With gratitude and love,
The Daily Gratitude Team 💕

01/28/2025

01/28/2025

The battle continues…

Living with Lupus: A Lighthearted Journey

In the grand theater of life, I play a unique part,
With lupus as my script, but humor in my heart.
Mornings bring surprises, a dance I didn’t plan,
Energy’s a fickle friend, yet here I firmly stand.

My joints may throw a tantrum, a drama on display,
But I laugh at their melodrama, “Not today, pain, not today!”
Sunshine is a tricky guest,
too much and I must hide,
I sport my stylish hats and shades with effortless pride.

Medications are my allies,
a colorful brigade,
Each pill a tiny soldier in the battles bravely laid.
Doctors are my navigators through this intricate terrain,
With every visit, every test,
I gain more to explain.

Fatigue tries to slow me down,
a sneaky little sprite,
But coffee fuels my comebacks, turning dark to light.
Friends bring up the silver linings, “You’re handling it so well,”
I wink and say, “Oh, you know me, I’ve got stories to tell.”

Days are filled with twists and turns, surprises in each hour,
Yet humor is my umbrella,
my shield, and my power.
Living life with lupus doesn’t mean I can’t have fun,
I dance despite the obstacles, embracing everyone.

So here’s to all the warriors with lupus by their side,
We navigate this journey with laughter as our guide.
Through ups and downs, we find our way, with smiles that never cease,
Living life with lupus, embracing strength and peace.
©️Jenn Schoch, 2025
Lupus and Me💜

10/20/2024

Lord God, you are my boss, you are in charge of my our lives! I just want to Thank you for your greatness and love for us! Thank you for this beautiful day! Thank you also for keeping President Donald J. Trump and his families and friends safe. We asks for your blessings today! In Jesus name, Amen!

10/19/2024

Border Patrol Agents Say They’ll Leave En Masse If Harris Wins

Border Patrol agents are threatening to leave the essential federal agency in large numbers if Vice President Kamala Harris wins in November, with several agents telling the New York Post that they cannot endure another four years of being undermined and scapegoated.

“I’m not doing this s–t again … four years of hell,” one agent, who isn’t anywhere close to retirement, told the outlet. Another added, “Lots of guys who can retire will go. If Trump wins, they’ll stay.”

On Monday, the Border Patrol union, National Border Patrol Council, offered a full-throated endorsement of the former president.

Insiders report that the Border Patrol has experienced significant turnover and a sharp decline in morale under the Biden-Harris administration.

The agency has lost more than 4,000 personnel since October 2020, leaving approximately 19,000 employees, according to the Washington Examiner.

Incentives such as raising recruitment bonuses from $10,000 to as much as $30,000 and encouraging retired agents to return have not been enough to close the gap.

Both Trump and Harris have committed to strengthening the Border Patrol, with the Republican nominee announcing on Sunday plans to increase the force by one-third, adding 10,000 new agents. However, multiple agents who spoke to The Post anonymously for fear of repercussions from their superiors indicated that if Harris is elected, she is likely to take office facing a significant staffing crisis at the agency.

“We will have another exodus just because we will have a bunch of 20-year agents saying ‘peace out,’” one agent told the outlet. He also believes that the more experienced agents, with five to 10 years on the job, who do much of the grunt work for the agency, will use their skills to find other jobs.

“Under this administration, they’ve done everything they could to make our job as inefficient as possible. They can’t outwardly tell us not to do our job, but when you’re watching criminals come in and get released it sucks,” another agent told The Post.

The declining morale has prompted the agency to hire its first suicidologist to address the rising su***de rate among Customs and Border Protection, which encompasses Border Patrol. In 2022, the agency reported a record 15 su***des, said The Post.

“The morale has never been as low in the Border Patrol, but under the Biden-Harris administration and her current ads, acting like she’s pro-border security is just putting salt on an already gaping wound for the morale of border Border Patrol agents and law enforcement,” former Yuma Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem previously told the outlet.

He added: “Kamala Harris has been bad for morale, for not only law enforcement around the country, but also for our border security personnel.”

Republicans have long insisted that the Biden-Harris regime could have curbed illegal crossings — which have numbered in the hundreds of thousands each month for most of their term — long ago, and the president proved their point a few months ago by putting new restrictions on asylum claims.

Illegal immigration has been a top campaign issue this year, so the restrictions were seen by critics of the administration as Biden doing what he could to improve Harris’ electability since she, as ‘border czar,’ had previously been unsuccessful at stemming the tide of humanity streaming into the country. In December 2023, more than 250,000 people crossed illegally into the U.S.; last month, that number had fallen to 54,000.

Paul Perez, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, said Sunday: “If we allow Border Czar Harris to win this election, every city, every community in this great country, is going to go to hell. The untold millions of people, unvetted, who she has allowed into this country that are committing murders, rapes, robberies, burglaries, and every other crime will continue to put our country in peril. Only one man can fix that and that is Donald J. Trump. He has always stood with the men and women who protect this border.”

He added: “On behalf of the 16,000 men and women represented by the National Border Patrol Council, we strongly support and endorse Donald J. Trump for President of the United States.”

10/17/2024

Remember what Kamala said about Israel’s to kill Yahya Sinwar? She was not in favor of Bibi Natanyahu - it is a great day for Israel today! It is about time to get those hostages.

Kamala Harris said in March that an Israeli strike in Rafah would be a “huge mistake.” She “studied the maps,” so thought she knew better than Israel.

Today, Israel took out Yahya Sinwar in Rafah. He was the mastermind behind 10/7.

Another humiliating moment for DEI Kamala.

Israeli forces' killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is a seismic event that could create a pathway to a ceasefire agreement and hostage deal.

10/15/2024

King County Commissioner Elections - where is my ballot? Any of you received your ballots yet Seattle? 19 more days no ballots yet?

10/14/2024

Only 20 more days to Nov. 5th as the attempted assassination on Pres Donald J. Trump is getting more desperate! Killing him is the price tag for the Deep State! They want him dead!

10/07/2024

HOLY S**T - FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Elon's America PAC is offering $47 for EACH registered voter you refer in a swing state that signs this petition:

https://petition.theamericapac.org/

10/01/2024

https://youtu.be/My7eN1NaSQ4?si=WRzhSoLJwMNCJvFm

Fr. Chris Alar - I Saw Many People Gather and Something Unexpected Happened to The New President-------------------------------------------In this video, Fr....