I'm Worth It

Because I am worth it...

• I am going to make even more of an effort to get into a "healthy weight range".
• I am going to continue to work out.
• I am going to treat my body like the Temple of God that it is.
• I am going to remember that this is a lifestyle, not a quick fix.
• I am going to be PROUD of my progress.
• I am going to use these pictures to remind me why I have worked so hard over the last two years! (These pictures were taken exactly two years apart.)

Kirstyn, James and ME riding the ferry. This is special to me because it is something that my sister and I loved to do as kids with my PawPaw!


Our family picture attempts on the beach...
Maybe by next year I will be happy with the way I look in a swim suit and I will have learned enough about my camera to be able to teach my mom or dad how to take a GOOD family picture... who am I kidding, I am going to pray for some good camera luck next year!

See, I have made progress! Major progress. The person in the pictures on the left no longer exists. She is stronger, more self confident, more educated about food, and headed in the direction of being a FIT MOM!

I am hesitant to set pound goals on here and blog about my up and down battle with a few pounds but I also need the accountability! So, here I go again, again. Help me, are there any challenges out there I should join up with? I want to lose 15 lbs in the next 10 weeks...do you think I can do it? I guess the important question is "do I think I can do it?"

I'll let you know...

And these pictures are just for fun because I love them! After we got up out of the sand from attempting the family picture we were covered in mud and went ahead and had a big ole mud fight that James started! My mom just kept taking pictures and I am so glad she did. It is rare for me to have a picture of me playing with my kids!

Thanks again for all of the support on this journey toward better health!

A Wordful Wednesday for sure!!!

Overwhelmed

I have to say that I am so thankful for my loyal computer friends! I have been pretty sporadic with my blogging and I appreciate that you are still out there reading.

Last week was a great but overwhelming week for David and I. On Sunday my mom and dad stopped by for a visit and James insisted on going home with his Pappy. When my parents agreed or gave in to his insistence, I quickly packed the kids and they were off to Arkansas for the week.

David and I were then left with some time to ourselves. We went to the gym together, did some work at the office together, went to the movies...twice, went out to dinner, went to a comedy club and all in all had a good week.

Then on Thursday night received some very sad news. One of David's friends had lost his wife to suicide. We held each other tight and cried for our friend and his overwhelming loss. We made phone calls to notify other friends and spent much time in prayer. I am very sad because I was just beginning to get to know her via facebook.... she was becoming one of you.... one of my computer friends that mean so much to me!

Please know that I care about each and every one of you. Please know that no matter how you are feeling, Jesus understands and he cares too.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

If you have a minute, please pray for our friend as he deals with this overwhelming loss.

Texas Temps

This post is for my Canadian friends!

Last week we were having record high temperatures and heat advisories. For those of you who don't know, a 'heat advisory' is our weather man's way of saying you should probably just stay inside with your kids and your animals because Hell is not even this hot!

I have proof... I got in my car around 2:30 one afternoon and the temperature read 113'F! Friends, that is HOT and the a/c has to work over time to keep you from dying never mind trying to keep you cool.


Well this week has been a major relief. Even my a/c unit sent me a thank you card! Seriously, it is loving that it gets to come on, do its job, and turn off for an occasional rest. It has been misting/sprinkling for two days now and yesterday around noon my car said it was only 78'F outside. Still VERY humid but what a relief!

So tell me, what is the weather like where you live?

Peace, Prayer, and People

I mentioned before that I am currently participating in a ladies Bible Study. We are currently working through the study "the Frazzled Female, Finding Peace in the Midst of Daily Life" by Cindi Wood. I have really been enjoying the study. God has really been teaching me. It was kind of funny last week that while I was on vacation the focus of the study was living at peace with other people.

Romans 12:18 says "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

I really felt like that I was and have been doing that. On day 3 I couldn't even think of anyone that was driving me nuts that I need to be praying for! Well, I kept praying about that and God showed me someone this week! I'm really glad I did this study last week and had some time to pray about it before I got annoyed! Apparently God knew that I needed processing time in order to be able to control my mouth!

At the gym there is this woman (I need to learn her name), that drives me crazy! In the group fitness room there are two big fans in the front right and left corners and above the fans are where the sound speakers are mounted. This woman always sets up right in front of the fans. I think she thinks that they are specifically there for just her. I always think, if you would wear something other than sweat pants and maybe put your hair up then you wouldn't have to set up just short of actually getting INTO the fan!

Okay, I know you are thinking....seriously, why does this bother you? Well, my problem comes in with her NON-stop complaining to the instructors about the volume of the music. HELLO, LADY, if you weren't on top of the fan then you wouldn't be standing there with your ear practically against the SPEAKER!

I know, still not enough? Apparently I forgot to mention that she always smokes a cigarette or twelve before she comes into the gym to work out. And then by setting up on top of the fan then fills the room with the secondary smoke on her clothes! I mean, I understand that everyone needs a way to die, mine will probably be saturated fats that kill me, others are clean eaters that are uber fit but they tan so skin cancer will kill them, and smoking will probably kill her. But my point is that I DON'T WANT TO SMELL YOUR SMOKE! I can handle her being a fan hog, I can tolerate the unnecessary complaining about the volume, but my sinuses get irritated every time I accidentally end up on your half of the room!

I know you are thinking, just set up on the other half of the room. Yeah, that would be great except she is usually a little late (probably because she is getting in one last cigarette!) and I never know which side of the room she will choose! I would hate to be THAT obvious as to pick up my step and move to the other half of the room!

I am praying for her so that I can adjust my attitude. I need to learn her name and I need to make sure that I don't end up saying something tacky to her. Who do you need to be praying for? Oh and please tell me that you have a gym pet peeve too!

Learning

So, here I am again with a huge gap in my blogging. We have been on vacation and recovering from vacation.

We spent 2 nights in San Antonio, then 7 nights in a condo on the beach in Port Aransas, then one night with my aunt in Corpus Christi, and then we drove home with a stop in Johnson City to see my uncle. Whew. Exhausting at times but worth every. single. minute!

While I was on vacation I had big plans that included books to read but the truth is when I had a little down time I was playing with my camera. I so wish I had taken my camera book with me to help me out. Here's hoping I have time to take a photography class or two before next year's vacation.

I thought this picture was kind of fun. I was standing on the condo balcony with James waiting on some sea gulls to fly over the roof so I could get a cool picture (never happened when I was ready...) Anyway, I turned around and saw a fun opportunity to capture me in the window with the ocean in the background. I even managed to snap one when James can be seen too!

There was a full moon a couple of nights so I was really wishing that I had a tripod to capture a better night shot... I am still pretty proud of these shots though. It was gorgeous in person and these pictures do not do it justice at all!

Then one morning we were down on the beach in time for sunrise! WOW. God's creation is amazing!

So, any photography tips for me? Or maybe blogs that will help me learn to get along with my camera even better?