This Labor Day weekend was a great weekend filled with loving family. We swam (Papa and Andrew), had a picnic and played at the park, ate yogurt, enjoyed breakfast outside (in cool weather after 100+ days of 100 degree weather!), and fiinished up the weekend at the zoo.
Weekends like this one are good for the boys and me. Since our little family is separated for the time being (until our house sells), it is nice to feel like we are put back together again over a weekend... for the most part. The separation has been harder than I thought it would be. There is no denying that plain fact.
This weekend I was reminded of 4 things:
1. God.Is.In.Control. I have a purpose in this move and it revolves around God and my relationship with Him. I have to let go and trust. I must learn once again to silence my thoughts in prayer so I can hear God's whispers to me.
2. I love Mike tremendously. God blessed with with this wonderful man and I will fight for him. Even if it is against myself. I choose God and Mike every single morning I wake. I will not take him for granted.
3. Life around and near family is wonderful. Someone recently told me how lucky our boys will be to live so close to grandparents who will be involved in their everyday lives. I completely agree. God has blessed us with four amazing grandparents.
4. Change, even for good things, is extremely difficult. Even for a girl who likes change.
So, I have to come completely clean and share that I have made the comment outloud many, many times that I am trying to keep a positive attitude about this change - The Move. But what I realized this weekend is the fact that I am not WORKING on a positive attitude.
I am making a commitment to w.o.r.k. on this positive attitude by:
1. Seeking God at a purposeful time each day. Praying. Listening. Reading His word.
2. I am going to start reading Dr. Gary Smalley's Hidden Keys of a Loving, Lasting Marriage. He was one of the guest speaker's at Premier Design's National Rally in July. (I will share more on the Dr. Smalley/National Rally experience later.) I will ask Mike to read along with me.
3. I will get the adequate rest, nutrition and physical activitiy (expressed frustrations in previous post) I need in order to ensure I am not letting my body's well being (or lack of) get in the way of, run, dictate (all the above) my emotions.
4. I am only going to say positive, encouraging things about our change.
By sharing this with you, it will hold me accountable.
Here's to change and a wonderful, blessed life. Cheers.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Workout Queen Made Me Do It
Working out. Auugghhh... I remember when those words meant...dare I say it...fun. F.U.N. Yes, I once thought working out was that little "f" word. I must have been delusional...the grueling pain that you push your body to endure, only to limp around in agony the entire next two days.
Why? Well, I'll tell you why. Husband. Baby Body X 2. German Genes. Blue Jeans. Nothing against them too much these days, but... Love. Handles.
Thankfully, I have a Workout Queen living with me, who just happens to be my exercise science college grad, dietetics 2nd degree-seeking sister. (Who might I add is moving out in a week or so, Y.I.K.E.S. I don't know what I am going to do without her.... And the boys love their Aunt LaLa.)
She forces me to put myself through the excruciating task of going to the gym. And not just any gym, I torment myself by going to the wellness center of the university I work at. I just realized today that I keep getting older, and the students keep getting younger. It is not a pretty sight looking from them in little tankinis flaunting around in tiny, tiny shorts to me in my oversized t-shirt and sporting some baggy eyelids.
I'm trying not to think about it, but the 7 year-old that I used to babysit as a freshman in college is now the freshman in college! Yowzah! That hurts.
Back to the motivation to endure this pain. Where did the motivation to workout go from high school and even college? I'll tell you where. Let’s just run down the typical day here…
Wake up. Take Shower. Close shower door 15 times while trying to bribe the four year-old to go get dressed. Help the four year-old get dressed. Get dressed. Wake up 19 month-old. Get him dressed. Feed four year-old breakfast. Get everyone in the car. Smell a very well known fragrance. Get 19 month-old out of the car. Change diaper. Four year-old has followed. Get everyone in the car. Border collie has jumped the brick wall that is called a fence (you know to keep animals, kids, etc. in the back yard!). Get the border collie inside. Drop 19 month old off at daycare. Drop 4 year-old off at big school. Go to work for 8 hours. Pick up 4 year-old and 19 month-old from daycare. Drive home. Go inside the house. Answer 10,000 questions from the four year-old with no or yes responses to why he can or can't play outside, watch TV, jump over his brother, use him as a bowling pin, throw a baseball in the house... Drag the 19 month-old on my leg all around the house...crying, because his internal clock is impeccable and 6 o'clock means dinner time. Attempt to cook dinner, still with the 19 month-old clinging to my leg. Pick up cup, silverware, plate, food off the floor 10,000 times during dinner. Get everyone in the bathtub. Get 19 month-old in PJs, bedtime story, bed. Get 4 year-old in PJs, bedtime stories, bed. 4 year-old out of bed, potty, back in bed 10+ times. Clean up after dinner. Pick up toys throughout house. Do a load of laundry.
OH! And go workout... Riiiight. This is why I am so eager and have so much energy to go torture myself for an hour.
There has to be a better way to keep the fun lovin' German genes from stacking up the stuffing on my posterior corridor. But until I find that answer, I guess all I have to say is "Bring it.” The treadmill, insanity, weights and all!
Why? Well, I'll tell you why. Husband. Baby Body X 2. German Genes. Blue Jeans. Nothing against them too much these days, but... Love. Handles.
Thankfully, I have a Workout Queen living with me, who just happens to be my exercise science college grad, dietetics 2nd degree-seeking sister. (Who might I add is moving out in a week or so, Y.I.K.E.S. I don't know what I am going to do without her.... And the boys love their Aunt LaLa.)
She forces me to put myself through the excruciating task of going to the gym. And not just any gym, I torment myself by going to the wellness center of the university I work at. I just realized today that I keep getting older, and the students keep getting younger. It is not a pretty sight looking from them in little tankinis flaunting around in tiny, tiny shorts to me in my oversized t-shirt and sporting some baggy eyelids.
I'm trying not to think about it, but the 7 year-old that I used to babysit as a freshman in college is now the freshman in college! Yowzah! That hurts.
Back to the motivation to endure this pain. Where did the motivation to workout go from high school and even college? I'll tell you where. Let’s just run down the typical day here…
Wake up. Take Shower. Close shower door 15 times while trying to bribe the four year-old to go get dressed. Help the four year-old get dressed. Get dressed. Wake up 19 month-old. Get him dressed. Feed four year-old breakfast. Get everyone in the car. Smell a very well known fragrance. Get 19 month-old out of the car. Change diaper. Four year-old has followed. Get everyone in the car. Border collie has jumped the brick wall that is called a fence (you know to keep animals, kids, etc. in the back yard!). Get the border collie inside. Drop 19 month old off at daycare. Drop 4 year-old off at big school. Go to work for 8 hours. Pick up 4 year-old and 19 month-old from daycare. Drive home. Go inside the house. Answer 10,000 questions from the four year-old with no or yes responses to why he can or can't play outside, watch TV, jump over his brother, use him as a bowling pin, throw a baseball in the house... Drag the 19 month-old on my leg all around the house...crying, because his internal clock is impeccable and 6 o'clock means dinner time. Attempt to cook dinner, still with the 19 month-old clinging to my leg. Pick up cup, silverware, plate, food off the floor 10,000 times during dinner. Get everyone in the bathtub. Get 19 month-old in PJs, bedtime story, bed. Get 4 year-old in PJs, bedtime stories, bed. 4 year-old out of bed, potty, back in bed 10+ times. Clean up after dinner. Pick up toys throughout house. Do a load of laundry.
OH! And go workout... Riiiight. This is why I am so eager and have so much energy to go torture myself for an hour.
There has to be a better way to keep the fun lovin' German genes from stacking up the stuffing on my posterior corridor. But until I find that answer, I guess all I have to say is "Bring it.” The treadmill, insanity, weights and all!
Capturing Time for Family and Friends
This writing is really from Monday, August 29th. Sorry... No excuses, life is full!
Family. Friends. Time to spend with those closest to me. And feelng like I am not letting them down with life being so full that I forget to slow down and taake the time to be near them.
I don't know if you ever have this problem, but I am constantly on the go and I don't feel like I have time to call, write or spend time with the people in my life that are important to me.
This fact really hit home this weekend while the boys and I were at a water park. I look over and there is a family friend that I haven't seen in well over two years. The really sad part is that we live 20 minutes away from each other! I have thought of her and her family often, but just have not acted on the impulses to call or visit her.
Why do I struggle with staying in touch with people whom I love to spend time with? And how do other women seem to have it all together when it comes to spending time with friends (or at least appear to)?
I struggle with this even with my own family. Days will quickly go by, and then weeks, and then before I know it two months will have flown by and I have not called or emailed.
It's not that I don't think about these wonderful people in my life, and I am constantly praying for people., Why do I not seem to be able to make the leap from the thought to actually picking up the phone and simply telling them "I'm thinking of you"?
I need to find those little moments in my day where I can make significant touches to the people I love. I am turning over a new leaf.
Family. Friends. Time to spend with those closest to me. And feelng like I am not letting them down with life being so full that I forget to slow down and taake the time to be near them.
I don't know if you ever have this problem, but I am constantly on the go and I don't feel like I have time to call, write or spend time with the people in my life that are important to me.
This fact really hit home this weekend while the boys and I were at a water park. I look over and there is a family friend that I haven't seen in well over two years. The really sad part is that we live 20 minutes away from each other! I have thought of her and her family often, but just have not acted on the impulses to call or visit her.
Why do I struggle with staying in touch with people whom I love to spend time with? And how do other women seem to have it all together when it comes to spending time with friends (or at least appear to)?
I struggle with this even with my own family. Days will quickly go by, and then weeks, and then before I know it two months will have flown by and I have not called or emailed.
It's not that I don't think about these wonderful people in my life, and I am constantly praying for people., Why do I not seem to be able to make the leap from the thought to actually picking up the phone and simply telling them "I'm thinking of you"?
I need to find those little moments in my day where I can make significant touches to the people I love. I am turning over a new leaf.
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