Girl Talk, Sweet Sleep, and My Maybe Broken Hand

Not even noon and still so much to report!  Got in a 70 minute workout yesterday.  I was actually sad that I had to leave, but I had big plans to go see the nieces.  Had a great time last night visiting with the girls, but it was just too short!  They loved their presents and I even scored some artwork for my fridge!  I left there and went to meet Lauren for some wedding talk.  (I haven't mentioned how much I love wedding planning, right?)  The best news is that I finally got a good night's sleep!  I simply couldn't have made it one more night on the amount of sleep I had!

Today I went back to the dr. for my hand and they still don't really know what the heck is going on.  They want me to go back again next week and have another set of x-rays and see where we are.  The good news is that it doesn't really bother me, it's just sore.  I'm going to get in one more workout today (hoping to last for 90 minutes), then go home and veg out.  We have a women's conference in the morning (WAY too early for a Saturday) so tonight, I am going to enjoy doing nothing,.  I don't get to enjoy that enough this time of year!

Go Ahead, Grandma, Make My Day...

So, yesterday, I was huffing and puffing away at the gym, really proud of myself for putting in a nice long work out, even without my trainer, and I looked around the room.  Two wonderful, 80-plus year-old women from the community were circuit training and visiting.  While I was sweating and sad-looking, these women were having a great time and barely even breaking a sweat, which would have been fine if they also weren't lifting twice as much as I had lifted and doing twice the number of reps!  I felt like a total exercise failure, and I couldn't help but laugh.  As if the actual college girls in there working out weren't enough to make me self-conscious...

Anyway, not too much going on today except I didn't sleep well again last night.  Must be something in the air because Mom said she didn't either.  I had a terrible time getting ready for work this morning too.  Just couldn't get motivated and didn't even get in the shower until 6:35...and I try to leave for work by 7:20 or so.  Luckily, I did eventually get it in gear so I wasn't late.  After work, I am going to work out (Experiment Day 3), then getting changed and heading to Vienna.  I'm going to hang out with Chell's girls for a bit and take them their Christmas/birthday presents (I'm a little behind).  I can't believe I haven't seen them since November!  I love them all, but I have a special place in my heart for my Maia-moo.  We may have to plan a sleepover at Aunt Katie's soon!

After hanging out with my girls, I am supposed to meet up with Lauren (the future Mrs. Webb) and talk wedding stuff.  Then hopefully, I will be able to get some acutal sleep tonight without waking up a hundred times.  I don't think a good night's sleep is too much to ask.  Especially when I have octogenarians to keep up with...

A Healthy Addiction?

Yesterday, I had my first workout with my very own personal trainer (my little sister, LuLu) and it was punishing.  We worked out for an hour and that is an hour more than I have worked out in a really long time.  And while I had my moments of weakness (while on the eliptical for a blistering five minutes, I may or may not have told a co-worker that if I died tell them that I died bravely), I did finish the thing.  Sidebar:  How do those skinny little girls that were on the eliptical before me make it look so blasted easy? (Yeah, yeah.  I know.  They are in shape.  Because while round is a shape, it's not the one we're talking about here...)

I was so sure that this morning I would feel like complete crap.  I figured I would be sore from working some areas of my body that I'm fairly sure have never been worked.  But I feel like a million bucks, and that's really amazing because I didn't sleep worth a darn last night because my sinuses can't understand how we went from 70 degrees to 20 yet again.  And the best part, the real kicker, is that I can't wait to go back again today.  I actually find myself wondering if I can actually get in a longer workout today.  Crazy, right? 

My mom told me once that if you do something for 21 days in a row it will become a habit.  I don't know if that's true, but I think I am going to test the theory.  (21 days from yesterday means working out every day to March 15.  Yes, I did the math.)  I'm going on a little vacation in April and I would love to be down a few pounds by then.  More importantly, I have two very big weddings coming up in June, and I would like to look good for them.  (You never know when a cute, single boy might come along, right?)  Kidding aside, I mostly just want to feel good again.  And if today is any indictation, then I may have found my answer in a new healthy addiction.

Bye-Bye, Fat!**

Despite how much I don't really want to, today I am going to sign up for access to the gym at SCC.  They have a new awesome facility and I can join for $25 because I'm a teacher.  My sister has promised to come work out with me, so I have no excuse.  I'm tired of being fat.  And that's what I am. 

I have never been skinny, not in my whole life.  I wasn't always this size, but even in high school I was one of the heavier girls.  The thing is I know that I don't have to stay this size.  When I had lost weight before, I loved it.  I loved trying on clothes knowing they would fit.  I loved not dreading going shopping for a new pair of pants.  And it wasn't like this was that long ago.  It was only about two years ago now when I was at the smallest I can remember being in my adult life. 

I want that back.  I want to go somewhere and know that I won't be the biggest girl in the room.  I want to wear clothes and not be embarrassed about what I look like in them.  I don't want to look in the mirror or at a picture and wonder, "How did this happen?"  I just want to be comfortable again.  Please don't get me wrong.  Rarely in my life do I really ever consider my size.  It does not affect my self-worth or my self-esteem.  And it hasn't in a really long time.  What it amounts to is that I know when I really felt good, and that was when I was eating right and working out.  So, those are two things that I can totally do again.  I just have to put forth some effort.  I have to want it.  And despite talk about the subject before, I think this time I'm ready.

**Bonus points to anyone who knew that the title of today's post came from an episode of Full House.

Taking Care Of Business

It wasn't all that long ago that Crys wrote a post about doing your job.  I was all "Amen!" and "Hallelujah!" because it's a subject that totally gets under my skin.  I do my job.  Sometimes I do my job and several other peoples'.  Some may say it's my mentality, that I like it when things are done well and I expect everyone to follow suit.  (Which is hilarious because I am not like this in other areas of my life, like housekeeping, for instance.)  Some may even say that I am a control freak.  But, 9 times out of 10, they will say that I did a good job.

Something I have never really stood for is the double standard.  I expect you to do your job to the best of your ability and I will do mine.  I expect that if you don't, you will hear about, because I know I certainly will.  I know that sometimes, even when you are doing your best, things go awry.  I accept that.  But, for Pete's sake, try.  Do everything in your power to be prepared and organized.  Because, if you are, things will go right more often than they go wrong.  And it keeps me from having to double up on my stuff just because you didn't.

Do your job.  I promise to appreciate it.

 

We Went Out Last Night...

There was singing...

There were really cute couples...

There were awesome friends...

There was dancing...

and there were gangstas?

Yeah, we went out last night. 

Kid-Free Friday and Other Updates

I'm having a very abnormal day.  Most of my kids are gone on a field trip and I am just kind of hanging around.  The good news is that it's giving me time to do a million different things that I haven't had the chance to, like go through the intricate filing systems (read: piles of junk) that seem to have accumulated in my room over the course of the first semester.  There's only so much I can do without the assistance of some Rubbermaid tubs, but I can see some progress and I will take some progress over none any day of the week. 

Of course I am doing without trying to do too much with my right hand.  In a showing of my usual style and grace, I hit my hand on Wednesday on a seat belt plug-in thingy and it was swollen yesterday morning.  I ended up going to get x-rays, and thankfully they don't think anything is broken, but I have a splint that I am supposed to be wearing.  I'm not doing a very good job with that though because I took it off in my sleep and I haven't worn it much today.  (Oh, c'mon, it gets in my way.)  Besides, my hand doesn't hurt all that much and I'm being careful with it! 

Anyway, tonight's karaoke!  I'm sure I will pop in to show a few fun pictures sometime tomorrow in between watching the Olympics (GO USA!) and working on my homework for my gifted seminar that's due on Monday.  Later! 

C.W.F.F.

I can't wait for Friday night!  Why you ask?  Because Friday marks the triumphant return of Karaoke Friday...and oh the crew that is already rounded up and raring to go!  And the best part?  Amber is coming over from the MO and we are having a slumber party!!  (I know, so many exclamation points, but I am REEEAAALLLLYY excited!)  I haven't seen Amber in 2010 due to snow or sickness or other really sucky things, and I miss that chick.  So there will be singing and midnight Mc-ee-D's and bagels and photos and oh-so-much happy to celebrate our reuniting to rock this still somewhat new year.  Add in some antiques and it would be almost perfect!

Not really much else to report.  Going to Vienna tonight for the Rekindling youth service.  Michael's band is playing so it will give me an excuse to huddle with the bride-and-groom-to-be over their upcoming June wedding.   And I have to do some house cleaning in the near future, since I am actually having company this weekend.  But most of my attention right now is on that blessed day at the end of the week!  Get here soon, Friday.  Get here soon...

Reflections On One Year

I feel like I haven't really had enough extra brain power to post recently.  Between having a very violent case of the stomach flu, my gifted class and Homecoming week, I've had my hands full.  And to top it off, I just haven't really felt like I had all that much to say.  I don't know that I do now really.  Valentine's Day has come and gone and I didn't really think much of it one way or the other.  I have, however, been thinking about how much I've changed over the course of the last year.  I don't even recognize the girl I was this time last year.  And as I've said before, I didn't even realize how bad things really were.  I'd "dropped my basket," and everything was just strung out all over the place.

As I sit here a whole year later, I am so thankful that things are better, that I am better.  It's not been the most fun year at times.  Sometimes, things were downright difficult.  But, it's been worth it.  No one likes to be disciplined, but when God does it there's a purpose.  And it's in our best interest to just get with it and learn.  And learn I did.  I have never been this confident about who I am and more importantly, who I am not.  I have never felt more certain of my purpose and my direction, even when I don't know the exact details.  I know how good it feels to not be lost, to not be overwhelmed, to not feel alone in the world.  This has been the best year of my life, because it's the year that I had to earn.  And like I tell my kids, when you earn it, it always means so much more. 

On Growing Up...

So, once upon a time, I hated being single.  I'd whine and complain and when something really happy would happen for someone I love, I would be pretend happy.  Don't get me wrong, I was glad my friends were getting married or engaged.  And I would be as happy as I could be for them, but it was always sort of tainted--heavy with the "Why not me?" of it all. 

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And lately (as in the last couple of months), I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be single, and more importantly what it means to be content in that.  Because truth be told, I've always played at it in the past.  I did the things I was supposed to, said the things I was expected to, and thought that was enough.  But it wasn't.  I asked God to change my heart when I gave my talk last month, and He made good on that. 

Which brings me to this week.  This week, I had to be gone for two days to Jr. Beta Convention, and as I was trying to pack my bags and haul them in the snow and thaw my car, I couldn't help but think about how nice it would be to NOT be single.  As I ran all of my errands for work this next week, I couldn't help but think about how nice it would be to have someone to keep me company.  Then, I got very sick on Friday morning, and while I would never want to subject someone to the horrors of that day, I couldn't help but think how nice it would be to have someone to take care of me.  (Thank you, Mama, for the groceries.)  Just a whole lot of thinking about how, despite being okay with it, I don't always like being single. 

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Which brings me to today.  Today, one of my favorite people, Michael, asked the sweetest girl I know (aka Lauren) to be his wife.  I received his email at 9:36 a.m. telling me the whens and wheres and have been bouncing off the walls ever since.  (Or bouncing as much as my recovering stomach would allow me!)  And it wasn't until I was driving home tonight, after seeing the ring (she said yes, of course) and hearing the story, that I realized that I wasn't even the slightest bit jealous.  I was just happy, overwhelmingly so, in fact.  It wasn't about going through the motions, because I have never felt anything more real in my life.  Long story slightly shorter, I guess this is what it feels like to grow up.  This is what it feels like to be truly content.  And I am so very thankful.

Simple Pleasures!

I love blogging almost as much as I love talking!  But, the problem is that these next two weeks are going to almost enough to make me certifiably insane, so if there are some gaps in my blogging don't be alarmed.  Considering that I just got back from Jr. Beta Convention yesterday, have Senior Night on Friday, Spirit Week and Homecoming all next week and a bunch of work do for my gifted class, I'm remarkably calm.  Of course, I might also be in denial.  Kind of hard to tell.  I made a promise to myself recently (during Chrysalis actually) that I will only get upset about things that have eternal value.  And as nice at it is to put a big community event together, it doesn't fit the criteria.  I want it to be the best it can be, but I'm just not seeing the need to stress.  Of course, talk to me again next Saturday and I might be whistling a different tune!

Kelly blogged today about simple pleasures.  Even reading her list made me happy!  So here's my own little list:

• warm towels right out of the dryer
• Hershey's Kisses
• snow days
• being curled up my own comfy bed
• unexpected good news
• lasagna
• the way Maia says "Aunt Katie"
• hearing my favorite song on the radio
• having a little extra time to take the long way home
• the llama farm (it's a bit of an obsession, really)
• singing with the girls
• finding a good sale on cute clothes
• the smell of my clothes when I've left the Reichert farm house
• getting the giggles
• holding a new baby
• accidentally finding a rerun of my favorite episode of my favorite TV show

I could go on and on.  But I won't because I have senior biographies to type and lists to make and miles to go before I sleep...