A Recap

There are so many things I want to blog about but just can't seem to find the time these days. As I type these words, D is upstairs in my mom's house refusing to nap - and by that I mean, he is crying loud enough for me to hear him all the way down the hall, down the stairs, across the living room and into the kitchen. My attempt to rock him ended abruptly when he tried to "alligator roll" in my arms. So....

Friday night I enjoyed a marvelous evening of peace and quiet in a beautiful hotel room all by myself. I took a hot bath, shaved my legs, washed my face, put on a robe, and hopped in the white-linen-clad king size bed. I tried to watch the Olympics but that was just too loud and boisterous for my evening. I read some and then prayed some. All the relaxing made me very tired so I actually went to bed at 9:30 - much earlier than I had intended. I had wanted to stay up and read for a long time! I was awoken in the morning by a phone call (uggg...who is calling me on my morning to sleep in?)...from my husband! I glanced at the clock before I answered the phone and was shocked that it was 9:04am! I haven't slept in that late in almost 4 years! Needless to say, I felt great and well rested.

After a delicious breakfast, I checked out and headed to a bridal luncheon for my wonderful friend of nearly 14 years. It was so enjoyable to see her and meet her friends and future family members. We dined on girly things like muffins, quiche, salad and fruit before caravaning to her lingerie shower. Oooh, I love lingerie showers! It's so fun to celebrate one of the most exciting components of marriage - and truly a blessing to do it with fellow Christian sisters. So pure and perfect!

Just for the record, the baby is still crying and despite my second rocking attempt, he is left to cry alone. Why couldn't my childless relaxing day last longer than 24 hours?

I wanted to write all about my horrible drive to Atlanta a few days ago, but I am afraid I just don't have the time and mindset to recall it's horribleness while my son is screaming and daughter keeps coming out from her nap "to tell me something." I'll give you the recap in a few words:

-lots of rain
-2 stops
-children that didn't sleep at all during the entire 7 hour drive
-an outside entrance unisex gas station bathroom (in the rain)
-no phone zone car (meaning that I couldn't shoot the breeze for 30 minutes with my mom or a friend to help pass the time)
-leaving our table at Wendy's to take C potty in the middle of our "meal"
-20 minutes of hysterical crying from D (so much that I had to flip on the dome light to make sure he wasn't bleeding or had a limb dangling)
-lots of rain
-sleepless children
-lots of rain
-sleepless children

Okay, I have to wrap this up. He is still crying. I think I may go hide under a pillow...or at least in the bathroom.

Workout Saturday

I am writing my Workout Saturday update on Friday because I will not around tomorrow to blog. My sweet husband booked me a room away at Chateau Elan all by myself to enjoy a little R&R in the peace and quiet. I am so grateful that he valued my sanity enough to treat me to some stillness, silence, a hot bath in a big tub, an uninterrupted nights' sleep in a king size bed, a terry cloth robe, and a delightful breakfast. Then, after I leave my night of rest and recuperation, I get to head over to my wonderful friend's bridal luncheon and then a lingerie shower! Its a whole 24 hours of no kids and grown up time with women! Can you "hear" the smile on my face?

Anyway, back to my workouts...this week has been a little "off" since I traveled home to Atlanta and am staying at my parents' house. I completely missed my workout on the day I drove here, but was able to get back on track the next couple days. My eating has been so-so thanks to fast food on the road and all around town. But I have made good choices even at Wendy's and McDonalds (Steak n Shake was a different story...). It was still an incredibly result oriented week though! I lost another 2 1/2 pounds...putting me down a total of 18.6 pounds! Once again, you will have to wait till the end of this 30-day phase to hear my measurement results :-)

My sister and I had fun seeing each other's newly improved bodies since she is doing Chalean Extreme as well. We compared how heavy we lift and how many inches we've lost. She looks amazing and has gotten awesome results! This program truly works wonders!! It is so fun to do this WITH someone I love :-)

Here is a picture of Sister and I measuring each other.

And here is me after a workout (hence the sweat) with my favorite weight...it gets me buff!

Gratitude

I can't believe its been so long since I blogged a Multitude Monday. Dear Lord, please forgive my selfish self. I have so much to be grateful for these days...well all days truly. His graces are abundant though I have neglected to write them and purposefully recall each one. I can't even begin to go back so many weeks and recap what He has done each day, so I can only pick up on the last few days.

He has blessed me with:

126. Clean ice cold water running freely and cleanly in my kitchen. I love to sip on it all day.

127. A 3 year old who asks about Jesus on the cross.

128. Her beautiful perspective on the resurrection and concern about how exactly Jesus got out of the tomb.

129. The same sweet girl who wants to help me by putting away my things...even if I can't find my phone or sunglasses a few hours later. Bless her for honoring me by helping without being asked.

130. A dog who hasn't had a potty accident in a long time. And who can be bathed in 3 minutes in the kitchen sink.

131. Precious D's love for climbing...on the train table, time out bench, and ottoman. The look of success on his face is perfect :-)

132. Neighbors that wave...and bring my trash up from the curb - just to be nice.

133. Laughter as I slather Vicks Vaporub on a tiny chest.

134. A size smaller jeans that fit....now down 2 sizes. PRAISE HIM!

135. My dad's hip surgery's success.

136. My husband's persistence in fighting to obtain a position in Washington DC.

137. His command's willingness to help make that goal a reality.

138. Friends that pray for me.

139. Sisters that encourage, inspire, and make me laugh.

140. Jason's Deli's french onion soup.

141. New baby-powder-scented cloth diaper-friendly laundry detergent.

Workout Saturday

What a week it has been - emotionally and physically. If you read my last few posts you will see that I've been having a hard time with B gone, but today I am excited to tell you that all that stress has led to a week of great workouts and thus...results!

I have now completed 6 weeks of the 12 week program (or 45 days of 90 days) and I am well on my way to achieving my goals. I can't believe how heavy I am lifting now...using almost all 20-25 lb weights. I actually bicep curl 20lbs! (So cool!) I don't really remember exactly what I weighed last Saturday so I don't know exactly how much weight I've lost this week, but I will tell you that total, I am down 16.0 pounds. Yay! I did measure myself but I am not going to report my inches lost until the end of this second 30 day phase :-)

I am really still loving this Chalean Extreme program and am still very excited to see my end results. My goal is to lose 30lbs in 90 days....sounds like a lot to me, but I think it is pretty doable. I am already over half way there...and I am officially at my pre-baby weight! (like pre-my-first-baby!). I feel so good about myself. :-) I truly must praise the Lord for these results and the drive to continue doing this everyday. All I want to do in the evenings is put the kids to bed and then curl up on the couch (or in the tub!) and relax as I think about, or chat with, my husband. Yet God gives me the strength to change into my workout clothes, slip on my tennis shoes, and push myself harder than ever to lift some serious weights, get my heart rate up, and drip sweat. I give Him all the glory for this success!

One more...I promise its the last one...this month.

I have a lot of things that I would really love to blog about, but lately I can't seem to focus on them long enough to compose a meaningful blog entry. Honestly, there has been only one thing on my mind in the past week or so - my husband. I can only write about how much I miss him so much, so I won't make a whole long blog entry about it. Mostly, I just ask for your prayers for our family during this time. He's been gone almost 4 months and here at our house, we all miss him terribly. C talks about him all the time...mostly what she wants to do with him when he comes home. I am completely to the point of having mini-meltdowns. One yesterday and then again today. I am kind-of over the hump of feeling so overwhelmed with the children day in and day out. I've gotten used to being alone with them. Now I just miss him.

He is the man God gave to me and without him I truly feel like a part of me is missing. I don't think there is any sin in day dreaming about my own husband every day, but it seems to just make me miss him more. Please pray for peace in my heart...as well as in his heart. By no means are we the only couple going through this right now, but that doesn't actually make it any easier. I have started feeling sick to my stomach in the past few days and I know its due to stress - which is the stress I am feeling because I miss him. God has blessed me with great friends in my MOPS group as well as a wonderful group of "ballet moms" to chat with about my situation. Every one of them can relate to what I am going through. They are never too busy to lend a caring ear and offer a supportive hug. I don't know what I would do without them every week. Please just pray for us. B is currently speaking with the folks up in Washington DC and actively trying to get orders. There is a small chance the orders could be for this Spring (bringing him home early) but it is more likely they will be for early this Fall. Please pray that there can be a way for him to get home early and get orders for this Spring. Thanks a lot for reading ONE MORE blog entry about me missing B. Clearly, he's all that I can think of right now :-)

Here is the face that I can't get off my mind :-)

Here's me putting on a brave face before beginning a killer workout...trying to take my mind off of him :-)

A great day!

As I looked back over my last few blog entries, I realized that I haven't posted any pictures of the kids in a quite a while! I am sure that many of you like to see pictures, so I thought I'd post a few of the kids playing in the snow we got this past weekend. This was D's first time ever out in snow! I can't wait until next year when we will be moved to DC (hopefully!!) and our WHOLE family will get to play. I know B misses the snow and the cold. He hasn't felt a real winter since Jan/Feb 2008! Enjoy :-)

These are B's boots...they kept my feet warm and made me feel like he was with us :-)

This is the only time I have ever liked this magnolia tree...normally it is a pain in the rear-end dropping hundreds of seed pods all over my yard.

Having some SERIOUS fun!

Can I say it again? I miss him!

I do apologize if you are tired of reading about how I miss my husband. But this is my blog and I get to write about what is on my mind...and my deployed hubby is on my mind constantly. :-)

I am so ready for B to come home. I can't believe that as of right now, he is still going to be gone another 5 months. I truly don't know how I am going to make it. Of course I miss his help around the house with the "home things" and with our children. But now after 3 1/2 months, I completely miss him as my husband. Did you hear the whine in my voice? You should have because thats exactly how I just said it...

I don't really know how to describe it to someone that hasn't been without their significant other for an extended period of time. I know those of you who have ever faced a deployment or actually lost a spouse will understand what I feel. It's just that after being away from B for so long, I feel like I've actually forgotten what it was like when he was home. I mean, of course I remember what it was like, but I have kind of forgotten the feel of his kiss or his touch...or how it feels to actually snuggle up with him. When I think of his return this summer, I actually get a little anxious because it's as if I have to relearn or rediscover what our in-person-relationship is all about. So much of a marriage is made up of things that become second nature between the two of you... but that are truly intimate (even non sexual things) things shared only in marriage. I mean, who else do you kiss? Who else rubs your back or holds your hand? Who else can casually touch your leg or your stomach when you are just getting into bed for the night? Who else chats with you as you get dressed in the morning - or undress for bed? Of course there have been times when my sister has given me a massage or when I chatted with my mom as I put on my PJs, but you get the point. Nobody touches my leg or my stomach. Nobody kisses me that way. Those things will have to all wait until July. Those are the things I've kind of forgotten the feel of...

When non-military people hear of how long us military wives are separated from our spouses, most of them say, "you are so strong," and "I could never do that." Well, the truth is, neither can I. I can't be away from B for 8 1/2 months. My beautiful pregnant friend can't be away from her husband for 12 months. We can't do it. We have to though. Nobody ever asked us if we could do it or if we were willing to. Her husband has never felt his unborn daughter kick...but I have. I've seen how her belly has grown and rounded and how beautiful her bare belly looks, but he hasn't. How fair is that? It's not fair. She can't do it. I can't do it. She and I are no different than every other "wife" friend of mine reading this. We hate being away from our husbands every single day. We never "get used to it." Everyday is one day too many away from our husbands. Even a week away is too long...much less 8 or 12 months.

Bottom line - I miss B so much that it hurts. I am not strong. I am no different than you. I hate being alone. I want him home so badly. Every love song makes me think of him. Every "love movie" makes me miss him more. So, please enjoy your Valentine's Day. Treasure your spouse. Love him everyday. Don't take it for granted. And please pray that B gets orders soon so he can come home before July :-)

Workout Saturday

This was a crazy week here at our house, so I don't have great progress to report on the new "Workout Saturday" report. I started the next 30-day phase of Chalean Extreme called the Push Phase. I am now using REALLY heavy weights on the 3 resistance training days. I have mostly used all 15, 20, and 25 pound weights depending on which body part I am working. I LOVE the weight training workouts. The cardio/interval training days still kick my booty! I only lost about a pound but did again lose a couple inches from all over my body - mostly in my hips this week, yay!

I went out and bought a pair of jeans in a size smaller today even though I was going to wait longer. I just couldn't resist...and I wanted a pair of jeans that fit really well! My diet suffered some this week since I had to take D to the ER one night (and I missed a workout!!!) and then we had family come in town for a few days - yummy Texas Roadhouse and mother-in-law's mashed potatoes were a must! Either way, I am still proud of myself for getting in all 5 days of workouts and eating "pretty good!"

I really hope to have some great progress to report next week! I will be working my booty off every evening (I switched my workouts to the evenings now....I needed the extra sleep). Chalene Johnson - the workout video gal - says its normal to actually gain a few pounds when you switch phases, so I am not surprised I only lost one pound. Its still better than gaining!

My Artist

Just wanted to share this conversation I had the other day with my little artist....

C was quietly drawing a picture at the table when she looked up from her work and said, "This looks like a door!" I glanced over at her artwork and saw the perfect rectangle that she had drawn. Trying to be the encouraging mom, I said, "Yes baby, that is a GREAT door! Good job!" Much to my surprise, with desperation and frustration in her voice she replied, "...but I'm NOT drawing a door, I'm drawing a violin!!" Haha, I couldn't help to laugh at her little situation. I hope it made you laugh too!

Waiting...

It seems like the waiting never ends...Waiting for my package to arrive in the mail, waiting for my kids to fall asleep, waiting for my dog to use the bathroom as we walk outside in the dark and cold, waiting for my husband to come home, waiting for orders to move to DC, waiting for D's fever to break, waiting in line, waiting for the water to boil, and waiting for an answer...

I get so wrapped up in the waiting that its sometimes hard to remember the Now. Sure I live in the Now but I get easily tied up in Tomorrow. I find myself thinking, "its going to be so nice when B is home and we get to go away for a weekend, " and "I can't wait to be packing and moving further up north. " But then as I think those things, I find myself neglecting what is going on Today.

The truth is, right now for me, Today is kind of mundane. Everyday is the same. I am tired and I am lonely. I have great friends that I love to see and chat with, but at the end of the day, they go home and I am left alone with the kids...and alone in my bed. I do think that part of this feeling is just this season of life - that season with very young children. I do feel that it is heightened without B here. It's hard to remember that though today seems mundane, "Today" is beautiful. Today my son is 15 months old and I am the brightest thing in his whole world. Today he buries his head in my shoulder as he drifts off to sleep sucking his thumb. Today my daughter needs me to draw a crown so she can cut it out and wear it around the house. Today she enjoys waking up super early and snuggling on the couch with me as I gulp down a cup of coffee before D wakes up. Today, my babies need me. Tomorrow, they will be grown. Tomorrow, we may be in DC in the blizzard! Tomorrow, B will be home and life will be back to usual. Tomorrow my package will come (well, it better!). Tomorrow....

When I take the time to get on the floor with the kids, they devour me. The climb on me and roll around. C always announces that she is the princess, D is the prince and I am the horse. Why do I always have to be the horse? I must always carry them around the living room on my back until they laugh so hard that they either fall off or I flip them off. Honestly, I do enjoy this. I enjoy D toddling over to me and giving me a big hug. I love watching him literally roll on the ground with sheer delight. I love watching C get excited about making a fort. I love when she wants to be tickled just so she can laugh and try and get away. I love seeing a little cloth diapered bum :-)

As I have been writing this, I have come to a more peaceful place in the Wait. I am still waiting and I still wish the wait were over. But I do truly enjoy the Now as well.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Psalm 130: 5-6

30 days down, 60 more to go

Today is day 30 of my Chalean Extreme program, and I am more excited about it than ever. After weighing myself and measuring myself each week, I am STILL surprised at my amazing results, haha. This prgram works so well! I'll get straight to the results - in 30 days, I have lost:

11.8 pounds!

4 inches in my waist

1.75 inches in my hips

2 inches in my abductors (right under the bum - think saddlebags)

2.5 inches in my chest

1 inch in my right arm

.75 inches in my left arm (odd that they aren't equal...but maybe there was some measuring error, haha)

2 inches in my right thigh

2 inches in my left thigh

3.5% body fat!

Total of 16 inches! Woohoo!

Clearly, I am pretty stoked about my results. I feel great, I think I look great - well...better than I did, and I am so proud of myself. I have truly enjoyed making healthy food choices. I have eaten very cleanly most days but have had the occasional cookie or chocolate dessert. I've eaten at Texas Roadhouse, Carrabbas, Moes, Jason's Deli, Tripps, Chick-fil-a, McDonalds, and Subway and make healthy choices each time.

Today I went to Kohls with D while C was in school just to try on a size smaller in jeans, haha. I am now successfully in a size 12! Before this started, I was a snug 14, so this is a great big deal to me! I didn't buy the pair I tried on (even though they fit PERFECTLY) because they were $30, but I was thrilled they fit so well. I will have to deal with loose jeans a little while longer. Maybe I can hold out until I can buy a size 10!

Anyway, tomorrow I start the second 30-day phase. I am very excited about it and I can't wait to update you with my progress! Now that I am starting this next phase on Saturday, I guess "workout Thursday's" will become "workout Saturday's" since I need a full week between each update :-) I can't wait to update you with how this new phase is going! Yay! God is so good to me and my body!

Here are 2 poor-quality pictures I took of myself so you can see what I look like at 30 days :-)

Workout Thursday...

Workout Thursday's update will have to wait until tomorrow since tomorrow is day 30 of my program and I am supposed to weigh in and take all measurements on Day 30. I can say that this week has been great though! I can't believe how much weight I've lost and how my clothes are fitting! So, stay tuned and come back tomorrow :-)

On a different note, I love your comments. It lets me know who is reading my blog and what you think of what I've written. With that being said, my last entry was on the dangers of talking on a cell phone/texting while driving. I shared a video clip I had watched that was very informative about just how dangerous the behaviors are and how lives have been affected by drivers on cell phones. When I learned about this and watched this video, I was immediately changed. I thought, "never again will I talk on the phone when I'm behind the wheel...it's not worth my life, my children's lives, or anyone else's life." I can honestly say that since I saw the video last week, I haven't one time used my phone while driving. It's been a slightly hard habit to break, but after the first instinctual thoughts of grabbing my phone, I kind of got over it, and now I am not really even thinking about it anymore.

Here's my question to you...did you watch the video? Did you watch it and think, "that won't happen to me...I'm a really good driver and I talk "safely" on my phone?" Or did you watch it and react like I did and immediately pledge to never practice these risky behaviors again?Honestly, I expected several of you to comment on how you watched the video and were amazed at the dangers and that you too would never use your phone again while driving. But alas, only my mom commented...and I already knew that the video affected her and changed her mind too. So, did you not watch it? Did you watch it and were just not affected by it? Please tell me your thoughts....

Here is the 15 minute video clip again. Click Here

And here is a the link to the entire 40 minute minute show. If you think you are a really good driver and can totally handle talking on the phone/texting, please watch this one... or AT LEAST watch the last 15 minutes when they put 3 drivers that are "really good" at texting while driving to the test. Click Here

I am not trying to be mean or judgmental or anything. I just want to know your views on this after watching the video because it really affected me and my decisions. How did it affect you?

What is life worth?

Would you ever drive drunk?

Have you ever driven drunk?

Are you wondering why I am asking you such absurd questions when I am almost 100% sure your answer is, "NO!" What dummy would do that? (At least, thats how I would answer...of course, I don't drink though).

Have you ever sent a text while driving?

Have you ever read a text while driving?

Have you ever made a call while driving?

Have you ever answered a call while driving?

I'm pretty sure most of you would answer "yes" to most, if not all of these. I know I have done 3 out of the 4. Have you heard that these behaviors are as dangerous (and maybe even more so) as driving drunk? Texting while driving is the equivalent as having 4 alcoholic drinks/shots in your system. A driver talking on a cell phone is 4 times more likely to get in an accident than someone not talking on a cell phone. Have you heard these things before? If you have heard them, then how in the world can you still be talking/texting while driving? If you haven't heard them before, then hear me now....these things are true. Talking/texting are very dangerous behaviors that lead to thousands of deaths every year.

I heard these things last week when I watched Oprah's 15 minute video clip of her show on texting/talking while driving. Now, I am not a huge Oprah fan. I don't watch too many of her shows, but this one was on safety. If you know me, you know I am kind of a safety nut. I quarter grapes, keep my toddler rear facing, harness my booster seat-age-appropriate preschooler, tie up blind cords, and use intrusion alarms in my home, etc... I was interested in Oprah's safety show. Please take 15 minutes and watch this video. It WILL change your view. It could save your life. It will definitely make you a safer driver.

Please stop texting. Please stop chatting. To quote a woman in the video, "It's not where your hands are, it's where you head is." I am on the road with my children and I don't want you to hit us. I want you to be alive. I want me and my family to be alive.