Cake, Camo, Goals, Memorials, H1N1,,.and so on and so on

Isaiah 30:20
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.

What an insane past two weeks. So much has happened that I don't really know where to start. Let's see...the beginning is as good a place as any, I suppose.

Wednesday, September 17, 2009. Andre came home from school sick. We went to the doctor and they said it was probably the flu but no bad symptoms; just let it run its course.

Thursday, September 18, 2009...Andre was sicker so I took him back to the doctor, where they discovered he had pneumonia. No school until at least Monday.

Sunday, September 20, 2009, I got a call during Sunday school that my mother was unresponsive and being taken to the hospital from her nursing home in Grand Saline. I met my sister there and Mama was actually semi-alert; enough to where she asked me about me cutting my hair off and dying it blond. She told my sister and I that she loved us very much, then was unresponsive again. They did a CT scan and saw a massive brain bleed. They care-flighted her to Tyler, where the trauma surgeon explained to us that there was no hope and that they were transferring her to hospice. Mama passed away that night close to 9:00, peacefully and without pain. It was horrible and awful for us, and I am still so very sad about her loss..but know that she is rejoicing today, well and able to dance and sing and see her relatives that she's missed for so long.

Monday, September 21, 2009...Clay came down with the flu. He missed three days of school because of it. It was strain A, but not positive for H1N1. He and J.P. weren't going anyway, due to the loss of my Mama. Andre had to go to school since he had missed several days the week before.

Thursday, September 24, 2009...we all went back to school and work.

Saturday, September 26, 2009...I started feeling quite unwell.

Sunday, September 27, 2009...thought a bus had hit me in my sleep...not good.

Monday, September 28, 2009...went to doctor. Positive for strain A flu. No tamiflu for me, though...only for children and elderly patients. Rest and fluids advised.

Wednesday, October 1, 2009...back to doctor...thought death was near. Much MUCH worse, and had a strange new symptom with a SWOLLEN face (right side). CT scan, new antibiotic, new diagnosis of secondary strep infection and a sinus infection...hurray. Doc said that if I did not improve in 24 hours, I was going to the hospital. She also said I better have a backup plan in line for taking care of the kids if I go to the hospital. Yikes.

Thursday, October 2, 2009...back to doctor AGAIN. Was already better, thankfully. No hospital for me.

Friday, October 3, 2009...got a call from the doc; she confirmed I did, in fact, have H1N1 flu. Good to know now that I was either going to get well or die.

Saturday, October 3, 2009...spent the afternoon at the Outdoorsman's Expo at FBC since I was feeling up to it. Had a lot of fun!!! Also had my early birthday party (combined with my friend Lisa, since our bdays are the same) at Julie's house...lots of fun, fellowship, and an awesome cake. It's good I had the cake that night, because that morning, I weighed in at WW and met my 10% goal!! I've lost 26.6 pounds. WOW!!!

Which brings me to today....Sunday, October 4, 2009. Looking forward to a new week with NO new events, and NO doctor visits. If I go any more, they'll have to rename it after me. I've funded at least one new wing. ;)



Have a blessed week!!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

OK, now it's serious. I am down 22.8 pounds already! My clothes look like a "family of gypsies has moved out of them" according to close family. ;) I am so motivated to lose more weight that I even WALKED IN THE RAIN. What is wrong with me??? ;)

I'm proud of myself, but mostly I'm proud that I got two of my besties and one of my co-workers to join WW. I think we can be great support for one another and I know that we will all be healthier for it. We can walk together, celebrate together, and enjoy our newer, healthier lifestyle together! We can also go shopping together as necessary. ;) I think that might have to be soon, since my pants keep falling down.

I'm loving finding new recipes to try, even though I still don't consider myself to be much of a cook at all. I grilled salmon the other night, and had roasted broccoli and a huge salad with it. The boys loved it. Of course they love anything they can slather in honey mustard. I won't tell them it was LIGHT honey mustard. ;)

The rain is putting a damper (no pun intended) on my walking at times. When it's more than drizzling, I don't walk but I am keeping active. I have my Gazelle and I also do more housework to keep up with the activity points. I should get a treadmill, I suppose. Anyone have one for sale, cheap?

Have a glorious week and I'll see you soon. :)

Weight Watchers Wednesday

So I'm almost 7 weeks into the program...and I am 20 pounds lighter, 2 dress sizes smaller, and a mite more healthy I do believe. I can't believe I never did this before. What was I thinking? Rather, what was I NOT thinking? I've actually had fun doing two things that were the very bane of my existence before: exercise and cooking. Seriously.

Cooking has been fun because I have learned many new and interesting things that can be thrown into a crock pot. I love it when a plan comes together. ;) I have tried a lot of recipes that have been good enough that the kids haven't questioned my abilities or my sense of taste (shout out to Melisa for the recipes!). I've also created and substituted things that fit our tastes better, which has worked out well so far. I've not been sad at the grocery store, staring longingly into the bakery section or anything. I've found lots of things that taste as good and are more filling and less fattening. I'm also finding that by using the recipes, I have made out grocery lists and planned menus...which means fewer trips to the store and actually a better grocery bill. Yay!

Exercise is something I actually...seriously...look forward to! I walk in the mornings, about a mile and a half, and then I'm walking in the evenings, about a mile and a half to two and a half miles. I do this 5 or 6 days a week. I truly believe this is what is making the difference for me weight-wise. I've been able to step up my pace and now go a mile and a half in about 20 minutes. I'm walking farther to get more time in, since WW activity points go by time and not distance. In the mornings I walk about 25 minutes, and in the evenings I am up to 45 minutes. Each step makes me stronger, healthier, and more determined to lose weight.

I can't wait for Monday. I think I'm in new numbers this week, which will mean at least one more star. I am at a point now where I'm at a weight I have not seen since Byron died, and possibly even before then. I had a strange experience shopping over the weekend...I went to the racks and headed straight for the same old size I've worn for the past two years, and then realized it wouldn't fit. I went to the next size down, but when I tried it on, it was still too big. Even though I knew that would be the case, psychologically, I haven't gotten myself past that old self-image. Is it just me or is that a phenomenon with most people who are big and start losing weight? I wound up not buying anything, but I came home and looked in my closet...which holds a variety of sizes throughout...and found a new pair of pants I had bought 2 years ago but never could button. I wore them to work today! Guess what...I had to pull them up more than a few times. ;)

A Little of This, A Little of That, and a lot of Music!

Judges 5:3
"Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I will sing to the LORD, I will sing; I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel.

I have been a non-blogger the past two weeks. I had to let school start and immerse myself back into the routine of it all. Hopefully things are back down to a fair sense of normal, whatever the heck that is. ;)

Football is in full swing now, and the Terrell Tigers are 2-0. Wow! I am so proud of our team. I'm also proud of the band, the colorguard, the Tigerettes...they make us shine and I am thrilled to be a part of it all every week.

I have not posted my last two Weight Watchers Wednesdays...I feel awful! But I have been losing weight still; 19.4 pounds as of last week. I'm on a roll and don't intend to stop for at least 70 or so more pounds.

Anyway, on to the topic of local music. I was able to get in a promo shoot with the guys from "Hey Jersey" this weekend, and caught their show at The Adelaide (along with three other local bands). The talent all our kids seem to possess is incredible. If you ever have an opportunity to see a show at this particular venue, I highly recommend it. Mark Nichols runs a very tight ship at The Adelaide and the kids who come to the shows are well behaved and are there to have a great time with some awesome local music and hang out with their friends. My son filled in as a bass player for "Horseshoes and Hand Grenades" and did a great job with that, I think. I took a lot of pictures of the bands...some samples follow below. To see the whole shebang, you have to check out my facebook page. ;)

Horeshoes and Hand Grenades:






Hey Jersey:







Hey Jersey Promo Shoot:

Ride 'em, Cowgirl!

Psalm 23:1
[ A psalm of David. ] The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

I had the best time shooting pictures of this little filly...Avery is a sweetie and I would take her home with me in a second (if it weren't for those pesky boys of mine). ;) She's about to turn 3 and is having a "cowgirl" themed party. These shots are for the invitations. I will only post a few, but there are so many good ones I bet her mom has a hard time choosing! :)

Weight Watchers Wendesday

So after three full weeks on the Weight Watchers plan, I've lost 15 pounds. F-I-F-T-E-E-N pounds! Yay me! I have to put that into perspective, into terms I can visualize. Two full-term newborns. Two gallons of milk. That's a lot! I'm so excited to be experiencing success and to still feel so motivated to lose more.

However...

I can't escape the feeling of "waiting for the other shoe to drop," so to speak. I keep thinking this is just too easy. The scales must be wrong. It can't be as simple as this. It can't be just eating better and moving more. Am I the only one who has felt this way? I think it's ingrained, from a lifetime of going up and down the scale so much I ought to have whiplash. I mean, seriously...who in their right mind is excited to get up early in the morning to go walk a mile or two? I really feel better in the mornings when I get my walk in first thing. I look forward to it in the evenings because it's a few minutes of peace. Plus I have to hear the next chapter of my book (currently in the middle of Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer).

I know it won't always be this easy. I know I will have to slow it down a bit because losing enough to accomplish this first goal probably consisted of a lot of fluid and a lot swelling that would naturally come off easier. I'm praying that I stay motivated and excited even when the losses come in numbers like .8 or .25. A loss is a loss, you know. Until then though, I'm relishing earning my little star stickers. :)

30 Compressions...2 Breaths

Genesis 2:7
the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

CPR is something that I feel everyone should know how to perform, at least at a rudimentary level...just in case. As part of my job duties, I have been certified by the Red Cross to be a CPR/AED/First Aid instructor and as such, I am an authorized provider for the training for the school district.

Today I recertified 37 Petermann Transportation employees for CPR and AED. It was a full day. We had two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Working with recerts is actually kind of fun, because since they've already sat through the whole 8 hour class before, doing the "challenge" to recert simply consists of taking the written exam (all three parts) and then performing the actual skills on the manikin so that I can be sure they know how to do the steps properly. That's the most time consuming part, but it's my favorite part as well.

I explain to anyone I teach that I want to be confident enough in their abilities that I would allow my own children to be on their bus and know that they could take care of them if the need were to arise (God forbid).

Fortunately today, everyone passed the exam and all demonstrated appropriate skills. We have a good group of drivers and they were all attentive and asked questions. I am confident that if there were an emergency, they each have the capability to handle it.

Even though the challenge is shorter, with 37 people to go through, I am a tired little girl tonight. It takes it out of you!

If you never remember anything at all from a CPR course, remember this...30 chest compressions, 2 breaths...you can help make a difference and possibly save a life.