Easter Weekend

Today I was going to get up bright and early and go to the gym.  But.... I decided an leisurely morning with my husband and making breakfast for my family was a better use of my time. We've been so busy around here that we haven't had much time to connect as a couple, or relax as a family, and I enjoyed the time being around my husband and kids. 

We were invited over to some friend's house for Easter dinner tomorrow, so I am making Tres Leches Cake and yeast rolls.  I don't make yeast rolls often, so they are going to be a treat.  

I am a Sunday School teacher and will be finishing up preparations for the Easter craft tomorrow.  It's one of my most favorite lessons of the year.  In our new congregation I have a "one-room-schoolhouse" type of class;  about 12 kids ages 4-11.  It's a new challenge for me as a teacher, but I enjoy it immensely. 

We are doing a little skit and a song medley for the congregation during the morning service and the kids are doing so well.  

I hope to get in a nice walk later, or get my house cleaned ... either will be very good for my health.  :) 

I hope you have a nice weekend and remember the greatest love of all was expressed when Jesus willingly went to the cross in our place.  And the greatest hope followed when he broke the power of hell and the grave and rose again on the third day.  

Happy Easter!

Meeting Natalie

Yesterday we had a substitute in BodyPump.  She was vibrant, cheerful and she motivated us the entire time.  

She also shared bits of her story between instruction, which included that she has come through a bout of brain cancer.  Dealing with brain cancer and living to share about it while you do an intense workout is inspiring enough, but she made a comment that reached out and snatched my attention. 

 She said something to the effect of, "I have gained 60 pounds recently due to medications, but I didn't let that stop me from teaching BodyPump again as soon as I was able." 

Hmm... She doesn't know me or my story or how people keep asking me if I'm still running and all I can think is, "No.. I feel too fat to run.  Running half marathons requires carb loading and I get hungry when I run a lot and then I eat and I don't lose weight...and I need to stop gaining and am scared if I start running again I'll not get this weight off that I've gained in the last two years.." etc. etc. 

But that one sentence, one side comment about working out despite a weight gain reminded me that my weight isn't stopping me from trying to continue my journey either and that's awesome.  (because I've not felt too awesome in the health world lately.)  And it reminded me to keep going. 

I overheard her mention her father passing away last fall and eating in mourning and then the holidays all topped off with crazy strong medications has been hard, and boy could I relate. 

And even though our struggles have been very different, my weight gain started after my mom died two years ago and my son's accident one-and-a-half months later and then life, but when I heard her say she didn't let her weight gain stop her from teaching BodyPump as soon as she could after her 18 months of chemo I knew...

I had met someone who I could relate to.  Someone else who is determined to keep up the fight, even if she's gained weight, because she also mentioned this 60 pounds she's gained is part of 100 pounds she had lost before she found out she had cancer.

Yep, with a few words spoken between instructions in a fitness class I was encouraged by someone I don't even know, because she can relate.  It was wonderful.  

Afterwards, I took a few minutes to share my gratitude for her sharing her story and she told me she has a blog:  Normal2Natalie.  I then told her I had one too.  :) 

And while I'm not real active on FaceBook she asked to friend me and I agreed.  Maybe we'll never be more than FaceBook friends, but that's fine because the few words she shared in class came at a perfect time in my life.  And I won't soon forget meeting Natalie.

Note:  Oh, and I do love my normal Monday instructor, but if Natalie could ever get one of our classes at the Y I'd try to take it.  :) She has a way of pushing you hard and making you laugh all at once.  It was a great way to start a Monday!

Not Giving Up

I know I post maybe once a month and then BAM! two posts in one day.  :)  That's what exercising and inspiration will do to a lady.  

My determined selfie I snuck
at the Y while in motion.

This evening I had free time.  I had time where I could get something done around the house, but I really felt like exercising.  My kids took the car to school today and I got lots done, but I did not exercise and I was itching to do something.   Since the Y is only about 5 minutes from my house, and I had nothing urgent to attend to, I went after dinner and got on the arc trainer.

It didn't take long before I was in the zone, music pumping on my Pandora "Titanium" station.

The past couple of weeks have brought about some changes for the better in my world.  They've brought more moments of soul searching and learning from the recent past about why I am where I am and what I need to do for my future. 

And today as I pushed along on the arc trainer I felt a renewed sense of hope.  I felt strong.  I felt like I used to feel when I would go to the gym to exercise in the past.  

It was such a good feeling.  Determination and hope pulsed through my veins.  

I felt freed by the knowledge that where others I know are in their journeys doesn't dictate where I need to be; that their stories are not mine.  I'll expound with more on that subject later, but today I came to a realization that I not only need to take care of my health I want to take care of my health. 

Finding the "why" and the "want to" are HUGE in a health journey and I think I'm finding mine again.  Glory!  

Big Thank You

This post is about 2-3 weeks late, but I have a few minutes while dinner is cooking and....

I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone for their support on my last post about being okay with where I am in my life right now.  

It was super humbling to admit publicly I'm having a hard time with this move, but it was also so very freeing.  

Admitting this hasn't been my best transition allowed me to also admit that I've been struggling emotionally, which always leads to weight struggles -- or so I've learned over the last seven years I've been seriously working on this new ending in life. 

So, thank you.  I really didn't expect anything less from the few of you who comment on here and support me it continues to bless me that you take the time to reach out with words of encouragement.  

I'm doing well as far as settling in some more.  

The weight is another issues.  I'm holding steady (read: not gaining anymore) and I'm faithfully attending BodyPump three times a week.  Getting in other exercise throughout the week is more hit or miss.  

My husband and I were attending spin every Thursday evening together, but he has started work at a new office and lots of paperwork has kept him late some evening.  Unfortunately for our exercise class, Thursday are an otherwise free night, so he's been doing paperwork then.  It's settling down for him and maybe we'll start up again.  

In the meantime, I'm getting my head wrapped around some health stuff and I just keep reminding myself not to give up.  I won't.  I can't. 

Oh, and the Etsy shop is doing fine.  It's not too busy, which is fine for my schedule.  The last week or two I've been busy purchasing fabrics for new items and now I've got some stock made up and they are listed in my shop.  It's fun for me to get to craft and get paid for it. :)

Thanks for stopping by!  I have more to say, but dinner is done and I need to get going.