Monday, May 28, 2012

Groupie

Not sure if I mentioned it, but we made a quick trip home this weekend.

Home, as in Delaware home.

Not to be confused with Virginia home or Georgia home.

And surprisingly enough, considering what a quick trip this was, we got to see a heck of alot of people.

One of which is my most loyal blog reader.

Bless her heart.

All the boring blogging I'm doing these days and she still reads.

So here's a shout out to my groupie.

You are my hero in more ways than you know!

Thanks for sticking by me when everyone else forgets!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 4

Technically, this is my 5th weigh in. But it's OFFICIALLY the end of my 4th week of dieting.

 And let me tell you something, a month has brought me a LOOOOONG way. Admittedly, the first week was a struggle.

 But then again, I went from eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it

(breastfeeding turns me into Animal from the Muppet Babies)

To eating a reasonable amount of HEALTHY food every day.

 That would be a shock to anyone's system.

 And I've upped my game on the exercise scene. 

Jillian has once again entered into my life with all her talky-talkiness and butt-busting moves.

And little by little, I'm seeing change. Improvement. Strength.

Even if my midsection has more wobble than Granny's pineapple jello mold.

As a general recap, this is how I started out.

Weighing in at 179.

And today, at the end of week 4, this is where we are at:

Weighing in at:

That's 5.6 lbs in 4 weeks.

Nothing amazing, but still an average of 1.4 lbs per week.

I'm not down a dress size yet, but soon.

I can feel it.

I believe it.

According to one of my nursing friends, I should start to notice it pick up soon as it takes a good month for your body to adjust to the new regimen before it will start shedding the pounds.

I know.

Laugh.

But you can't blame a girl for hoping.

It's a journey, I know that by now.

No one ever gets there if they don't start SOMEWHERE.

This isn't the Biggest Loser gym.

 This is my living room.

With 2 babies.

But I refuse to get discouraged.

Because 1.4 lbs a week will still get me there.

After all, "it's not a race, it's a marathon"

Friday, May 18, 2012

Enough

I don't know if you have picked up on it or not, but I am experiencing a strange phenomena called...ready for it???

LONELINESS.

Some would say it's my own fault, some would say it's merely a matter of circumstances.

But I would say it's the season that God has for me right now.

I have experienced it before....

A long, long time ago.

When I was a newlywed.

With a husband who was being put through the ringer for a job he hated.

I had just moved to Delaware, and my only friend was a Junior in her nursing program and worked full time to pay her tuition.

This time, I have just moved to Georgia.

This time, I just had a baby.

This time, I am potty training a 2 year old.

And this time, I am a stay at home mommy to two amazing, albeit, exhausting babies, which I love.

However, the words themselves imply loneliness - STAY AT HOME mommy.

To add to it, my amazing hubby works VERY hard to make this possible, but the working very hard means he leaves early and gets home late.

(Here's where I say, I have no idea how military wives DO it. Tell me, girls, is xanax your friend? Because it would totally be my BFF)

I have learned a few things about how God works in these seasons....

The first time I experienced this, I felt sorry for myself for a really long time.

And then one day I was driving down the road when this song came on the radio:



If you know me at all, you know that I cried like a baby.

If you know me at all, you know that listening to that song while posting the video just now, tore me up.

If there is one thing I have learned about these lonely seasons of life, it's that God uses them, every.single.time.

He is there.

He is enough.

And he has, at his fingertips, the power to bring us through the lonely days.

And remind us that Enough, is more than enough.


Monday, May 14, 2012

I Wore Black

Allow me to paint a picture...

In said picture, I've been up since 5:30 am and it's raining so my naturally curly hair is especially Dolly Parton-ish.

Baby girl is on my lap in a pretty little blue dress and wearing a ginormous blue bow on her head.  The kind of bow that Madonna was always looking for when styling her videos in the 80's.

Big. And bold.

Next to me sits Techy.

Who stayed up too late last night because police chase video shows are clearly as addictive as Lay's potato chips.

On his lap is a very hyper Little Man.

Apparently, the rain affects him the same way that eating after midnight affects gremlins.

Full on craziness ensues.

And we're in church.

Early.

Waiting for baby dedication Sunday to start.

All of us parents/babies are ushered into a special holding room prior to the big event.

Initially, it's just us and one other couple.

Then, the babies start pouring in.

Err, I should say families...Families start pouring in. 

Apparently at this church there is a no child left behind policy when it comes to baby dedication.

Sure Little Man is with us now, but there is absolutely no way we are taking that child on stage with us to shout, "I go pee pee in da potty, mommy" to the whole church!

He's only here until the nursery worker for his room shows.

Anyway, back to the families...

While families start rolling through the door, I begin to notice a distinct pattern.

They are all in white.

As in christening dress white.

Which would have been a nice idea, I guess, since this is as close as we Baptists get to a christening....

But for some reason it never occurred to me.

And as if that isn't bad enough, many families color coordinated.

As in siblings were also in white.

And, yes, even a couple moms.

The moment of realization was like a cold slap in the face.

In a few moments, we're going on stage in front of 1,000 people and my baby is one of the only ones not in white.

And Techy and I are both dressed in black.

Don't it just figure?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 3

I should really sub-label this as "travel edition" since we spent the week in Virginia with my family.

Does any one else struggle with diet and exercise when you are out of town? 

No? Just me?

Well, I do.

It's sad, really.

Travel-Leah had the will power of Oprah sitting next to a box of chocolates...it's weak, very weak.

But I tried really hard.

I worked out 3 days.

I actually ran my first mile this time around!

And then was so sore I could hardly move for the next 3 days...

But I tried to eat healthy.

And my results?

Down .2 lbs.

If you're keeping track, that's a whopping 3.6 lbs since I started this journey a month ago.

And for those of you who just want to see a number...at the end of week 3, I'm weighing in at...


Saturday, May 5, 2012

Weekly Weigh In: Week 2

So I have a half written post for last week...

But then I ran out of time to post it.

So this is a recap.

I'm dieting.

Weight Watchers-ing to be exact.

And working out.

Elliptical and 30 Day Shred style.

Running is scheduled to commence next week hopefully.

But for now, I am 2 weeks into this thing.

And so far, I'm down 4 lbs.

That's 1/10 of my goal, people!

At this rate, in another 4.5 months, I could be skinny again!

Not that you (or I, for that matter) think that could actually happen.

But to quote myself, progress is progress!

And I weigh less than my hubby again, so really, I can breathe easier.

So now, without further adieu, the number you've all been waiting for...

Friday, May 4, 2012

Today is a Very Big, Big, BIG Day

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you'll understand.

For those of you who haven't, (or may have forgotten about every single one of my innermost hearts desires-shame on you-I thought we were friends! wink!) you can catch up here.

But any hoo, with a little searching and a little drilling and screwing (that's what she said) all our at least one of my dreams have come true.

I officially have an under the counter mounted paper towel holder that doesn't look like I could break it with my bare hands.

Color me happy!