Fake showers

I love going to bootcamp in the mornings. Having an organized class to get to motivates me to get up in the mornings. Knowing my sister will be there helps a lo too (as do her texts while we are both still in bed). I feel energized and peaceful when I'm done. We did yoga today. It was so hard and rewarding and fun and now I am sore already.






The only downfall is that bootcamp gets over at 7:00, and I have to be at work at 7:15. My church is only two miles from my job, so I rush over there. I have a package of baby wipes in my gym bag that I "shower" with. I wash my face and use dry shampoo on my hair, which usually gets pulled back into a ponytail again. I manage to put a few drops of makeup on and call it good (the babies don't care about makeup anyway). I really don't like not feeling clean after a workout, but I haven't figured out a better solution yet. Any thoughts?

Also, my hair is usually in a ponytail 6 days a week. I need some style ideas for how I can wear it after a workout. A braid is the only option I have thought of. This messy bun thing is my usual go-to work an workout hairstyle.






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Due date thoughts

Today would have been my due date. Six months ago I found out that I had suffered a missed miscarriage and that my baby Nora had gone to Heaven.

I don't know that I will ever have a reason for why this happened. I have confidence in a great God who knew that this would happen and allowed it to happen in order that it bring Him glory. It is easy to blame myself for the loss and to plague myself with "If onlys". The truth is that I did everything in my power to protect and live my child. I ate organic and used organic and natural toiletries. I cut out caffeine. I took my prenatal vitamins. I exercised and rested. I read all the books and went to all the doctor's visits. I have to make the choice to stop blaming myself.

I choose to remember the miracle that is my first child. I was overjoyed to be a mom, and for the 13 weeks that I was pregnant, I felt like a nauseous superhero. God gave me that baby to love, and even though she left this Earth too early, I had a miracle inside of me. Because of her, I will be a better parent. Because of her, I am a better wife. Because of her, I have more love for the children and families I work with. Because of her, I am better.


Today was a sad day. I don't have a wrinkled baby in my arms. I don't have a decorated nursery or baby stuff around the house. And that's sad. I will always be sad. She will always be in my heart.

Thank you to all of you who have loved me throughout this. My family and friends have been so supportive and kind. I am truly blessed.

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Snow Days

I love being a teacher! We had two snow days this week, making for a four day weekend. It was so nice to be home with my husband and lazily watch tv and do nothing. It was extra nice because my mom and sisters both teach, so they were home, and my dad doesn't work. Lee's brother and sister's college classes were cancelled, his dad had only a few short jobs, and his mom's office closed. So we got to see everyone!!!!























































Tonight Lee and I made store bought hash browns for our Lifegroup's breakfast for dinner. I wouldn't really recommend this kind.
























I posted this picture to show how much I love cleaning up a non-stick pan. Toxins and all. :)


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First snow!

We just got our first snow of the season/ year. As much as the teacher in me is hoping for a snow day, I know we'll have to get up and go in the morning.



















Someone skidded into our yard and hit our mimosa tree.




Lee made these cookies for LIFEgroup tonight and even artfully arranged them on the stand.




I got to wear my Sperrys. Love these babies.




Doing the PLACE study. Jerm is cracking me up in the little chair. Lee and Jerm put in the floor a few weeks ago. I think they did a good job.


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Training Has Officially Begun!

16 weeks until the OKC Memorial Half-Marathon!!

Yesterday I joined to friends from church on a 5 mile run as part of Runners' World's training.  In my workout class on Friday morning, a casual friend mentioned that she was training for the half.  So I met up with her (Becky) and another woman (Jennifer) at our local high school and rode to Veterans' Park in Tulsa.  It was a frigid run.  It was below freezing and I was definitely freezing too.  Becky runs a slightly slower pace than I do, but it was a nice, easy way to get back into running after not doing any since Thanksgiving.  The course itself was pretty hilly, which is good because I never do hills on my own.  It was a fun route, some on main streets and some through a few ritzy neighborhoods.

I have never run with a group before, so I was curious as to how it would be.  I was impressed with the amount of people that showed up (probably around 200? but I am never so good with estimating amounts of people.  Or ages.  Or if people are pregnant or not.  Whoops.)  Each pace group leader had a large sign designating where the group was meeting, and they had also printed off directions for the course specific to the race goal (beginner half, advanced half, beginner full, advanced full.)  They had aid stations set up along the way, as well as volunteers every now and then to make sure you were on course.  That being said, my little group of three still got off a little.  But not enough to count.

All in all it was a great experience.  Next week my friend Stephanie and I are going to try and go.  Stephanie runs much faster than I do, but I look forward to the extra push.  I really want to beat my time from last year.  I really, really, really want to beat my time from last year.

Bits of beautiful

Today was a normal day with bits of beautiful sprinkled in. Margaret Ann and I worked out again with the class at church. It was an upper body and abs day- whoo!! I want toned arms and abs... And legs and booty... Well ok, just everything really. The workout really targeted my triceps. We used resistance bands- man, those things are deceptively hard. It made lifting babies at work a liitle bit more challenging than usual. For some reason they frown on dropping children there, so there were no "flying" trips today. I know I don't talk about work much on here, but I am blessed to have a job I love so much. I like to go to work. Most people don't. But a day with my sweet babies is never really work- every day is a fun new day full of developmental milestones, lots of laughter, and many diaper changes.

After work, Lee and my brother had to haul brush out to "the country". That is the spot we buried our baby, and I hadn't been back since then (which I have a lot of guilt about). Lee and I had a really sweet moment sitting on her rock and looking out on the land. Our God is good, and sometimes troubles can cover that fact.





I cried and was sad, but I have a lot of comfort remembering that God is in control. It will always be a sad thing, and I will always hold her to my heart. But God knows, and understands, and holds me.

And now it's off to bed for me. Tomorrow is the first official day of training for my next half marathon!!!

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The plank and venison Mexican casserole

Today one of my sisters and I went to the new workout class at church. (The other sister stayed in bed. At the time I found that to be the better choice). Most of the women who showed up to work out were older than MA and me. Some were grandmas. They were all very nice, but part of me was worried that i wouldn't get enough of a workout. I'm sure it must be hard to plan an exercise regimen for such a variety of ages and fitness classes. The class was a good place to start working out again with a group. We did the basics like lunges, squats, and push ups. I even held a plank for a whole minute, which I did not know I could do!





The first thing I saw when I got there to workout was the vending machine. Ironic.






My sweet house- husband made dinner tonight. Since his company shut down, he has been great about helping around the house. Since I've been continually enrolled in classes, it's made it easier for me to get my homework done.




His grandma got us this cookbook at a thrift sale. I love cookbooks!!





Did you know that the hunk of fake cheese is called a loaf of Velveeta? That's weird to me.





Venison Mexican casserole. Je also made venison Rotel dip. My other sister and brother joined us. We had a nice evening of watching Friends and eating the baklava my brother and his friends made.


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Counting sheep

Does anyone else have trouble sleeping? For me, it's usually all mental. I toss and turn, unable to sleep because I just can't turn off my brain.

I've relied on the natural sleep aid melatonin for a few years, and it's really been a wonder drug. The chiropractor told me today that it even helps with allergies. However, the last few nights my melatonin has failed. I don't know if I need to cut out caffeine or work out more (probably both actually), but it's bad.

A new ladies' workout class starts at my church tomorrow. I am supposed to pick up my sisters at 5:45... Why can't I sleep?

I am really excited about the class. I think we are doing P90X, which I own already, but it will be fun to work out with my sister and church ladies. And it's exactly what I need to motivate me to work out in the mornings since I work all day and then have class.

I guess I should stop blogging and try counting sheep again....



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Baby, It's VERY Cold Outside

Merry Christmas!  Michelle came to visit from Arkansas!  She received a big answer to prayer and just got her first post-masters job.

The WBN- my four closest friends from high school.  Enjoying $2 gelato and lattes downtown.

Lael's baby shower- Baby girl is coming in February.

Sister-in-law and soon to be b-i-l ringing in 2011

Playing the story game

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE 2011



College Fashion

I took two college intersession classes this month.  Bleh.  Class over Christmas break is yucky.  In order to walk in May and graduate in the summer, I took two criminal justice courses, Criminal Gangs and Law in Film.  They were so interesting!  I wish I had taken more criminal justice courses earlier in my college career. 

I just finished my final paper for my Criminal Gangs class.  I wrote it over the Irish Travellers, which aren't so much a gang as much as they are an ethnic group.  I think I did an amazing job on my paper.  :)  Gold star for me.  My teacher probably sent us seven messages regarding plagiarism, and when reading everyone else's final papers, I think somehow they missed his APA and works cited memos.  This is my favorite comment "I did not use APA format or cite any sources because I did not use any quotes. I put everything in my own words. I came up a little short of 6 pages but hopefully I did everything else correctly."  I am a little confused as to how he wrote six pages over the Aryan brotherhood without outside sources... 

Anyway, one of my current favorite blogs is College Fashion.  Since I normally go to class right after work, I show up in a variety of food and paint covered scrubs.  However, if I had a "real" job that didn't involve sweet, messy children, I would totally follow the cool advice on this site.  When I read the article about only wearing dresses for a month, I was hooked.  I love dresses.  So so much.  Like seriously so much.  I would like to do a fashion challenge of some kind, but it seems kind of impractical for the way my life is right now.  I am going to try and brainstorm a fun idea.  Maybe I can't do fashion, but I could do makeup or hair?  Any suggestions?