I'm gonna run a marathon!

It all started when i stepped on the scales a week ago. I was sickened to see that I in fact, registered the same weight as I was 3 days before giving birth to my first child! Holiday eating and no running since Thanksgiving combined into an unprecedented weight gain of huge proportions.

Usually I just cut down on my eating (i.e.-avoid my mid morning Peanut butter Twix and run at least 3 days a week and presto- I shed my holiday pounds. Well, I've never seen this weight outside of pregnancy so drastic times call for drastic measures! I decided the best way to kick start my running and weight loss for 2008 is to sign up for a marathon.

I promptly signed up to run in May and then went to www.runnersworld.com and downloaded the marathon trainers program.

I'll keep you posted on my progress---

New Year's Meme

Hey here's a neat look at 2007!
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Spent four days in Las Vegas
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?I did not keep any 2007 resolutions, but made several for 2008: see last post
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? no
4. Did anyone close to you die? no
5. What countries did you visit? Germany, Macedonia and Mexico
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? more compassion
7. What was your biggest achievement of the year? went on a missions trip
8. What was your biggest failure? Did not lose weight like I wanted
9. Did you suffer illness or injury? no
10. What was the best thing you bought? my camper
11. Where did most of your money go? my children
12. What did you get really, really, really excited about? going on a mssion trip to Macedonia
13. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? happier 
b) thinner or fatter? fatter
c) richer or poorer? richer
14. What do you wish you’d done more of?, read, spent more fun time with Wayne and the girls
15. What do you wish you’d done less of? complained, worried and nagged
16. What was the best book you read? Redeeming Love by Fancine Rivers
17. What did you want and get? my camper.( Do you see a trend here?)
18. What did you want and not get? I wanted my yard landscaped
19. What kept you sane? My time with God. Also Wayne-- He calms me down
20. Who did you miss? my sisters. They all three live so far away I seldom see them

How about you? Was 2007 your best ever? Not for me. In many ways, I was glad to get 2007 over with. I am looking forward to 2008. I need a new start!

Happy New Year

I love New Years Day! It reminds me of the first day of school, without all the anxiety. I love new starts and it seems funny that my morning reading was in Lamentations 3. I was reminded that God's mercies are new every morning. Thank Him and give Him praise as I exhaust my daily supply by noon.

Do you make New Years resolutions? Or are you in the camp that thinks that resolutions are worthless? I love to make them and sometimes I even get close to keeping them. Most of the time they are ridiculous like homecooked meals for my family, lose 25 lbs., stop nagging Wayne. You get the idea.

Here are my very simple 2008 New Years resolutions:

1. Try to have more compassion for people and stop being judgemental of others. As Wayne loves to tell me, " You aren't paying their bills, so what do you care?" Amen honey!

2. Perfect my Creme Brulee. That is really an impressive desert and if I could get the crystalized sugar down pat I can wow my next dinner guest.

3. Spend more Saturdays doing fun stuff instead of cleaning, and more Sunday afternooons taking naps.

4. Continue my quest to stop drinking diet soda.

5. Spend more time laughing and loving on my sweet hubs!

6. Sit and let these two sweet girls have more of my undivided attention!

Treasuring Christmas Traditions

Hey! I just finshed reading the most awesome book by Noel Piper. It is all about creating traditions in your home that center on Christ. Yeah I know, you've probably read a million of those too, but this one was really good.

It got me to thinking about what Christmas traditions I had as a girl and what I've included in my family:

1. Remember the little pixie elf that sits on your shelf? Yeah, my mom always let me sit it on my dresser. I loved that little raggedy elf whose left leg had been chewed up by the dog. I saw one online an ordered it. Next year will be the return of the pixies elf.

2. My Dad always made the world's BEST fudge, He greased the pan with real butter and we loved it--- I make peanut butter/choc fudge every year. Virginia loves it but for some reason does not call it fudge-- "Mom, will you make that stuff, you know it's peanut butter on the bottom and chocolate on the top." "You mean fudge?" " Yeah" that's it!"
Same conversation every year.

3.Shrimp chowder every Christmas Eve.

4.Chevy Chase Christmas vacation watch it and laugh every Christmas eve.

5. My dad always read the Christmas story before unwrapping gifts. Wonderful idea, but I laugh when I think about how we were really wishing he would read faster---you know spiritual pastor's kids! :)

6.This year I started Advent candles

7.My brother-in-law writes the most wonderful cards to his wife and kids in their stockings-- I'm stealing this one and writing a Christmas Love letter to my hubby and kids this year.


What are your traditions that I could borrow?? I've always loved traditions. That's what memories are-- What are yours??

Viva Las Vegas

Time would not permit me to tell you all the reasons I have been delinquent in posting. BTW- It is my New Years resolution to not only blog at least once a week, but also to buy a digital camera and catch up to 2008. Blogging is so much more interesting w/ photos and I feel like I am back in the stone ages. Hello Santa-- I'd love digital camera! :)

We went to Vegas. !! What fun!! It is truly like no other place I've ever been. We had such great time. I kept my eyes pealed the whole time for Brad and Angelina, but they managed to stay hidden the entire weekend.

We stayed at the Green Valley ranch. It was wonderful and also about 10 miles off the strip, so was plenty quiet .

Here's the best of Vegas:

Wayne and I in front of Ceasar's Palace.I wanted to see Celine-- but not bad enough to pay $475 per ticket.




Hoover Dam!! It's a long way down!!


OK- the fountains at Bellagio were my favorite! The music made it seem like the water was dancing. Right after taking this photo, some man on the corner stuffed a picture of a naked woman in Wayne's hand and I decided it was time to go---

Las Vegas, fun place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!!

Diet Coke

What nonalcoholic drink is your vice? I am addicted to Diet Coke. I said it, it's true I drink upwards of 4 a day. This was the topic of conversation with my self reformed decaffeinated,carbonated beverage drinking husband last night. After complaining about the pain in my boob that occurs every 4 weeks,he suggested that I quit whining and lay down my Diet Cokes! The thought strikes fear in my heart. It's not just a drink to me, it's a daily part of my life. From my after morning run DC, to my late afternoon pick me up, its deeply ingrained in my self.
So, I made it until 3 pm when the overwhelming yawns just had to stop before I swallowed my face! I had a huge DC with my shrimp burrito and El Amigo's.
Tomorrow is another day in the quest for a caffeine free lifestyle and release from my Diet Coke bondage. Pray for me.

Macedonia

I have not posted in a long time-- Seems like I had a hard time getting my thoughts sorted out to intelligently write about it.

Who knew that my career choice to be a nurse would turn into an avenue for ministry? Pretty interesting that when I made my career choice, God's will for my life was not of huge importance to me. This mission trip was cool to show me how really shallow my Christian life is---

Biggest lesson learned- I emphasize too many superficial facets of my life instead of focusing on glorification of God through spreading the gospel to others. So as a result I have asked Him to start to weed out things that are of little or no value and show me what is essential- Scary-- He is great at letting you know that your time and money is going to things that are little value to Him, While affirming in your spirit when you focus on Kingdom work.

Here are some really fun pics of our group:


At a restaurant in Greece- Food was fantastic!




Here's all of the gang in Phillipi

If you get a chance to go an short term mission trip, it will change your life! We are planning on going back in the spring.

Oh- and I was so glad that my plane did not crash! Wayne was not the least bit surprised I made it back safe and sound.