Say Good-bye – 2010 is just about over. What a year it has been. It’s a good time to look back – and pay attention to how far I’ve come – and to look ahead to what 2011 will bring.
This time last year, I weighed over 130 pounds more than I do right now. I weighed nearly 400 pounds. My BMI was at the Morbid Obesity level. I had to have a seatbelt extender in order to fly. I couldn’t wear jeans. I couldn’t stand for even one song in choir at church. I couldn’t sit comfortably in a booth at a restaurant – or any seating in a public venue. I weighed more than my husband – considerably more. I had to buy plus size clothes – usually in a specialty shop. I couldn’t see my collarbone, or cross my legs. I couldn’t even get on the regular scale at the doctor’s office.
This year, I’ve lost those 130+ pounds. I weigh 253.8 (as of this morning). My BMI has dropped to the obesity level – and I’m very close to dropping to the next level and just being overweight. I don’t need a seatbelt extender to fly. I wear jeans all the time. I stood for our entire Christmas musical – two performances and one dress rehearsal. I can sit comfortably anywhere – restaurant – movie theater – concert hall – ball game. I weigh less than my husband. I can go into any store and buy regular clothes. I have a collarbone – and ribs - and I can cross my legs. I get on the regular scale at the doctor’s office.
WOW – those are a lot of accomplishments in one year – and honestly – I would not have believed any of it was possible one year ago.
My work isn’t over though – I still have things I want to do:
- Lose 200 pounds – coming up in 18.4 pounds.
- Lose 150 pounds since surgery – coming up in 28.2 pounds
- Weigh less than 200 pounds – coming up in 54 pounds
- Reach goal weight at 180 pounds (at least for now) – coming up in 73.8 pounds
Today I figured that in the six weeks since we left for Canada (on November 15) I have lost 14 pounds. I was absolutely thrilled – because in that time, I have attended at least 10 family functions, parties, holiday dinners or get-togethers, all of which had massive amounts of food and sweets. I did all of my holiday baking – and had a ton of food from that right in my house. I would have been happy to maintain during this period – but to lose; I can’t tell you how happy that makes me! I am making good choices – I am living by my new philosophy: BLT (bite, lick, or taste) – I am sticking to my commitment. It has been a good year.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
44 Weeks
I have lost 121.0 pounds since surgery.
I have lost 129.8 pounds since two weeks’ pre-op.
I have lost 180.8 pounds total!
My BMI is down 20.3 points since surgery and 28.2 points from my biggest! And, I have dropped below a BMI of 40 for the first time in my recollection. (The last time I was below 40, nobody knew what a BMI was!)
A dear friend came to stay with us last night – someone who has followed my pictures closely, but who said the real thing is so much more impressive than the pictures. The pictures capture the physical dimensions but in no way can convey the energy and just how much better I feel.
I have lost 129.8 pounds since two weeks’ pre-op.
I have lost 180.8 pounds total!
My BMI is down 20.3 points since surgery and 28.2 points from my biggest! And, I have dropped below a BMI of 40 for the first time in my recollection. (The last time I was below 40, nobody knew what a BMI was!)
A dear friend came to stay with us last night – someone who has followed my pictures closely, but who said the real thing is so much more impressive than the pictures. The pictures capture the physical dimensions but in no way can convey the energy and just how much better I feel.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Dealing With Disappointment
I thought long and hard about writing this particular blog – but I decided that my goal has been to write about the things I’m feeling – good or bad – and sometimes it isn’t always good. Disappointment is something that everyone faces – and learning to deal with it is part of this journey for me.
When I was a teenager, I had a poster in my room that read, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” I’m sure that the I didn’t have this poster for the wisdom it contained – I believe it had a cute little koala bear on it – and since I had an extensive collection of koala bears of all sorts at the time – the only reason I had this poster was as part of my collection. Still there is a universe of truth in that statement.
This year for Christmas, I didn’t get what I wanted. More specifically, I got something that I absolutely did NOT want, and something that I said I didn’t want – in both generic terms, which I said hundreds of times, and in very specific terms, mentioning the exact gift by name, on more than one occasion. In my past – I could not have admitted that I didn’t want something. And the feelings of not being heard and not being important festered, because I wouldn’t or couldn’t admit to them. And when those things festered – guess what I did – yep – I ate and ate to make myself feel better.
I know it sounds childish – I’m not a little kid who sits on Santa’s lap and whispers what to bring me for Christmas. And yet, when I opened this gift, I was so crushed and SO disappointed, that it took everything I had not to cry. To make matters worse, I had a strong suspicion that it was what I was getting – and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
I must confess that I pouted nearly all day on Christmas Day! I’m not proud of that. It just seems to me that when a person says over and over and over that she doesn’t want something, and then she gets it – that somebody isn’t paying attention. And more than anything – I want somebody to pay attention to me. But even though I did not handle my disappointment in a grown up way – I also did not handle it in the way I have always handled disappointment in the past. I didn’t eat it – and I didn’t keep it buried. I apologize to everyone I came in contact with on Christmas Day – for my childish behavior. And I apologize for making people around me uncomfortable. But I do not apologize for being disappointed.
When I was a teenager, I had a poster in my room that read, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” I’m sure that the I didn’t have this poster for the wisdom it contained – I believe it had a cute little koala bear on it – and since I had an extensive collection of koala bears of all sorts at the time – the only reason I had this poster was as part of my collection. Still there is a universe of truth in that statement.
This year for Christmas, I didn’t get what I wanted. More specifically, I got something that I absolutely did NOT want, and something that I said I didn’t want – in both generic terms, which I said hundreds of times, and in very specific terms, mentioning the exact gift by name, on more than one occasion. In my past – I could not have admitted that I didn’t want something. And the feelings of not being heard and not being important festered, because I wouldn’t or couldn’t admit to them. And when those things festered – guess what I did – yep – I ate and ate to make myself feel better.
I know it sounds childish – I’m not a little kid who sits on Santa’s lap and whispers what to bring me for Christmas. And yet, when I opened this gift, I was so crushed and SO disappointed, that it took everything I had not to cry. To make matters worse, I had a strong suspicion that it was what I was getting – and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
I must confess that I pouted nearly all day on Christmas Day! I’m not proud of that. It just seems to me that when a person says over and over and over that she doesn’t want something, and then she gets it – that somebody isn’t paying attention. And more than anything – I want somebody to pay attention to me. But even though I did not handle my disappointment in a grown up way – I also did not handle it in the way I have always handled disappointment in the past. I didn’t eat it – and I didn’t keep it buried. I apologize to everyone I came in contact with on Christmas Day – for my childish behavior. And I apologize for making people around me uncomfortable. But I do not apologize for being disappointed.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Mom's Surgery
Mom did GREAT with her surgery – praise God! The doctor completely replaced both the socket – and the ball that fits into the socket. When he was finished with that, he said that something still didn’t seem right – and upon further investigation, he found that the deltoid muscle had gotten pinched in the fracture – he had to pry open the fracture to pull the muscle out. OUCH! No WONDER she was in pain! She did not have a great night – she is absolutely petrified of being hooked on painkillers – and so refuses to take them much of the time. Last night she said that she waited too long to ask for something – and then it took a long for the painkiller to kick in. She promised she wouldn’t do that again – but we will see. And the pain she is feeling is not in her shoulder – she has a nerve block for that – the pain is in her lower arm (below the surgery) and other places. She seems to have been dehydrated as well – probably from not eating or drinking anything before surgery. It took them six pokes to get the IV started – and last night – they had to work to find another site after the original one blew. Keep her in your prayers.
I did fine with the stress of Mom’s surgery – the waiting – the praying – the WAITING. The only place I could have done better was drinking enough water. It’s easy to forget to drink when you are sitting in a waiting room.
I did fine with the stress of Mom’s surgery – the waiting – the praying – the WAITING. The only place I could have done better was drinking enough water. It’s easy to forget to drink when you are sitting in a waiting room.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Prayers for Mom
Today is Mom’s surgery to replace the shoulder socket. Please pray for her as she goes through the surgery. Pray for the doctors and nurses as they do their jobs. Pray for the rest of the family as we anxiously await news of how her surgery went – and that everything is going to be fine. And say an extra prayer for Mom as we come up on Christmas. Understandably, she wants to be home for Christmas, and she wants Christmas to happen just like normal. But if she needs to stay in the hospital, or if she does come home, and doesn’t feel like celebrating – which I know is a distinct possibility, having had my share of surgeries – please let her graciously accept postponing Christmas until she is ready. That is the most important thing for all of us this Christmas – that she has the surgery, and comes through it fine, and recuperates well. If those things happen, then our Christmas wishes will have come true!
I finished wrapping everything last night. That is a good feeling! Dave’s quartet had a gig – in Athens, two hours away. So, I came home, did a little shopping, stopped by a friend’s house – then came home, wrapped presents while watching a Lifetime Christmas movie – and was in bed by 10:00 – just so that I could get up early and get to work early. It’s amazing how much you can get done when it’s quiet – either at home or at work.
A friend of mine told me that she is giving herself a present for Christmas this year – Jammie days for December 25 and 26. She said that she was going to stay in her jammies – even through dinner with friends who are coming over. I have to say, I LOVE THIS IDEA! A day where we are not pretending to be anything but ourselves – comfortable all the way to the core! A day where we aren’t worried at all, about what other people think about us! A day where give ourselves permission to relax. We don’t do this very often in our society – and I am giving it some serious thought. And even if I do not stay in my jammies all day – I think I could stay in that attitude all day – what a GREAT IDEA!
I finished wrapping everything last night. That is a good feeling! Dave’s quartet had a gig – in Athens, two hours away. So, I came home, did a little shopping, stopped by a friend’s house – then came home, wrapped presents while watching a Lifetime Christmas movie – and was in bed by 10:00 – just so that I could get up early and get to work early. It’s amazing how much you can get done when it’s quiet – either at home or at work.
A friend of mine told me that she is giving herself a present for Christmas this year – Jammie days for December 25 and 26. She said that she was going to stay in her jammies – even through dinner with friends who are coming over. I have to say, I LOVE THIS IDEA! A day where we are not pretending to be anything but ourselves – comfortable all the way to the core! A day where we aren’t worried at all, about what other people think about us! A day where give ourselves permission to relax. We don’t do this very often in our society – and I am giving it some serious thought. And even if I do not stay in my jammies all day – I think I could stay in that attitude all day – what a GREAT IDEA!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Doing Nothing
We live in a society that is rapidly losing the art of doing nothing. We go, go, go all the time – if we aren’t going, we feel guilty. At least I feel guilty. As a society, we don’t know how to be quiet anymore. (If you don’t believe me, next time someone mentions “a moment of silent prayer” in church, time it. I guarantee that in 12 seconds – 15 seconds tops – people will be uncomfortable – and get restless, and somehow start making noise – a cough, rustling paper, clearing the throat.)
Christmastime seems to be especially busy. Programs at church, rehearsals of all sorts for those programs, buying and wrapping presents, Christmas baking, parties every time you turn around, driving to visit family and friends – and the list just keeps growing. It seems that “yes” is the only word on everyone’s lips: “Yes, I will attend _________________.” “Yes, I will buy ____________________.” “YES, I will _______________.” “Yes, Yes, YES!” And one other place where people say “yes” during the holidays is at the food table. I cannot tell you how many people have said to me that they are going to get serious about losing weight after the holidays. That is a worthy goal! And I have said it myself so many times that I can’t even begin to count them. And yet – the more I don’t exercise self-control now, the more I will ultimately have to reverse “after the holidays.”
I think we should learn a new word for this Christmas: “NO.” As in, “No, we aren’t going to add any more activities – we are going to spend some family time together.” “No, we are not buying everything on everyone’s Christmas list.” “NO, we are not ________________________.” And how about, “No, I am not going to pig out at this buffet/party/cookie exchange. I will taste things, but I will make smart choices about the food I eat.” This is my 49th Christmas, and I can honestly say that it is the FIRST time I am even attempting to make smart choices. That is really sad to me.
So, this year (and all the years to come) I wish you PEACE – the kind of peace that comes from slowing down; the kind of peace that comes from saying to “no” to all of the extras, and saying “yes” to the things that matter – like time with family; and the kind of peace that comes from taking control of your choices – that enjoys but doesn’t overindulge: The PEACE of the Baby in the manger.
Christmastime seems to be especially busy. Programs at church, rehearsals of all sorts for those programs, buying and wrapping presents, Christmas baking, parties every time you turn around, driving to visit family and friends – and the list just keeps growing. It seems that “yes” is the only word on everyone’s lips: “Yes, I will attend _________________.” “Yes, I will buy ____________________.” “YES, I will _______________.” “Yes, Yes, YES!” And one other place where people say “yes” during the holidays is at the food table. I cannot tell you how many people have said to me that they are going to get serious about losing weight after the holidays. That is a worthy goal! And I have said it myself so many times that I can’t even begin to count them. And yet – the more I don’t exercise self-control now, the more I will ultimately have to reverse “after the holidays.”
I think we should learn a new word for this Christmas: “NO.” As in, “No, we aren’t going to add any more activities – we are going to spend some family time together.” “No, we are not buying everything on everyone’s Christmas list.” “NO, we are not ________________________.” And how about, “No, I am not going to pig out at this buffet/party/cookie exchange. I will taste things, but I will make smart choices about the food I eat.” This is my 49th Christmas, and I can honestly say that it is the FIRST time I am even attempting to make smart choices. That is really sad to me.
So, this year (and all the years to come) I wish you PEACE – the kind of peace that comes from slowing down; the kind of peace that comes from saying to “no” to all of the extras, and saying “yes” to the things that matter – like time with family; and the kind of peace that comes from taking control of your choices – that enjoys but doesn’t overindulge: The PEACE of the Baby in the manger.
Monday, December 20, 2010
I Made It!
I made it through last week – pretty much intact – and only a little worse for the wear. My Mom gave me a most unusual and amazing compliment on Friday night. She came to the first performance of our musical – and she said to me, “If I had been at the performance last year, and had not seen you at all during the year, and came to the performance tonight – I would not have recognized you.” My first thought was, “That’s my Mama – how could she not recognize me???” But then, I thought about what she was saying. I am a completely different person than I was this time last year. Not just in physical appearance – which has changed dramatically – but also in demeanor. I am not experiencing the bone-weary fatigue I have had in the past. I have tons more energy – more than I ever remember having. Every fiber of my body doesn’t ache like it used to. And perhaps most importantly, I am not miserable all the way to the depth of my soul. My eyes sparkle, and I honestly like myself. That is a LOT of change in a year. So, when my own mother says she wouldn’t recognize me – that is saying something. If I’m truthful, I have to admit that I probably wouldn’t recognize myself, if I hadn’t been taking this journey every step along the way.
Saturday, I finished all my Christmas shopping. One of my stops was Costco. While I was there, I found a cute little sweater that I liked – and I bought it – nothing plus size, just a regular sweater – like a regular person. It was so nice! I really enjoy being able to find something just in any store.
Our musical went very well this weekend – as did all of the other activities. However, my body protested a little. Partially, I’m sure, because I tried not doing lasix every day (possibly not the smartest thing – when there is so much else going on) and partially because I did eat some salty things that I shouldn’t have (like the birthday party lunch that was catered by Varsity – I don’t think they have ANYTHING for a low sodium diet!) Anyway, my weight was up 6.2 pounds by yesterday – but fortunately, down today by 4.2 pounds. I need to play this a little smarter, I think.
Saturday, I finished all my Christmas shopping. One of my stops was Costco. While I was there, I found a cute little sweater that I liked – and I bought it – nothing plus size, just a regular sweater – like a regular person. It was so nice! I really enjoy being able to find something just in any store.
Our musical went very well this weekend – as did all of the other activities. However, my body protested a little. Partially, I’m sure, because I tried not doing lasix every day (possibly not the smartest thing – when there is so much else going on) and partially because I did eat some salty things that I shouldn’t have (like the birthday party lunch that was catered by Varsity – I don’t think they have ANYTHING for a low sodium diet!) Anyway, my weight was up 6.2 pounds by yesterday – but fortunately, down today by 4.2 pounds. I need to play this a little smarter, I think.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Ahhh...Warmth!
I did something last night that I should have done MONTHS ago – I bought some heavy fleece pajamas. We were at Wal-Mart doing some Christmas shopping. We walked by the rack, and they just looked so warm that I had to stop. Dave told me I should go ahead and get some. The price was pretty good, and I could mix and match sizes for the top and bottom (top XL – bottom 2X, although I probably could have done smaller, I like my pj’s loose). When I got to the checkout – it turns out that both pieces were on sale: $5 for the top and $8.47 for the bottom. When we got home, I immediately put them on! They are so soft and comfortable! When I first went to bed – I was a little chilled. I had put some laundry in to wash – and had taken off my socks, so my feet were cold. But within about five minutes, I was perfectly warm. The kind of warm that sinks all the way down into your bones…AAAHHHHH!!!! I slept like a baby – not shivering, not tensed up from the cold, not lying awake wishing I was warm! It was the best night’s sleep I have had in months! I can hardly WAIT to get back home tonight and get into my pj’s!
It always amazes me how stubborn I can be about doing something that needs to be done, just like buying warm pajamas. I froze, I shivered, I complained, I tried to fix it myself by piling on covers – but I didn’t do the one thing I needed to do: Go out and buy warm pajamas.
I did the same thing for years and years concerning my weight: I made excuses, I complained, I ached, I hid, I let my health deteriorate, I pretended everything was fine – but I didn’t do the one thing I needed to do: Get serious about losing weight – and take control of my eating habits.
Hopefully, I am going to figure out that the sooner I just go ahead and do whatever it is that needs to be done, the happier I will be – and the quicker I will get to where I need to be.
It always amazes me how stubborn I can be about doing something that needs to be done, just like buying warm pajamas. I froze, I shivered, I complained, I tried to fix it myself by piling on covers – but I didn’t do the one thing I needed to do: Go out and buy warm pajamas.
I did the same thing for years and years concerning my weight: I made excuses, I complained, I ached, I hid, I let my health deteriorate, I pretended everything was fine – but I didn’t do the one thing I needed to do: Get serious about losing weight – and take control of my eating habits.
Hopefully, I am going to figure out that the sooner I just go ahead and do whatever it is that needs to be done, the happier I will be – and the quicker I will get to where I need to be.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
42 Weeks
Yesterday was 42 weeks from surgery. Since then, I have lost 118.4 pounds, and 178.2 pounds total. Never in a million years would I have believed in February that I would be where I am today. But, I AM here – and that is cause to celebrate! (I have lost 64.71% of the weight I want to lose.) I have another reason to celebrate. Congestive heart failure zaps my strength. One of most visible ways this has happened for me is singing at the choir at church. In the not too distant past, I have been unable to stand while singing. Dave wants me in the choir – and the choice was either to sit and sing – or not to be in choir at all…so I sat. I have been making progress – standing for one song on Sunday morning – standing for a couple of songs in our patriotic musical in June. But last night – during dress rehearsal for our Christmas musical – I stood for EVERY SINGLE SONG! Granted, Dave builds a lot of sitting time into our musicals. We have a variety of ages represented in our choir, and a number of health issues. So, he arranges for everyone to sit as often as possible in order to accommodate that. He would much rather someone sit and sing, than not to have the opportunity to sing at all. Anyway, I’m doing the happy dance this morning – because standing (and doing everything else I did during rehearsal – drama, costume changes, signing “O, Holy Night”) means that my stamina is increasing – and my health is improving.
I’m making it through this busy week. Tonight, I have to build a well (if that intrigues you, you’ll just have to come to the performance on Friday or Sunday to see why). And tomorrow is the performance. It should be wonderful! We had a couple of glitches in dress rehearsal – but nothing too severe, and truthfully, I always worry a little if we DON’T have something go wrong during rehearsal. That is what dress rehearsal is for – and we get it out of the way – and everything is good for performance on Friday.
I’m making it through this busy week. Tonight, I have to build a well (if that intrigues you, you’ll just have to come to the performance on Friday or Sunday to see why). And tomorrow is the performance. It should be wonderful! We had a couple of glitches in dress rehearsal – but nothing too severe, and truthfully, I always worry a little if we DON’T have something go wrong during rehearsal. That is what dress rehearsal is for – and we get it out of the way – and everything is good for performance on Friday.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Random Thoughts
Just some things that occurred to me this morning while I was driving to meet my vanpool: I automatically buckled my seatbelt this morning. That’s not so very important – LOTS of people buckle their seatbelts every single time they get into a car. And while it has become automatic for me, it wasn’t always so. Especially if I was wearing a thick, heavy, winter coat like I am now. There just wasn’t room for me AND the coat inside the seatbelt. For a long, long time, I left the seatbelt buckled – behind me. And I only did that to stop the dinging noise. It wasn’t that I was purposely trying to break the law – or that I didn’t care about my safety. It just seemed like breathing every day was more important than the safety it might provide in the off chance I was actually in a car accident. But now – I don’t even think about it…get in the car – and buckle up – and I can STILL breathe! Yippee!
There is something immeasurably satisfying about getting into a pair of jeans that were previously too small! When the friend from work gave me the jeans – I could fit into a couple of pairs immediately. There were a couple of pairs that I could pull up – but could not fasten. And there were a couple of pairs that I could not even pull up. This morning, I decided just to try – and low and behold – one of the pairs that I could not fasten before – are fitting just fine now. I am really enjoying having different options as I get dressed each morning. And every time I hit one of these small goals – my heart soars!
I think my next purchase is going to be warm – REALLY WARM – pajamas. Right now, I am sleeping under so many layers that I can hardly move! But I have been so cold – and that is the only way I can get warm. (An electric blanket is an obvious solution – except that we have a sleep number bed – and the warmth from a blanket affects the air pressure in the bed. We were told NOT to use one with this mattress. And I can’t give up the sleep number bed – best sleep I’ve ever had!) Up until August of this year, I was in one long, continuous hot flash – so even my flannel pj’s are light weight. I don’t have anything for cold weather. I heard this on the radio this morning: It’s so cold that I went to church just to hear them preach about hell. THAT made me laugh! And if it will work, you have my permission to start preaching! I’m ready to be warm again.
There is something immeasurably satisfying about getting into a pair of jeans that were previously too small! When the friend from work gave me the jeans – I could fit into a couple of pairs immediately. There were a couple of pairs that I could pull up – but could not fasten. And there were a couple of pairs that I could not even pull up. This morning, I decided just to try – and low and behold – one of the pairs that I could not fasten before – are fitting just fine now. I am really enjoying having different options as I get dressed each morning. And every time I hit one of these small goals – my heart soars!
I think my next purchase is going to be warm – REALLY WARM – pajamas. Right now, I am sleeping under so many layers that I can hardly move! But I have been so cold – and that is the only way I can get warm. (An electric blanket is an obvious solution – except that we have a sleep number bed – and the warmth from a blanket affects the air pressure in the bed. We were told NOT to use one with this mattress. And I can’t give up the sleep number bed – best sleep I’ve ever had!) Up until August of this year, I was in one long, continuous hot flash – so even my flannel pj’s are light weight. I don’t have anything for cold weather. I heard this on the radio this morning: It’s so cold that I went to church just to hear them preach about hell. THAT made me laugh! And if it will work, you have my permission to start preaching! I’m ready to be warm again.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Taking Time to Breathe
As soon as this week is OVER, I’m going to turn on the lights on my Christmas tree (and ONLY the lights on my Christmas tree). I’m going to make a mug of hot chocolate. I’m going to turn on some INSTRUMENTAL Christmas music. I’m turning my phone OFF. I’m not going to talk to anyone. I’m going to get into my pajamas and my favorite robe. And then, I’m going to chill. I might snuggle with my cat. I would definitely snuggle with Dave, assuming he can get out of musical-rushing-around-to-get-everything-done-before-Christmas mode. If he can’t – no worries. But I want QUIET. I want PEACEFUL. I want CHRISTMAS – not the crazy thing it becomes every single year, with rehearsals, and baking, decorating, and long lists of presents to buy and things to do.
It seems like we get busier and busier every year. Our calendar doesn’t have many empty slots. And the busier we get, the crankier I get. And before I know it – the joy is gone. I’m so busy that I forget to breathe, and I REALLY forget to celebrate.
Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
MAY THE PEACE AND JOY OF THAT FIRST NOEL FILL YOUR HEARTS TODAY, AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SEASON.
It seems like we get busier and busier every year. Our calendar doesn’t have many empty slots. And the busier we get, the crankier I get. And before I know it – the joy is gone. I’m so busy that I forget to breathe, and I REALLY forget to celebrate.
Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
MAY THE PEACE AND JOY OF THAT FIRST NOEL FILL YOUR HEARTS TODAY, AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SEASON.
Monday, December 13, 2010
It's Going to be a WEEK!
I’m tired – and the week is just beginning. I’m not being a baby – this really is a busy, busy week! I will start with yesterday, since that is officially the beginning of this week. We had church yesterday morning – two services. A quick lunch, and then BACK to the church building to get the stage set up for our musical this coming weekend. We had a rehearsal at 4:00 – complete with drama, narration, and the choir. It was the blocking rehearsal for the drama, and drama is my baby, so I was doubly busy. Tonight we have tech rehearsal – then we race to another church to have a rehearsal / set up for the community chorus we sing in – and that concert is tomorrow night. Wednesday night is dress rehearsal for our musical at church. Thursday night is yoga. Friday night is performance number 1 at church. Saturday, Dave’s quartet is singing at one of our church member’s 80th birthday – and then singing that night at Buckner’s – a local family style restaurant – that has gospel singing every Friday and Saturday evenings. (Dave’s quartet sings about once every three months or so.) Then Sunday is church, followed by our annual birthday party/lunch for Jesus, and performance number 2. After that, the choir at church gave us a wonderful gift – tickets to see Straight No Chaser – a 10-voice male a cappella group – which my husband is extremely excited about seeing. And, of course, I will still be working my 40 hours, and commuting roughly two hours every day. Everything that is happening is a good thing – but man – when I think about it all together, I just want to crawl into bed and pull the covers up over my head until everything settles down.
My Mom has to have surgery on her shoulder – on Wednesday, December 22, if there are no cancellations that can get her in before that. There was a problem with the blood supply to her shoulder, and the socket has died and is pulling away from the joint. She is in a great deal of pain – and replacing the socket is the only way to fix this. So, while I’m busy doing all the things I have to do – I’m also constantly thinking about her. A very good friend is going next week for tests at the Mayo clinic – and I know how much she needs some answers. She is constantly in my thoughts and prayers, too.
So, for right now – I’m taking a deep breath in, and letting it out slowly. There are many things beyond my control this week – and sometimes that is just part of life. But there are many things within my control as well. I’m very, very encouraged that already last month and this month, I have faced some things that would have ordinarily meant that I gained weight: vacation for two weeks, our Open House, and my office Christmas party. And through each event I have been particularly conscious of my food choices – and have actually lost weight through all of them. Every time that happens, my self-confidence goes up a little – I realize that I CAN make good choices. I know that I AM making good choices. And I believe that I WILL CONTINUE to make those good choices.
My Mom has to have surgery on her shoulder – on Wednesday, December 22, if there are no cancellations that can get her in before that. There was a problem with the blood supply to her shoulder, and the socket has died and is pulling away from the joint. She is in a great deal of pain – and replacing the socket is the only way to fix this. So, while I’m busy doing all the things I have to do – I’m also constantly thinking about her. A very good friend is going next week for tests at the Mayo clinic – and I know how much she needs some answers. She is constantly in my thoughts and prayers, too.
So, for right now – I’m taking a deep breath in, and letting it out slowly. There are many things beyond my control this week – and sometimes that is just part of life. But there are many things within my control as well. I’m very, very encouraged that already last month and this month, I have faced some things that would have ordinarily meant that I gained weight: vacation for two weeks, our Open House, and my office Christmas party. And through each event I have been particularly conscious of my food choices – and have actually lost weight through all of them. Every time that happens, my self-confidence goes up a little – I realize that I CAN make good choices. I know that I AM making good choices. And I believe that I WILL CONTINUE to make those good choices.
Friday, December 10, 2010
The Tastes of Christmas
Christmas is a wonderful time for parties and get-togethers and of course, FOOD! Having lived in so many different places, it has been fun seeing the special things that each locale does for Christmas. For example, when I lived on Long Island as a child, we would get up and open presents on Christmas morning, then head to the Jewish bakery to get fresh, hot bagels to take home for breakfast. The Jewish bakery was always open on Christmas, and there is nothing like hot bagels. When we moved from there to Canada, we tried to continue the tradition, but honestly, frozen bagels from the grocery store just are not the same thing!
I took a poll on the vanpool this morning. Overwhelmingly, the favorite holiday taste was eggnog! I love eggnog – and at its best, it is so thick that it coats the glass, and you never quite get that last little bit. My Mom makes Cherry Balls every year – only at Christmas. (Maraschino cherries, wrapped in a cream cheese/sugar/coconut mixture, then rolled in crushed graham cracker crumbs.) They are such a favorite that I fear she might be banished if she didn’t make them. We had a neighbor when we lived on Long Island that made us a wonderful Christmas treat – small balls of some sort of cookie that had been dipped in honey, and stacked to look like a Christmas tree. Sticky, messy – and DELICIOUS! Then there are the boxes of chocolates, everybody’s favorite – the fruitcake, the peppermint (in some countries, they give a peppermint pig every year – I’m not sure why), hot chocolate…well, the list goes on and on and on.
Part of the reason that these things are so special is because in many instances, they will only be found right around the holidays. My Mom’s cherry balls are very labor intensive, and she just doesn’t make them often. It seems that very nearly everything I remember about Christmas through the years involves food in one way or another. And most of the time, my attitude has been, “I’ll eat/drink this cherry ball/eggnog/_____________ because I only get it around Christmas, and I will worry about the weight AFTER the holidays.”
I do believe that it is important to occasionally relax the rules, but I must confess, in my past – I didn’t just relax the rules – I threw them out the window – buried them in the backyard – and never thought about them again. If one cherry ball is good, five are better, and 10 are even better! When I wanted to eat something – I ate it – with no thoughts for what it was doing to my body – and no thoughts about consequences of my actions. It is kind of like buying something on credit – it might be nice not to have to pay for it this second, but eventually, that bill is going to come due.
This year – hopefully, I will be making better choices at every junction. I have already had opportunity to do so, and I’m happy that I have been able to triumph. OK – that might seem overly dramatic, but that is what it feels like to me – triumph over my history – triumph over my desires – triumph over my weight. And every time that I am able to make good choices, it gives me more confidence that I will be able to do it again.
I took a poll on the vanpool this morning. Overwhelmingly, the favorite holiday taste was eggnog! I love eggnog – and at its best, it is so thick that it coats the glass, and you never quite get that last little bit. My Mom makes Cherry Balls every year – only at Christmas. (Maraschino cherries, wrapped in a cream cheese/sugar/coconut mixture, then rolled in crushed graham cracker crumbs.) They are such a favorite that I fear she might be banished if she didn’t make them. We had a neighbor when we lived on Long Island that made us a wonderful Christmas treat – small balls of some sort of cookie that had been dipped in honey, and stacked to look like a Christmas tree. Sticky, messy – and DELICIOUS! Then there are the boxes of chocolates, everybody’s favorite – the fruitcake, the peppermint (in some countries, they give a peppermint pig every year – I’m not sure why), hot chocolate…well, the list goes on and on and on.
Part of the reason that these things are so special is because in many instances, they will only be found right around the holidays. My Mom’s cherry balls are very labor intensive, and she just doesn’t make them often. It seems that very nearly everything I remember about Christmas through the years involves food in one way or another. And most of the time, my attitude has been, “I’ll eat/drink this cherry ball/eggnog/_____________ because I only get it around Christmas, and I will worry about the weight AFTER the holidays.”
I do believe that it is important to occasionally relax the rules, but I must confess, in my past – I didn’t just relax the rules – I threw them out the window – buried them in the backyard – and never thought about them again. If one cherry ball is good, five are better, and 10 are even better! When I wanted to eat something – I ate it – with no thoughts for what it was doing to my body – and no thoughts about consequences of my actions. It is kind of like buying something on credit – it might be nice not to have to pay for it this second, but eventually, that bill is going to come due.
This year – hopefully, I will be making better choices at every junction. I have already had opportunity to do so, and I’m happy that I have been able to triumph. OK – that might seem overly dramatic, but that is what it feels like to me – triumph over my history – triumph over my desires – triumph over my weight. And every time that I am able to make good choices, it gives me more confidence that I will be able to do it again.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Sounds of Christmas
Music has always been a HUGE part of my Christmas season. I know every word to every song from the classic animated holiday specials: Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Frosty; The Little Drummer Boy; How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Santa Claus is Coming to Town; etc. (And true confessions, I still watch as many of them as I can EVERY year!) I know the words to even obscure verses of most Christmas carols. And because I have sung in choirs and choral groups most of my life, I know a lot of other songs and different arrangements of familiar songs.
Since Dave is a minister of music, we start listening to Christmas music as early as May or June. He has the musical picked out for the church before choir breaks for the summer. But I don’t mind at all – Christmas music is my absolute favorite kind of music – and I would listen to it all year if I could get away with it. Every year, I start pestering to Dave to put our Kenny G Christmas CD in so that we can listen to it as we drift off to sleep. Most nights, I barely make it through the first song. (For the record, on this issue – Dave is adamant that we not start listening to Kenny G until at LEAST the day after Thanksgiving.)
And on top of everything else – there is CAROLING! Walking the neighborhood – with friends and family – singing my heart out – making people smile – Does it get any better than that? The last several years, I have not had any energy by the time the group from church decided to go out caroling. Most years, Dave goes, and I have stayed home, wishing I could be there, but knowing that it would push too far, and I would pay a steep price for the choice. This year, I have every intention of going caroling – and loving every minute of it! Less weight equals more energy, which means that I get to do more things I love to do. And since singing is pretty much at the top of the list, I have plans to be right there in the thick of things!
Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about the BIG ISSUE – food memories of Christmas. I wanted to think about all of the other memories I have that do not have anything to do with food. Separating food from the memories is very helpful for me. And knowing that I can make NEW memories, again separated from food, is good for me.
“We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!”
Since Dave is a minister of music, we start listening to Christmas music as early as May or June. He has the musical picked out for the church before choir breaks for the summer. But I don’t mind at all – Christmas music is my absolute favorite kind of music – and I would listen to it all year if I could get away with it. Every year, I start pestering to Dave to put our Kenny G Christmas CD in so that we can listen to it as we drift off to sleep. Most nights, I barely make it through the first song. (For the record, on this issue – Dave is adamant that we not start listening to Kenny G until at LEAST the day after Thanksgiving.)
And on top of everything else – there is CAROLING! Walking the neighborhood – with friends and family – singing my heart out – making people smile – Does it get any better than that? The last several years, I have not had any energy by the time the group from church decided to go out caroling. Most years, Dave goes, and I have stayed home, wishing I could be there, but knowing that it would push too far, and I would pay a steep price for the choice. This year, I have every intention of going caroling – and loving every minute of it! Less weight equals more energy, which means that I get to do more things I love to do. And since singing is pretty much at the top of the list, I have plans to be right there in the thick of things!
Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about the BIG ISSUE – food memories of Christmas. I wanted to think about all of the other memories I have that do not have anything to do with food. Separating food from the memories is very helpful for me. And knowing that I can make NEW memories, again separated from food, is good for me.
“We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!”
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
More Christmas Memories
Not only am I a big kid when it comes to Christmas, but I’m also like a magpie – if it’s shiny and sparkly, I love it. That goes for clothes, or jewelry, and especially Christmas lights. Some families go to something like “The Nutcracker” every year. Some families take a trip – or go skiing. My family drove around to look at Christmas lights. Forty-something years ago – you did not often find the elaborate light displays you can see today. Most families would put up a Christmas tree near a window facing the street and maybe a wreath. But, if you were lucky enough to find a house that actually had outside lights – it was all worth the drive.
We would discuss the houses we saw – what we liked – what we didn’t like. I remember going into some neighborhoods and being awed by the simplistic beauty of a wreath on the front door, lit by a spotlight. Or my FAVORITE – someone had “wrapped” their front door like a big present. There was one family, way back when, that had outlined every single edge on their house with blue lights. That was the most impressive thing I had ever seen. Every window, every corner, every line on the roof – all in blue. It was breath-taking!
A few years later, the trend was electric candles in the window. Every home with those candles looked so warm and inviting. And eventually – there came the icicle lights. I thought those were the coolest! The trends continue – LED lights, big inflatable sculptures for the yard, applications that allow you to sync the display with music – every year it seems that there are bigger and better things to make your yard and house a wondrous display of lights and Christmas décor.
I still love to drive around and look at lights. I have discovered that the best lights are most likely NOT going to be in the higher income neighborhoods. I will “oooh” and “aaah” with the best of them – over lights that flash or are excessive. And yet, I still love something simple – like a beautiful wreath with a spotlight.
And this does tie into my weight loss journey. There are always going to be new trends – new fads – new diets. What was absolute gospel last year (or even last week) might be the worst thing you can do today. Sometimes, the simple thing is the best thing. Eat less – eat what is good for you – drink lots of water. Making progress!
We would discuss the houses we saw – what we liked – what we didn’t like. I remember going into some neighborhoods and being awed by the simplistic beauty of a wreath on the front door, lit by a spotlight. Or my FAVORITE – someone had “wrapped” their front door like a big present. There was one family, way back when, that had outlined every single edge on their house with blue lights. That was the most impressive thing I had ever seen. Every window, every corner, every line on the roof – all in blue. It was breath-taking!
A few years later, the trend was electric candles in the window. Every home with those candles looked so warm and inviting. And eventually – there came the icicle lights. I thought those were the coolest! The trends continue – LED lights, big inflatable sculptures for the yard, applications that allow you to sync the display with music – every year it seems that there are bigger and better things to make your yard and house a wondrous display of lights and Christmas décor.
I still love to drive around and look at lights. I have discovered that the best lights are most likely NOT going to be in the higher income neighborhoods. I will “oooh” and “aaah” with the best of them – over lights that flash or are excessive. And yet, I still love something simple – like a beautiful wreath with a spotlight.
And this does tie into my weight loss journey. There are always going to be new trends – new fads – new diets. What was absolute gospel last year (or even last week) might be the worst thing you can do today. Sometimes, the simple thing is the best thing. Eat less – eat what is good for you – drink lots of water. Making progress!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Christmas Memories
I am a kid when it comes to Christmas. I was always the first one up – wait – who am I kidding?!?! I never even went to sleep on Christmas Eve! My senior year of high school – one of my gifts to parents was to let them sleep until 6:00 a.m. But as I think back over the years – my memories are not about presents I received, but about time spent with friends and family – doing things that we only did at this very special time of year. I thought I would take a walk down memory lane and write about some of my fondest Christmas memories.
Let’s talk about anticipation. Like I said, I was ALWAYS the first one up on Christmas morning. Many times, I woke my parents up only to be told that it was too early – and I needed to go back to bed. Eventually they gave up and got up. Now, the rule at our house was that nobody could go downstairs to the tree until Dad got up, went downstairs, turned on the Christmas lights, and got a cup of coffee. I would sit at the top of the stairs, wriggling with excitement – looking over the bannister at the stockings. It seemed to take FOREVER for that cup of coffee to brew! (There were no Bunn or Keurig coffee makers back then!) And I’m sure Dad prolonged the ritual – for as long as he could – just to build the expectation. It worked. He’s a pretty smart man – he knew that delaying gratification makes the eventual event even sweeter.
My Dad is a preacher – and has spent much of his career in new church work – many times working as a missionary, and raising support. There were not huge amounts of things under the tree every year, but everything there was done with a lot of love and a lot of thought. I never, ever felt cheated. Dad knew that if we had rushed downstairs and ripped open all the presents – it would have been over in a flash – and then what would we do? So, he dragged out the getting ready part – to make everything last longer. In fact, the morning was designed to make everything last longer. Every little thing in our stocking was wrapped – we opened presents one at a time – with everyone else watching. I miss those days of waking everyone up early. (As a side note, when my sister’s kids were little, we usually had to wake them up. On Christmas morning!)
I’ve already established that I am not a patient person by any stretch of the imagination. But there really is something to be said for anticipation and for delaying gratification, and it translates to some of my issues with eating. If there is something I really want to eat – sometimes waiting for it is better. I appreciate it more if I have to wait for it. It also gives me a chance to THINK about what I’m doing. Occasionally, I decide that I really don’t want to eat it after all. That’s OK. Sometimes I decide that I really do want to eat it – and that’s OK, too. Taking the time to make a conscious choice, rather than unconsciously stuffing something into my mouth, gives me an opportunity to examine why I want to eat it.
For the record, I still get up early on Christmas morning. And I still love the anticipation of opening stockings, and watching people’s faces as they open the gifts I have planned for each of them. Only 17 more days! Yippee!
Let’s talk about anticipation. Like I said, I was ALWAYS the first one up on Christmas morning. Many times, I woke my parents up only to be told that it was too early – and I needed to go back to bed. Eventually they gave up and got up. Now, the rule at our house was that nobody could go downstairs to the tree until Dad got up, went downstairs, turned on the Christmas lights, and got a cup of coffee. I would sit at the top of the stairs, wriggling with excitement – looking over the bannister at the stockings. It seemed to take FOREVER for that cup of coffee to brew! (There were no Bunn or Keurig coffee makers back then!) And I’m sure Dad prolonged the ritual – for as long as he could – just to build the expectation. It worked. He’s a pretty smart man – he knew that delaying gratification makes the eventual event even sweeter.
My Dad is a preacher – and has spent much of his career in new church work – many times working as a missionary, and raising support. There were not huge amounts of things under the tree every year, but everything there was done with a lot of love and a lot of thought. I never, ever felt cheated. Dad knew that if we had rushed downstairs and ripped open all the presents – it would have been over in a flash – and then what would we do? So, he dragged out the getting ready part – to make everything last longer. In fact, the morning was designed to make everything last longer. Every little thing in our stocking was wrapped – we opened presents one at a time – with everyone else watching. I miss those days of waking everyone up early. (As a side note, when my sister’s kids were little, we usually had to wake them up. On Christmas morning!)
I’ve already established that I am not a patient person by any stretch of the imagination. But there really is something to be said for anticipation and for delaying gratification, and it translates to some of my issues with eating. If there is something I really want to eat – sometimes waiting for it is better. I appreciate it more if I have to wait for it. It also gives me a chance to THINK about what I’m doing. Occasionally, I decide that I really don’t want to eat it after all. That’s OK. Sometimes I decide that I really do want to eat it – and that’s OK, too. Taking the time to make a conscious choice, rather than unconsciously stuffing something into my mouth, gives me an opportunity to examine why I want to eat it.
For the record, I still get up early on Christmas morning. And I still love the anticipation of opening stockings, and watching people’s faces as they open the gifts I have planned for each of them. Only 17 more days! Yippee!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wilson Open House Declared a SUCCESS!
Wow…wow…WOW! This weekend has been remarkable. We made it through the Open House with no problems! We had 61 guests. We did NOT run out of food. And everyone really seemed to enjoy himself or herself. I loved visiting with everyone. And the news keeps getting better. In recent years, I have had to “park” myself and sort of let people come to me. I was pretty much wiped out by the time the party happened – so much so, that Dave did most of the refilling – and DEFINITELY wiped afterwards! For several years, I have collapsed in my chair afterwards – and fallen sound asleep while Dave did the entire cleanup. And I was pretty much in the same state for the rest of the weekend and into the next week. This year, I was up and moving, visiting, refilling, and doing whatever needed to be done. And I helped with cleanup. And some friends stayed later, so we could play cards. And I was fine all day yesterday, even with an extra choir rehearsal, a drama rehearsal, and going to a concert last night. And today, I feel GREAT! I didn’t just SURVIVE the Open House, I THRIVED! Whoohoo! And the best part??? From Friday morning to this morning, I LOST 2.4 pounds, even with all the goodies in my house. Definitely a success, in every definition of the word.
I went back to the surgeon today. It is so much fun to have a doctor PLEASED with my progress (instead of harping on me about how I need to lose weight). The staff in the office just loved the new and improved me. They took some after pictures for their book – not my final “after” pictures, of course, but just to show my progress. As of this morning, I have reached a new goal – I have less than 100 pounds to go. I’ve lost 63.91% of what I want to lose. And I have lost a total of 176.0 pounds, (116.2 since surgery). I have lost 112 inches (9 feet, 4 inches). My next goal is to lose 200 pounds total – and I really hope to reach this by February 24 – which will be my one-year anniversary from surgery. That will happen in 24.0 pounds – so stay tuned!
Losing weight while on vacation and during the weekend of my Open House has been good for me. It reinforced that I can and do make good choices – that I’m changing the way I interact with food – and that I’m making lasting changes. I did taste some of my goodies – but one taste was enough – and I didn’t need any more. And more importantly – it gives me confidence to keep on making those choices and changes. Sometimes, I think a person needs something positive to hang onto – and this surgery has given me that hold.
I went back to the surgeon today. It is so much fun to have a doctor PLEASED with my progress (instead of harping on me about how I need to lose weight). The staff in the office just loved the new and improved me. They took some after pictures for their book – not my final “after” pictures, of course, but just to show my progress. As of this morning, I have reached a new goal – I have less than 100 pounds to go. I’ve lost 63.91% of what I want to lose. And I have lost a total of 176.0 pounds, (116.2 since surgery). I have lost 112 inches (9 feet, 4 inches). My next goal is to lose 200 pounds total – and I really hope to reach this by February 24 – which will be my one-year anniversary from surgery. That will happen in 24.0 pounds – so stay tuned!
Losing weight while on vacation and during the weekend of my Open House has been good for me. It reinforced that I can and do make good choices – that I’m changing the way I interact with food – and that I’m making lasting changes. I did taste some of my goodies – but one taste was enough – and I didn’t need any more. And more importantly – it gives me confidence to keep on making those choices and changes. Sometimes, I think a person needs something positive to hang onto – and this surgery has given me that hold.
Friday, December 3, 2010
One More Day
One more day until the Open House…we still have plenty to do, but it occurred to me this morning that I am so much better off than I was last year. I am breathing great – not huffing and puffing for air. I’m a little tired, but nowhere near as exhausted as I was the day before the Open House last year. I’ve lost just under 130 pounds since this time last year. According to my list – that is equivalent to a newborn giraffe! Can you imagine the energy it would require to pick up a newborn giraffe – let alone carry it around ALL THE TIME? This is an exciting time.
Yesterday, my Mom and I were doing some figuring. If I continue to lose at my current average – by the time my one-year anniversary (for the surgery) gets here, I will have lost a TOTAL of 200 pounds (140 since surgery.) HOW COOL IS THAT! It is so rewarding when I can see and measure progress.
This is my favorite time of the year – by far! I love the music, the lights, and the times to fellowship with friends and family! I love the special programs, the weather (even if I AM freezing), and the special treats. But most of all – I love the REASON for the SEASON. I am so blessed.
Yesterday, my Mom and I were doing some figuring. If I continue to lose at my current average – by the time my one-year anniversary (for the surgery) gets here, I will have lost a TOTAL of 200 pounds (140 since surgery.) HOW COOL IS THAT! It is so rewarding when I can see and measure progress.
This is my favorite time of the year – by far! I love the music, the lights, and the times to fellowship with friends and family! I love the special programs, the weather (even if I AM freezing), and the special treats. But most of all – I love the REASON for the SEASON. I am so blessed.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A Southern Hostess
People are often surprised when I say that we could have 80 or more people at house this Saturday. I LOVE to entertain – and I learned from my Mama how to be a gracious hostess, in true southern style. There are two main rules for being a good southern hostess:
1. Make sure your guests are comfortable. I think about the things that make me comfortable (or uncomfortable) in someone’s home, and then I act accordingly. I don’t like to be in someone’s home where there are a lot of rules, or a lot of things I could break (it’s a pretty sure bet I WILL break something). Another thought from my Mama – “Things are things, and people are people, and you had better know which is important.” Accidents happen, and generally, the person who has dropped or broken or spilled something already feels bad – so I do my best to assure them that my concern is whether or not they are OK. I also don’t like being in someone’s home when they are so busy fussing, and serving, and cooking, and DOING that I don’t get a chance to spend any time with them. So, I try to make sure that I do as much as possible ahead of time – so that I can sit and talk and relax with my guests. Never let them see you sweat – and really, don’t sweat the small stuff. If I forget to put something on the table – I laugh about it – put it on the table – and go right on visiting.
2. Do not ever, ever, ever, EVER run out of food. The southern thought process is that is far better to feed an army with the leftovers, than to run out of food. With an Open House, this can be challenging, because there is no way to know exactly how many people will be there. There are no RSVP’s – and an open invitation is extended to the church, to the people I work with, and to various friends who don’t fall into any other category. It is reasonable to assume that most will NOT come, but if they ALL come, and we don’t have enough…well, that is one time I WOULD sweat! Fortunately, I have never run out of food – and we usually have a pretty consistent number of people year to year. I still make extra though (and the bonus is that I get to use all of that food later – to take a platter to work – to take some goodies to a party or a friend’s house.) For years, Dave tried to get me to make less food – but now he realizes that is a losing battle – and I’m happy to report that he has not said one thing this year!
We always try to have the same number of sweet things versus non-sweet things, with some healthy (or healthier) choices for those who are trying to be careful. Anything that I can do up ahead of time is done. I have the linens and serving dishes ready to go, so that actual setup is easy. During the party, Dave and I take turns checking to see what needs to be refilled. He’s a super help at times like this – and enjoys entertaining as much as I do. When everything is all over – I will be tired, but very happy that we were able to do this one more year. It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season!
1. Make sure your guests are comfortable. I think about the things that make me comfortable (or uncomfortable) in someone’s home, and then I act accordingly. I don’t like to be in someone’s home where there are a lot of rules, or a lot of things I could break (it’s a pretty sure bet I WILL break something). Another thought from my Mama – “Things are things, and people are people, and you had better know which is important.” Accidents happen, and generally, the person who has dropped or broken or spilled something already feels bad – so I do my best to assure them that my concern is whether or not they are OK. I also don’t like being in someone’s home when they are so busy fussing, and serving, and cooking, and DOING that I don’t get a chance to spend any time with them. So, I try to make sure that I do as much as possible ahead of time – so that I can sit and talk and relax with my guests. Never let them see you sweat – and really, don’t sweat the small stuff. If I forget to put something on the table – I laugh about it – put it on the table – and go right on visiting.
2. Do not ever, ever, ever, EVER run out of food. The southern thought process is that is far better to feed an army with the leftovers, than to run out of food. With an Open House, this can be challenging, because there is no way to know exactly how many people will be there. There are no RSVP’s – and an open invitation is extended to the church, to the people I work with, and to various friends who don’t fall into any other category. It is reasonable to assume that most will NOT come, but if they ALL come, and we don’t have enough…well, that is one time I WOULD sweat! Fortunately, I have never run out of food – and we usually have a pretty consistent number of people year to year. I still make extra though (and the bonus is that I get to use all of that food later – to take a platter to work – to take some goodies to a party or a friend’s house.) For years, Dave tried to get me to make less food – but now he realizes that is a losing battle – and I’m happy to report that he has not said one thing this year!
We always try to have the same number of sweet things versus non-sweet things, with some healthy (or healthier) choices for those who are trying to be careful. Anything that I can do up ahead of time is done. I have the linens and serving dishes ready to go, so that actual setup is easy. During the party, Dave and I take turns checking to see what needs to be refilled. He’s a super help at times like this – and enjoys entertaining as much as I do. When everything is all over – I will be tired, but very happy that we were able to do this one more year. It’s a great way to kick off the Christmas season!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Christmas Goodies
Our Annual Open House is this weekend. Taking off for Canada made this week a little rushed, but I have every confidence that I will get everything done that needs to be done, especially since I have a wonderful husband and good friends who are helping me. So far, this week:
Decorating – check
10 pounds of fudge – check
Triple batch of haystacks – check
1 double batch of holly – check (I still have 1 batch to go)
A good friend came over last night and helped me get this much done.
Tonight, I may try to do the other double batch of holly. Tomorrow night, another friend will be helping me decorate some butter cookies (lots of butter cookies) to look like wreaths. I still have the non-sweet items to work on: baked potato dip (I will make 3 batches on Friday night), veggie tray, meatballs and hot hors d’oeuvres (done up right before the party), coffee and punch (again, right before the party). And some final cleaning. Dave, of course, has done a lot, and will be a big help getting everything finished. And then – it’s party time!
I have tasted some of what I am doing, but I have been very careful – and I HAVEN’T GAINED ANY WEIGHT. This is very, very cool! I licked the pot on the first batch of fudge, but that was more than enough, and I have not wanted even one more taste. So far, my BLT philosophy (bite, lick, taste) is working. I think this would be much harder if I denied myself from having anything – this way, I get a little bit, it’s enough to satisfy me, and I don’t want any more.
If you are in the area, stop by for the Open House – anytime between 3:00 and 7:00 on Saturday, December 4, 2010.
Decorating – check
10 pounds of fudge – check
Triple batch of haystacks – check
1 double batch of holly – check (I still have 1 batch to go)
A good friend came over last night and helped me get this much done.
Tonight, I may try to do the other double batch of holly. Tomorrow night, another friend will be helping me decorate some butter cookies (lots of butter cookies) to look like wreaths. I still have the non-sweet items to work on: baked potato dip (I will make 3 batches on Friday night), veggie tray, meatballs and hot hors d’oeuvres (done up right before the party), coffee and punch (again, right before the party). And some final cleaning. Dave, of course, has done a lot, and will be a big help getting everything finished. And then – it’s party time!
I have tasted some of what I am doing, but I have been very careful – and I HAVEN’T GAINED ANY WEIGHT. This is very, very cool! I licked the pot on the first batch of fudge, but that was more than enough, and I have not wanted even one more taste. So far, my BLT philosophy (bite, lick, taste) is working. I think this would be much harder if I denied myself from having anything – this way, I get a little bit, it’s enough to satisfy me, and I don’t want any more.
If you are in the area, stop by for the Open House – anytime between 3:00 and 7:00 on Saturday, December 4, 2010.
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