3 Months away!

I can't believe that Christmas is less than 3 months away! Having moved away from most of my family I am having a little panic attack realizing that I am going to have to mail them early! I have already agreed to work Christmas Eve and Christmas. I hope to have Thanksgiving off-so if I can get my act together I may be able to take gifts with us back to Wichita and have them hidden in closets there for a month!

Okay-now I have the mailing them out taken care of, now I just have to find out what we can afford and what we want to give....

I love giving gifts and have to be careful to stay in budget. I have always believed that it is more the heart in the giving and not the price of the gift. So, I have my eyes out looking for good, practical, inexpensive gifts for my family. I already have part of a gift for my husband and it is in hiding.....

Turning 27yrs today.....Happy Birthday to Me!

I woke up today not feeling any older. I thought back to when I was in school and you wake up turning 10 or 13 and think, "I feel older! Yeah!" Well luckily I didn't feel that way today! I know I have learned a lot in the last 27 years-especially in the last 10 years. The last decade has seen me through:

the second half of high school,
an associates degree in nursing,
passing the nursing boards,
working in the New Life Center in Wichita, KS
planning a wedding,
experiencing alcohol for the first time...any enjoying it responsibly
a marriage,
owning my own car,
becoming a home owner and multiple pet owner,
a bachelor's degree in nursing,
traveling foreign countries and helping others plan their itineraries,
losing a pet of 18 yrs,
Starting a new job in a medical office,
seeing a sister marry and another turn 20,
celebrating my parent's 30 yr anniversary,
moving away from my family to Manhattan,KS,
moving away from my husband to start a job in Manhattan, KS and securing housing,
learning something new each day at work in the ER in Manhattan, KS,

WOW what a life and that's only the last decade. I am so blessed to be alive and am so happy to have been born.

I told Matt this morning at breakfast (at the Village Inn-coffee, 2 eggs over medium, 1 slice of wheat toast, and 5 bites of a stack of pancakes! yum!) I am so happy to have been born. It didn't occur to me that this comment would hover in my brain for the last hour. Then I sat down to check my facebook account that I had not checked in probably the last week or so. People also remembered it was my birthday....

It makes my heart ache for all the babies that don't even get to celebrate their first birthday..not even their first breathe of life because someone who has been blessed with multiple birthdays has made "the choice" to not allow it.

I have read the book Ciderhouse Rules and believe that for certain situations a women should have the right of choice, but this is a case by case-not a day to day.

I know this is something that some would think as odd to think about on a birthday-but not really...I am celebrating my 27th year on earth because of a choice of life.

Thank you to all on facebook who wished me a happy birthday-it has been a great day!

Matt's Birthday Gift to Me-a video!

10 pounds down

I woke up today and now I weigh 163.5 lbs! I had pushed the scale to almost 175lbs prior to starting this diet. Some of my clothes are getting a little baggy :) I am having organized planned exercise 5-6 days per week and continue to manage my diet. It has not been easy going to my parent's house, going on vacation, and when I meet a friend for lunch. I am learning how to work through the emotions I have tied to food-something I have had to work through since middle school.

For the next few weeks I am going to continue my aerobic exercise, but I am adding weight lifting to tone up. I am already seeing some results in my upper arms and hips.