AUGUST!!!...when did that happen?

I am floored that it is already August. It amazes me how years just seem to fly by. It seems like just yesterday that it was January 1st. I love that time is flying by it means my hubby will be back to me again soon. I hope you take time to enjoy the last month of summer...here are some of my favorite summer things...



State Fairs - I loved them growing up!

Smores...nothing says summer to me like toasting marshmallows over an open flame

The beach..

Fresh Corn on the Cob



Ice Cream



Hot doesn't seem descriptive enough

The end of last week and this past weekend brought 100+ degree temperatures with heat warnings and crazy humidity. Friday and Saturday of this week are supposed to be in the high 90s. It is crazy. There are warnings about air quality, breathability, etc. Right now Antarctica sounds like a great vacation spot. Stay cool and send it my way!

Seriously...who are public bathroom stalls designed to fit

Humorous not graphic I promise...I can't stand graphic bathroom stories.

Sunday I went out to lunch with a girlfriend at Red Lobster. After lunch we went to the ladies room. There was a handicapped stall and two "regular" stalls. I've never felt so cramped in a bathroom in all my life. Now admittedly I'm not a huge person but I'm not tiny either.

First to get in and get the door closed I have to sort of turn around and back over the toilet (I should explain I was in heels and a shorter jean skirt) well I encountered my first problem. I had barely enough room to get my legs on either side of the toilet to get the door closed. Then I realize that the door won't lock but darn it I'm in so I decided to lock it the best I can and block as needed. I move forward to undress and sit down. They have the toilet paper holder and the feminine trash can up on the wall between shoulder and elbow height if seated. This should work except they have them on either side of the toilet so you're cramped further. I go to the bathroom then becomes the challenge of getting the toilet paper I accomplish this with a move I like to refer to as the cowgirl. Then comes the getting up and getting out. I get up...get dressed...and back over the toilet again to open the door and get out.

The good news is the bathroom was clean. The door didn't open. And I didn't get stuck. I've just never felt so cramped in my life. Port-a-Potties give you more room. Insane.

My love of shoes strikes again...

One of the things I love about my dance classes particularly my pole classes is it gives an excuse for shoe shopping. You have to have the right shoe...so I have these ordered and on their way they are here...

And I'm thinking of buying these at the studio...in pink

But for every day wear I wear Danskos...I have worn and loved their clogs for years. This summer I've branched out to their sandals. So I have this style.

And I'm thinking of getting this style...

If you have knee, back, ankle, etc problems Danskos are great! I love them for everyday wear and if you have to stand for a long period of time they are great for that too.

So what are some of your favorite shoes?



Temporary Suffering?

In the Bible study I lead we are in a book called Walking in Grace it is about God's grace to us and our grace to others. Last week brought a scripture from 1 Peter 5:10.
"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you." 

At first I was struggled with this scripture but the discussion questions asked how does this verse relate to our journey with weight loss? We may consider exercise, passing on our favorite high fat/calorie foods, and dealing with our emotional eating to be suffering but in the grand scheme it is a little while. And in order to see a change sometimes we have to "suffer a little while." Now I do not think God causes the suffering or allows the suffering I think what this is telling us is that God will be there with us during the suffering and that it will only be temporary. Our reward will be restoration, support, strength, and establishment with Christ. 

As I pondered my Bible study I began to realize that is part of my problem. I'm not readily allowing for the suffering of exercise, giving up favorite high fat/calorie foods, and dealing with the emotional eating. I'm indulging in tv and the couch, my favorite not so healthy foods, and allowing food to be a comfort. So as of yesterday I made the decision to do the following:

• Eat less
• Exercise 3x this week
• Turn to other things other than food when stressed, tired, hurt, angry, etc. 

So wish me luck as I go through the week....

Thank God for Pets!

Most of the time my dogs help keep me sane while J is gone. (Not to say they don't pluck a nerve every once in a while) They often provide me with a good laugh. Ares is really my little joker as it were. A few anecdotes from the Ares file.

• Head of Steel: He likes to shake toys...his rope and his stuffed toys for example. While he was shaking he accidentally hit his head on our very very sturdy coffee table. He sat stunned for a second, shook his head, and went back to shaking his toy.
• Lover Not A Fighter: He likes to love our cat Otis. So he decided to give Otis kisses...well he has a big tongue so poor Otis ended up drenched. Ares was very proud of himself.
• Crafty: He is a smart boy. Food got under his food bowl (they have the elevated food bowls) he couldn't get down to reach so he nudged his food bowl out until he could reach it.
• Weird: I had a grapefruit in my lunch bag (a whole grapefruit) it was down where he could reach it. He pulled the grapefruit out and proceeded to play with it and attempt to eat it.
• A.D.D.: When I take him outside to do his business he'll squat and see a squirrel or a bird and try and chase it instead of doing his business. Or it will take 20 minutes to do his business because he smells the grill next door or he sees a cat or he hears a car or a multitude of other things. So he keeps wandering around looking and sniffing.
• Super Puppy: When we're coming in from the back sometimes instead of walking up the steps he'll leap up them. Literally he skips 2 or 3 steps by jumping. I'm always amazed he doesn't hurt himself.
• Clumsy: He sometimes gets so excited he misses a step going up.
• Nester: He nests in his blanket at bedtime. It takes him a good couple of minutes to get his blanket the way he wants it. If you touch it he just looks at you like WTH. He loves his blanket.
• Kisser: Every morning between 5:00 AM and 5:30 AM he wakes me up with kisses. I sleep on my back usually so he walks up to the top of the bed and gives me lots of kisses to wake me up. He's so sweet and gentle you really can't get mad.

My Heart Stopped...Figuratively

I work in a church. We have funerals from time to time. Last Monday we had a funeral for a very dear church member. He was being cremated but his widow still wanted the flag presentation at the funeral since he was retired Army. The funeral home arranged for military men and women from the local bases to come including a bugler to play taps. I knew this was going to be tough for me because of J.

What I didn't count on is what happened Monday afternoon. The funeral wasn't until 3:00 PM. It was about 1:00 PM. I'm sitting at my desk. My office has windows into our hallway and my office is one of the first you get to when you come in the back door. At 1:00 PM last Monday my heart stopped. Three people walked into our building in full military dress. For a brief second my heart stopped...I started to feel the tears...and a whirl wind of emotions. Then my brain kicked in thankfully and I asked them if they were here for the funeral. They were and I led them to our sanctuary. More came and it was a beautiful flag presentation but Taps always does me in. They did a great job. 

When I mentioned it to my co-workers they were so caring. They really wanted to know if I was ok. And my boss pointed out that I function in such a different world because it never would have occurred to him to think that when seeing the military people. One of the church people said "well first they would have sent a Chaplin and second there would have only been two and third none of them are a high enough rank to bring that news." I explained that my brain put that together but that was after my heart stopped.  

Funny part of this story. I was talking to J on Wednesday. We hadn't had a chance to talk since it happened on Monday. And I told him my heart had stopped Monday. He thought I meant literally and freaked out before I could ever tell my story. So once I got him calmed down and told him the story his exact quote was "well damn that sucked but I'm ok."