Update on the Torture....

Well, I'm home from my assessment. I had to sit in a "Bod Pod" in a bathing suit and a swim cap (hott, I tell ya) and have my body fat electronically measured. Then I had to do the old school "V-Sit" and test my flexibility. Then I had to walk a mile. Then I had to use several weight machines and test my strength.

You know what they concluded?

I'm overweight and out of shape.

Duh.

But I am very strong - my strength test landed in the "way above average" column.

Um, yay?

Now let's see if we can get the other columns looking better, shall we?

Except I'm not so sure my legs are gonna work tomorrow.

Because I'm All About the Torture.

Hubs and I joined a gym yesterday. We have been contemplating joining said gym for a little over 2 years. We think about what we want for dinner for about 0.2 seconds, but joining a gym takes over 2 years.

See a problem?

Enter: gym. Time to correct the problem.

We're committed for a year. We signed the contract. We paid the "Assessment Fee." We're in.

Then they asked up to sign up for our 1st Assessment time. Did you catch that? First one. There will be more.

Anyway, mine is today. I'm contemplating skipping it to go get a root canal or visit the OBGYN, because I'm sure either of them will be more fun.

Here's what "The First Assessment" includes...

1. Body Fat Assessment. I get to wear a one piece bathing suit (oh good. Glad they clarified that. I might've showed up in my thong. How embarrassing that would be.) and have a really skinny, rock hard person not only look at my fat, but pinch it, measure it, and write notes about it. Can't. Wait.
2. Flexibility Assessment. I have no idea how they're gonna do this, but I can't imagine that it's comfortable. Can't. Wait.
3. Strength Assessment. I should ace this one. I carry around toddlers all the time. I ain't scared of this one.
4. Cardio Assessment. This is where I get to walk/run on a treadmill while the same skinny, rock hard person stares at me. Since my cardio for the last oh 7 years has included the occasional walk in the neighborhood, climbing the 2 flights of stairs in my house numerous times, and catching kids as they come down a slide, I'm sure there will be sweating, breathing hard, not breathing at all, a red face, and potential death. All while being watched, monitored, and written about on the clip board. Can't. Wait.

Then I get to sit, sweaty and out of breath, while she tells me that I'm fat and outta shape. Clearly she spends her free time as a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon. Genius.

However, in the spirit of getting healthy so I can be around for my great-grandkids' weddings, I'll endure it. The torture is welcomed.

Now, let me go put on my gym clothes. Oh wait. I don't own any. Gotta put that on my list of stuff to get, because even though I might pass out on the treadmill, but I'm gonna look good doing it.

A girl's got her priorities.

Thank You, Interpeeps.

I think I might've mentioned once or 20 times before that I am not very internet savvy.

Let's clarify.

I can google and find anything on the internet. I can shop like a skilled professional on the internet. I can look up directions on how to replace tile or how to bake a ham or how to eat a guava fruit on the internet.

Except not the replacing tile part. I mean I can look it up, but let's be honest, I'm not gonna replace any tile. That's why God invented my Dad.

But stuff like replacing the header on my blog, or, for that matter, anything that requires html code isn't optional for me.

I just don't get it.

I have a dream to learn how to create a button. The other day, BooMama was saying that Shannon created a button for her. While Shannon's button is perfectly lovely, I am a little jealous of her button-making abilities.

Because y'all, I don't got em.

However, I just YESTERDAY learned about something that has changed my life. It's a phenomenon called "Google Reader." You, interpeeps, taught me about it. Apparently, something was going horribly wrong with Bloglines, which caused many of you to blog about switching to Google Reader, and me, being ever curious, had to check it out. (And just so you know, I have no idea what I just typed - I'm doing the ole "act like you know what you're talking about and people will think that you actually KNOW what you're talking about" bit). Oh my. It's awesome. Yes, I was a click click click kinda gal until last night when I sat and smiled at my Google Reader page. I didn't know what else to do but smile at it. If Google Reader were a person, I'd hug it and kiss its face.

I'm also amused by small things, in case you didn't catch that before.

So now that my internet savvy abilities have been taken to a whole new level, I have the confidence I need to learn how to create a button.

Or I'll just smile at Google Reader for a while.

I'm Stubborn. I Admit It.

I HATE going to the doctor. It's a lot of trouble to get people to watch the kids, I abhor needles, I don't like germ-infested waiting rooms, I have an issue with that old school scale that that they make you stand on in plain sight of everyone...oh, I could go on and on.

But there comes a point when breathing trumps my dislike of the doctor, so I cave and go.

Actually, that's not the whole truth. I'd still be putting it off if hubby didn't make the appointment, let me sleep in (lawsie, that was nice - especially when every breath was a struggle last night), and wake me up in time to get to the appointment in time, and insist that I go.

I even blew my nose today. 3 times. Y'all. That's sayin' a lot.

So I went to the doctor.

And I have the crud. Officially, I have bronchitis and a sinus infection. But let's face it. I have the crud.

So now I have antibiotics and prescription cough medicine (which I'm excited about, because I think it'll make me sleep like I'm in a coma). And my mom came up to watch the kids while hubby works, so I think I'm gonna get to sleep in again tomorrow. 2 days in a row. I may throw a party in celebration of that.

When I was at the doc today (listening to Trav's Ring The Bells on my iPhone, yes I was), the doc told me that the last time I was in his office was almost a year ago to the date, and I was there for the same crud then, too. So I've about decided that this crud has something to do with Fall allergies, but I don't want to go get tested, because, as I've mentioned before, I abhor needles. So I took my prescriptions, shook the doc's hand, and told him that I'd see him in a year.

But as for now, my main priority is to breathe. And not cough because it hurts.

So now I'll go take my cough medicine. See y'all at noon tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

My friend, Travis, just released a new CD today called Ring the Bells.

Before I continue, let me clarify the word "friend." Travis is my friend. I'm not sure he really knows who I am. But he should, because I'm a nice person and I know BooMama and I love Jesus and I bought his new CD on iTunes. I'm his Facebook friend. Ok, so he has over 1800 Facebook friends. But I'm one of them. I even met him. Once. In a crowd of about 10,000, but I bet I made an impression. Wonder if he remembers me.... So I think we are friends. I'm star struck easily.

Ahem.

Anyhoo, my FRIEND, Travis, released his new Christmas CD today. And it is goooo-ooood.

I consider myself to be a Christmas music mega fan. I got married at Christmas. I listen to Christmas music in my car at the very first hint of cool in the air. I may or may not have played Christmas music in my car/house during months like April. Or June. If I could have a Christmas tree in my house YEAR ROUND I totally would. Love. It.

For the past several years, Point of Grace's "A Christmas Story" album has been my favorite. I have played it so many times that I wore out the CD and had to buy another one.

Trav's, (see, we are on a nickname basis here) CD trumps that one. I've listened to it TWICE today. Of course, I love the old school songs on the CD, but lawsie, "Jesus Saves" made me stand in my den with my hands up this morning. O. My.

Y'all. Go buy this CD today. You can get it in stores or download it on iTunes (my personal fave - you know, instant gratification). Buy one for friends and family. Stick some in stockings. It's that good. And it's Christmas music. And it's my friend Trav.

What more could you ask for?

This Just In....

Tait was dry ALL DAY today. We are in the big battles of potty training (Lord, help us) and today was a break through day. She actually wore big girl panties all day and never had an accident.

Can I get a WOOP WOOP?

Tomorrow, I might tackle actually leaving the house.

Nah.

It's A Boy!

No, I'm not pregnant.

Here's the story.

Almost a year ago, I was feeling a "nudge" towards sponsoring a child somewhere so I started praying and researching. Then I started hearing about the group Compassion International and my interest was peaked. I felt the "nudge" leading me in their direction, but have always been a little skeptical about bogus organizations who pad their wallets while children are still starving. Then I went to Compassion's website and read about them (and about their integrity and their commitment to not only help children physically, but most importantly to tell them about the love of Jesus), and started going through the beginning stages of sponsoring a child thinking I would probably not go through with the whole process - you know, the whole "I'll do it later" mentality.

Then I saw his face. I knew the "I'll do it later" mentality flew right out the window. I had to sponsor him. Right then.



This is my Compassion child. His name is Nevine, he's 14 years old, and lives in Eastern Nairobi, Kenya. Both of his parents have died, and he lives with his stepfather. He lives in a grass hut with a brick floor. He loves school, football (soccer), and swimming.

I knew that God had put us together for a reason. I completed the process and have been his sponsor ever since. I have received 3 letters from him and he is a pretty good writer. He asked us to pray for his school exams coming up. He also told me how much he weighed and asked for the weights of everyone in my family - which made me chuckle, because he definitely doesn't know the American rule - "never ask a woman how much she weighs". He sent me a picture of himself swimming in a nearby river, which is on the refrigerator next to my daughters' pictures.

I knew going into this that the money would help Nevine and his family. I knew I would enjoy reading his letters and learning about Kenya. But I had no idea how blessed I would be through this process. I would love to meet him one day and squeeze his face in person. I don't see a trip to Kenya in my future, but then again, I never saw myself sponsoring a child, either. I've definitely learned that God doesn't make His plans according to my calendar. And because his plan for me and my family include Nevine, I won't ever count out a trip to Africa.

Coming up soon, I'll be volunteering at the Compassion booth at the Michael W. Smith concert in Birmingham on Oct 19. I hope that many many people will hear about Compassion through his concert and that children all over the world will be sponsored because of it.

If you are going to the concert, stop by the booth and say hey! And while you're at it, think and pray about sponsoring a child.