Owasso YMCA Hog Jog

Ten and a half weeks ago I decided that I wanted to get in shape.  Not just my standard I'm-going-to-diet-until-I-get-tired-of-not-eating-Cheetos decision, but a real effort to make a permanent lifestyle change.  The first thing I did was to evaluate my eating.  I've done Weight Watchers (with varying degrees of success) on and off for 11 years now, and although it gets me started I never seem to stick with it.  I found a great website called SparkPeople and I can track my food just like WW, but it also gives me daily ranges for calories, protein, carbs and fat.  I also bought a FitBit which I wear all day, every day to track my steps, calories burned and stairs climbed.

So I got so addicted to my FitBit and tracking how many steps I was taking each day, that I got a little more serious about my walking.  I found an app for my iPhone called RunKeeper (I am suddenly seeing a technology trend here) that allows me to input specific routes and then it tracks my speed, distance and time by GPS.  So every morning I wait for the bus with Gracie, and then take my walk.  Sometimes it's 2 miles, and sometimes it's 3 but the point is that I get out there and do something.

All this to say that with my weeks of exercising and eating well, I've lost 22 lbs and had the opportunity to participate in my first 5k today.  I walked in the Owasso YMCA Hog Jog this morning, and completed it in 48:03.  It's not a fabulous time, and it's not particularly fast but it's MY time and I'm proud of it!  Three months ago I would have laughed in your face if you had suggested that I would be walking in a 5k Thanksgiving morning, but I did, and it felt great.

The icing on the cake came when I turned a corner, and saw Trevor and the kids standing in the distance clapping and cheering me on.  It was completely unexpected and it reminded me once again of how gracious God has been to me.  He has blessed me in so many ways that cannot even be articulated, and continually shows His love for me through Trevor.

So today I am thankful.  Thankful for my husband and children.  Thankful for a body that is healthy enough to walk a 5k.  Thankful for the love of a sovereign God who holds me in the palm of His hand.  I am thankful.

Stolen Idea

The creativity of other people never ceases to amaze me, especially when their ideas make my life easier.  Pinterest is one of those sites that has me constantly saying (sometimes out loud), "Why didn't I think of that??!!"  So many awesome ideas for crafts, decorating, cooking and every other genre under the sun.

I wish that I could take credit for the following pictures.  Sure, I took them, edited them, ordered the prints, bought the suckers and assembled them, but (sadly) the idea was not mine.  I will however take credit for the beautiful children, or at least half credit.  Here are the Valentine's Day cards they will be slipping into their classmate's boxes this year: