3 month check up!

Yesterday I had my 3 month check up with the doctor. Everything is looking great, and I am ahead of the game in the area of weight loss. This is due to a few things...

1. My beginning weight was pretty large, 363 to be exact.
2. Personal training is speeding things along.
3. My diligence as to my food regime.

My body is healing well. My only concern was the fact that I am getting dizzy spells. What I was thinking, and I was correct, is that I need to be on top of my fluids. So, with that said, I am drinking more fluids more often.

On another note, the 3-6 month mark is where people start to lose their hair. I am hoping I will be the lucky one, who everyone hates, that will keep her hair. But in the case of massive hair loss, I will be cutting my hair:( but I found what I want my hair to look like in the event I have to go short. What do you think??? (PS dont judge me that this is Alice from Twilight)

(Minus the bangs)

Or
What do you think? Lets hope I keep my hair, but if not, better look at short do's!

Oh, I almost forgot, more exciting news from the Dr. See the picture below.

That's right, not only am I down 65 pounds in 3 months, I am UNDER 300 pounds! Last time I was under 300 was 5 years ago and I was under for 2 months. Before that, I have not a clue when I was under 300 pounds. But ladies and gentlemen I have done it!!!!!!

I AM so so excited!

God is Moving!

Ever really felt the presence of God? Ever KNOW that He is talking to you? Ever feel His voice booming so loud in your heart that if you ignored it you KNOW you would be directly disobeying Him?

Up until yesterday, I can honestly say that I had not heard God's voice really speaking clearly into my heart for over a year. I was talking with friend last night and I realized that I felt like I wasted this last year of my life. I did not spend as much time as I should have with the Lord. Sure I "read" my Bible and God sure did teach me things, but my heart was not purely and directly devoted to Him.

If you have read this blog for more than one month, you know that I have been "going through it." My life has been so challenging lately and I have been so burdened by where my life is going.

SO......lets rewind to last Wednesday. I am a part of a home church/bible study and part of what we do is confession. I hate confession, like most people do, because you have to show everyone your trash. So I volunteered to go first. Why? I dont know. But basically I confessed how I felt like I was being disobedient to God and really not allowing Him to change my heart about getting married and totally lacked the faith that He would take care of me. A friend totally spoke truth into my life and called me out on my sin and my lack of Faith.

I pondered what was said to me all week because it was true. I asked God "really do I not trust you?" The reality is, that I have so many idols in my life and so much that I feel that many times I dont REALLY need God because if things go sour, I make good money, or I know my family will take care of me. I felt like I did not NEED God, but he was lucky to have me. Shoot, I am a good person, do good things and all the other PRIDEFUL crap I spit at the face of my Lord on the cross.

Shifting gears until Sunday night. In church we were going over the Beatitudes and what it really means to be "blessed." Basically it means to be so full of joy in every situation regardless of what is going on in life. "Blessed are the poor in spirit" really means people who had nothing but the Lord found joy in that. I was so challenged and felt to convicted! If I had NOTHING in the world but Christ, would I be joyful? How about just content? The answer to both of those questions were NO!

Then something crazy happened! GOD SPOKE AND I LISTENED!!!!! I am still praying about what he said, but let me tell you I am SO EXCITED for what he desires in my life! I am trusting God's plan and his provision for my life. I am listening and willing to do what He tells me to do!

I desire to be His faithful servant and even if it counters what our culture would do. Since when do I want to do what is "normal?" Jesus was extreme! His disciples left EVERYTHING they had to follow Jesus. Why would I not feel like God wants to do the same thing in my life?

Friends, though I cant share exactly what He is doing in my life yet, I pray you can share in my excitement and prayers to our Father!

I am so excited to see how our Father is going to work it all out!

Adventures of a "wedding planner"

In the words of my mother, "I am pooped!" In laymen's terms, I am so so tired! Today I had the blessing to use my God given gift of administration to help a dear friend plan her daughter's wedding. It all started a few months ago when we ran into each other in the bathroom at church. She was stressed and in tears about what is necessary to plan a wedding. Me, being the administrator, offered to help her do all that was necessary to execute this wedding with the least stress. Since, many people would say, "I am always a bridesmaid." I have been to many weddings in the past and know how they work. I could run a wedding in my sleep......So I THOUGHT!

Well wedding day came....TODAY! I arrived at 9:30 am to help set up. I was not until 2 pm that I was able to take a break, eat, and change for the big event! I totally enjoyed every minute of it and it really went off without too many problems......but what would my blog be if I did not include a few adventures/lessons learned?

1. Guys do NOT know how to pin on boutonnières! With that said, ALWAYS do it for them
2. No matter how hard you try, traffic or other unforeseen emergencies will ALWAYS make a wedding start late.
3. If you are serving appetizers, make sure they are out and ready to go before the ceremony ends....people are hungry DARN IT! :)
4. When carrying food back to the kitchen, make sure it does not leak down your WHOLE dress.....and your leggings....and your shoes....BUT if you do, make sure you have a jacket to cover it up OR you will be back to wearing your brown velour pants you showed up in. BLECH!!!!
5. Wind causes a problem for flowers, plasticware, and also cools down a chocolate fountain to become unusable.

All of these above events are really not controllable, but just make weddings more unique, personal and just downright fun.

BUT one great lesson that I have learned above all is I need to invest in some darn Orthotics....in other words, better shoes or some 20 inch padding for my feet. In the words of a dear sister* "My dogs are barkin!" again, in laymen's terms "My feet HUUUUURRRRTTTT!!!!!!"

* thanks tropi for the coined phrase :)

Off to bed....as we lose an hour tonight. Then off to the gym tomorrow. But I will leave you with this......A NEW PICTURE:) My friend Kamar took this picture last weekend for her birthday party. This picture will be blown up in poster size and my gift to her:) JUST KIDDING:)

The Good, The Bad and the Downright Frustrating!

I have been going back and forth these last few weeks whether or not to share some things going on in my life. I realized something though, what is the point of people following along side a blog of someone's life when they only share "censored" things? The point of my blog from the beginning was to be real, with the good, the bad, and the downright frustrating.

To be honest, I have not been super transparent because my life has been up in a tailspin the last few months. To minimize boredom, let me put it in a list form for you....

1. Surgery, a good thing :)
2. Surgery Complications, a bad thing:(
3. Continued fighting,stress, and burdens with my dad, a bad thing:(
4. Pay cuts at work because of economy, a bad thing:(
5. Medical bill, a bad thing:(
6. Being audited on my taxes and no tax return, bad thing :(
7. Having to edit my taxes, bad thing:(
   
8. Personal Training, a good thing:)
9. More medical bills, a bad thing :(
10. Realizing my relationships with God has been solely based on my relations with my dad, down right frustrating :/
11. New shoes, good thing :)
12. Knee pain from new shoes, bad thing:(
13. Finding out I have to move out May 1st, downright frustrating. (I need to save money and rent is expensive, but was not ready to move out so soon, nor do I have a place to go that is feasibly going to save me money and mileage on my car)
14. LOSING 53 POUNDS, good thing:)
15. Fervently seeking God in the bad things, good thing:)
16. Eventually watching it all work out to God's Glory, GOOD THING

Well dear friends that has been my life in a nutshell. I still maintain the faith from our Lord Jesus that in "his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!" 2 Peter 1:3. So Yes, life is hard, it sucks most of the time right now, and I am frustrated with where my life has been the last two months, but I will continue to maintain that I have EVERYTHING, yes EVERYTHING I need for living a godly life.

NOT ME MONDAY!!!!!

Ok so I eluded to this earlier, but I certainly did NOT think I left my keys at the gym last week. AND NO I was NOT already at home, and no I was NOT looking for my car keys. Because I know that I certainly drove home, but where my keys were too be found was a mystery. Then of course, I did NOT find them sitting on the counter in plain sight. WHOOPS!

I most assuredly did NOT almost get sprayed by a skunk tonight! I was NOT walking out to my car when I saw something bushy in the parking lot. Once I saw the thing "cocked and ready" to fire, I did NOT bolt to my car praying I would be safe from it's evil odor.

***HERE IS ONE DEDICATED TO THE MAN AT THE GYM***

Sir, dont worry, I will NOT tell everyone who reads my blog that I saw you eating In N Out in the parking lot. And I promise NOT to tell people then you proceeded to work out at the gym. I am sure that you were NOT sweating pure grease! Talk about an animal style workout. BLECH! But no worries, your secret is safe with me :)