Maintenance

main•tain verb \mān-tān, mən-\ 1: to keep in an existing state (as of repair, efficiency, or validity) : preserve from failure or decline

Merriam-Webster says it best. This week I kept [my weight] in an existing state. I totally forgot to weigh myself yesterday morning (it was Monday, after all…), so I did it this morning. I have to admit, I was a little nervous while I waited for the lights to stop flashing. But the bright orange LED number that finally displayed on the little screen between my feet was a familiar one. The same one I saw 2 weeks ago, in fact. Huh. How ‘bout that? Not a loss, but NOT a gain! It’s a small victory!

Last week was INSANE on a personal level. We had a very busy kid week, plus the taping in Edmond on Wednesday, and then Twin A got Strep Throat! But, I had a date with each of my twins over the weekend, and it was so worth it! One-on-one time with my husband is hard enough, but finding time in ALL our schedules for the one-on-one with each child is particularly hard! But, we made it happen! Friday night, Twin B and I went to see a 3D movie of her choice. She picked “Justin Bieber : Never Say Never.” I was not revolted! I had actually watched the E! True Hollywood Story on him a few months back, and was intrigued by his story, so I was piqued to see how the Big Screen told his story. My twitter / facebook status after the movie was “So, I think my new fave color is purple! I think I caught a little #bieberfever!”

Not to be outdone, Twin A’s turn to pick a 3D movie was Saturday afternoon (after her antibiotics made her feel OH SO MUCH better!), and she choose “Gnomeo & Juliet.” Again, not revolted! It was a little tedious, but there were some great one-liners, and she really enjoyed it, and that was the point, anyway! Plus, my husband got some fun kid time both days with the 2 kids I didn’t have at the time, so it was a good time of family bonding!

So, while I was maintaining my weight, I was also maintaining building up our family. I also taught the girls how to make friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread this weekend. I hope I have made memories for them that will last. I think that’s my favorite part of being a Mom!

Audacious

My husband and I got to experience a rare event yesterday.   He saw an invitation to a sermon taping for LifeChurch.tv on Facebook Monday, shared it with me.  We were intrigued, so we both used some vacation time from work and spent a couple of hours at the Edmond campus yesterday.  But this was no ordinary taping.  You see, it wasn’t our senior pastor, Craig Groeschel (whom I adore and feel gives God-breathed messages straight to me week after week), but another incredible man of God who is a close personal friend of Pastor Craig’s doing the talking.  A man whom I have come to admire since the first time I heard him speak in October of 2008 (it was the first time we ever went to LifeChurch Stillwater, and I said to my husband as we left, if this guy is a friend of the senior pastor here, I want to go to THIS church!).  A man who believes we can all pray miracle prayers and God will not only listen, but deliver.

We got the honor and the privilege of listening to Pastor Steven Furtick preach 2 “Sun Stand Still” messages yesterday.  I don’t think I have recovered yet.  Steven is the senior pastor for Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.  His church is only 5 years old and already has 4 locations.  It is the fastest growing church in the nation right now – surpassing LifeChurch.tv’s growth at this point in its life.  AMAZING.  His first book called “Sun Stand Still” came out last fall – it was one of the books (along with 2 of Pastor Craig’s) that my husband had pre-loaded on the Kindle I got for my birthday in October.  This book will ROCK your world and your thinking!  And it’s all God!  Doing amazing things through a truly talented and spirit filled pastor, teacher, author and leader.

As a part of their 5^th year anniversary, ElevationChurch put together a documentary, which is available to view online for free this week only.  My husband and I watched it Monday night, and were so inspired!  It is so refreshing to see how God moves like that!  I follow Pastor Steven on Twitter, and I read his blog several times a week.  There is a video clip from one of his sermons earlier in the year that really fires me up and makes me want to share God with others.  This guy is the REAL DEAL, and if you need to be encouraged or filled up, I urge you to take a few minutes and read or listen to some of his thoughts on the Kingdom.  You won’t be disappointed.

And, join my husband and I at a LifeChurch.tv campus, a network church or church online in a few weeks to hear Steven Furtick’s “Sun stand Still” messages.  I’ll be sure and remind you when they are coming up.  I can’t wait to hear it all again! In the meantime, I am re-reading the book…

Life… HAPPENS!

A school board bond and new member election, 2 more snow days, Valentine’s day parties, a cold, cheer performances, a migraine, out of state relatives in town, 2 weeks without my LifeGroup, Girl Scout cookie sales, and I look up and an ENTIRE WEEK has gone by since I worked out last!  How does that happen?   Oh yeah!  I’m a full time mom to 3 active and involved kids, a full time wife to my amazing husband, and I hold down a full time job at the University.  Some days, I am surprised myself at how I get it all done.  Don’t get me wrong!  I LOVE the chaos that is my life – most of this time.  And this week has been especially good.  Everyone seems to be getting along, I’ve laughed a lot, enjoyed the things we have done as a family, taken the time to be in God’s word every day, but my diet/exercise routine have suffered.

Pastor Craig (Groeschel) spoke a sermon last month called I Quit… Complaining.  I don’t think I am a complainer, but I can see where others might call me that.  I have a hard time discerning what is a “complaint” and what is a statement of fact.  Take my ailments from this past week as an example.  In my opening sentence, I stated that I had a cold, then a migraine.  FACTS.  But, because I mentioned them in a laundry list and basically used them as excuses for my less than stellar behavior, does that make them complaints?  I could go on about this forever – ask my husband or anyone in the lobby of LifeChurch.tv Stillwater that week as we stood around and discussed it after the Host Team huddle… I don’t want to be a complainer, but I want the facts to speak for themselves.  Fact is, I don’t know how to do that, and I end up sounding like a complainer…

But, I digress.  My point is that I need to recommit to my health and fitness this week.  I will weigh again on this upcoming Monday morning, so that is my first step of accountability.  I think I am coming to the end of this cold, so I should start feeling better.  We have all but a few boxes of the Girl Scout cookies sold, so that madness is winding down.  It looks like the window of opportunity is opening for me again, and it is totally up to me to SEIZE it and get back on track!  It’s all about the balance of things, right? Things shifted the past 7-10 days, and it is time to shift them back.

Old Habits

Really ARE hard to break.  It has been a TRYING week.  Snowmageddon 11 had us out of school and off work for 3 days.  My monthly visitor paid a visit, and due to bad road conditions and a promise to be in a wedding, we all 5 lived in ONE hotel 40 miles from home for 3 days (missing a 4^th day of school and work).  ALL of that chaos really threw a kink in things.  I weighed this morning, since it’s been 2 weeks, and it was a gain.  I kind of figured as much, but it still came as a bit of a blow.  The good news is, today is a NEW day, and I can start all over again!  I have already pressed play and gotten my work out in today, already read today’s reading on my youversion reading plan, Shakeology is on deck,  and it’s not supposed to start snowing again until tomorrow.

I do have to say that this week was a blessing in many ways, though.  I got to see a beautiful, unique, and FUN wedding between two of the most wonderful young people, all through a haze of huge snowflakes.  I got to spend days on end with my wonderful family and see how truly well behaved, grateful,  and charming my kids can be, and how well my husband and I can work as a team, even in close quarters and on someone else’s time line.  I loved being a part of this wedding.  I love how weddings renew our own vows in a way.  And, I loved that I got to teach my wonderful husband a little bit of two stepping AND the Cupid Shuffle.  I have always liked to dance and its fun to get the whole family involved!

So, here’s to new beginnings!  Back to school and work, back to eating healthily and working out, back to being accountable in all ways!  And, Valentine’s Day is only a week away…  :)

Snow Day

I found this definition on urbandictionary.com:  “An unexpected day when you are supposed to go to school but it is canceled. An unexpected break. An unexpected escape from it all. A day to relax, not a day to catch up on work. Do what you want on snow days.”

Yesterday was a snow day for my entire family.  My husband and I both work for the University – which was closed.  My daughters’ public school was closed.  My son’s day care was even closed.  The high temperature was 9, with a wind chill of -15, and we had blizzard and blizzard-like conditions most of the day.  Today is a snow day, too.  No more snow, but dangerously cold and crazy winds; all the same places are closed.
Needless to say, it’s cold.  And dreary. And truly a departure from the norm around here.  No one in this house ever got out of PJ’s yesterday!  My husband made fancy egg sandwiches for breakfast while preparing white chicken chili in the crock pot for dinner.  I think my 4 year old son watched a total of 6 movies yesterday.  My twin daughters now know more about Wizards of Waverly Place and Fishhooks than they do their own family.  The 3 of us girls even watched Twilight Eclipse together.  My husband and I took a nap (even if it was accidental – we were trying to watch a movie but both fell asleep).  I admit, I was snowbooking (to constantly update your status or post on Facebook during a snowstorm. Also can be used to describe Facebook users who constantly discuss, complain, or post pictures about a snow storm) because there was nothing else to do.   It was too cold and windy to even go out in it and play! It was a total do nothing day. Except eat.  And be lazy.

So, today, we will try harder!  I am going to institute a 45 minute Wii “Just Dance Kids” dance off! (Even thought I already know who will win.)  I will Press Play with Shakeology The 50 during my son’s nap time!  I will finish filing our taxes! I will not mindlessly eat because I am bored and we can’t get the car out of the driveway!  I WILL SURVIVE SNOWEGEDDON 2011 (without gaining weight)!